srk27
Utah
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My neighbor and I want to take our 6 year old sons with us into the Utah mountains for a trail ride. I am trying to determine if it is legal for me to have a 2nd rider even though my Suzuki Eiger is only designed for 1 passenger. I certainly feel comfortable having a second small passenger and our combined weight doesn't come close to the maximum rider capacity.
Is the 1 rider limit enforced by some state laws or is it just a recommendation by the manufacturer? If anyone can answer authoritatively about Utah law that would be great too.
TIA!
>Steve
* This post was
edited 07/17/09 12:37pm by srk27 *
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Sir-lance
Elkview, WV
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Joined: 11/29/2004
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Think of it this way, weather its illegal or not if you have an accident and your kid gets hurt or killed you will spend the rest of your life in jail for child endangerment. The stickers on the fenders clearly state not to double and if its an organized system you are planning on riding I guarantee they wont allow it.
With that said, I double my woman pretty often. Shes an adult and knows the danger associated with riding, a kid dosent understand that they can get hurt, thats your job to protect against. Doubling a kid for anything other than a slow trip around the yard is irresponsible in my opinion.
Lance
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casperBrittain
north bend, Or.
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Joined: 01/03/2007
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not in this state, but they do have to be able to touch the foot pegs, and ride behind the driver. But I agree with sir too.
Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and
permanently set.
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BlueRapted
Ragley,La
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First off, Welcome to the forums srk27. Secondly don't you think you are being alittle harsh sirlance? You pretty much called him a irresponsible parent when you don't know him and haven't seen the terrain he was wanting to bring HIS kid on.Lastly, is there anyway to contact somebody that runs the place you are wanting to go? Or anybody that has been there before? And if you do get the ok, Then it is up you to be the judge of what is safe for YOUR child and what isn't. Your the only one that can say what is best for your child,not some stranger on a forum.
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drake317
Troy Michigan
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The law varies by state. In Michigan it would be illegal.
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GreyGrizz
Ma.
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srk27 wrote:My neighbor and I want to take our 6 year old sons with us into the Utah mountains for a trail ride. I am trying to determine if it is legal for me to have a 2nd rider even though my Suzuki Eiger is only designed for 1 passenger. I certainly feel comfortable having a second small passenger and our combined weight doesn't come close to the maximum rider capacity.
Is the 1 rider limit enforced by some state laws or is it just a recommendation by the manufacturer? If anyone can answer authoritatively about Utah law that would be great too.
TIA!
>Steve The Government, both State and Federal are making it harder than ever; for parents to get kids involved in our sport. I'm sure you would be very careful having you're child ride on the same machine as you. But if anything ever happened; the agencies, including child services, would come crashing down on you, in a heartbeat. You would be better off finding a used, safe, youth ATV through you're local want adds. Then the both of you take an ATV, safety course through you're state. Then teach him to ride responsively, possibly joining a club would help. It isn't easy with all the opposition. Good luck.
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Sir-lance
Elkview, WV
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BlueRapted wrote:First off, Welcome to the forums srk27. Secondly don't you think you are being alittle harsh sirlance? You pretty much called him a irresponsible parent when you don't know him and haven't seen the terrain he was wanting to bring HIS kid on.Lastly, is there anyway to contact somebody that runs the place you are wanting to go? Or anybody that has been there before? And if you do get the ok, Then it is up you to be the judge of what is safe for YOUR child and what isn't. Your the only one that can say what is best for your child,not some stranger on a forum.
Your right, maybe that did seem harsh but when someone says they plan to double their kid on mountain trails what picture does that paint for you? Chances are, it would be slow & safe type of trail riding and if thats the case then Im sorry if I sounded pricky. Dont know how old this dudes kid is but the best possible way to introduce a child to Quads is to buy him a mini and teach him. Im sorta going through that right now.
Weekend before last I past a dude that was doubling his kid on a YZ-250 dirtbike, kid couldnt have been out of diapers wasent much over a toddler and was sitting on the gas tank in front of dad. Neither the kid or the dad had a helmet on and was makin pretty good speed considering the situation and was headed toward pavement. THAT WENT right through me, knowing if that dude crashes and that kid gets hurt or killed my riding area is going to get shut down. I guess thats a selfish way to look at it but its a reality if that happens.
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drummer89
In front of you.
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Sir-lance wrote:Think of it this way, weather its illegal or not if you have an accident and your kid gets hurt or killed you will spend the rest of your life in jail for child endangerment. The stickers on the fenders clearly state not to double and if its an organized system you are planning on riding I guarantee they wont allow it.
With that said, I double my woman pretty often. Shes an adult and knows the danger associated with riding, a kid dosent understand that they can get hurt, thats your job to protect against. Doubling a kid for anything other than a slow trip around the yard is irresponsible in my opinion.
My dad put my brother and I on a suzuki kingquad 300 with him, and we aired that beast out all day every day, and I grew up fine.
Monster in the making.
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Sir-lance
Elkview, WV
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My dad did the same thing with me cept then it was 3-wheelers. I remember him trying to climb my uncles front yard with me one the back. We rolled over backwards, dad and the 3-wheeler crushed me. I cried a little and got over it like most kids do.
That was then, the world is different now, if the same thing happened today, say I got hurt and had to go to the emergencey room. The moment they find out what happened Child Protection is gonna have some questions for my dad.
At 34 Ive grown up a little, I dont have any kids yet so this is a non issue for me at this point.
Today in our local paper click
Man was doubling 2-kids last weekend, crashed, 11 year old boy was killed. It dosent say if they were wearing helmets but it does say they dont expect to file any charges at this time. Yea right, charges would be the last thing on my mind if I had just killed a child. Could you amagine having to live with that, jail or otherwise.
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Gizzard
Ontario
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Joined: 02/01/2004
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We double, and always have all the time. Riding double is like learning all over again. You just have to take it easy, until you get a feel for how the ATV (or bike) handles with a second rider on the back. Its no more dangerous than riding single, unless if you fool around too much, or ride past your skill limit.
Its not what you ride...its how you ride it!
JUST GIVE ER!
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