Exhaust cover to protect a passenger from burns

[travman10]

I am ready to put my son on the back of my bike. I know that if I don't put some kind of heat shield or cover over the exhaust he will undoubtably burn his leg.

I was thinking about welding a few metal rods to the bungie luggage rail and then putting some kind of foot rest/step over it. This is going to be really complicated and may look funny.

Please let me know if anyone has overcome this issue.

Thanks

[scottynoface]

Wear pants

A C/F can will run cooler.

[05RedKat600]

The rear footpegs should be above the exhaust? Not quite understanding this one I guess.

[Scout]

I think he's saying that even though the footpeg is above the exhaust, and even though he will put jeans on his child, and even though he will certainly make said child aware that the exhaust is hotter than the 9th level of hades itself...he knows fully well that his son will get burned anyway, but he's gonna put him on the bike in spite of that.

My advice to the OP is, if your kid is to young/unpredictable to avoid getting burned, he shouldn't be on your bike.

[GytRDunKat]

Well said Scout. I only take my 17 yo. The 13 year old is blonde, likes sparkly things, and is easily distracted. I put the fear of God into the oldest, and haven't had a problem. Ever since I got the bike, even the niegbor kids know to stay away from that side of the bike.

[Pugga]

I think he's saying that even though the footpeg is above the exhaust, and even though he will put jeans on his child, and even though he will certainly make said child aware that the exhaust is hotter than the 9th level of hades itself...he knows fully well that his son will get burned anyway, but he's gonna put him on the bike in spite of that.

My advice to the OP is, if your kid is to young/unpredictable to avoid getting burned, he shouldn't be on your bike.

That's great advice! If the rider can't properly mount/dismount the bike then they shouldn't be on the bike.

But, if you're set on letting your kid ride, have you thought about using a bigger foot pad instead of the peg?

[Nut-Nut]

My daughter has been riding with me the last 2-3 years, she is twelve, almost thirteen. My suggestion to the OP...

Explain in detail how to mount and dismount properly...

Do practice runs, with the helmet on, of your son getting on and off...

Make sure he understands that he must be told when he can mount, or dismount before he does... EVERY TIME...

Always make him aware of the exhaust being hot. Let him know not to go anywhere near it even when he thinks it is cold...

If at the end, he cannot adhere to this, becasue he is too young, or distracted, then I am with Scout. Maybe he is not ready to go riding...

[rexazz2]

Explain it to him then let him burn himself once , he will be forever carefull
There is probably a good reason why I have no kids

[Wild-Bill]

+ a whole bunch.

Two of my boys have been riding with me since they were 7. The other one is 9 now and still hasn't been on the bike except while sitting still in the garage with a cold engine. Do lots of practice runs, letting the boy practice putting on his gear, opening and closing the helmet visor and getting on/off the bike. Get Mom to watch and stand by to catch him if he loses his balance but make sure they both know that he has to be able to do it safely on his own before he goes riding.

[Slofuze]

All good advice, and I have nothing to actually share....kinda. All of my four kids have ridden with me on serveral bikes. Being a Science and Math teacher, I always performed an "experiment". I'd take the bikes out for a bit, and when I got home I'd spit on the exhaust to demonstrate how hot they were. Being bright kids, they caught on very quickly...sort of. Basically it's a lesson in "listen, look, and remember". Hmmm.... one wasn't as bright as I thought she was, but a burn scar does heall up.

[02redkat]

I kept telling my son when he was younger light bilbs are hot. Ok not so much with the new compacts, but these were the old inefficient. The first time he touched it, he found out what HOT meant. Some learn by failing.

[scottynoface]

Only took me once

Titanium may cool off quickly, but it gets REAL ****ing hot.

[rexazz2]

BTW you could probably use exhaust wrap

[travman10]

Thanks for all the great advice, I have done the drills, demonstrated how hot the pipe is after riding, make sure anyone that gets on my bike is properly safety geared out. But even after for a decade I still brush it by accident once in a blue moon, All my cold weather and water gear have hot spots or burn spots on the inside right leg (from multiple bikes). I guess I know deep down no matter what I do, unless I can make a physical barrier from the pipe he will at one point melt a shoe on it or burn himself while we are out riding. I like the idea about finding a bigger peg, I will search that route.

What is the smallest passenger anyone has ever riden. My son is right at 48 inches.

We shopped for helmits and he was out of the youth sizes and turned out to be an adult medium.

[ncj_23]

I second exhaust wrap. My dad used to wrap the pipes on his old yamaha virago. We went through a rough patch when I was 5 or 6 and all he had was the bike so I rode to and from school on that thing. There were plenty of times the exhaust wrap saved me.

And you can tell a kid 100 times not to touch it and they will most likely run into it or use it as a hand hold at one point or another