Planing a trip with my son for this coming summer | GTAMotorcycle.com

Planing a trip with my son for this coming summer

Clutt-225

Well-known member
Planning to ride from Bowmanville to Tobermory stopping along the way to stretch and enjoy the scenery. Stay in the night in Tobermory and spend the next day taking the glass bottom boat tour and cross over to Manitoulin Island on the ferry. Looking for suggestions as to where to stay on the island or past the island for our second night. Day three would be the ride home so I would like to cover some ground on day two.

Or should this be a four day adventure. He will be 9 this spring and this will be by far his longest trip.
We will be on a Ktm 1190 adventure
 
only my opinion, but that long a trip for a nine year old...

maybe a ride to algonquin for camping, with a canoe rental, would be a lot more fun for him...bring a mask and snorkel.
 
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Point taken and we are going to do a few longish rides leading up to this one.
Algonquin and possibly the Glenora ferry as well. Worst case if he’s not ready we can put it off for a year. But that’s why we are doing it over 3 to 4 days.
 
Ya, watch for signs that he is nodding off. When my daughter was on the back it happened lots. Then i started squirting water at her when i felt bump from her helmet in the back. She learned to speak up.... Hey Dad, we gotta pull over for a few minutes.
 
I know a lot of people that have napped on the back of a wing. Being wrapped in a couch has its advantages. I wouldnt want my kid napping on the back of an 1190. You obviously know your kid better than we do to assess whether they are mature enough to give you status updates.
 
My ex used to nod off on the 305 Hawk way back when and one riders daughter was pretty well asleep before we could get him to pull over.

You might want to consider a ride to OWL with him. I think more interesting and more adventure than Tobermory ( given the long ride )


Closer for you. July is good ...water still high enough but warming up. Fun and safe.

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Planning to ride from Bowmanville to Tobermory stopping along the way to stretch and enjoy the scenery. Stay in the night in Tobermory and spend the next day taking the glass bottom boat tour and cross over to Manitoulin Island on the ferry. Looking for suggestions as to where to stay on the island or past the island for our second night. Day three would be the ride home so I would like to cover some ground on day two.

Or should this be a four day adventure. He will be 9 this spring and this will be by far his longest trip.
We will be on a Ktm 1190 adventure
Ever spent that much time on the back of a bike? It's not all that much fun (for the 9year old). A few years ago a fellow rode into a campsite I was staying at in upper Michigan, he had a 9 year old on the back of a BMW 850GS, they were on their way to Sturgis -- the boy had been on the back for 4 hours. He was clenched to dad... fast asleep!

I was tempted to do those rides with my son at that age, when I visualized a trip through his eyes I changed my mind. Instead of the trip I bought him a little dirtbike and we had a few years of dad/son motorcycle fun that way.
 
I was tempted to do those rides with my son at that age, when I visualized a trip through his eyes I changed my mind. Instead of the trip I bought him a little dirtbike and we had a few years of dad/son motorcycle fun that way.

Yep ...start him with a dirt bike and you'll lay the foundations for a life long rider. My son did not live in the area between age 9 and 14 but once he did he wanted nothing to do with cars ....started him at Motopark and kept a CRF230 there for a couple seasons. He started very nervous and not confident ( he is a Type One diabetic )

First day he was pretty nervous - he was so beat at the end of the day he slept like a log the whole ride home
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Couple years and lots of weekend drives he was king of the world on a YZ250 - the difference in confidence was incredible.

A variety of street bikes later we went xcountry together for 3 weeks in BC
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Really built a strong relationship that he needed and gave him confidence. He's a good rider and despite inheriting a bit of hooligan never got a ticket.....and that modified FZ8 he said he hit 200 kph indicated in Pennsylvania. Took some advanced riding courses as well.
IF your son is interested in riding ...no better gift to both of you than getting him on one early. You are up near Ganaraska ...must be someplace you can base out of.

This kid is 3
 

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All very good points.
Like I said we will do a few shorter “long” rides to gauge before we head out
2 years ago he was a sleeper on my big Road Glide had to watch him. He couldn’t get past peterborough with out nodding off. He even fell a sleep in the Cobra roadster a few years back. But he’s getting past that.
I road on the back of my dads bike from 5years old on. I couldn’t wait to go on long trips and to this day it’s some of my best memories. I also started riding a Honda z50 at 6 years old. I was planning to get Mason a bike but he’s just not that into bikes yet. As soon as he wants one he will have one, that’s a given.
But he had a power wheels Mustang and never used it, he had an atv at 4 years old and never wanted to use it.
The allure to this trip is he and I both want to see the ship wrecks. I just don’t want to drive my truck all that way. I hate driving my truck.
 
It's been awhile, but IIRC, Wiarton is the last place for gas
In Tobermory you will need reservations for a motel. I would book maybe 1 month ahead.
Enjoy the "Big Canoe".
On Manitoulin, watch for deer. It has the highest deer population per sq mile than anywhere in NA.
Visit Bridal Veil Falls in Kagawong.
There is also Cup & Saucer lookout if you like hiking, HWY 540 between Kagawong and Little Current.
STAY AWAY from Anchor Inn Hotel in little Current. BAD, BAD place.
If you are riding back, HWY #6 Little Current to Espanola is a nice road.
Clear Lake Inn, just before Espanola is nice and is close to a nice beach for swimming.
Enjoy your trip, take loads of pics.
There are gas stations in Tobermory.

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk
 
I have a cottage in Tober. It's a long boring ride up the peninsula. Once you get there it is one of the best places ever, unfortunately last 10-15 its been taken over by day tourists so watch the road. I love tourism, hate the stupid peeps who ignore rules of road

Lol at Hoppy's being new. It was taken over a few years back but it's been there forever. Should be gas at Red lane road and again in Lions head if you pass Wiarton
 
I have previously stayed at Kagawong Family Cabins on the island. The people who run it are fantastic and the place was very clean. I've also camped at Gordon's Park which is also run by very friendly staff but the firewood they sell on site is basically tree bark.
 
So after some thoughts I have decided to do the trip with a friend that rides and leave Mason at home. He and I will do a couple good long day rides this year instead.
maybe a camping overnight but stay closer to home.
I’m still itching to do the trip.
Glen Rouge campground is perfect, not far for a day trip to the Zoo, most kids really don't care how far the ride was to reach their fun destination. Might be a perfect practice trip to gauge their pillion riding and tent camping with the old man interest.

... a lot fewer black flies then the Bruce Peninsula in spring too! Bugs don't survive well living down wind of Toronto.
 

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