Rising star
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure|December 2022
Competing at an early age is great fun, but what does it take to support your youngster through the cc’s of competitive riding’...
Rising star

While legal road riding doesn't start until you're 16, there are earlier possibilities off-road - whether W motocross or trials - and it's not uncommon to see riders who are as young as four competing.

For some parents, the decision to let your son or daughter on to two wheels can be a difficult one, for others, it's a no-brainer. We spoke to 11-year-old William Sparks currently competing in C Class Standard Wheel at ACU Nationals across the country - and his dad, Paul Sparks, what it's like for them both.

William explains: "I started riding when I was just three on an OSET 12.5, but I couldn't compete until I was four. I did my first trial in April 2015, and it came as a big shock. I wasn't nervous though, as my dad had made it fun and I had already got a good sense of balance from all the practice I'd been doing in the back garden at home. I've worked my way up and now ride a Beta 80 big wheel. I like it because it allows me to ride smoothly over the bigger obstacles.

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Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

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