Big difference between 7 and 11. My earliest riding memories are of my dad taking me up and down the street on base when I was 4, but he never took me on a real ride until I was 11.
Lots of opinions I'm sure, but on the street personally I'd wait till double digits

 

my wife laid the law at 10 for the kids riding passenger on the street.
My son's been riding in the dirt since age 6

 

My 10yr old boy rides w/ me. He uses most of his dirt bike gear and my wifes leather jacket.

 

Def a big difference. I remember when he was 5 and now he's totally different, so much more mature it's crazy. He sure wouldn't like your double digits idea, lol. but it sounds like smart thinkin

 

I doubt the bikes you guys were passengers on were configured like modern sports bikes. I personally would avoid taking anyone on the back. They just don't make them with stable riding positions for passengers. I know people will write and say I amnuts and they ride 2 up all the time. But objectively look at the position. If you want to put down a quiet street that is one thing. But going into any traffic situation with a little one on the back to me is nutty. Get an old standard or sport touring bike maybe with a back rest and flat seat if you want to do it. Less worry.

 

I have both!

 

gm guys, not sure about anywhere else but here in Arkansas, age is 8 before they can can be a passenger

 

My girlfriend's father past away when she was much younger (early teens?). Some of her fondest memories are of her on the back of the bike riding through Boston, MA. I don't have kids but if I do have them, as soon as I felt they would be responsible enough that I didn't have to constantly worry about them, I would stick them on the back. Everyone ages at a different speed.

I might switch bikes then too... as some have said, the superhawk may not be the best for putting someone on the back.

 

One of the bike magazines wrote a short piece on this several years ago. One of the things I hadn't thought of was the risk of a little kid falling asleep and falling off. Older kids aren't as likely to fall asleep, but smaller kids (who can't see past your back) can tend to rest their heads on your back and lull themselves to sleep.

I take my 8 year old on short rides for errands, but haven't taken him on a long trip. My 12 year old could ride on back all day.

 

My ten yr old son now regularly makes hwy trips with me to the next town or further... I'm third gen bike family so it's natural to us I s'pose...having said that he's been riding and racing dirtbikes since 4, does freestyle BMX after riding state level racing for 3 years.
BUT. until he was ten he only sat on the back of a roadie in the driveway or around the block, as someone else stated little ones are too vunerable to relaxing, yes each kid matures different, but this bloke at ten is as capable as I was at 13 and is really aware of what we are doing.. even at 50 kilos(12olbs for blokes) (built like his Dad and grandads) he is one with the bike in corners and accleration and braking he braces well using his legs.
His sister on the other hand even though she has been riding longer than him and at 172cm tall and 60 kilos feels like a dead weight on the back.. she's not got the love for roadbikes and it shows in her pillion abilities....

 

ive seen harnesses that you can attach to younger kids and then attach to you so that theyre stuck to you. as mentioned above, age is only a small factor its all about maturity. whatever you do get the kid the proper riding gear. we stopped for a break this year and some diclk cheese on a harley was out with his buddies and he had his kid with him. kid was 2-3 years old she was wearing a little dress and a helmet. saw the harness thats where i know about it. but no protection whatsoever. everyone is bound to crash why risk that childs delicate skin just because youre a douchebag father. thats just me but i guess ive got more common sense than some.

get protection, if youre worried find a way to attach him to you just incase he looses his hand grip on you or something

 

I totally agree, I'm alive three times over because of good gear and helmets.
My young bloke has good dirt gear and better than mine road gear, shoei helmet, shoei leather jacket, kevlar pants, kevlar gloves and Oxtar boots (ok they are his race boots.. but they look good and way more protection then my roadboots) body armour and he's good to go.....

Little bodies are easily damaged and don't take big blows like fully formed bodies do.. and who wants to be responsible for that...

 

I have a 1986 honda spree. My younger kids love to ride standing in the front when i take short trips around town. I keep it real slow and often times stay on the slowest of streets. The one time I crossed a highway, I got pulled over by a county cop. He said it was illegal to transport a kid on a motorcycle. I did not argue, I just took my boy home. I know they love the feeling of being infront, seeing the landscape. I would not think they would like the view from behind on the Hawk. Plus the speeds that I cannot exceed on the Spree make it more plausible. The Scooter will only hit 30 downhill with a wind and me in a "full tuck" I know my 9 yr old girl goes about that speed on the same downhill.

 

I've used a child riding belt (see www.childridingbelt.com) when my sons were younger than 12. It's a harness that attaches the child to the rider. It's been durable and it works well.
About two years ago, my then 7 year old fell asleep when I had taken him for a ride on my VTR. He just went limp. I thought he'd had a stroke. I was very relieved to discover that he was fine. He would have been hurt badly if he had not been attached to me with the child riding belt.
It goes without saying that the child's feet should be in contact with the passenger pegs and the child should be wearing a helmet, gloves, jeans (at least), leather jacket and sturdy shoes or boots.

 

I used to sleep on the back of my Dad's BMW on cross country trips. But I was ~10 and he had put a sissy bar on it. (so I leaned back on it to sleep)

 

I'm sad, I never got to have any of those memories, my dad had a big bike when I was very young, saw pics of it in the photo albums, but he wasn't much of a father so I never got to ride with him, and my kids were never interested in going for a ride with me, so therefore.....I'm sad this day

 

I second what HiVisibility said..