Motorcycle, ATV or Go Kart for a 9 year old. Your thoughts?

[archerm3]

There is no doubt in my mind that a minibike is safer than a fourwheeler, having first hand experience on a weekly basis of seeing four wheeler accident victims, and virtually no off road motorcycle injuries. Most of the 4wheeler injuries are head and chest injuries by getting trapped under a fourwheeler that comes up on someone wheelie style with sufficient rotational inertia to cause serious internal injuries all the way up to pancaking the skull squishing brain matter all over the place. It seems people just can't jump off an upsetting fourwheeler as fast as they can a dirtbike. Something about wheel wells/fenders in front and back of your feet kinda traps you on the seat. Dirtbikes don't have the mass behind them when they start to cartwheel, and they tend to get cocked off to the side if one was to ride the cartwheel all the way back. That and people generally are more diligent about wearing their safety gear on bikes. False sense of security on four wheelers. Kids and adults stay a little nervous and hence respectful on a two wheeled machine that feels "tippy", and don't push it as hard until they feel confident about handling it.

We get so much business off of fourwheeler injuries its rather insane. If it were up to me, fourwheelers wouldn't have anything past second gear. When I ride fourwheelers that's as fast as I ever go.

This is the way I look at it...
Dirtbike injuries = broken/sprained ankles/ wrists/arms.

Fourwheeler injuries = crushed skulls, crushed livers, multiple broken ribs, bruised hearts, ruptured spleens, broken jaws and teeth.

Gokarts= boring after two weekends. Unless you start into real Karting competition.

I'd let a kid take a corvette on the interstate before I'd let them ride a fourwheeler. It's sickening to see these parents of kids that seriously injure themselves or die from fourwheelers, these parents losing their mind crying hysterically and still thinking that it was a good idea to get them a fourwheeler at a young age, because they look so darn cute on them. Well, they don't look cute when you're hosing off their blood from the pavement or backyard.

[/pine]

Have you considered a "mini-bike"?
I would think a mini-bike would be more applicable for a 9 year old...

[Mark_in_NH]

Originally Posted by archerm3

There is no doubt in my mind that a minibike is safer than a fourwheeler, having first hand experience on a weekly basis of seeing four wheeler accident victims, and virtually no off road motorcycle injuries.

archerm3,
Whats your take on the dune buggies I posted to ? One would tend to think that with a full roll cage such as they have, they would definately be safer then a 4 wheeler, granted they probably aren't as versitile as a 4 wheeler and they are not going to travel over some terrain like a 4 wheeler will.
Now this is just my opinion, but if I were a boy again, ( yes, I have had to grow up ) I would think this kind of machine would be the Cats A** and as a parent, I would feel safer knowing my child was in/on something with a roll cage and multi point seat harness.
I never had dirt bikes as a kid and 4 wheelers were not even invented, ( I was fortunate enough to grow up on tractors ) so I am a dummy when it comes to knowing what a small dirt bike or 4 wheeler typicaly comes with in engine size. So how does the 150 - 250 cc engines of the dune buggies compare ?

[DennisArrow]

No mention yet, of riding with a helmet and other protective gear. It's rare that I see anyone riding a 4 wheeler wearing a helmet let alone shoulder, back, or leg armor. It isn't rare to see kids zooming as hard as they can down the paved road, tresspassing on private property because they are bored on their round and round track, tearing up gravel roads that become rutted due to the damage, and on and on. Anyway, to answer your question of 2 vs 4 wheels, the 2 is actually safer and easier on the countryside..........God Bless.....Dennis

[archerm3]

Originally Posted by Mark_in_NH

archerm3,
Whats your take on the dune buggies I posted to ? One would tend to think that with a full roll cage such as they have, they would definately be safer then a 4 wheeler, granted they probably aren't as versitile as a 4 wheeler and they are not going to travel over some terrain like a 4 wheeler will.
Now this is just my opinion, but if I were a boy again, ( yes, I have had to grow up ) I would think this kind of machine would be the Cats A** and as a parent, I would feel safer knowing my child was in/on something with a roll cage and multi point seat harness.
I never had dirt bikes as a kid and 4 wheelers were not even invented, ( I was fortunate enough to grow up on tractors ) so I am a dummy when it comes to knowing what a small dirt bike or 4 wheeler typicaly comes with in engine size. So how does the 150 - 250 cc engines of the dune buggies compare ?

I don't know much about dunebuggies but I would think virtue wise they would be the safest....Except for as stated before.....the overwhelming desire to drive them on roads and trails habitated by real motor vehicles, when mom and dad aren't looking. If you could control that I would think they would be the safest.

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Eddie, I used to work in the motorcycle/ATV business. Yes, buy safety equipment and make him know that wearing it is a condition of riding.

I vote motorcycle/minibike. When you fall off a bike usually you end up separate from it. A wipeout on a 4 wheeler will roll with you in a turn and sometimes rollover you. Also, be careful especially when climbing a hill and not making it to the top. It will flip over on you if the hill is steep.

Watch out for the real MX bikes, they are too fast for a beginner (even the 80cc). Take the key or rig it so he can only ride when you guys are around. If he likes it, build him a smooth track with a couple of small jumps and progress him to an MX'er.

I say about 80-90% of the safety is dependent on the individual kid. Some have no fear and others don't want to fall over.

Get gear for his sister too if she wants to ride and make them take turns. That way, one or the other will tell on the other for doing stupid stuff.

An ATV is handy for putting around but, like I said, you have to know if Payton has an internal governor in his head before you would let him rocket off.

[Mark_in_NH]

Originally Posted by archerm3

the overwhelming desire to drive them on roads and trails habitated by real motor vehicles, when mom and dad aren't looking.

Yes, I can certainly see that happening in some cases. I believe that even I would have been one of the cases.

This company Dune Buggies and Gokarts from Roketa, BMS, Kinroad, ACE, Yamabuggy, Kenbar, Trophy Kart sure has a nice selection of said dune buggies at what I consider reasonable prices, most with free shipping (residential lift gate ) Some of these are fully equipped with lights, directional, horns etc. and with available units in the 1000 cc range, I would think they would cruise pretty good on the road ( in the hands of an adult & state laws allowing )

[archerm3]

Originally Posted by Mark_in_NH

Yes, I can certainly see that happening in some cases. I believe that even I would have been one of the cases.

This company Dune Buggies and Gokarts from Roketa, BMS, Kinroad, ACE, Yamabuggy, Kenbar, Trophy Kart sure has a nice selection of said dune buggies at what I consider reasonable prices, most with free shipping (residential lift gate ) Some of these are fully equipped with lights, directional, horns etc. and with available units in the 1000 cc range, I would think they would cruise pretty good on the road ( in the hands of an adult & state laws allowing )

Yes, and I as well when I was young would have been all over town, woulda been worth the tanned hide.

[Mark_in_NH]

I am still at that last website looking at and drooling over some of the buggies and after watching some of the short videos of them. I can see one problem in getting one for a young growing boy or girl. That problem would be getting ME out of the drivers seat !!!!

[Mark_in_NH]

If I didn't have the payments I have now, I would order this one in a heartbeat. Not sure what I would need it for, but who cares. At a top speed of 66mph, 800cc engine, shaft drive, 4 speed, electric start EFI engine and a built in stereo. WHAT A BLAST and for under $5800.00 w/ free shipping and it even comes with a winch.
JCL MG800B Dune Buggy 800cc BOSCH EFI 4-Speed Manual I'll take a red one please !