YOUTH ATV

[frank_f15]

what do you guys think for an atv for a young person? my grandson is 8 and rather tall and large and he just can't fit in his electirc car. what do you think of a atv in the 50cc or 90 range made fo youths with adajustable max speed. he will have plenty of open space to ride when he is here. i don't know much about atvs but am researching but thought i would get expet opinions.?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Frank, I like them if they have the speed limiters and other safety options. I have thought about them for Ava when she gets a little older. However, with those two 13 year old girls dying from that snow mobile accident yesterday has made me nervous about how soon I give Ava something with any amount of power. I feel bad for those girls familys and their friends. South Dayton/Cherry Creek is a very small community and everyone knows everyone there. It is a scary thing.

If you do get your grand kid a ATV talk to a couple dealers about it first. Look over all the options. Make sure you grand kid has a properly fit helmet and other protection (chest protector). Get him set up and support him for wearing his safety gear. Even give him rewards if he is wearing them when you see him. Take the keys away if he doesn't.

 

[Old Coot]

I think the only way they should ride is with an adult around. I have twelve acres of woods with paths people like to ride on with or without permission. Seems if someone get a ATV they think that gives them the right to ride any where they want even on someone else's property.

I try to let people ride if they ride decent. But we had a couple of boys, about 12 to 14, come in an we permmited them to ride as long as they rode decent. Well they kept getting faster and faster, then when I seen them riding double up one of the hills with the front wheel bouncing off the ground I had to put an end to their fun.
I never did see one of their parents come around to see what they were doing. Lucky it didn't roll over backwards.
Guess who gets sued if someone gets hurt.

 

[kenmac]

If he have never ridden, stay outside with him & watch him. I think problems occur when, people buy this things and just turn their kids loose & the kid has never or ridden or ridden very little.I bought my son a 50 cc suzuki when he was about 5 or 6 yrs old. Every time he road it ,I would be outside watching him. He now is 19 now & is a very good atv rider. If you purchase , be sure to purchase one of the name brands. There some chinese models that cost less up front, but parts & service are hard to come by

 

[frank_f15]

If he have never ridden, stay outside with him & watch him. I think problems occur when, people buy this things and just turn their kids loose & the kid has never or ridden or ridden very little.I bought my son a 50 cc suzuki when he was about 5 or 6 yrs old. Every time he road it ,I would be outside watching him. He now is 19 now & is a very good atv rider. If you purchase , be sure to purchase one of the name brands. There some chinese models that cost less up front, but parts & service are hard to come by

IF I DECEIDE TO GET HIM ONE IT WILL MOST CERTAILY HAVE ALL THE SAFTEY FEATURES, parental teather, and adjustable max speed adjustment, + he will only ride it when he is here and i never even let him ride his little battery operated car with out me being out there. AND he must always wear a helmet and pads, as he does now when riding his bike or his scooter neither which is powered.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

the younger the better that way it will be like a second pair of shoes to them. i started very young about the same age 8/9 .

 

[AlanB]

They are great, if the parents (or grandparents) are involved. Far too many folks buy their kids that cool "toy" and turn them loose.

Myself, I would put him on a motorcycle. As a general statement, motorcycles tend to be more self regulating as it takes some skill too go fast.

Unfortunately, 4 wheelers (and their three wheeled predecesors) tend to breed just too much confidence and youngsters can get in over their head quick.

Not sure if that helps much or not but too sum it up, yes, they are great, in the right set of circumstances.

 

[gordon21]

I'm not real thrilled with the idea of really young kids on a 4 wheeler. I don't think they even make the 3 wheelers any more due to so many injuries. I have two large ATV's stored at my cabin that belong to my son-in-law and his friend. I only drove the 325 ATV and it scared the crap outta me. I have a Gator now and in my youth I drove motorcycles for the first 7 years. I didn't get a car until age 20. I drove my bikes 365 days a year in Maine all through high school.

I agree with AlanB that a small motorcyle would be better. The advantages would be:

No passengers
About 1/3 the weight
Narrower
Can go a lot more places
You have to pay attention a lot more on a bike than a 4 wheeler

Above all, he must wear a high quality full face helmet and proper gloves, boots, etc

I dropped a bike one time in the snow/ice and my head slid across a patch of overpass. It cut into the fiberglass top of a brand new Kawasaki logo helmet about 3/8" and about 4" across. Needless to say, that helmet saved my life. I was so mad at the time. A $65 ruined helmet was a ton of money to me back in 1973. I think those same quality helmets now sell for $200+ Spend the money for a full face.

 

[frank_f15]

They are great, if the parents (or grandparents) are involved. Far too many folks buy their kids that cool "toy" and turn them loose.

Myself, I would put him on a motorcycle. As a general statement, motorcycles tend to be more self regulating as it takes some skill too go fast.

Unfortunately, 4 wheelers (and their three wheeled predecesors) tend to breed just too much confidence and youngsters can get in over their head quick.

Not sure if that helps much or not but too sum it up, yes, they are great, in the right set of circumstances.

Sorry but i can't understand the thinking that a 2 wheeled vehicle (motorcycly) is safer than a 4 wheeler that is preset for max speed.

 

[Old Coot]

Above all, he must wear a high quality full face helmet and proper gloves, boots, etc
Spend the money for a full face.

You are so right about the full coverage helmet.
When I lived in NM a young fellow flopped his motorcycle and slid down the street on his face. He had a helmet but not a full coverage and lost his nose and most of his skin on his face. Took a lot of surgery to fix him up.