i tried a search on 'kart', but i didn't come up with much. i am wondering what are the pros and cons of youth ATVs versus off-road go-karts? kids 8 and 10 years old. i have a 2 acre wooded lot with trails and slight hill.

anything you can think of would be greatly appreciated!
thanks,
tom

 

Try Manco Products (www.mancoprod.com) for go-karts. Almost two years ago I bought my then 6 year old daughter a Lil Critter (the smallest one they make). She had a blast. I was more comfortable with her being seatbelted in with a roll cage and brush guards than on a quad. After about a year, when she was too big for the kart, I bought her a 50cc quad. This Xmas she's getting her 90cc.

Anyway, as far as performance, she had no problem on hard packed dirt or sand. If the groudn was too soft or loose she would spin the drive tire, but then finally get some traction and start moving. I know that Manco has larger karts for up to about 4 adults. I paid about $700 for the kart. There were other ones that were also meant for kids that were larger, had five point restraints and had knobby tires that looked like they could handle loose pack better. THe cost of those was about half of a kids quad.

As far as safety, my personal opinion is that a roll cage is a lot safer, but you can't go as many places in a kart vs. a quad, and you dont' get the open air rush. The kart has a lower ground clearance than a quad and is more limited in berms and small whoop de doo hills. (Although that fact was lost on my kid as she started taking some moto-cross jumps set up by her cousin in the desert.)

I will say one thing, parts and maintenace on the karts was easier and cheaper. I bought hte kart at a lawnmower shop and they stocked lots of parts. New tires were about $13 each. Maintenance was cleaing the air filter and oil changes.

Good luck.

 

my friends sell manco go karts. very nice. manco is based out of the city i live in so they are east to find in indiana. i would go with the go kart first then maybe in a few years they can get a small quad here ya go