We just purchased a Yamaha Raptor 80 for our six year old son. Should we put wheel spacers on? If so front and back, only back???? Are wheel spacers safer? Any advice would be appreciated? Also, what are good atv youth helmets?

 

For youth helmets, I'm not too sure which brand is better or "the best". As long as its certified, it should be ok. Go with a full face helmet and if possible, a full visor. My son decided to remove his visor and go with goggles. As long as he has eye protection, each to their own.... Then again, we only "putt putt" down our trail doing 5-15 mph.

For wheel spacers, definately install them!!! We recently installed wheel spacers (thanks to Billy Holt and Markvette) on our pred-90 and am very impressed with its safety increase. We installed spacers on all 4 but I've heard many times that spacers should be installed on the front tires first. All 4 if you can. For trail riding, 1.5" spacers is a good size. If you go too wide, the front tires may rub the front fenders when fully turned. If you go too wide, its steering becomes jerky on the rough bumps. With 1.5" spacers, my son didn't notice a change in its steering feeling. For a visual of our installed wheel spacers, surf pictures within: http://community.webshots.com/album/209852103mosGcm

Note: I keep readings posts that Raptor 80s tend to be tippy on corners. If this is true compared to other stock 90s, then spend a few pennies to make it less tippy. 1.5" spacers are worth it.


Hope this helps...

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some advocate reversing the rims as well.. it will gain you some extra width.... you may need to drill a new stem hole and put another stem towards teh inside of teh tire to fill the old hole...but I agree with Spike, there are commercial versions out there that cost about 50 bucks... money well spent.

 

i heard they were hard to find for Rap 80. i still believe kids will learn the tip point and respect it from there. 2 of my kids have rolled on fast cornering (one of them was on our Breeze, which is really wide and low to the ground). so i think they can flip anything and after they do it once, they'll understand what you mean, make the necessary adjustment and respect the speed and power.

 

Yes but... in learning that point of no return... I'd rather they not have to risk a trip to see the emergecy room from the inside. Aalso, a kid can get scared, and panic... which makes things worse.. Or worse yet they can get so scared, they don't touch it again for 6 months. Been there, done that.... My youngest has not learned to get over his fear yet...caused by a near spill when he leaned the wrong way and bicycled it in a corner.. No amount of cajoling and encouragement is going to get him back on board until he is ready...

 

what kind of wheel spacers and where should i get them

 

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For smooth ground or mild bumps at slow speed, investigate 1.5" spacers. Spacers have best effect on the front tires. All four tires if you can afford it. If you put spacers on the back, it actually makes the unit MORE tippy in the corners. If you go above 1.5", the front tires might rub the inner fenders when the wheels are fully turned. To test the MAX size of spacers you can use on your unit, create 2 spacer sleeves (re: cut off the end of a 1/2" steel pipe) at 1.5" long and another spacer sleeve at 2", and temporarily bolt them on with longer bolts. Turn the front tires and compress the front shocks too see if the tires rub. If they rub with 2", then you must go with smaller size spacers. Try 1.5" spacer sleeves to confirm if they are ok.

* If your young rider is on rough ground, then consider upgrading with wider A-Arms. You can still use spacers on the back. Wider A-Arms and longer axle are much better for rough ground, high speed racing and jumps.

Spacers come in 3 different engineering flavors. These are:

1 - Flat plate with longer "hard steel" bolts. This basic type could be thick plastic or aluminum.

2 - Flat plate with factory studs and long special bolts outwards Many call this common type DuraBlue. For a picture, surf: http://www.durablue.com/spacers.html

3 - The other kind is "fancy engineered" spacer with hub stud and wheel bolts that are off-set. These can be purchased from Billy Holt at WRH Racing or Hetricks. Many feel this kind is stronger then Durablue brand. For a picture of this brand, surf: http://community.webshots.com/photo/...09853043VHJDuw


For a few pictures of 1.5" "fancy engineered" type spacers on our Pred-90, surf: http://community.webshots.com/album/209852103mosGcm

Note: The "new price" of fancy engineered spacers is near the same cost of off-set rims. After measuring / confirming your max wheel spacer size, you may want to investigate the cost of off-set rims. Might be worth purchasing new off-set rims instead.

Hope these pictures help....

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so the wheel spacers just make it a faster speed required to cause the tip, which takes you that mauch closer to the hospital room. you can talk until you're blue in the face, but most people are going to learn the hard way, unfortunately; thisis a rwality, not an opinion. BUT, you have previously pointed out the merrits of good, full safety gear.

 

BTW rocketmom, if you do find spacers for the Rap80, please post from where. i tried to find them and couldn't. (about 1 -1 1/2 years ago).

Thanks

 

Confused, here's a site that lists wheel spacers for the Raptor 80 along with other products for it. mid cal motor sports