My 9 year old currently has a Badger 80 (yea I know she is supposed to be 12 to ride it). The trails she rides on are really rocky (Uwharrie in NC). She gets beat up pretty good due to the stiff suspension with limited travel. I llke the Badger as it is bulletproof and has gears (a skill I want her to retain). It has an aftermarket skid plate but ground clearance can be a problem there. Having more power is not a priority. Would a TRX90 be an upgrade or a horizontal move? It seems I could change out the shocks for more travel and softer springs. Any thoughts?

 

If you want a gear shifter in 9y/0 size the Honda is about the only option. there are a few Taiwan makes with gears, but they are more race oriented. The little TRX is a great quad, you can pick them up used for around 1K in my area. It s somewhat of a lateral move, but she is probably to young/small for something like the new 125 Raptor.

 

Thanks for the advice. She is pretty big for her age and i want to stay Jap or Polaris. I'll check out the Raptor 125.

 

OK, that may be a little much with the manual clutch. Also, they are new so there will be no cheap used ones for a few years. I may just mess with the shocks on the Badger and maybe get some bigger rear tires. The worn out originals were replaced with smaller, cheaper Carlisles to increase torque and to slow the top speed down as she was learning to ride on our very steeply hilled property.

I was also thinking of getting a used Bayou 220 for myself as I currently only have an XR250R dirt bike to ride with her. How do you think she would do on something of that size?

 

could always try a yamaha breeze 125 they are automatic.. I know you wanted a shift but there isnt many choices at that size.

 

I have thought about that. I think they have reverse as well - which would be nice. Are there any reliability problems with the CVT?

 

CVT's are great.
IMO, all kids quads suspension sucks.
How about a Polaris Phoenix (200cc CVT)(made by Aeon). It's a mid size.
I like my Kymco Mongoose. It don't have monster power and can be limited through the thumb throttle. It may be too big altho i consider it a mid size. It's a CVT.
FYI: Tiawanese machines are every bit as good as the Japs.
Stay away from the Chinese stuff IMO. Altho, mywifesquad could tell you what chinese makes can be good.
How about a Apex? They have a good (better than most stock) suspension.
The Pitster Pro could be a good option (but they are a newer machine).

 

Yup, have ridden the CVT's and are certainly easy and fast. Just like an automatic in a car is easier than a stick. I do want her to retain the shifting as I feel it is a good skill to have. I guess there is not an optimal choice. How would a 9 year old do on a Bayou 220? Would she have a hard time stopping it?

 

I thought you wanted suspension....LOL
It's all about how the rider fits the machine.
You can check out the guidelines at ATVAonline.com or the ATVSafety institute.com
It's basically:: rider sitting, feet on the pegs and knees bent. While standing on the pegs, 3 inches of space between pants and the seat. Hands can easily reach the controls.

I forgot to mention DRX/DRR machines.
IMO, most ppl put their kids on a bigger machine way too soon. As soon as the rider is able to throw the machine around, the parent takes them off of it.
The rider rides the machine. A too big of machine will ride the rider....

We spend thousands on suspension. Maybe keep the badger and find some good shocks.

 

A perfect ATV for her would be a 525 Outlaw ,with mods of course.