Hi everyone,

I'm a new member with general question about buying an ATV for my grandkids to enjoy. First off, it will be used solely on my own property. The gandkids are all in the 7 to 9 year old range. I went the route of youth snowmobiles and it didn't work well. They outgrew them (mentally and physically) and they wanted more. It didn't help to see some of their peers riding solo on small adult machines.

So if I'm going to put out the bucks I'd like to get an ATV they can use into their teens at least. They would always be riding with adults on my property. Am I wrong in my thinking? Is it just too dangerous for them?

Help a grandpa out here. Recommendations for specific sizes and brands would be welcomed.

Thanks, Jerry

 

One thought I have is the Polaris RZR 170. It would have enough power to get them into teenage years. It's a side by side where two kids can ride.

Once they get older and experienced there are some 250cc machines that can be ridden even by adults like the Honda Recon. I watched a batch of kids learn how to ride on my friend's property in NH on a Recon.

 

Some states have limits as to how old you have to be to ride certain size ATVs but you could get away with not following that on your own property. When my friend's kids were that age they had an 80 and a 100cc ATV. It didn't take long to outgrow them both but they were the perfect size for awhile. You can probably find a used one that someone else's kids outgrew and replace it with a bigger one when the time comes. An ATV sized for a 15 year old is going to be too big for a 7 or 8 year old IMO.

 

fit the kid to the quad, by some "laws", you can't allow a 16 year old on anything larger than a 90cc machine. WOW, i've seen 16 yr old kids stand 6'4"! imagine putting him on a mini!!!!!!!! i don't think so, that'd be dangerous, he'd be on a 250 or bigger! just my opinion.

 

i'd go with a 250, many have some way to limit the speed so that helps. the smaller ones are good but they will outgrow them far to fast to be worth the investment

 

Both my kids started riding a 90 at 7. Even at that age the 90 was a bit big for my daughter and so I kept the speed well regulated and only used it in open areas. IMHO, not many kids in that age range are big/strong/heavy enough to safely manipulate a full size atv, even a 250. My advice would be to buy a couple quality used 90cc machines. Take care of them and you will be able to sell them for no or just minimal loss in a few years when the grand kids are both larger and more skilled. The Honda 90 is my favorite mini, and I see good condition examples on Craigslist almost daily for $1200.00 or so. Just stay away from the Chinese stuff unless you buy a couple spares and have plenty of time to wrench.

 

On the flip side, my first atv was a 230 quadsport when I was 14. Even with no prior experience I outgrew that after about 6 months. No way I would put a younger child on one though.

 

I agree with Scooter86, The brand name kid ATV lose very little value when you sell them once the kids grow out of them. Buy it for $1200 and resell it for $1,100 after a few years.
Who would not rent a ATV for 2 years for $100.
A new disposable kids China ATV would cost more with repairs and no resell value.

My 1987 250 2wd Moto4 use to take me on fishing trips loaded down with 300lbs of camping gear on the racks and go down some of the roughest trail around.
The ATV is still running around to this day.

 

I am 14 and ride a 450 and so does my brother which is 11 but we have a lot of experience, i had a 250 at age 7. But really, it would depend on how responsible and amount of experience. If they have little to no experience, i would get them a 125cc -150cc. If they have experience, then mabey a 200cc or 250cc. Either way, MAKE SURE you get main brand.