Hey guys what's up? I am about to purchase some atv's/dirt bikes for my son, wife and myself. I will be buying used. Im just lookin for what I should get, Im not sure.

If it helps any, here's some info about me. I'm 24, 5'7 160 lbs. I have experience on atv's, dirtbikes, 3 wheelers andSportbikes. Ive ridden everything growing up, but never have been fortunate enough to own any of these toys. Being a previous Honda CBR owner, I'm leaning more toward a Big ole 450 dirt bike. I would like an ATV but its hard to choose between a "racer" and one of those off roaders like the polaris. Maybe if there is a mix of both?

For my son, he's 5. Im getting him a 4 wheeler for sure, maybe a 90cc? I want to get him something that is safe now, but he will grow into and still be able to have alot of fun.


My wife is gettin 4 wheeler


Brands/ Sizes would help, anything!~

 

Best place to start kids is a safety class. I don't know what is available for his age group. There are a lot of 250s and 300s out there that might be a great place to start for a teenager. If you don't have big rocks, ruts, deep mud and water holes you could go with a sporty model and have lots of fun. If deep mud and water, and big rocks where you ride you may want to look at 4x4s. Let us know where and what kind of trails you'll be riding and we might be able to narrow it down. All the major makers have quality machines.

 

hELMETS, HELMETS, HELMETS. We would really need to know more about what you plan to ride. ATV parks in my neck of the woods are not real motorcycle friendly. We do see some but they tend to drive way too fast and stupid. The younger kids on ATVs try to mimic them on a 4 wheeler and it just don't work. We ride ATVs as a family in large (3000Acre plus) parks with trails and mud. On the trail we rarely drive over 10 mph, safety's a big deal with all the teenagers we have. And whatever you do don't let your son ride his ATV on the pavement, their not desgin for this and act much different. I have had a very bad experince in my front yard with a young man on an ATV, he didn't make it, really set us back on the 4 wheeling a few months. Were good now but it taught us a lessonm a tuff one.

 

CBR UP ON ONE: Where do you live at? First thing to do is check the laws of the state you live in some states set maximum cc requirements for young kids. Here in Cali your 5 yr old son would be restricted to a 50cc. Next is what are you going to drive it in ie. dirt, mud & snow or in the rocks and sand like we do here.

I'm a true Suzuki fan and the LTZ250 is a perfect entry level quad for someone who is not into going extremely fast "yet" like my wife and daughter.

My wife and daughter both ride the LTZ250 shaft drive and it fits them with the wet clutch transmission and a reverse gear. I have the Suzuki LTR450 racing quad and I love it It is an EFI water cooled quad, it is a chain drive normal MC type clutched five speed that has a really nice low end for hill climbing combined with a REALLY nice fourth and fifth gear top end for for the haul A** ride down dirt roads.

I agree with "Moosehenden" a rider safety class is a must along with safety gear. There should never be any comprimise for safety gear.

Good look in your shopping around let us know what you finally decide on

 

A) Don't assume that you will not get anything out of a safety course just because you have ridden for years. You have been on them just long enough to learn bad habits and you will undoubtedly pass them along to the kids. Take the course with them.

B) Take some time out to do some research on injury statistics. Specifically look at children stats. Overwhelming numbers suggest that the number one killer is parents putting their children on machines that are too big for them thinking they will 'Grow" into it. I don't care if you have the next Jeremy McGrath as a son, going too big while they are learning is a very BAD mistake.

c) Resign yourself to the fact that you will be buying riding gear constantly as the child grows. Again, don't buy helmets that are too big for them. Fit it right if you want the helmet to do its proper job.

D) now to the point. ATV's and Dirt bikes make great tools for having family fun. Safety should be stressed. Don't be surprised if your child cannot concentrate for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time. Watch them closely, if they start letting their minds wander, hop off and take a break. Maybe get a bite to eat, or study a tree or something. Make it fun. ATV's, because they have 4 wheels are not necessarily safer than a dirt bike. They are heavier, and in a crash situation, an ATV travels the same path as the rider, while a dirt bike usually goes in a different direction. Crush injuries contribute greatly to children being injured or killed. (check your stats again) If you still feel you want them on a quad, then for their sake, spend some $ and get wheel spacers to make them wider. Wider equals safer... Even small ATV's can and will roll.

Lastly, following CPSC guidelines, your child would not be able to take the safety course if the machine is too big. Each state is different, so check the local laws BEFORE you buy. You might find yourself in legal hot water if you don't properly size the machine, the kid gets hurt, and the authorities slap you with Child endangerment.

As for the type of machine to buy, that will depend on where you intend to spend the majority of your riding. If you are in the woods or mountains a lot, then a Utility may be better suited. If you are a track or dune man, then a sport model would better fill the bill. Reverse will just about get you out of anything.