Little fella, ask your daddy about the 80/20 rule. If you listen (or read in this case) 80% of the time and talk (or post in this case) 20%, then you get a lot smarter. I dont have to have an enormous post count for my responses to be intelligent or valid. It will give you an 80% less chance to stick your foot in your mouth also. Is that Red hornet your middle school mascot?

 

Okay, Red hornet....Im sorry about the middle school comment.....It is Christmas time and i really shouldnt be so mean. You do have some valid points about the new 300 ex. Sorry for the comment. Merry Christmas!

 

omg your up to 13 now [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] congradulations and just outta curiousity what do you ride?

 

Way back when, (2001) I had a 400ex....a red one. I loved that thing but since, I've gotten into the utility quads. Currently, I have a Foreman 500 4WD and a Yamaha 350 Bruin 4WD. My so has a pretty tricked out 250ex. He's getting a little old for it (14) and wants a new 450 Honda......Santa cant quite get there this yr.

 

Thats 15 now, pal! I should be getting some recognition now, huh?

 

RedHornet, I never answered your post, duh to me! I think your model choice is excellent. My son is only 7, I bought him a mini earlier this year to go riding with dad on occasion. It has been fun taking him and showing him the ropes. He is a pretty tentative kid, so the learning curve is longer than I expected. He has only "crashed" once, he started to tip on a newly and irregularly formed tabletop jump and bailed off. The quad never even fully went over, but he did have his pride hurt a bit. He wouldn't ride for an hour or 2, but once I got him back on I couldn't get him back off until it was to dark to see anymore. I told my wife going in that he would crash, it is inevitable. I told her he could very well get hurt and she should expect that to happen from time to time. I can't wait for my daughter to be old enough to ride also. About the only thing I wish I could change would be to pick up a quad more suited for slow speed riding, as mine runs to hot at his speeds. Your kids are older and will be faster sooner. The 400EX is a better mount than mine for that kind of riding. Take the time to learn proper riding techniques and go have a blast with your kids. I would be willing to bet momma is going to want a quad within a year. A Dirtwheels subscription wouldn't hurt, as they always have women riders and family rides in the letters section.

 

Great replies guys. Sorry to see some of them go off on a tangent. Well, after deliberation, I have finalized the purchase and am picking them up in a day or so.

Just to clarify, I am not so worried about the injury thing as I am the total committment of so much money and time. I just have to make sure there is a good balance to our life as a whole.

The 250 will likely be outgrown by my oldest and he'll likely step up to a bigger quad or dirtbike and we'll get the wife on that one or keep it for friends.

I guess I just had the typical butterflys before making a 15k purchase.

Thanks for your help. I'll report on the first ride next week.

 

Congrats Redhornet and have fun! (we know you will)

 

Actually, a good scenario might be for the 13 year old to later step up to the 400EX, so you can get a 450R! (This kind of logic can work when you explain it to the wife!)

That's what I did with my daughter. She had been on a 300EX, but the garage was getting to full and I needed to sell one of the quads. I was going to sell the 400, but decided to let the 300 go (wish I still had it!) and move her up to the 400. Worked out well!

 

did the big plunge for my kids ,never regreted it ,now kids are gone and need to sell 2 of them to get my garage back .

2 other points .
have your kids take a safety course 4 hours of your time and cash incentive for you .good deal.

Most parents forget kids learn by what your doing so ride properly and your kids will follow your lead.