I am totally new to all this, so please be nice to me if I ask stupid questions [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] My 6 and 7 year old girls have long outgrown their Barbie Power Wheels Jeep. I am looking for something that is basically just a step up from that. Nothing too powerful or that goes too fast. I should also tell you my 7 year old is only a head shorter than me (I'm 5'6) and weighs 85 pounds. My 6 year old weighs about 65 and is mid-chest height on me. I would like to get them each one, but may have to settle for one depending on price. I do not want to spend 2 or 3 grand, just need something VERY basic, they are beginnners. They only got to use the Power Wheels Jeep 5 or 6 times before they outgrew it, so this will be their first real experience with motorized thingeys. I am looking for a place to start. Like brand names, what specifications to look for, etc. I am totally willing to take them to a class to learn all the safety rules etc if I need to do so. Anyone have any advice for me?? TIA

 

personally I would go with a Dinli, great little bikes and well built. Contact T-Rextommy51 he posts on here and he may be able to help you, he knows most of the answers to any questions you may have on different brands and models and is straight up honest guy.

 

I started my son out on an LT80 when he was 4 1/2, with the throttle turned way down (it has a limit screw on the housing) they are great little quads, solid, easy to ride, oil injected (no mixing gas), and a lot of fun to ride. Also very easy to mod when more power is wanted later on. My son rode his until he was 9, and a couple of times after that, we borrowed it back to race at a county fair. I don't know anything about the dinli, so I can't comment on it's track record, some of the new imports haven't had a good record for reliability, and a used LT80 won't run you too much. Being belt drive and electric start, it is super easy to ride, and plenty of power for when they grow into it. There are several other good minis, like the Honda 90, and the Badger/mini Raptor 80, but not having owned any of them, I can't say anything about them,experience wise.

 

badgers are good my friend usta have one. i rode it. i liked it. i wanted one but was too big fore it so i got a champ 100 made by yamaha also but was a little faster. at that time i was riding a old honda 80 enduro.

 

I'll put my vote in for the LT80. They've been around long enough that there are some older and less expensive models to be found. For ages 6 & 7, the auto is an advantage.

I've just started my 6 year old inlearning to ride. Where his bigger brothers learned to ride on an old LT50, our small bike is now a Honda 90. Although he's taken to it like a duck to water, he cannot physically shift it yet. For now, this is fine as he will only ride in the yard until he masters the basics but he is already comfortable with throttle and brakes. I know that if I had a smaller quad, I'd put him on it for a year or so.

Jaybee

 

VRoom, Thanks.

I would go with a Dinli diamondback. The Beast is the same thing but with a rear rack. I don't like the racks on kids bikes unless they are really familiar with the machine. Just a little weight put in them can change how the 4 wheeler turns and stuff. I highly recommend that you have the dealer install a remote kill switch on the Diamondback. The remote is standard on the Dino but your girls are a little big for that machine. It is better for a 4/5 yr old. To limit the speed, have a bigger sprocket (50t) put on the rear. Ledt them have all the power without the speed. The ATV Safety Institute has rider training for free. It is worth the time. Get all the gear you can afford for them, helmet, boots, chest protector, neck roll, gloves and pants. Oh, Get you a machine too. Honda EX250 should do the trick![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

My son got his e-ton 50 in December and my daughter got a 90 at the same time.They have been great and were cheap brand new.I got them both for $3,200.They are safe,easy and lots of fun.

Good luck whith what ever you decide.


O yea,my son is 3 1/2 and 40 lbs,my daughter is 8 and about 50lbs.They both have plenty room to grow
with these quads.

 

etons are good cause they make lots of diffrent sizes from a 40-like a 150

 

I agree with TRexTommy. Have a remote kill switch installed on whatever you purchase. Some Dealers also offer free ATV classes as well. As for bike preference..... I would have to say Bombardier DS 50 or DS 90. Both are well built machines and can take a pounding. And I'm speaking from very very recent experience...LOL!... ( Bad weekend for VBR racing Brother Tommy! Gonna call and tell ya all about it! ) Both of these mini's are excellent beginer's machines and have throttle limiters,( adjustable screw on the throttle to control how fast the bike will go..)Electric start with back-up kick starter, Automatic choke for dependable starts, Auto oil injector...( no need for pre-mixing oil and gas), Full floorboards.
But I guess the best advice i can give is take the girls with you and let them test ride different makes and models. Most times the two will choose each othetr![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

First off, I will tell you that I am a loyal Yamaha owner... so I am biased. I bought a raptor 80 for my 6, soon to be 7 year old last Christmas. Yeah I know legally there are issues according to some... as the motor is supposedly too big for his age. But my son is a big boy compared to others his age... and the 50's I had to choose from didn't fit him well... plus I can't afford to buy a new machine every couple of years when his size would be a real problem.

Yamaha has recently released a new 50cc machine that takes away all the negatives of his 80. First, it is a completely automatic machine with no gears. (The 80 shifts gears) Secondly, it already comes with the follow behind tether. (great for mom's peace of mind) Both machines have a throttle adjustment screw that works great in keeping the speeds down, so that is already done. And although they both appear to use the identical frame/suspension setup, the 50 sits slightly lower due to smaller tires.

Well, although my son'e 80 is a great machine, I did have to add a few things to make it safer to ride. I put a remote kill switch/tether on it myself, off of a PWC. Works well. I am in the process of putting a light kit on it too, so he can see when in the deep woods.

I have found that he is not as skilled or as brave as I thought he would be, and now wished I could have gotten the smaller machine if Yamaha has made one at the time. But He will grow into the 80, and get used to shifting gears and all, so the transition to something more challenging when he is ready for it will be easier than if he had just started out on one with a totally automatic setup.

My suggestion would be for you to buy a Yamaha 50, and an raptor 80 if you can afford it. Then make both girls start on the 50 until they are comfortable with it... When they are ready, let them try the 80, and associated increased complexity. That way, the transition will not be all that great, as the machine will for all intents and purposes be identical to the one they are already familiar with.

Also, from a cost point of view, in my area, the dealers can't get enough of the little machines, and it may already be to late for you to get a 50 this year, (yes they sell everything they can get their hands on) so selling the machines at a good rate of return in the future should not be a problem. They keep their value if not abused. Unlike the larger machines that get thrashed, the little ones tend to be well cared for.