My husband and I are each going to be getting 4 wheelers. We have a 10 year old son who wants a Predator 90 to ride. He has ridden 4 wheelers a few times, so is definetly a beginner on them. He weighs 65 pounds so is small. However, the kid has no fear and is a risk taker. I am wondering if the Predator 90 is enough/too much for him. My husband is afraid he will outgrow it in no time flat, and wants to get him something bigger (Polaris Phoenix). I say the 90 is more than enough for him to start on, then progress to a bigger machine! Any input/experience is appreciated!

 

hockeymom,

Welcome to this forum. We don't see "1" posting very often.

Legally, a few on this forum will immediately lecture that a 10 year old must ride a 70cc. I seen a small 9 year old drive and 70cc (Honda trx-70) and he looked like a clown riding a mini-bike. That's how funny it looked. The 90 (in any brand) with throttle restriction is a good size for your small 10 year old. If your son is an extreme risk taker, he'll hurt himself of a peddle bike, skateboard and even a motocross. If he's like that, he's like that....

My 9 year old (at 120 lbs - 135 with full safety gear) drives an '03 Predator 90. He loves its take-off, deep suspension, auto transmission, wide back tires, its quiet muffler sound and its body style. If you use the throttle restrictor for many months, until he cools off his risk taking attitude, the Pred-90 would be a nice machine for him. I would NOT go much higher cc for a few more years.

Oh ya, if possible... Investigate the '05 Pred-90s. I hear they have 1" more travel in its rear suspension and also have Reverse. Sure wish our '03 Pred-90 had reverse. That would be really cool....

For some useful online info, surf: - Press Here -


Hope this helps...

.

 

A Preditor is great for that age. The only thing I might do is put 1" spacers on all 4 corners. It'll make the machine a bit more stable and less likely to flip over if he tries to turn to quickly... I recomend that for any kids quad. Theyre all too narrow in my opinion.

 

In case your interested in factual information rather then subjective opinion to make your decision with -

(yes - I'm the one they warned you about)

There are several facets to this issue and some research might add to the ATV riding fun or could also help your family avoid injuries, fines, loss of your drivers license, atv confiscation etc.

First - is it legal? - can your son legally ride the quad? Many states have ATV size restrictions based on age. Note that in some states under 12 are limited to 50cc or not allowed to operate any ATV anywhere. And some states under 16 are not allowed to ride on public property without some training certification and that varies from state to state. Also some states have no regulations at all so check your state for the exact rules. These rules and laws impact parents as in some states as "allowing" illegal access to a ATV can result in the parent being ticketed - same as if you gave a 10 year old the keys to your car.

2nd - does your child " fit " the ATV properly so that they can properly handle and operate the machine - as in hands large enough to grasp the brake and legs long enough to be on the foot rests when the machine is unstable or standing is required. A general guideline being adopted reads similar to this -

Leg Length - A minimum of 3 inches of clearance between the seat and the top inseam of the pants when standing on the foot rests is required to enable the operator to maintain balance on the foot rests when turning and riding over hills and rough terrain.

Arm Length - While seated on the machine and gripping the handle bars, there should be a distinct bend in the arm at the elbow. Without a bend, there will not be sufficient reach to properly grip the handle bars when turning. Being able to move the handle bars to maximum limits while remaining seated is required.

Hand Size - While gripping the handle bar with fingers extended to the brake lever, the first joint of the index finger should extend beyond the brake lever. If it does not, the hand is too small to safely operate the brake.

Strength - Operator must be able to set the parking brake and move the handlebars to each maximum limit.

What this means is - a small youth - may not be legal to operate a larger quad that the youth does not fit - using the above criteria as the definition.

3rd - According to the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) there are several factors that converge to place young children at risk as operators of ATVs including:
Children believe that any products purchased by their parents are safe.
Danger and risk are underestimated because of the childs own lack of experience with accidents.
Children under age 15 often overestimate their skills, particularly with increased experience.
Children get into trouble trying to imitate more complex maneuvers of older friends.

I strongly recommend that you get factual information from your atv dealer and follow the age recommendations as prescribed by your state laws, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the ATV Safety Institute, and numerous medical professional organizations that are doing everything they can to reduce the epidemic of child ATV injures. (up over 200% in the last 5 years)

There are kids who might "fit" the larger machine and they might handle it - but by your own statements of your son being being small and a risk taker your child might be on the low side of being safe on a bigger ATV.

Get informed - it doesn't take much Google searching for information on the subject and knowing that the largest number of fatalities and serious injury comes from putting children at risk on a over sized quad should make any parent stop and think seriously about it.

The good news is that a 50cc machine holds its value very well and the cost of moving up to a appropriated sized machine is nominal when compared to the safety and liability considerations.

You might want to check out these sites -

http://www.off-road.com/atv/kidskorner/state_regs.htm

http://www.off-road.com/atv/kidskorner

http://www.atvsafety.org/

On the editorial side -

ATV riding is a great family sport. We go several weekends each summer and each year we travel to Montana to ride the Rockies or N.Dakota to ride the Black Hills.

But it is a sport that requires a great deal of respect to avoid injuries and problems.

As a certified ATV training instructor for the Minnesota DNR I've trained over 100 youth in ATV safety certification.

And we have raised 4 daughters on go-karts and atvs. There are 5 ATV's in the garage.

I also know of 2 boys under 15 in my own neighborhood who are dead from ATV's in the last 10 months. I turned down one boys certificate because he didn't meet the requirements,, another instructor signed it - the boy is dead now. His father who signed the certificate is now the poster child for "don't do that".

It is impossible to supervise kids 100% of the time and it seems kids are always looking for that crack in attention where they can sneak away and cut loose. It was only days ago my best friends son (12) wiped out on the black top just 20 yards out of the driveway. He is severely damaged and will be a long time to recover. No - he wasn't suppose to be riding without dad and the quads were locked with a cable. He found the key.

So does this all sound a little scary - YES it should! But adhering to the safety rules, age guidelines, wearing the proper safety equipment, supervision, training and planning to avoid problems and youth ATV riding is no more dangerous than riding bicycles or skate boards. It just takes more equipment and parenting.

Whatever you decide - remember that supervision is the #1 way to protect your child. Its not the only one - but it seems to always be the missing one in a fatality accident.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

 

The pred 90 is a good machine as are many others.It sounds more like controlling your son's driving habits will be the main focus until you can trust him and he fine tunes his driving skills.Leave all the limiters in place and turn the throttle screw right in tight to limit the throttle.As his skills improve and he shows he can handle the bike you can let the screw out a little.The moment he starts to show off or starts driving over his head you immediately turn the screw back in.As a parent you will need to constantly supervise him and get all the riding gear.At the very least a good helmet,chest protector and some good leather over the ankle boots.The 90 will last you for quite a while if he's only 65 lbs,there are many performance mods you can do once he starts to get bored with it.

 

hockeymom,

I wonder if your son is wild or he's just a normal 9/10 year old? For example, my son has a very mild attitude - compared to many others his age. He's poven it over and over again. One day, I set up a 6" ramp infront of our bay window. My son would drive around real slow and "plop" over it in slow motion. As my wife was watching from inside the house, she was glued to our bay window. She had her eyes 1/2 open and 1/2 closed. Too scared to look yet wanted to watch because of pride. Soon, my son was nicely going over the ramp doing 5-8 mph. Consistant Perfect control and perfect landing. If wondering, this was one of the last training things I was using - before we hit the open trails together. Anyway, a few hours later, my wife had our camcorder out and it was in full motion. She was so proud of his newly learned driving skills, she keeps this tape in his secret box. One of those things to pull out on his wedding night. I'm just wondering if you originally describe your son as "really being wild" or is it from his mom's over protection? Just wondering...

.

 

I guess what I would consider is:

1) Local atv laws. Are they enforced where you plan to ride?

2) Size & Weight. Pheonix -395lbs, Predator 90 -262lbs, Kasea 90- 233lbs, Eton 90- 209lbs. Which would you want your 65lb kid on in the event of a rollover? Which fits him best?

3) Terrain. You may need to upgrade the power of the Predator for mud or sand. But, lot's of mods are available too. You can make a mini run like a 200 with a little money. It will do great on hard-packed surfaces (stock).

Good luck!

 

I would say my son is "adventurous" and very competetive. I would not call him "exceptionally wild".

I appreciate everyone's input, and we have considered the safety issues. He knows he will have to wear a helmet, and eye protection at all times. I was just recently made aware of chest protection and will probably enforce the need for that too. He plays hockey and realizes the protection necessary for his chosen sports.

I am also an ICU nurse and have seen more than my share of trauma...whether it's caused by motorcycles, cars, guns, animals, self inflicted, etc., etc.! My son was educated on head injuries at the tender age of three. My husband thinks I am freakish about safety. At any rate, the ground rules have been laid, and my son knows the ramifications of failing to follow the rules.

I am also not ignorant enough to believe that my son can not be injured by the 4 wheeler. After all, he was riding bike and was hit by a drunk driver...we are aware that things can happen...life is a risk. He will need to learn to respect the machine and the power it has. However, there is a certain amount of satisfaction in doing things together, and spending time enjoying common interests. We are going to buy a 2 up as well so our daughter can ride with us...she is 12 and has no interest in driving her own.

Thanks again all of you for your input...keep it coming!

 

We stumbled into a good deal on a Arctic Cat TRV two up machine year ago April and we liked it so much we purchased another. Its a great machine that I choose to ride even if running without a passenger. Pictures on my page here if you want to check out the home-made MRP rack for plug-in accessories. Not sure where you are at but I've found the Cat a well rounded machine for high or low altitude. It drives easier than the Polaris Sportsman.

 

Sounds like you will have a great time.My wife and I and my son often go out trail riding,each of us riding our own machine with the little guy sandwiched in between for safety.We get some pretty incredible looks from other atvers we meet on the trail as they look at the little yellow machine and he gives them a toot of the horn.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]