Hi Everyone, wondering if you can help me. We want to purchase an ATV for my son's 10th birthday, he is a big boy for his age, around 4 ft tall and 130 pounds. We are thinking abou the Polaris Sportsman 90, but we're not sure about the 2-stroke motor. We've alwasy thought that a 4-stroke in any type of motor was better, but it's difficult to find in that size. Any info you could give would be appreciated, such as 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke; do we need 4 WD (he'd be riding on dirt trails only); and is there a better make/model we should consider?? Thanks!

 

Most kids quads are 2-strokes but there are a few 4-strokes out there. We have one of each and overall I prefer the 4-stroke - a very biased reason.....following behind the smokey 2-stroke all day is much less fun that following the cleaner burning Honda 90.

There is almost no reason to get 4wd. With a light quad and a light rider, you'd be suprised as to how much these little ATV's get do. Our boys go everywhere our full size 4x4's go and although they do get stuck sometimes, they usually glide over much of the mucky stuff.

130 pounds is fairly large for a 90cc quad and I would carefully consider his size vs experience in choosing a quad. If he has some expeience, a slightly larger quad might suit him better - maybe the Griz 125 (Yamaha Breeze) or the Suzuki LT160. If he's a new rider, then stick to the 80-90cc class and plan to move up in a year or two.

One recommendation I would make for a kids quad that is to be used for trail riding is to find one that has at least one disc brake. In my opinion, the brakes are the weakest link on kids ATV's if you plan to trail ride. None of the drum brakes are sealed - everything is fine as long as the trails are dry but once they run through a few mudholes the brakes become almost useless.

Jaybee

 

My 10 year old son at 130 lbs has a Pred-90. He's been driving it for 2.5 years. I agree with Jaybeecon55. 130 lbs on a Polaris 90 is near the border line of upgrading to a 125/160 range. If laws aren't a concern in your area, visit a few dealers who have 125-160cc and go for a "body fitting". A little growth room is better then too much top weight on a 90. If you are forced to go with a 90, then consider making it wider via wheel spacers. 1.5" wheel spacers make many brands much less tippy.

I would also agree that one doesn't need a 4x4 for "normal" trail riding. I love `mud running` with my adult buddies. Mud that many 4x4s turns away from. But when my son is with me, we stay away from the deep mud holes. Too much mud, especially for an inexperienced driver, is an accident and "huge frustration" waiting to happen. Let your young rider learn the gentle parts of the trails first. When he's 16+, then consider getting him a 350+ 4x4 unit.

For control options, definately go with disc brakes. Disc brakes are much better in mud and dirty water conditions. If water / mud is your fun, stay away from "open vented" CVT transmissions. Try to get a brand that has a sealed transmission. Wide back tires help in the slick surface mud and soft sand conditions as well.

Hope this helps...

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THANK YOU!! Thanks jaybeecon55 and spike99, both of you gave great advice. I printed out your suggestions & will use them in my search for the right one. Thanks again.

 

It appears that 10 year olds can ride on the property they live on. ie - can't use another persons private property or use public property - And must be supervised by an adult. See Massachusetts recreation vehicle laws

A person, who is 10 or 11 years of age, may operate if directly supervised by a person 18 years old or older and the vehicle is operated on land upon which the operator lives.

 

My son who is about that age and size has the breeze 125, when he rides my daughters sportsman 90 its too small for him, if they didnt have the 125cc breeze I would have definatly found some other 100+cc.. I kinda wish the polaris Pheonix 200 would have been avail then, I probably would have gotten that since its only a few $100 more and looks a little better, (IMO)

 

mikeysmom,

A few other things to consider are:

- Shaft drive. If only trail riding and you plan to do lots of mud / water or sand riding, then pick a brand that has shaft drive. Chains are high maintenance. After 2.5 years of oiling our chain, sure wish our Pred-90 came with shaft drive.

- Daytime running lights are a great way too be seen on the trails.

- Whip flag is another great way to be seen.

- If possible, purchase a unit that has a foot brake. Many people say that a foot brake is much easier to use. Sure wish those CPSC folks would make foot brakes mandatory on all quads.

- Padded cross member on the handle bars are nice safety feature too.

- If you do purchase a unit that has a rear rack. Remove it until your young rider gets used to it. While going down hills for the first time, some accidentally roll off the back. A rear rack could cause some physical damage. Once your young rider gets used to hills, then re-install the rear rack. A rear rack is great while combining camping / quading or other combined events.

- Decide if you like running boards or nerf bars. I like full running boards the best, but other's like nerf bars better.

- Decide if you need a skid plate on your unit. If you do, you might be able to "include a free one" during your purchase negociations - if you are buying from a dealer.

- Mirrors on your unit are a good safety feature as well. Especially if you are on the trails that include wild drivers who zip up behind your young rider. With a mirror, he can see what's behind him much faster and thus quickly pull over - to let the wild drivers past him.


Hope these items help as well....

.

 

Hey I would say that an lt 160 would be perfect-if he is old enough remeber different states have laws against this, so be sure before you spend the cash that he would be able to ride it. If there isn't any laws than the 160 has a throttle screw to limit its speed untill he is ready for a little more power. Whodatindamud isn't trying to be a jerk by warning you about the age laws, he just wants to make sure that your aware, though sometimes people like to attack him for it. There is also a 150 auto out that is made by a couple different companies Yamatto is the main one as far as I Know. Check out the thread Yamatto 150 on here.

 

Being that Mikey is heavy, but not all that tall for his age... I'd recommend you test fit him on several models. Legally, he should be on a mini, 70 cc and under. When looking at mini's there are some that are tiny, and others that are larger.. I suspect he is going to need a larger one. Now, given his weight, (I will get flak for this, but I have not gotten my CPSC certificate yet, so I can say this without repercussions) I'd be looking at 90's. They still have throttle screws so you can slow them down during the learning period. You may have to modify it and put your own kill tether on it.. but if it were me, I'd be putting the money into a good set of communication devices so you can talk to him while he rides. (Chatterbox by HJC)

The bigger machines are going to have enough power to move him around, with that power comes added danger during the learning phase. You need to ask yourself an honest question... do you feel your son has the maturity, and the self control needed to obey not only the rules, but to act responsibly on one of these things, and does he have the self control to obey when he is out of sight? If your answer is no to any of these questions, then do not buy it. Move to something else. You have to be the parent on this one.

Lastly, gear him to the max... Figure $300 bucks for a decent helmet, pants, jersey, goggles, gloves, chest protector and neck roll. It sure is cheap insurance compared to emergency room fees. Boots are another decision point. I prefer to use a leather over the ankle boot, instead of an MX boot... but that is your choice.

Also, do yourself a favor, if you are totally new at this, and not a mechanical genious, stay away from the cheap machines available on every corner... there is always a price you have to pay when purchasing a bargain... this is not to say they will not work, but you tend to have to be mechanically inclined to keep them running. It can get frustrating.. and no matter what you buy, a kid will find a way to break it..

 

Thanks for all of your advice! And don't worry dragginbutt, I have great respect for your old bones! If I didn't want opinions, I wouldn't have posted so I am interested in what all of you have to say! Mikey is very responsible (sometimes even more than his parents!!), otherwise we wouldn't be considering this. We have been to see the Yamaha Grizzly 125 and we are leaning towards that model now. He would be riding on our family's private property in both Mass. and NH, and either his father or grandfather would be in his sight at all times. (I am the overprotective Italian mom!!). Oh, and we already have great 2-way radios (our family owns a golf course, so we use them all the time!!). Again, thanks to all of you!!