DB, there was no discomfort at all, and its good to have your opinion...its always interesting to hear what the old guy has to say [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
rescuediver, a dealer actually said that? thats gettin pretty bad then.

as for what atv, a breeze 125 may fit him well. being an auto, its an easy starter, with f-n-r. a honda 90 will do well too. those things are surprisingly quick for a mini though.

 

Oh Yea, almost turned him in to the state. They are licensed here. But after going off for a couple minutes, I just left. Now, I tell everyone I know looking for a truck, to skip the Ford dealership in Merced.

Only think I don't like about the Honda 90 is, it's not electric start[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] I looked at it for my daughter.

 

Someone told me that an electric starter can be added? Anyone heard of this? Come to think of it I was told that by the guy who owns a local small engine repair shop in caentralia wa. He also sells the Honda clone motored quads and tryed telling me that they are identical motors except for the starter. Hmm I wonder if he is right or just full of it?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

I haven't heard of a starter being put on it. Didn't look into it too much, got a good deal on the Rappy[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] instead. See if he'll show you a 90, with a working starter.

 

What about the part about the motor being the same as a honda? Anyone got any idears?

 

No I don't[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] whenever I had inquired, I was always told they weren't sure if part "Y" would fit quad "Z". That's one of the reasons, why I stayed away from the "no name" quads. Plus, no service/part stores around here, that I could find. So, if I went riding at pismo, needed a part to get the kids quad running, I would have to check all the shops to try and figure out what would/wouldn't work. I don't like waiting for a part to be shipped to me, while I'm away for a few days riding. No Thanks

 

Ah thats the point Ive tried to make before, even reliable makes will break, however parts availability is te ultimate decider. I'd love to spend 1/2 as much and get the same, who wouldn't.

 

Exactly, that's why I think it's cheaper in the long run, to buy name brands. Especially when "my time" is Priceless[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I have been following this post and finally decided to weigh in my 2 cents.

I gave up posting to these because when you reply and give what you feel is right, there are to many people jump all over you and try to beat their ideas into you.

But, I believe there is only one person who can decide wether a child needs a bigger machine or a smaller one and that is the person who knows your child and if they have experience riding, then it is the person who rides with the child.

In my case it is "ME". I could of bought a bigger quad for my son and alot of people told me that what I was doing was wrong and that I should get the bigger size. I bought the Raptor 50 over the 80, it has smaller tires so it sits closer to the ground and the fact that it was a auto helped him to learn how to ride first rather then having to remember to shift, thrown into the mix.

I ride with him all the time all he is a great rider who picked it up realy quick but I am glad I bought a michine that only goes 12 miles an hour, it may not seem to fast to an adult but to a kid it is like a dragster ripping down the track. Like all kids and I mean all kids(adult kids too) like to do the same thing, push the throttle as far as it will go. You can tell me that "Oh My kid would never would do that", Yeah right. It is in are blood, we have been trying to make things go faster from the time the first combustible motor was developed. What happens when you start to go faster? The safety factor goes down quickly, it does not take much to lose control or have another quad jump out of nowhere or a deer to run out in front of you and then boom. What happens if the quad should roll over and it is bigger then he can move, oh sure there is the person out there who will say "But I will be watching him all the time" Sure!! I know we mean well but there is no way you can keep your eye on him at all times. Like all kids he will push the limits and it does not take much for him to get away from you. I had a episode where my son was warming up his machine in the parking lot while I was strapping on my gear and I was watching him, when all of a sudden he was gone. It scared me to death and I dropped everything I was doing and took off looking for him, leaving the keys in the truck and the doors open, it did not matter to me about anything but his safety. 10 gut wrenching minutes later I found him and he was safe and after checking him over to make him sure he was not hurt I then ripped into him about "Never leaving my site and how he could of of gotten hurt I would not of known where he was." His reply was "He was curious where that one trail goes". There is an answer in the that answer, kids are curious and when given some thing, they will test its limits before they are ready because the potentional is there, so I would never give my boy something larger then I could feel he could handle. Yes you could turn down the throttle, but how many kids out there just turn it back, they just wanted to see what that little screw was for and why daddy plays with it.

Don't give your kids more then they can handle before it is time just because you say that the money is tight. If my boys quad is worth only 50 bucks in value when it is time to sell it I see that that as money well spent, saving a few dollars would not matter to me if he was not here to share life with me or if he got hurt because of me, money means nothing to me when it comes to my kids.

Ranting? Maybe? Maybe this will be read by one person and it saved a life or serious injury and even a small injury is to much to me if I made the wrong choice.

Christopher, my son has logged well over 100 hundred hours on his 50 over the last year and he will log a 100 more if it takes to master it. He shows alot of skill but I ride with him and there is times I can say yes it is time but then I see the time he gets crazy on it and flys into a tree, a few miles an hour might be not enough to hurt him but if he was riding a bigger one and the speed is doubled then the chance is there.

Trust is not given, it earned.

Sorry for the rant.

AlaskaBoy.

 

No need to apologize for loving and caring about your kids, Hey I agree way to many guys out there pushing the bigger machine for bragging rights. " YEAH MY KID WAS RIDING A BANSHEE AT 9" I hate hearing something like that. Mentally no kid is ready for that at a young age and no parent can convince me of that. But thats not what your saying. I just all of a sudden got back up on my soap box.