I am looking to buy my 9 yr old son a new quad. He is 5'4 and weights about 75 lbs. He has never owned a quad before, but has ridden a couple. I am really confused on what to get him. I don't know if I should buy him a mini or a full sized. I really don't have the money to buy him a mini and then turn around and have to buy a full sized bike in 6 months. I was really considering buying him something like a 300 cc 4x4 from Honda, or Yamaha, but I don't want to buy him a quad that just dominates him. I was also looking at some of the new mini's on ebay 'they are relitively cheap, but not real sure how dependable they are'. If any of you guys have been in a simular situation or have any info on the more reliable mini's I could really use the help.

Thanks guys

 

I'm lucky I have the oposite situation my kids are 3ft11 49.5lbs cody who is 9 in march and 3ft07 39lbs carly who is going to be 8 in feb so my choice was easy to go with a GOOD mini, however you son is in the adult size range, I recomend a sukuki lt 160 or yamaha grizzly/breeze 125. I really like the 160 because it teaches them to shift, has electric start, reverse, not a full size but bigger than the minis, ability to govern the throttle and it can be ridden by an adult also. We bought onr new in 92 and sold it in 03 with only routine repairs needing to be done, very reliable. Also there are a bunch of breeze copycats out there that are automatics and 150cc engine.
check out the thread yamatto 150 for details on it, though it has a lot of bugs that need worked out but you get what you pay for.

 

HOLY STRING BEAN!!!!! 5-4 and 75 pounds!!! I think he needs to be on a mini personally (safety reasons). BUT,,,,,
The Kymco 250 would be perfect. It's basically a big mini. But not too big (seeins he's 5-4) foreward,reverse, got it all.
He cannot handle a 300 4x4, unless he's got bigger arms than legs. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I can understand your position. Several years ago I was in the same situation. My daughter was 8 and a little smaller than your son. I got her a Honda 90. It is in my opinion the best mini quad (except for the pull start). Anyway, she outgrew it in a couple years. I was concerned about saftey, as I'm sure you are too. Some times I'd let her take my quad for a ride. She could drive my Wolverine around the yard even though she looked small on it. She could shift gears and everthing. I think your son will be growing quickly as my daughter did. Every time I turned around I was buying bigger shoes and larger clothes. I think you should take a look at a Suzuki Ozark or z-250. As long as he rides under your supervision and goes slow he should be OK. If you make it a rule, he can only go in 1st or 2nd gear for a while, that might help. Good Luck!

 

I had the same problem with my ten year old. He's not quite as tall as your son, but he's over 100lbs and growing like crazy. The biggest issue with something 250cc's or more is control problems. Casual riding on flat trails should be no problem - recommend keeping it slow. Anything more challenging and many kids in that age group just don't have the strength to handle a bigger quad - they are just too powerful and heavy for them to handle. And, God forbid, it somehow rolls - they have nowhere near the strength to get out from under a larger quad. Granted, I'm sure you're not far from him, but believe me, $hit can and will happen. It's just real tough to buy for the kids that are kind of in between, size-wise. The other problem having a youngster on a full-size quad is enforcement - the are much more likely to boot you from state or fed parks if they see a youngster on a full sized quad. The nice thing about the 150-200cc range is that most of them are not full-size, but larger than the 90's with room and power to grow in to.

I like the Kymco bikes - the 150 MXer, 250 MXU and 250 Mongoose - although I think the 250's are still too big for my son's size/weight.

I bought and AlphaSports Cobra 180 from my Polaris dealer - it seams to be perfect for him. Seat is a little firm, but it's got alot more torque than the 90's, and just about 20% more size. This should get him through the next three years at least. I also looked at the Eton 150 - didn't buy it because the dealer didn't like to give test rides - wife said no ride, no buy. The Eton was around $2,600; the list on the Alpha Sports was a few hundred more, but I got at least 15% reduced (plus accessories) with a cash buy.

I also came very close to buying a Kasea from a dealer in Utah ( Wasatch Recreation.) He was selling 150cc bikes and the deal for me was $1700 delivered to my door (in Ohio.) Found him on Ebay - I called him and talked for over a half-hour, just trying to make sure he was legitimate. He gave me the Kasea regional rep's name and number to call for refernces, etc. Here's the link if you'd like to take a look: Wasatch Rec - Utah Scroll down a bit... BTW - wife canned that idea too - she wanted to buy local... But if you have no problem getting something shipped to you and then minor assembly, this guy might be worth looking in to.

 

Well if you read through the old posts, you will find this subject has been addressed many times.. but old dragginbutt will throw in one more time...
First off, check your local laws regarding age versus size. Unless you are blessed with a large enough riding area of your own. you will eventually end up on public trails... Some areas are more aggressive on being legal than others. Second, determine where he will ride, and what type of riding he will be doing.... Trails, versus race track... versus back yard etc... Make a honest effort to determine that. It's important that you match the machine to the type of riding...

Next, a word of caution when considering going to a full sized machine. I understand the need to maximize your investment.... but, and this is a very big but... when reading the injury statistics each year, a few things jump will out at you like a frieght train...a) most accidents and deaths are the result of a young child riding a machine that is according to the CPSC guidlines, too big for their age. ( I am not going to debate this issue here) 2) the child has not had any formal safety training. 3) inproper or lacking recommended safety gear, 4) riding two up.

You be the judge whether you wish to put your child at risk.... You are the parent, and the decision is yours to make.. not the child's. Only you know the child's ability to make a rational decision, and only you can determine if they are emotionally prepared, and disciplined enough to control their urges to act out on them. Physical ability is only part of the equation. The mental part plays an even bigger role when they are young.

I fully understand your money situation... not much advise we can give there, however may I suggest you seek out local clubs, and join them, and get to know the members. I would bet that somewhere, you will find someone in the club that may have just the machine you want/need sitting in a corner unused, and needing to make room for new toys of their own... and may be willing to give you a great deal.

Lastly, if you think that this is just something to give your kid, and then not become involved.. don't fool yourself. Kids all need direct adult supervision. In many states, it is a legal requirement. Direct means in plain view... Something that is hard to do from the parking lot, or the supermarket while the kids ride. You need to also think about safety gear. Don't let him get on it without it. Minimum is a good helmet, boots over the ankles (NO SNEAKERS), eye protection, gloves, long pants and a long sleeved shirt. If you need some of the gear, ASK. I am sure there are many on this forum that have stuff that their kids have outgrown and would be willing to send for the price of postage. There is nothing wrong with recycling gear. It is normal for kids to outgrow gear prior to it even getting broken in...there is no stigma involved here...Also recommended is a chest protector, and perhaps a neck roll.

Just remember that ATV's are not toys. They are not baby sitters either. If you son posesses the discipline, and you feel comfortable putting him in control of something that can seriously injure him.. then by all means go ahead. I do not however recommend anything larger than perhaps a 125 or 200 CC.. . and if at all possible get him a mini to start out, and sell it later. They hold their value very well, and those that do come on the used market usually are snatched up immediately... so you shouldn't be out too much... It is a safety valve... Go small, let the boy get some seat time, and learn his limits.. then look to go a little bigger as skills and $ allow. If he is smart, having fun on a mini, versus standing on th esidelines and watching his buddies have all the fun... well not much of a decision there...

Just remember, it all looks real expensive, but have you had to outfit a child hockey player lately? A grand is chicken change when you consider icetime fees etc. My son did a couple of years of Karate' Cost was over a hundred a month... ATV's don't look so bad when you look at them from that angle...

Welcome to the club my friend...

 

Does this mean that dragginbutt is signing back on? Welcome back.

 

The gent from Virginia makes an excellent point about our kids' mental readiness. Sure enough, you'll hear a hundred "Yes, Dad's" but if you're not around, don't bet that over-confidence will not get the best of your kid. In our absence they're sure to try it a little faster, especially if they are with other kids.

My boys are not allowed to ride without me - ever. And thankfully over the years they know that it's not even worth asking me about my rules. I've been lucky enough to do the dumb things on atv's and live to talk about it with them, and I take the time to show them where the trouble spots are, etc. New riders, regardless of age, need a mentor. The stereotype of the atv is that it is a go anywhere, do anything machine. As most of us know, that's far from the truth. New riders need someone there to show the ropes, etc - the training sessions are a good start.

Sorry to the original poster - not intended to be lecturing to you and I know this is off-topic a little. Just read another thread about an atv accident that got me going a little.

 

One of the major problems with ATV's and kids, is that we as adults are trying to equate ATV's to our old dirt bike days.. and we think that 4 wheels will be safer than two... Nothing could be further from the truth here. ATVs share more in common with a snowmobile than they do with a dirt bike. The riding dynamics of shifting your weight around on the seat to keep from tipping over, and keeping your feet on the pegs are two biggies that come to mind.

In a crash, ATV's by their nature tend to roll over in the same path that the rider's body is travelling. On dirt bikes, the rider and bike typically travel different paths. The potential of injury is a lot higher on an ATV than a dirt bike because of this... and no matter how good of a rider, or how careful they are, they will at some point put themselves in a position to test that theory.

This is one of the reasons, that mini versus full sized issue exists. I'd have to guess that a child has a better chance of walking away from a confrontation with a mini that a 600+ lb Utility machine, or a 350+ lb sport model.

Bigger displacement, equals higher horsepower.. which translates into speed. All increase the potential of serious complications resulting from a spill. That is where seat time, and mental ability comes into play.... It all gives them more of an edge, but it does not eliminate the dangers.

 

wow DB, this is one of your most lucid posts ever. I agree with everything you said, especially the penultimate paragraph. the small stuff has great re-sale! the child is 9 y/o, with ZERO experince. DO NOT start them larger than a 125cc unit. also, the slightly bigger stuff brings in gears, shifting, etc..., I'd start with an 80-90 CC unit (used) and sell it after a year. your loss from buying used to seliing used should be $100 or less. then they can learn acceleration/braking/steering. those relatively simple things are not easy at first. and the bigger you go, the more you intimidate jr. and risk scaring him outta riding.

Hey DB..... HOCKEY??? isn't that something those icilcle-heads in Canada "play" (or should i say, "master"). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]