I have two Kazuma 110s, a Honda trx 90 and an atc 70.

NO WAY would I let my 5 year old ride the 110s. He is big too - tall and 52 lbs, but he can't reach the pedals and controls. The 13 year old rode the 90 until last Oct when he was 5'3, 130 lbs, he races, jumps, and just rode the snot out of it before we let him move up to a bigger quad.

Those Kazuma 110s are tall and tippy too.

Fit, Fit, Fit the kid to the quad, use the throttle limit screw, don't be afraid to be the parent. This is to be a lifelong love, not a road to tears.

I have 5 young-uns that ride, ages 5 to 14 - we love it, but we are safe too.

 

govern it way down & go for it.

 

The physical size of an atv does concern me as much as the power does. Admit it folks when we were young we were indestructable in our own minds, I saw the same look everytime I rode with my son becaue all he knew was wide open throttle. I've seen 10 year olds at the riding parks blasting around on banshees and watched as a 11 year old was air lifted out last year after crashing a 400ex. I admit their ae 6 and ups that can really ride the fire out of an atv but when you cmbine a large heavy atv with a lot of horse power and a child that doesn't have the wieght to control it your asking for an injury. Someone said atv's aren't like jeans that you can grow into, I agree. Buy one to small and it's dangerous, buy one to large and it's dangerous. I wish the goverment didn't have to get invovled because the atv they said my daughter was limited to was way to small (a 90cc), her knees hit the handle bars so we broke the law and bought a larger one (a 250cc). The only thing is some parents go out and buy an atv that is to big just so they can impress the other riders. I've seen it to many times. Two parents and one bragging how their 7 year old is riding a 350cc. Let your sone set on the atv and make sure he is comfortable and is able to move around on it without losing his grip on the controls. Make sure his feet are flat on the floor boards or pegs without his legs being stretched straight down. Get him to slide way back on the seat and se if he can still safely control the steering and hand controls. Don't worry about him out growing the atv, you can always buy another atv but your son is not replacible.

 

Oh yeah I agree with you there, bragging about a 7 year old on a 350 is like tatooing I AM STUPID on a person's forehead. Definately on the lower end of the gene pool. I have often sat and thought why would someone make a decision to allow that to happen. I want to think it is because they have not benefited from all the educational material that is out there... the other question is would they read it if you put it in front of them? Could they?

I've said this over and over... the ability to sit on a seat, and hold on does not make one a "Good" rider. Kids at a young age generally do not have the judgement it takes to make good decisions under emergency conditions. How many of us can honestly say they have not witnessed a young child on a bike, or an ATV.. just cruising around with a giant smile on their face totally oblivious to everything around them... and then ride it right into a tree or some other unmoveble object... That should be a wake up call folks. And with ATV's. we are talking for the first time in their lives, mom and dad are putting them on something that can seriously hurt, or kill them....

As a parent, that is a sobering thought.. if it isn't, it should be..

I agree that current models available do not fit that awkward age. What we need is a bridge machine that bridges the gap between mini's and full size machines. Some manufacturers are trying.... I looked a yamaha grizzly 125 over the past weekend... they are getting there. One thought also could be some adjustability in the pegs, seat height, and bar heights... Adjust it as the child grows.

I do not buy into the bigger engine because he is bored argument though.... when many of us old birds were kids, I remember all the fun we had on our old mini bikes with a 2 and a half horse briggs and stratton on it... or take the Honda ATC 90. We had a blast on them... You don't need big motors and gears to shift to have fun... That is a bunch of hogwash...

Do away with the peer pressure, and the keep up with the Jones' attitudes and things would be a lot better if you ask me...

 

.

Hey Dragginbutt, how's your neck??? I remember reading way above that your head turned so fast, you almost got whip lash. Sounds like you're still getting whip lash from the "go for it" replies in this thread.


Here's the "body fit" sizing approach I use... I take my kid and we visit our local Honda dealer. My kid sits on many motocross bikes. The 70s, the 75s, the 80, the 90s, etc. Old or new, my kid sits on them all. In a standing postion with weight on the seat, his feet must be in a tippy toe position to touch the level ground. Thus, allowing some growth room. If the cc number on the gas tank says 80, then that's the engine size he gets in the mini-quad. If it's a 90, then my kid is fitted for the 90cc mini-quad engine. Plus or minus some engine CCs if the mini-quad frame is small or large (and expected 2 year growth room range). But NOT above that. Year 1: A little small. Year 2: Perfect fit. Year 3: a little too big. His mini-quad is then passed down to his younger sister. My son upgrades to a larger size or a properly fitted motocross bike.


If wondering, we don't have strick mini-quad "engine sizing" laws in my area. To tell you the truth, we should NOT. My local authorities focus on "body fit" and rider control. If they feel a kid "looks properly fitted" for the mini and they are driving it with common sence control, they wave them through their random check points. If outside the "norm of common sence", both rider & parent are immediately told to "go directly home and don't come back for another year". If way outside the common sense boundary, they immediately call the Tow Truck. If wondering, they waved us through their checkpoint 3 different times. That's how "properly fitted" my 10 year old son's Pred-90 is for his body size. If an average 6 year old was on a 110cc mini in my area, bet the trail patrol folks would call the tow truck even before pulling the kid over. That's how far outside the "common sence" boundary is sounds to me too.


Would I put my 10 year old son on a 110 motocross bike??? NO WAY. His feet don't touch the ground.

.

 

Just going to say that while I agree 100% that fit is the key, there are times I would look at putting a 6 year old on a 110 assuming he is physically big enough. Hey my nephew just turned 7 and is 45lbs heavier and 5-6 inches taller than mine who is only 4 months younger (and she's about average). Anyway, if you ride in deep mud or sand I honestly believe you need the extra power. With that said, if you ride in the backyard it would be questionable why you'd want to go with a 110. So I can see both sides.

 

The horse power an atv has still concerns me when buying one for my kids. I bought a 250 for my daughter but tunned it down a little so it doesn't get away from her. Well actually so it doesn't get away from her cousin who is the speed demon, my daughter usually just putts around. I've seen 12 year olds that could fit on a banshee comfortably and reach all the controls just as easy as an adult but I wouldn't put him on just because the size fits. That same 12 year old doesn't have the fear of broken bones or internal injuries as an adult because he is still invinsable and can do anything. Last year befre the boy was air lifted out of the park a few weeks earlier the same boy was cutting throught he park wide open in 2nd or 3rd and hit some washboards. The next thing I saw was him going over the handle bars. He wasn't hurt that time but like I said a few weeks later he crashed going like 45 or 50 mph and the last time I saw him he was strapped to a stretcher and being flown to an emergency room. A few years ago a young boy about 9 I think was killed when his 4x4 quad flipped over backwards on him breaking his next. He was on a 450 rancher that his dad had bought him so they could ride in the mud. His dad had said the other atv's were to small and he wasn't able to go through some of the mud holes with them so he bought the larger one. This last Christmas one kid that live down the road from my uncle was killed and and his friend was crippled for life after they lost control of a warrior they were riding. The kid that died was 13 and I think he said the one that lived was 12. The warrior was a Christmas present for one of the 12 year old boys who was tall for his age and the paper said he had a promising futur in basket ball. I can't imagine how his parents felt after he was killed on a Christmas present they gave him, Christmas would never be a fun time of the year again. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to raise their kids or what to buy or not buy for them but man when I see some of these kids cutting across a field wide open on an atv that has way to much power for their age group it makes me really think of my kids and makes me want to go see exactly what they are doing. I couldn't imagine my life without my kids. My son is my best friend and it would kill me if anything happened to him or his sister. We have to let them live and learn but I'm gonna try my best to make sure their mistakes are as painless as I can make them. My son has started motocross now and I worry every time he gets out on the track. I don't let he know it but you can believe I have my eyes on him ever second he's racing. So far no serious injuries only a few nice bruises and hopefully thats all he ever gets.

 

My turn... My son is now 8 and rides a Predator 90. I have it limited down and watch him like a Hawk. He has had it for ~1 1/2 years. He is a great athlete in whatever sport he tries. HOWEVER, If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten a 50. He respects the machine, but still tends to be agressive at times. They see others, watch X-Games and everything else. The biggest regret is that because he is under aged for his machine, we could not take advantage of the safety courses. For some reason, my child (and probably most everyone else's) tends to listen to everyone, but me (or so it seems). I am looking at an ATV for my 5 1/2 yr old daughter and there is no doubt that it will be as small as they make 'em. Take your time in buying a quad. It is not any fun yelling stop and watching them flying or rolling. If you are concerned about the money, buy a use one until they grow out of it and then buy another used one. Someone said, you can buy another quad, but not another kid! I totally agree.

IMHO,

 

This might be the quad for everyone but when I bought my son his first one he was five and most of the 50cc were physicaly to small. I looked around and found the Ds50 which fit him perfect. It was the same size as the 90cc but with a 50cc engine and had pretty good low end power. He finally out grew it and has moved on and now the little 50 has been given to my nephew. I just found out today with the help of one of our great members on this site that a lot of hp goodies for the Dinli will fit on the Bombardier. My nephew is close to being to big for the 50 and it needs a little more power to pull him around but his mom is a widow and she can't afford to buy him an atv so the little 50 is going to get a revamp and he'll be good for a year or so. Look around at some of the 50cc's. Their sizes vary and if ones like the LT50 is to small there are others a little bigger but still with the 50cc motor. I even found out I can stroke the 50cc motor to a 70cc. If I had it to do over I would buy a used atv that I knew was in good shape. These suckers lose to much value right after you buy them.

 

My daughter started on her TRX 70 when she was 5 and now she is 11 and still going strong on it. She is about ready to go to a bigger frame, but the engine is plenty strong enough for her. My 7 yr old son also rides it. IMO when I'm at Glamis watching these 90-110 lbs kids racing around on Banshee's and Raptors I think somone one should lock their parents up. Don't go bigger for growing into. When there bigger you sell the smaller bike and upgrade when their physically and mentally ready for it. Again JMO