I have had a gut full of people getting on here and telling everyone how to raise their kids. I have a four year old daugter that rides a polaris 50 and am I a bad father for her being able to ride a quad and have fun? The atv laws were written over 20 years ago when kids were being killed from riding full size machines as there were very few youth atvs, now the market is flooded with them. Another question I have is how much safer is it to put my daughter on a dirt bike(which is legal) comparred to a quad that is designed to fit her? Sorry for the post but I needed to blow off some steam after reading juiceman's post and reading some of the responses from whosdat.

 

i have two sisters..... one is 8 and one is 5 and they have been riding since age 4 and they ride my lil 100cc and they have fun. i dont understand how its "bad" for them to ride at a young age.... its not like they are gunna go fast and they always ride with me or my dad following them in case they have any problems. some people are just jelous that their kids kant rip on a quad like ours could [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img] haha, jk.

 

It's not a problem for some kids - for some parents - and for some areas to ride. Many four year olds cannot even begin to control any size gas powered ATV. My opinion is that no four year old (or any kid, for that matter) should ever ride without direct adult supervision. I also can't fathom having a four year old ride anywhere but in the yard or other highly controlled area. The thing is that the skill levels of kids will vary greatly from kid to kid - no one catch-all age limit rule will ever fit.

Most of us with kids who ride are "breaking the recommendations", it boils down to us as responsible parents to introduce our kids as safely as possible into our sport.

Jaybee

 

.

Each parent has their own young rider age "comfort zone" when it comes to anything. Whether it be dirt bikes, quad bikes or peddle bikes. I've read posts of people putting their 5 year olds on 90cc minis and others who put a 5 year old on the proper "body sized" 50cc. Each person does have their own comfort zone.

Despite the many posts I've put on this forum and many other forums, my wife & I have a comfort zone of "age 8 and up". Yes, age 8+ in our family. In other families, it's age 4+. Each to their own...

And there are others who feel that "the law is the law". If their law states they must kill their grandmother on the 6th day of each month, then they will do it. Some people only think about "the law" (tunnel vision thing) and not the big picture of proper body fit to the mini's frame. Or the young rider's maturity to properly control the mini. So, they believe that a 135lb boy on a 50cc is "safe". Safer then being on a proper "body fit" of a 90cc. I guess these same people don't look at top end heavy geometry changes.

For those of you who live in a location that have laws that force 135lb kids on 50ccs minis (instead of proper body fit by mini's frame size), I feel very sorry for you. Sorry that you've allowed your governments to have that much political & legal power.

Regardless of the young rider's age and your family's "age to CC engine size / Frame size" comfort zone, do be very carefull out there. These minis can be very dangerious - even in their pure stock form. Just like a lawnmower, scissors or other tools. Respect the machine and it will respect you....

.

 

I've seen some really small 50's at some of the races we go to. Some of these would have been to small for my boy when he was 4yrs. old. It really boils down to being a responsible parent. Over see their riding, explain the obvious dangers first and the not so obvious ones as their encountered. Don't push them to do things they can't do. I feel like it's my bussiness what my boy does and no one else's, so if someone tells me it's dangerous I ignore it. The thing I tell my son all the time is " Be careful and have fun, don't hurt yourself and don't hurt anyone else."

 

I started my son on an LT80 at 4 1/2, with the throttle limit turned in so far, it would barely get going, let him putt around a local gravel pit,nice flat ground,with a few bumps to keep him happy. Less than a month later, with many hours of riding under his belt, (and dad only a few feet away) he was whipping small donuts with the limiter turned up !! With close supervision, and I mean you are a few feet away, not turn him loose and watch from a chair, and a lot of practice, you'd be surprised how fast little kids can get a feel for a quad. Just don't let them loose respect for what any quad,even the littlest ones, can do. All kids are different,you must know their capabilities and limits, and watch them closely.My son is now almost 15, an excellent rider, and has great respect for his quad, and knows what he can and cannot do safely.

 

I can understand your upset, I get comments all the time about what I "let" my kids do. I involve my kids in just about everything I do(riding, rock climbing, soccer etc). I'm an active person and want my kids to be active too, not couch potatoes.

As with anything, each kid is different. My 5 yr old has great coordination and reflexes and I've started to let him ride his brothers 80 around the yard(speed limited of course)......as long as I'm RIGHT there, sometimes jogging next to him. On the other hand, there is no way in he** I would ever have let his older brother ride the same thing at the same age, he just didn't have the skills needed.

I honestly can't remember a time when I couldn't ride. My dad had us riding almost as soon as we could walk, bikes, trikes and quads. As long as the child(and parent!) can understand the basics and is aware of the dangers I see no reason why they shouldn't be riding with supervision. It's got to be better for them in the long run than sitting in front of the boob tube.

 

do what you feel is right and dont let other parent bug you about it you know your own kids beter then them so do what feels right

 

my sister started off with the limiter just so that they could get the feel for the quad and then after a couple hours my dad put it a bit higher.... then higher agian.... and agian.... untill it was normal again. u have to teach them first and pay close attention to their riding and stay close by. we dont let them ride on normal trails ofr anything yet.... we just take them so a big flat feild with almost no bumps and let them play around. its only safe if they kno wat they are doing and u are close by watching and taking care of them.

 

My nephew(sp) rides a ktm 50 and hes 4 yrs old. He rides it pretty good to for being so young.