I bought my 5 year old a lt80 for christmas. it was a hard decsion 50cc or 80cc after him riding now for a few days I made the right decsion. he will be 6 next month. with the govenors it has it goes real slow also have the smaller tires on the way to make a little more stable. Not all kids are the same.

 

As children develop they grow in the areas of cognitive skill, reason, judgment, and ability to forecast consequences. These are the “variables” that parents have to measure when making the decision to put their child on a potentially deadly machine.

Fortunately shortcomings in these areas can be addressed with the correct amount of supervision, restriction and as a last defense – proper protective equipment. But these issues are only half of the equation and the other half is what is generating the anxiety and public concern over youthful ATV operation.

The other half of the equation is proper fit to the machine being used by the youth. Operating a oversized ATV is the #1 cause of youth injury between ages 6 and sixteen. After all the studies and research it was mutually agreed upon to adopt a engine CC to age restriction that was originally a volunteer agreement between the government and manufactures but has now crept into the laws and regulations in many states. This was done because the accident data clearly identifies the failure of parents to correctly measure the variables (above) and provide the adequate parental supervision and/or restrict access to machines that were clearly oversized for the operator. Ie there are few Johnny’s who will be to small for a 90cc machine between 10 and 15 years old. So therego the imposed parenting of the lawmakers. Enough politics.

Proper supervision, Training for both the supervising adult AND the youth, properly maintained machines, proper safety equipment, a safe riding area and PROPER FIT to the machine all add up to successful riding experiences for youth AND their parents.

FYI – before I lose your attention with to many words.. My 10 year old daughter rode her 90cc ATV to the top of mountains in Montana and through forest and hills in many other places and she loved it and did very well in learning to drive a machine that would not push her entrails out her nostrils if she ended up underneath it – and she did. When we sold it after 3 years we recovered 75% of the purchased new cost. We lost about $100 a year in depreciation and she rode the snot out of it.

Now, 10 years old is a tough age. Some 10 year olds are ready for a lot more than a 90cc machine both in body size (fit) and machine weight. Some are not. I have seen 10 year olds do real well on 250cc machines when they physically fit the machine, have the throttle limited to a safe maximum power limit, be under direct verbal supervision and have proper safety equipment.

I’ve also spent over an hour preaching safety to my brother including demonstration and instruction on proper operation – to turn my back for 1 minute and then watch he and his 13 year old son drag race down the middle of the road at speeds over 50mph -The very first time they had ever been on a ATV. Guess who’s more likely to be sitting outside a door marked “EMERGENCY”.

So – you have to 1) Closely examine the childs development and determine what level of supervision, training, and your participation you are willing to invest – 2) make sure the laws for where you intend to ride are not going to be a restriction – and 3) ensure the ATV is the proper FIT for the youth without regard to resale value or buying one that will fit properly in the future etc.

Then go riding and have some real serious fun in riding together and getting so covered in mud and dirt you can’t tell what color your cloths or the machine is!

The leading cause of youth injury originate from improper fit to control the size of machine being operated.
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Children cannot maintain position or control without increased risk of falling or being thrown from the machine because:
• Leg length - A minimum of 3 inches of clearance between the seat and the top inseam of the pants when standing on the foot rests is required to enable the operator to maintain balance on the foot rests when turning and riding over hills and rough terrain.
• Arm length - While seated on the machine and gripping the handle bars there should be a distinct bend in the arm at the elbow. Without a bend, there will not be sufficient reach to properly grip the handle bars when turning.
• Hand size - While gripping the handle bar with fingers extended to the brake lever, the first joint of the index finger should extend beyond the brake lever. If it doesn’t, the hand is too small to safely operate the brake.
(good starting point – these are minimums)

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) states that a variety of factors converge to place children at risk as operators of OHVs including:
• Children believe products purchased by their parents are safe.
• Danger and risk are underestimated because of the child's own lack of experience with accidents.
• Children between the ages of 12 and 15 often overestimate their skills, particularly with increased experience.
• Children can easily get into trouble trying to imitate more complex maneuvers of older friends.

Educating yourself, evaluating your youth for proper fit for both the machine size and their being at a stage in development where you can control there risk and exposure through supervison will determine the success of riding your ATV's.

And I agree - stay away from the cheap chineese crappola quads. Stick with Japanese or American manufactures. All youth brake things. Picking a machine should include who and how many dealerships are around your neck of the woods. It was for me and I do A LOT of mechanical work. Just dont want to if I dont have to.

50cc machines are for the little tikes. Backyard machines really. Not applicable for much outside a flat yard with short grass. If they FIT the machine (above) even the 7 year olds would be 90cc candidates along as the throttle can be regulated or with a remote control shut-off switch.

Good luck - keep asking questions.

 

WhoDat
Thanks so much for taking the time to create such a wonderful written document. I'm willing to make a donation so that you can put that in print and we can pass that out to all the dealerships or make available for parents to read. Its so easy for a parent, including me, to experience being a "kid" again with our kid...so easy to fall in that trap. But I've been blessed to have such a wonderful life with a great family and friends and I couldn't imagine spending my life without my kids because of my stupidity. They are not qualified to make those decisions and we as parents should all know better and should be held accountable. I have first hand experience with letting a 16 year old, that had followed for 4 days....go first while we ran back to the house to get something....only to find him in a barbed wire fence....God saved that boy....and that is what has made this decision so painful. I do want him to have one......but understand that even a mini can be as dangerous if me as a parent don't apply the safeguards to keep my child safe. Thanks for passing along some valuable insight...because I don't want to be a statistic....and I know...in the end...i'm the one responsible if anything happens. Tim Nutt tnutt@sis-tek.com

 

If you want a dependable 4 stroke quad for your son....consider the Honda 90. It has that "bullet-proof" Honda 90 engine that's been around for decades plus that great 4 speed tranny with a low first gear. My 7 year old has been driving his since October and the only thing I have done to it is change the oil, took no time for that, and adjust and lube the chain. It's cold natured during these cold months but when warm it starts easily. He even turns the fuel on and chokes it to start it for the first time during the day.
I have the throttle screw turned in and that limits his top speed to about 15 mph. Right now he is learning to shift up into 3rd gear and downshift to 1st when coming to a stop. For the record, with the throttle screw all the way out and with a Garmin GPS unit, top speed with me(185lbs) is 43mph.

It pulls my son and me around with no problem as it is set up now and we both have a conbined weight of 255lbs.

It lacks in features as compared to some of the cheaper Chineses built atvs but it has one thing they don't.....that Honda 90 engine. I have not had to go behind Honda and tighten any bolts or loctite them. It was built in Japan...a plus IMO....and is well built machine.

For just plain old open field riding with the occasional shallow mud hole, it's a tough machine to beat and if you are looking for dependability.....go Honda TRX90.

 

My sons first quad was a 1984 susuki lt50 and he was 71/2, a few months later I upgraded him to a 2000 yamaha 80 badger. He is now 81/2 and I still worry like crazy when he rides because at times he will be very careless. I don't let him ride in crouded areas because of his lack of paying attention to whats around him. But any quad would be a good one, it just depends on what and where he is gonna ride and how much you are willing to spend. By the way, as stated before, buy a quad that you can get parts for and make sure you stay on top of his learning how to ride. Good luck. RUSS

 

Lookingforquad, I think you have just run into the 3 most outspoken advocates of youth safety in the sport of ATV riding. Along with guys like Whodat and Spike, I hope that somewhere some of the thoughts and ideas we have presented in the past have caused parents to think about their decisions, and hopefully, we have kept a kid from getting hurt.

One is all it takes to make it all worth it.

I am glad they let me play in their league.

 

To me, there are 4 different areas that catagorize mini-ATV safety. They are:

1 - Driver's age, skills / experience, proper body fit, mandatory supervision and proper safety equipment. WhoDatInDaMud does a great job in focusing in this area.

2 - Mini's features that include or exclude safety levels. Known to many, I'm always harping (yes, harping) about the need for wider front ends (to reduce roll overs), foot brake, hydro disc brakes, running board with a safety lip (or nerf netting) instead of foot pegs and other safety features. For more details of the safety features I had to add to our '03 Pred-90, surf: http://www.atvwild.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2840

3 - The trails / environment where one rides. This includes hills that are too steep, water that is too deep, sharp corners that are unmarked and riding areas that have too many "other" drivers, etc.

4 - Back luck!!!! One can do everything right and for some reason, the young rider still gets hurt.


Each of us can control 1, 2 and 3. We need to keep these items in a proactive and where possible, re-active protective condition. By keeping each of these items "in balance at a much lower risk", it also helps lower the injury risk in #4.

-------------------------

Regarding catagory 2 items, here's a few machine "features / improvements" I recommend for "around the house" and trail riders:
- Skid Plate. To me, all trail riding minis need to have skid plates. Especially the bush, water / crud and rock trail riders. We installed a skid plate on our Pred-90. One of the best upgrades we've done to it.
- Widen the front end. To me, the front of each mini needs to be 4" wider (either wider A-Arms or wheel spacers. Wider 2" A-Arms put less stress on its factory bushings and bearings).
- DRLs (Daytime Running Lights). Just like our automobiles, DRLs do reduce the risk of accidents. Especially for the dark bush riders. If your mini does NOT have DRLs, you can install them in any mini that contains a battery. If you want the details, simply send me a PM. I'll give you the details how we installed DRLs on our '-3 Pred-90.
- Hydro disc brakes. To me, this is a must for water / mud trail riders. If you can't get disc brakes, get drum brakes that are 100% sealed. TRX-90 has 100% sealed drum brakes.
- Many young riders adapt better to a foot brake. Both my young riders are "foot brake" riders. Both of them struggled with the factory hand lever system. Each kid is different but to me, many of our young riders like foot brakes better. Sure wish factories would put a foot brake on all minis.
- If you young rider does NOT drive above 3/4 throttle, simply change the sprockets to transfer this unused power to the lower throttle range. This allows a mini to spin in the mud / crud much better.
- Install a Whip Flag. To me, this is a very low cost safety improvement.
- A spring loaded chain tensioner is an excellent safety feature as well. It reduces the slack in the chain (regardless of its Swing Arm position) and thus, keeps its chain on during the rough parts of the trail. We added a Spring Loaded chain tensioner to our Pred-90. One of the best upgrades we've done to it.
- Install a universal mirror mount clamp and install a mirror. For the young rider to see behind them, they simply look in the mirror. They do NOT have to turn their head and thus, taking their eyes off the direction they are driving into. To me, all minis should have a factory threaded post for a motocycle mirror. Simply screw in an inexpensive mirror and "away they go".

If water / mud in your passion, focus on a 4 stroke. Don't even bother looking at 2 strokes. 4 strokes have sealed electrical and sealed tranny. The TRX-90 is considered "the king of mud" because of its sealed engineering. It's shift tranny with bull low gear is great for hills and that really sticky mud.

To me, 2 strokes are much better for dry land conditions. They have open electrical (re: stator systems) and many brands have open CVTs. Great for cooling but if too much water exposer, it will create long term problems. And these problems are very expensive to fix.


Hope this helps as well....

.

 

Thanks to everybody for the information that has made this decision much easier. I wish I wasn't so hung up on the 4cycle...I hope that doesn't cloud my decision in the whats best for the kid. But the sales guy is gonna love me.....add the foot brake if you can....light kit....flag...extend the aa arms (BTW...whats the best brand to purchase)....remote shut off....head gear...eyewear....hell...i'm gonna end up spending half on accessories. In the end...it'll all be worth it. Tim

 

It may all sound expensive... but the gear is still a better investment than a trip to the emergency room. Ever have to take care of a child that is mending broken bones? 6 to 8 weeks is a long time.....

 

well it seems this topic allways brings out the best in safty . it's so true about slaping widing kits on the minis front and back . thats was the first thing for my sons 50 plus off set rims and better tires allways a wealth of information on this topic allright happy riding be safe