follow your instinct!

 

Is there an echo in here? Heh!

 

Im a mechanic on atv,s if it,s got a throttle control or a remote killl like the roketa models he can learn to ride and enjoy them just got to be with him for the first 2-3-months of riding

 

Okay, my son had his first battery quad for his first birthday. It is a 6v and basically only any good for indoor use although we used to take it out in the driveway on occasion - and yes he wore a helmet. On his second birthday I bought him the next size up battery quad. Its a 12v Yamaha Raptor with 2 forward speeds & 1 reverse speed. This is his outdoor quad and he still uses the 6v one in the house. He is quite adept with his outdoor quad as long as someone is in front of him keeping him looking at them. He will steer towards whatever he is looking at - therefore if he gets distracted looking at the dog or something he will steer towards that. He loves quads and will go with me every chance he gets for a ride on mine. I don't see much difference in a battery quad or a properly sized gas quad when the proper precautions are taken. I keep the battery quad on the low forward speed and anyone with a properly sized gas quad can restrict the throttle - no difference. The benefit of the gas over battery is that you can either get a remote or pull the shutdown cord & stop the engine in an instant if an issue pops up - can't do that with the battery...you've got to chase the little bugger down if he doesn't want to listen.

I picked up a new 90 Halle for my 7 year old daughter last night. She grew up with a couple of battery Barbie jeeps and riding with me on the quad & sled. At about 4 I started letting her sit ahead of me a run the throttle a bit when the going was smooth. She loved doing this on my quad but wasn't too fussy doing it on the sled until this winter past. For whatever reason she wanted to always be up front running the throttle especially on the ponds. Anyway I think that this was a good build up for her own quad. After a little instruction last night she was putting around the yard getting used to her new toy.

So all in all I don't see any difference in battery or properly sized gas quads as long as the right precautions are taken & the limiters are adjusted properly. The problem is, and this is why we hear about young kids getting hurt, when the parents do not take the time to take the precautions and/or don't properly supervise their kids or provide their kids with quads that are not properly sized. I don't worry about either of my kids getting hurt because they are supervised and they are not solo riding on quads that are too big physically or too powerful/fast for their current skill levels.

 

The biggest difference I could point out is like one poster said before .. having the strength to lift the quad should it tip over and pin them. Yes, as responsible parents we're there in a jiff to do just that, but you never know what could happen. With the battery quads, even my four year old could tip it back up right. We have a Giovanni 50cc on order right now which I feel pretty confident that my six year old would have trouble tipping up right if it fell over. Having said that, I agree with most on here about not getting a quad for your kid to "grow in to" ... while it may make great economic sense, is your kid's safety worth the money saved? I can't wait to get my kids riding. They both love being on mine and like SS .. my six year old likes to apply the throttle when the going is good.

Quads for your kids should be sized and set up for their skill level. Kids for the quads should have adequate PPE and training. Parents with kids on quads need to keep their attention focused and not take the approach of "I'll just nip in and change over the laundry"

 

You are right about growing into it...bad idea - a quad is not a shirt or a pair of pants. Parents get your kids the right size ATV even if it means that you have to get them a bigger one next year as they grow older. After all with the price if these Chinese quads its not a stretch to sell the current one next year & buy a bigger one when the time , or I should say, when the kid is right for the bike.

 

My 4 year old has been riding a 50 for almost 2 years. Elect since he could walk. He rides an elect motorcycle and a bicycle without training wheels. We're currently learning to ride the 50cc honda.

My 2 year old can climb on all my motorcycles, my raptor 700, and he rides an elect quad and elect jeep. Both are great at riding.

As good as they are, I wouldn't even consider a 90 for at least 2-3 more years for my 4 year old. y 4 year old stays in first gear, and only this last season did I open the governor so he could ride faster than I could walk.

 

That's good to hear Rekd. Responsible parenting. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I bought a Meerkat 50 for my 4 year old this year. He was riding a battery one since he was 2. About a month ago he was riding in front of my wife and flipped it over. My wife got it off of him right away and without hesitation he got right back on and rode some more. If he rides all day or for 2 minutes he knows to put all of his gear on. If you take time and take all of the precautions I think a gas powered quad is fine for a 4 year old. In my opinion a 50cc would be best though.

Just my two cents.....

 

My daughter had a Meerkat and I would never get another. It is way too unstable, had no suspension, and it can go too fast. (Not to mention the fact that it nevver started very well.) There are other, better alternatives that are also cheap.