Welcome Motonut...I am with my comerades here, even though I am a die hard quad rider, I started on a Suzuki Jr50, then RM80 and when I could handle that I started basic on atv's till they ultimately became my preference.

Motorcycles are easier to get away from in case of a wreck, and I firmly believe that most can transistion from 2-4 wheels than 4-2 wheels. Let's your son have more choices later when he decides what he wants to ride.

Also since you are new here, feel free to visit The Daily Spinzone and Other Pertinent Information, here. All 3 of us plus others are there for a daily BS a thon and occasionally discussions about off road topics as well...

TPR

 

One thing I can't argue with: it'll be easier for the lil' guy to go from 2 wheels to 4 than the other way around.

I can't deny that when you drop a dirt bike you tend to fall away from it and when you tip a quad it kinda catches your leg and keeps you involved. However the flip-side of that coin is that a little guy is just plain gonna drop a bike a lot more, for better or worse.


Right here inside my heart and head, though - I started riding dirt bikes at age 12. I THOUGHT I was a die-hard biker ever since both on the street and in the dirt. Then I got my first quad at age 47 and I'm never going back. I find so many things easier to deal with on a quad. Not only the riding aspects, but the security/transport/service/daily living-with-it stuff as well.

Grab the bumper and stand it on its tail to work on the belly ... so nice. I could never do that with a bike. Get off and push it from behind if ypou need to. If it's in the way in the yard, I just give it shove.

One of our quads is a CVT, and fer cryin' out loud that thing even loads itself in the truck ... all I gotta do is thumb the throttle and walk alongside up the ramps.

To unload a quad from the truck, just drop the tailgate and give a good tug.

... and I could rattle on like this for way too long. You get my point.

I know I'm not really addressing some of your questions, but I'm just really a happy ATV guy now and I'd no sooner go back to a bike than I would go back to using a typewriter, a toaster oven or a hard-wired telephone.

 

I started on a 1980 Honda XR80, and if i was going to start somone i would start them on a bike.

this way you get the balance, the body English, the shifting, and the rest of the controle skills you need.

i agrea the quad gives you a false sence of safety. cause it wont tip over when yous top... i would rather have the bike tip over stoped then roll my quad...( like i have 500000 times)

 

It really depends on the riding you like.

sometimes - I'd like to have my CR250 back - especially for desert riding. You don't tire near as easily as on the ATV.

But at the times when we are at Pismo (the dunes), Im very glad I have a trike.

It really depends on what you want. For jumping - you can sail much farther on 2 wheels than 3 or 4 [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for everyone that responded to this. Sounds like you all agree that a bike is the way to go. Now with that figured out, how can I find a decent bike for myself (250 cc) and one for my son (50cc - 90cc) without blowing the budget. Trying to stay below $3000. How are the Chinese bikes (I see that you can get a 250cc for under $1600)? Have they been improved upon like the atvs (I have read in these forums how the atvs have been improved over the years)? It seems that if I want a name brand bike that I MUST go used because of the price, but even the used ones are still quite expensive. If I got the Chinese bikes it would save on my budget, but would I end up breaking it? I won't be doing any extreme types of jumping, maybe 6' of air at most. Again, I will have to get back into riding, so it will be slow at first.

Any suggestions????