Me before accident...
http://img142.imageshack.us/im...92/3344baldmangs7.jpg


Now I wear a partial for the 3 teeth I lost...
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9719/mygrilldb6.jpg


I guess you can see where I am going with this Shank... don't rush it!

 

I have an 800 which is the same size but slightly heavier than the 500. I have 3 boys, 9,11 and 13. I don't let them ride it, it is way too much bike. They all have the Hawkeyes which has AWD and independent rear suspension, which seems to be far easier for kids to ride than bikes with a straight axle. I know that size bike is even questionable for kids, but I find that the 90cc bikes too hard to control, especially on rough trails.

 

like i said i like the 400

 

But the other thing is, he's going to hit puberty (scary word...i know) soon and grow a lot as well as become stronger. I am 14 years old, 5' 8.5", 140 pounds, but I'm all muscle...no fat here. So he might be able to handle a 500 by himself in a year and a half to two years. I can bash around with a Can-Am Outlander 650 XT (now thats an ATV!!) with no problem, but like I said before, I'm all muscle and bone...with 7% skin-lol. I drove my cousins honda 400 ex and 350 rancher 4x4 when i was 10. As of now, I own a Suzuki Ozark 250 with Interco Swamp Lites and it does whatever i tell it to. But you said this will be a family quad so you will need something around 500cc so the adults will also enjoy it. I'm selling my Ozark and buying an Outlander once I get a job. IMO, I say a 500 is fine as long as you dont do anything stupid with it and you have adult supervision. BE CAREFULLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! Atvs are more powerful than you think.

You are like me. I dont like showing off or racing. Just going slow and feeling the power churning in the engine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008 Suzuki Ozark 250
Interco Swamp Lites

 

Some of the story here...

http://www.HDForums.com/m_850502/tm.htm

 

Every time i look at that picture i grimice-lol. sorry to hear bout that. i hope 2008 will be a better year than 2007!!

 

My compliments to the plastic surgeon. Brilliant work.

 

My 5 year old boy has better throttle control than my wife and daugther combined. I let him operate the throttle on my 800 while I steer it. He also helps me (by himslef) move it around the garage and driveway once I get it pointed in the proper direction. But he will never actually ride it by himself until he's at least 10 or 12.

My point is that young ones can have the knowledge and ability to make these things go, but the risk factor is a lot higher. Kids need to learn self restraint, self control, responsibility, etc.

I might have to make a video that will show my kids riding their own machines, and then switch machines to see how things work.

 

the dealer said the sportsman 300 would be a good size for me. But my dad wants liguid cooled so it would be a sportsman 400 h.o.

 

Ouch, Baldman! I hope you heal up well. My, now 16 year old son, started out a few years ago riding a friend's 250cc Honda Recon up on their property in NH. First he rode with his buddy who has ridden for years. Then, he rode slowly with his buddy on the back to stop the quad if necessary. Then, his buddy let him ride slowly by himself and he got good at the smaller machines. I had a Kawasaki Lakota that he "inherited" when I got a Polaris Xplorer 4x4. He was good at that too and didn't have any crashes. He is now 16, 6'1" and about 225. He has been riding the ATP 500 since we bought it about 2 years ago. I think the best approach for anyone is to build up gradually and when you get a new machine, get used to it before you test its limits. I'd hate to come around a corner and find a kid smacked into a boulder or wrapped around a tree. However, I do not agree with the, "under 16 have to ride on a 90cc or less", laws. It doesn't take into account experience, body size, and maturity level. I agree that Shank could probably do well on a mid-size machine if all he says is true.