Here is a story for you all,

Took the Eiger for a ride tonight around town. Go to come back and make a couple laps around the yard and I go through the small ditch in front yard. Stop with rear wheels in the ditch and come up out heavy on the throttle. I've got my 3 year old on the front between my legs.

Get in the back yard and the Eiger looses a lot of power. Can't get anything out of it above idle. Get it around to the garage with it puking all the way.

Start with the air filter, out and cleaned/oiled. Move on to the fuel line, off and blown out. Turn the engine over a couple times to make sure fuel is flowing. Next is the spark plug, take it out and clean it. Drain the bowl on the carb. Check the fuel breater hose and air box hose for plugs.

Restart the quad and it is running great. Take it out in the back field and the exact same thing. Limp back to the garage.

Now I get serious and get out the owner's manual. Start looking through it. Start to think that I'll be taking it in for service. Still under warranty.

Restart the quad and it is running rough. Happen to notice that the choke lever is in the down position. Move it up and everything evens out. The first restart the quad had cooled and sounded fine at first until it got hot.

Think back to being in the ditch and my 3 year old must have reached up flipped the choke lever down.

Why is it the simple things that I should start I completely overlook? Makes me feel like a moron.

At least the air filter got cleaned.

 

Stupid stuff happens to everybody. Just most wont admit it. LOL

 

I think all of us has done that a few times. most of our problems we have has to do with the basic little things we tend to forget to look at, dont sweat it, it will happen again

 

Not to rag on you but having a 3 year old between your legs ain't too wise either.

 

I know I just said OMG in my head, happy your kid was safe..I thought this was going to be a bad story.

 

Without knowing if the child had safety gear on (helmet), I see nothing wrong with having the child aboard. Way too many want a 3 year old on their own quad.
As for the choke, If that's the worst thing you do, your in fine shape. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
On the other hand, if your child had no helmet on, it was purely a case of the lord having him push the choke on to make it safe for the child (and allow you to think). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I have the kids ride with me all the time. They have helmets and unless we are just riding on the street, they are required to wear them. This causes me to wear mine too. Nothing like a helmet in the chin.

Where I live, I can ride right out my driveway. The only time my ATVs are on the trailer is when I go deer hunting or wood cutting.

I always do this with any problem. Instead of looking for the obvious, I go to the much more complex.

Matt

 

I was riding with my 5 year old this weekend. He had his helmet on, and was sitting in front of me. I went down a quick drop a little too quick and his head went forward and hit his head on the choke on the left handlebar. He got a knot on his forehead from it and I got a lesson. BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH THE LITTLE ONES ON BOARD. I'm thankful he didn't get hurt badly but am also thankful it made me realize the helmet isn't fool-proof. I'll be much, much more careful from now on. I feel terrible about it.

 

Unless you have a 2-seater, you should never have a child on your ATV, I don't care how many times you've done it in the past or what safety gear they are wearing. If that child would have been thrown and you ran over him, you would feel pretty bad, wouldn't you? I don't care what arguements you use or rationalization you have, it is WRONG and probably illegal.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: GSPKurt

Unless you have a 2-seater, you should never have a child on your ATV, I don't care how many times you've done it in the past or what safety gear they are wearing. If that child would have been thrown and you ran over him, you would feel pretty bad, wouldn't you? I don't care what arguements you use or rationalization you have, it is WRONG and probably illegal.</end quote></div>

just to point out a 2 seater is no safer than a regular quad, yes it is longer, yes it has a second seat.

It can still be tipped over, or a child thrown off and ran over, so it does not matter if it is made for 1 or 2 people a person can get hurt either way.

I would not buy a 2 seater quad, and I ride 2 up quite a bit,my daughter is in front of me at all times and my wife if she rides with me is behind me or on our other quad. My daughter is 3 and I let her drive her quad with me on the back because I can grab the controls in time to save us is she does something wrong or I can protect her with my body as a cushion if I can not save it in time. But I would not let her drive it by herself at this point, because she is still too young and does not know enough yet. A 2 seater quad is just bigger and heavier to lift off of me or someone else when it gets tipped over. I would also prefer to get hit with 450 lbs instead of 700 lbs or more.

Nothing is safe no matter what you do, cars, trucks, bikes, quads, SxS's, trains or planes, or boats, everything is dangerous.

So just get out and enjoy it.