There aren't any available that age group right now, that's where Honda should have hit! I had a LT250s Quad sport 4-stroke for about 2 weeks before I bought my Blaster. It would go just as fast as my friends piped and bored Blaster but more torque. That's too much machine for a 12-14 year old. A rider that age should be able to deal with a machines maximum performance at any given time. A 125 or a 185 would be a machine suitable for them to conquer everything it can dishout. Then two years later they can ride whatever they want at 16. Honda should have made a smaller one. Because now all of these in betweeners are going to go out and get a 250ex for their youngster. Sure it was a good profit move but was it a good saftey move, knowing what age group will be centered around these quads and the demand for them? The kids can go just as fast now and don't even need to know how to work a clutch, brilliant!

 

When i first saw 250ex i thought alright honda is bringing back the 250r! Then i looked and it was a 4-stroke youth quad and was mad. I was hoping for a dinosar killer like everyone else. But It is a pretty cool quad for younger kids. I am 15. I started riding on a 86 trx200sx which is the same thing exept it was chain drive. When i was 7 My dad used to put it in second and i would ride around my yard all day. I Loved it. I rode it for 7 more years and then all my friends got monster 4x4's and it was getting in bad shape from me beating on it. I rode the crap out of it. We were planning to get a new quad like a 300ex. Then the 400ex came out and after a year we got one. I know that i would not want a 4-wheeler like that! under 16?! I think that younger kids could handle it. they just need to be taught how to ride and not kill them selves and to use common sense.

 

It all depends on the kid really. I don't wanna seem like a smart-a$$ idiot, but i have a blaster right now, and i'm 15, and its just not fast or powerful enough. I also got a scrambler, but it breaks down all the time, and i'm still looking for more power. But i'm not like everyone i guess. Usually a Blaster will suit a 12-15 year old just fine, i see nothing wrong with it. There almost as light as the 90 quads, and A Heck of a lot funner. And besides they have throttle limiter. So why would the companies even bother building youth quads when theres already a couple good ones.

 

Hey man, I'm 15. Paid for my 97 banshee, all the mods (except the ones that were on it) and plan on getting more. I've been riding since I was like 7, and have only had 1 wreck. And if you think might not ride hard.. I race tqra MX. I personally feel that an experienced 13-14 year old can handle a 400ex. My banshee isn't at all over-powered for me. Later,

 

thank you..another fellow rocket scientist from texas

 

thanks for backing me up guys intentionally or not. I'm 37 and I've been riding something with a motor on it since I was 5. Started out with a Briggs and strat mini bike. Pretty lame by todays standards but I had more fun than anyone else because they didn't have one. Everyone can have an opinion but if you go by the labels on quads to determine the age qualifications i'd say your an idiot. Tree Farmer put it best in the Honda forum. They put this out there and a lot kids will get one and by the time they get good enough they'll get a bigger one.

 

I don't know, this just seems like such a lonely child in Honda's line-up. If Honda recommends this quad for riders 16 and over, then why not just spring for the 300ex? It's not terribly difficult to master a clutch, or maintain a chain. I'm a Yamaha fan, but I would still like to see a 650ex from Honda.

 

I am 14 and started ridin at 10 on my cousins 300 fourtrax then got a recon when i was 12 and loved i learned all of the basics and then learned to drive a clutch at 13 on my friends warrior who is 12 and had a sport when he was ten, anyways, i got a blaster this past summer and love it i belive that it isnt to much quad for me. In my area we have had one 4wheeler related death (R.I.P. Shane)in the summer of '99 and it was a 13 year old and two of his friends who were all inexpirienced rider and one got a sportsman 335 for his birthday:-( that is enough about that. I am trying to say that i believe you can drive a quad at a reasonable age and cc it all depends on how safe you want to be and how much practice you want to give it.

All of you complaining on how stupid the 250ex is give it up please i mean come on do you think honda was trying to compete with the raptor when they came out with it. Think about this would you come out with a new quad when yamaha just came out with one i mean somany people have orders on raptors that they are gonna keep them. Honda wants to get all the sales that they can so they will wait till the raptors are out and hear what the riders like and dislike about them and will go from there. Dont start all of this "when is honda comin out with a new quad" please yamaha's last sport quad was released in the mid 80's before the raptor and hondas last one was 98 so give it a while please.
l8ta

 

i forget who said it but who ever said womens quad or beginers quad is out of their mind blaster now thats a beginers quad power you can grow up with as for womens quad my ex girlfrind rides a quad sport 250

 

Heh, heres the funny thing...ask yourself this!

What is an inexperienced rider, and at what age is an inexperienced rider?

Im 21 and just bought my first quad in January when I was 20, it was a 00 timberwolf, had no clue what I wanted so I bought it to learn on.
Next I sold it and bought a Banshee, had to have the power, at first I loved it but only riding quads for 2 months then jumping to this was not easy+had some financial situations so had to sell the Banshee.
A month later I bought a 99 Blaster, this quad is just right for me, have been riding it since March and have learned much on it and now am ready to move up but dont really have to money to do so, so im stuck with it but it can modded.

Am I a cautiuos, responsible rider? Yes indeed, heh, kinda chicken sometimes, depends on the hill/jump whatever, dont really feel like braking myself and cant take the time from work, then the factor of the fiance griping comes in afterwards

Some of the posts I agreed with, the one about midranged CC quads for intermediate riders is a great idea.
Thats all from here.