How Young is Too Young?

[Pat]

I have a 3yr old son who loves quads and obviously wants to ride them like his dad. The smallest quad out there is a 50cc (that I've seen) but it seems a bit big for him. I HAVE NO intention of letting him ride in the near future but am just wondering how old the kids are when they first start out riding. I don't want to start him too young and have him get hurt.
Thanks,
Pat

[backinsaddle]

mine was 3 1/2.  we bought an eton 40, which is smaller than most of the mini's (more like a micro).  It has a remote control kill switch (good for 30-50 ft???) so you can shut them down if needed, as well as the tether in the back.  plus i bought helmet radios so i could talk to him while riding.  i was about the same age when i got a go-cart.

it really depends on the child and how they are.  my younger one is a bit wild (he's almost 3), and i'm not sure i'll let him ride that young.  we'll see what the next year brings for him.

[Bigscrb15]

I have heard of alot of 4 year olds that ride(1 of them being my best friends son) at 4 years old they can handle the quad pretty well. The onyl thing is that a 50cc is almost impossible to take on a trail ride, but they are still too small for most 90cc. Your best bet is to start with a 90cc in a year or so. Just use the throttle limiter. I have seen a few dads that buy there child a 50cc and take them to ocala or wherever and end up leaving the 50cc chained to the trailer and put the kids on the back of their quad.

[backinsaddle]

My son now has the eton viper 70.  the 50, 70, and 90's are indentical, other than wheel size and a few other things (obviously cc's).  we were all over the trails in big scrub on the 70 on sunday with no problem.  not great in soft sand, but as long as they stay moving he can get through.  the wheel size on the 50 is quite small, so i imagine it would get stuck often.  the 40 has very small tires and did get stuck fairly easy in sand, but he still managed without too many problems. 

[rappy350]

I have a 4 year old nephew that rides his 50 pretty well but he gets tired really fast so we just throw the fifty on top of the kodiaks front rack . One day the throttle stuck on his bike and no one could catch him so he evntually ran out of gas. But if you let your young kids ride atvs make sure they know where the kill switch is. I dont know about you guys but I got my First atv when I was Thirteen.

[backinsaddle]

hometown, i removed the oil injection and now pre-mix gas.  it eliminates the second cable and spring that goes to the oil injection pump.  cuts the thumb throttle tension in half.

[rappy350]

on his atv it just uses stright gas

[Pat]

I didn't start riding until I was 13 as well. I just don't think I can hold him off that long. I do like the idea of the 40 Eton with the remote kill switch.
Pat

[backinsaddle]

i think in '05 the 40's came out with electric start....nice feature

[MxRacingChick21]

My best friends son is now 4 but first started riding on his 3rd birthday. He got a suzuki 50 and did great. Of course he had his moments where he was too busy looking at me and runs into fences or he starts chasing the dog but overall he did excellent. I think it sort of depends on the child. Some kids are responsible enough at 3 and others you cant trust at the age of 6 or 7.

[Pat]

How fast do these 40-50cc bikes go? To they hit  20mph or much less?
Pat

[Njoutlaw88]

The Earlier the better. I wish I starting riding when I was three because now I'd be really good. My cousains aren't aloud to ride and there 9 which I think is crazy. Start your son out with the 50cc right away and take him to a parking lot not the trails.

Michael.

[backinsaddle]

I'm not sure about other brands, but the eton 50, 70, & 90 have a computer controlled limiter.  turn the dial from 0-8.  at 0, i think it's 10 mph, at 8 it's closer to 20-30mph.  they also have the throttle screw limiter.  i don't think the 40 has the computer controlled limiter, but i haven't seen the new ones.  i didn't have any problems restricting him down to the pace of a fast walk/slow jog on the 40 using the throttle limiter

[Pat]

Sounds good and thanks for all the replies.
Pat

[Dr.Dirt]

The Earlier the better. I wish I starting riding when I was three because now I'd be really good. My cousains aren't aloud to ride and there 9 which I think is crazy. Start your son out with the 50cc right away and take him to a parking lot not the trails.

Michael.

Yeah I wish my parents would have started me out when I was three also. I didnt get my first atv untill 4 months ago, prior to that I didnt even have anything with a motor. I would recomend starting him out in your yard untill he feels confortable with everything and than take him to some empty fields.

[cain73]

Like has been mentioned you can use the screw to limit the throttle. My littlest ones started at 3 and 4. Just make sure to invest in good gear to protect them. Chest protector, helmet, gloves, kidney belt, and goggles are essential.

[Da_Mtg_Man]

My boys will be 7 and 8 in Decemeber. They have been riding atv's since they were 4 and 5. I bought them Eton 90's and turned down the idle screw on the thumb throttle. They took to it like no one I've ever seen. They are fantastic on any quad that they ride now. I have since sold one of the Etons and put my 7 yr old on a Honda Recon. Both boys ride all of our quads (except the Rappy) Recon, Foreman and King Quad. Ask anybody that has ridden with us and they will tell you how well they handle themselves on a quad.

[Njoutlaw88]

My boys will be 7 and 8 in Decemeber. They have been riding atv's since they were 4 and 5. I bought them Eton 90's and turned down the idle screw on the thumb throttle. They took to it like no one I've ever seen. They are fantastic on any quad that they ride now. I have since sold one of the Etons and put my 7 yr old on a Honda Recon. Both boys ride all of our quads (except the Rappy) Recon, Foreman and King Quad.

let em ride the raptor. He'll be sponcered. If I ever have kids I want them to get into it so when they make it rich they'll think of me.

[Bigscrb15]

My boys will be 7 and 8 in Decemeber. They have been riding atv's since they were 4 and 5. I bought them Eton 90's and turned down the idle screw on the thumb throttle. They took to it like no one I've ever seen. They are fantastic on any quad that they ride now. I have since sold one of the Etons and put my 7 yr old on a Honda Recon. Both boys ride all of our quads (except the Rappy) Recon, Foreman and King Quad. Ask anybody that has ridden with us and they will tell you how well they handle themselves on a quad.

Yea, the 2 little mikes are awesome! they amaze me at how well they ride