~~~  Dirtbike for my son  ~~~

[VaBusa]

Mike and I are thinking about a dirt bike for our son, Sam.  Mike really wanted to get him an ATV, but most people say that the two wheeler is safer than the four wheeler...

Plus, the little dirt bikes have training wheels nowadays, just to help kids along...

So, this is what we've narrowed our choice down to...and we've agreed that gear is a must...WHEW!  

Anyone else buy dirt bikes for their 5 year olds?  Good experience?  Good dirt bike? Opinions?



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[cache]

i want one!!!!!

 

[VaBusa]

I'll sell it used to you in about 6 years! CHEAP!!

 

[doodoggy]

Oh dear me.....it's a Hon*a couldn't you find a nice Suzuki?

 

[mjn]

For a youngster the XR50R is a perfect choice. You can control how much throttle he can twist via a screw by the grip.
It is nearly impossible to hurt the dang thing. 3 speed, no clutch, engine will run forever if you take reasonable care of it. We got an XR for our daughter when she was 8 (she's small!) and she rode the wheels off it! BUT, I think my wife and I rode it even more! We've got 9 acres, and I used it to change water, check the pump...yada, yada. I weighed nearly 225 when we had it and I never hurt it.
The other choices are the Yamaha PW50. Problem with them is NO suspension travel, smaller bike, 2-stroke engine....He'll grow out of it quicker.
Resale is phemominal with the honda kids bikes...Bought mine new for 1099.00, kept it 2 yrs and sold it for 850. Bought anXR70 last yr ('02 model) for 800. kept it 6 mos and sold it for 850.
She has since graduated to a 4-wheeler(honda recon)....but I wish I'd have never sold the 50. There is SSSOOOO much trick stuff you can do to them!!!

Anyway, get the XR. You won't be dissapointed.

 

[mjn]

By the way, the atv you'll be able to get for a 5 yr old will be so boring.....he'd grow out of it in no time. And resale isn't as good. With the XR's, he rides the 50 for awhile, then to an XR80 (clutch, 5speed), then after that, he's ready for a 125....on and on.....

 

[VaBusa]

Oh dear me.....it's a Hon*a couldn't you find a nice Suzuki?

Pros and cons for each (Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha), but for safety and being able to control the throttle 'til he's a pro, the Honda looked like the best option...

Believe me, I was rooting for Suzuki!!!

 

[VaBusa]

For a youngster the XR50R is a perfect choice.  You can control how much throttle he can twist via a screw by the grip.  
It is nearly impossible to hurt the dang thing.  3 speed, no clutch, engine will run forever if you take reasonable care of it.  We got an XR for our daughter when she was 8 (she's small!) and she rode the wheels off it!  BUT, I think my wife and I rode it even more!  We've got 9 acres, and I used it to change water, check the pump...yada, yada.  I weighed nearly 225 when we had it and I never hurt it.
The other choices are the Yamaha PW50.  Problem with them is NO suspension travel, smaller bike, 2-stroke engine....He'll grow out of it quicker.
Resale is phemominal with the honda kids bikes...Bought mine new for 1099.00, kept it 2 yrs and sold it for 850.  Bought anXR70 last yr ('02 model) for 800.  kept it 6 mos and sold it for 850.
She has since graduated to a 4-wheeler(honda recon)....but I wish I'd have never sold the 50.  There is SSSOOOO much trick stuff you can do to them!!!

Anyway, get the XR.  You won't be dissapointed.

I'm guessing the older Hondas were called XR50R? The new one's a CRF50F or some semblence of those letters

Thanks for the info! That's what I'm looking for...Sam's a tall 5 year old, and he's a pro at operating just about anything...I'm hoping he'll take to the dirt bike; kind of worried we're starting something too early, but if you ask him, he's ready...

 

[Wag]

. . . kind of worried we're starting something too early, but if you ask him, he's ready...

No such thing as too early. You look at all the greats at ANY endeavor and you see they are the ones who started at a young age. Mozart at three years old comes to mind right away. Most of the greats on motorcycles started young, skiers, golfers, scientists (Richard Feynman). All of them started very young.

In fact, get one for the three-year old, too!

--Wag--

 

[VaBusa]

. . . kind of worried we're starting something too early, but if you ask him, he's ready...

No such thing as too early.  You look at all the greats at ANY endeavor and you see they are the ones who started at a young age.  Mozart at three years old comes to mind right away.  Most of the greats on motorcycles started young, skiers, golfers, scientists (Richard Feynman).  All of them started very young.

In fact, get one for the three-year old, too!

--Wag--

Point taken...

Ummm, we're teaching Sam to SHARE his toys...with his little brother...............with Mom and Dad...

 

[mjn]

Naw...he's not too young! He'll do fine! And yes, the current CRF50R is the same bike as the XR50R. Just a little different plastic and graphics. They changed the model # to coincide with the rest of the line to make the younger ones feel like they were on the "same" type of ride...the entire line of 4-stroke Honda dirtbikes are now CRF.
Little sucker is bulletproof tho...no kidding! You and your hubby will have a blast riding it too!
And when he grows out of it.....122cc bigbore, BBR frame, disc brakes, real forks, (it just has springs in them now..) wider bars...5 speed tranny with a clutch.
I'm tellin ya, they are a hoot! Do that and put street tires on it and youve got a mini supermotard!!
Over here on the west side this is big stuff!

 

[VaBusa]

Naw...he's not too young!  He'll do fine!  And yes, the current CRF50R is the same bike as the XR50R.  Just a little different plastic and graphics.  They changed the model # to coincide with the rest of the line to make the younger ones feel like they were on the "same" type of ride...the entire line of 4-stroke Honda dirtbikes are now CRF.
Little sucker is bulletproof tho...no kidding!  You and your hubby will have a blast riding it too!
And when he grows out of it.....122cc bigbore, BBR frame, disc brakes, real forks, (it just has springs in them now..)  wider bars...5 speed tranny with a clutch.  
I'm tellin ya, they are a hoot!  Do that and put street tires on it and youve got a mini supermotard!!
Over here on the west side this is big stuff!

You sure you own a Busa? Sounds like you may just be a dirt biker at heart!

Oh, hubby's already found after market exhaust for this little Honda, so I'm sure he's laid out a path to upgrade to bigger bikes ASAP...we're getting the Honda in the coming weeks; it's for Sam's 5th birthday...I think I'm setting myself up though - when my kids turn 16, they're going to expect a Viper or something!

 

[fstbusa]

great bike.... has alot of torque for a little bugger but it will be great for a beginner and will take tons of abuse.

 

[VaBusa]

Well, I'll tell the hubby the Busa guys approve!

Or, I'll tell him he's thinking like the Busa guys...oh, that'll get to him...

Thanks guys...I'll post up pics of the new ride when we give it to Sam...

 

[GD4GVN]

I got my son the yamaha pw50. It is great because it can actually have the power limited by the throttle limiter and a piece in the exhaust, so once he gets good enough I can pull the piece out right where the exhaust hooks up to the head and then I can still limit the throttle with the limiter. I also got him a set of training wheels off ebay. He got this when he turned 4, and does great on it and loves it. The motorcycle dealers up hear said they would not sell me a 4wheeler for him until he was 6, they said it was against the law for them to do that. i like the dirt bike better anyway.

 

[Devil Dog]

Mike and I are thinking about a dirt bike for our son, Sam.  Mike really wanted to get him an ATV, but most people say that the two wheeler is safer than the four wheeler...

Plus, the little dirt bikes have training wheels nowadays, just to help kids along...

So, this is what we've narrowed our choice down to...and we've agreed that gear is a must...WHEW!  

Anyone else buy dirt bikes for their 5 year olds?  Good experience?  Good dirt bike?  Opinions?

My son started racing his XR-50 at 4 yrs.....Get it for him. Its so much fun. The XR-50 is the best entry level bike around......almost maintenance free, gas and go!

Here is my son in Okinawa at 6 y/o.

 

[mjn]

Naw...he's not too young!  He'll do fine!  And yes, the current CRF50R is the same bike as the XR50R.  Just a little different plastic and graphics.  They changed the model # to coincide with the rest of the line to make the younger ones feel like they were on the "same" type of ride...the entire line of 4-stroke Honda dirtbikes are now CRF.
Little sucker is bulletproof tho...no kidding!  You and your hubby will have a blast riding it too!
And when he grows out of it.....122cc bigbore, BBR frame, disc brakes, real forks, (it just has springs in them now..)  wider bars...5 speed tranny with a clutch.  
I'm tellin ya, they are a hoot!  Do that and put street tires on it and youve got a mini supermotard!!
Over here on the west side this is big stuff!

You sure you own a Busa?  Sounds like you may just be a dirt biker at heart!  

Oh, hubby's already found after market exhaust for this little Honda, so I'm sure he's laid out a path to upgrade to bigger bikes ASAP...we're getting the Honda in the coming weeks; it's for Sam's 5th birthday...I think I'm setting myself up though - when my kids turn 16, they're going to expect a Viper or something!  

Dang......I THINK that was a busa I looked at in my shop this morning!!! LOL!!

I'm one of those guys that believes ya just can't have too many bikes! If I had the room (and the $) I'd have 20 or 30 of 'em!! I like them all!! We are currently dirtbike free, got a couple of atv's (honda's) But that could change......

A bunch of buddies and I have talked about getting some 50's and making them motards...pick a parking lot, set up some cones and go at it!!
Hell, you've only got a foot or so to fall!!

 

[mjn]

Mike and I are thinking about a dirt bike for our son, Sam.  Mike really wanted to get him an ATV, but most people say that the two wheeler is safer than the four wheeler...

Plus, the little dirt bikes have training wheels nowadays, just to help kids along...

So, this is what we've narrowed our choice down to...and we've agreed that gear is a must...WHEW!  

Anyone else buy dirt bikes for their 5 year olds?  Good experience?  Good dirt bike?  Opinions?

My son started racing his XR-50 at 4 yrs.....Get it for him.  Its so much fun.  The XR-50 is the best entry level bike around......almost maintenance free, gas and go!

Here is my son in Okinawa at 6 y/o.

It is so cool to see young kids get into our sport!

Either you've done some serious mods to an XR50, or thats a KTM!!

Good form by the way!

 

[VaBusa]

Very cool Dads!!!

Here's a stupid question...but, I'm a dirt bike newbie...do you have to get 'em insured? I know if I finance, I do, but if we buy it outright, do we have to get insurance in case he gets hurt? Or would that all be covered by my medical? I'm just trying to think of everything to ask "the experts" here since the hubby only sees "WE GET TO BUY A DIRT BIKE!"

 

[mjn]

Very cool Dads!!!  

Here's a stupid question...but, I'm a dirt bike newbie...do you have to get 'em insured?  I know if I finance, I do, but if we buy it outright, do we have to get insurance in case he gets hurt?  Or would that all be covered by my medical?  I'm just trying to think of everything to ask "the experts" here since the hubby only sees "WE GET TO BUY A DIRT BIKE!"  

In my state, you don't "have to". I haven't had either of my 4-wheelers insured for a couple of yrs. But I do know that my home owners ins will not cover them if my shop burns up. It would be smart to check into it in your area...
But generally I'd say no.