1st Bike for a 6-year old? (XR50 or JR50 or PW50)

[KeltWolf]

Hey all,

Our son is 6 (50# 48") we bought him a PW 50 for his 5th birthday. He rode it all over for a year. This fall he found it was holding him back. We started looking at larger bikes and were leaning toward the XR 70. But, it was pretty tall and heavy.

We ended up swapping with some friends whose son (6 yrs, 37#, 43") was too small for the XR 50 he had. Now both kids are thrilled and we can't get them off the bikes. Our son is racing the XR 50 this fall and is very confident.

I guess the biggest point is that if it is his first bike, the MOST important thing is that he feel really confident. The XR 50 has LOTS of options to make it taller, the XR 70 is big for these kids....and cannot be made smaller. You can always trade it in if he truly outgrows it. Bt, if he gets turned off cuz it isn't fun, it's a big obstacle to overcome. "First impressions"..... :thumb:

 

[azjeff]

I know you did not ask about KTM's BUT if you go to your KTM dealer you will find FIVE 50's. They have a 50 for evry kind of rider in the 5-8 year old class. I looked at the 3 bikes that you mentioned for my son's 6th birthday. I decided on the KTM jr. adventure. He did not race this bike but just went trail riding. The Adventure series have a very god powerband for this kind of riding. The suspension is ten times better than the other bikes. They have adjustable seat heights so when your son grows the bike will grow with him. One of the best features of the KTM's are the weight. Check out the differnce between the XR and the KTM's. Your son will actually be able to pick his bike up when he falls and he will fall. One of my friends purchased his son a xr70 at the same time. I can't tell you how many times he was trapped under the bike waiting for help. In the two plus years we owned the KTM it always started on the first or second kick. We never had any trouble with it and I only put gas in it and changed the oil a couple of times. The Adventure Jr. is priced very close to an XR50 and will last him alot longer. They have a very strong resale value and sell very quickly. Give the KTM's a look they make more mini's than all of the big four put together.
Jeff

 

[minifig-phil]

Hey I'm 33 and weigh 180lbs and I love my XR50. It's great now I can ride hard when I go out riding with my wife (she's on her XR100) and my wife can keep up.

 

[Jasle]

I just checked out the LEM LX2 today. It look like a really nicely put together bike for a good price. Very similar to the JR adventure but several hundred less. Franco morini motor, good suspension, two shoe clutch that hit early. Looks like it would be a good bike to start with and trail ride too. Only problem was hand brakes and no kit for the foot like KTM offers.

 

[RazBarlow]

Been there and doing that. Santa got my daughter a JR50 when she was 4 and now she is 7 but short for her age. I just sold her JR50 because she came to me and said she was getting bored ! I agree with the other guys, these things have NO low end. I feel really bad when I get on it and try to put it in the shed. It will hardly pull me. Another thing is, what if the child comes up to you and says " Dad, This thing isn't running right " On the JR you won't be able to test it out, beacuase it will hardly pull you ! On the XR50R you will be able to go out and have fu on it and see if it is running right. When you come back in a couple of hours and say "I think it just needed warmed up" I would bet you come back with a smile on your face.
Santa just purchased a new 03' XR50R for my daughter, and heck he may even have some mods put on it when it gets put under the tree !
Go for the XR, I have done the JR thing .
RazBarlow

 

[motoxpress]

The comment about building confidence is right on. You may want to let him ride the XR50 for a year and then move him up to an 80. The resell/demand is so high on these 50's that you will be able to get out of it what you need.

My 7 yo is still riding his 50 has yet to find the the bikes limitations. The reason we chose this bike as a first is the motor is forgiving yet peppy enough to do whatever he would want. The controls are setup like the big bikes so, he starts learning the right way. We also have neighbors/cousins who aren't as fortunate to have a *cool dad* so, they come along riding (with parent's consent) and this little bike will haul even the 10 YO without blinking. It is VERY versatile.

BTW We got this one for Christmas last year and it was VERY memorable. We spent the afternoon riding it around the backyard in 40 degree weather! Wonderful day.

MX

 

[agitt73]

I WOULD SAY KTM OR LEM OR HUSKY OR COBRA WOULD BE BETTER CHOICES

IF MONEY IS AN ISSUE LEM HAS A NICE LITTLE $1000 BIKE

 

[Jasle]

agitt73,
He mentioned his kid was a beginner. The Cobra, many of the KTM models, and the Husky are probably a little advanced. I would definetley not reccomend the Cobra or Pro Junior KTM. Way too much for the true beginner. Cobra has a few new mid level bikes coming out early 03.

 

[headbanger]

My son just went from a PW50 to a 02 KTM 50SX Pro JR. The Pro Jr has way more power than the PW50. So it maybe a little too much for him now.
My son has realy taken to the Pro Jr and has a blast riding it. The suspension is way better also.
Good Luck!

 

[agitt73]

the ktm adventure models would be best

 

[mcnut182]

I would recommend you avoid any bike with a Morini motor. You cannot beat the XR's for reliability.

 

[agitt73]

i can agree with that but the new ktms have Beta motors
my boy had a 50pro jr with the morini motor that thing was
fast but the engine parts could not handle the rpm's that thing
put out (broke flywheel and clutch shoes)

 

[Biglmbass]

This thread just won't die. Hehe. FWIW, I've been monitioring this site, this post, and continuing to look at bikes @ dealerships and in the classifieds. At this moment, I may have taken a step backward, as I'm thinking more and more about the XR50. I HAVE ruled out anything other than a Honda XR. We looked at the KTM adventure series bikes, but (1) they're more expensive, and (2) I think a 4-stroke would better suit our TRAIL RIDING needs. (Remember we don't have intentions to race.) I'm just not sure the XR70 is the way to go, espcially since it'll be his first bike. I fully realize and appreicate the fact that they grow fast, however I can just see him pinned underneath the 70 and not being able to pick it up. Not to mention the 70's a bit tall for him now. I just keep thinking back to what he told me about a month ago when he climbed on both the XR50 & 70 (side by side) at a dealership for a test "fit." Ater mentioning to my son and the salesman that I thougt the 70 was the smarter buy (could grow into, etc.) my son replied that the 50 was what he wanted. I mean the bike fits him like a glove - today that is. Surely he can ride it comfortably for a year to 18 months untill he'll outgrow it. When that day comes I'm thinking we might take a serious look at Kawasaki's KLX110. I'm hearing good things about it, but at the moment it fits into the same category as the XR70 as being a bit too tall in the saddle. Ok, so I've got a few more weeks before I drop some cash for a bike. Can anyone find fault in my above reasoning? Again, I'd like to extend thanks to everyone that has weighed in on the post so far.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Have fun :) :) Giving your little ones their first motorcycle is a great experience ;)

 

[Jasle]

Biglmbass. I think your right on track. Remember. When he grows you can add tall seat foam and the tall bars. Pep up the motor and you have a little more riding time. The xR50 is heavy enough as it is. #100lbs. I'm 5'7" and I can ride the xR without any real complaints other than I squash the suspension. Its a great Bike!!!!

 

[stihl020t]

i bought both a xr and a jr for my kids. ages 5 and 3. after a month i traded the jr in on the xr 70. the xr has more power all the way around. plus it will last alot longer without having to do anything to it. 3 months after my 5 year old daughter got hers she was jumping ramps and started riding the 70. there are alot of performance parts for the xr's that will keep him busy for a few years. my daughter is now 7 and i plan on getting a big bore kit and aftermarket pipe for her because her feet just barely touch the ground on the 70 but she wants more out of her bike. just check out the parts on fast50's.com you'll see what i am saying.

 

[jsmith811]

I think its NO contest , go with the XR50 and I have had them all including JR50, PW50, KTM PRO JR, theXR50 has several companies behind it now that offer upgrades, many of which include raising the seat height. He will not out grow it any time too soon, if your not racing. He will gain confidence & riding ability. I made the mistake of taking my son off of his Bullet proof XR50 too soon and putting him on a KLX110, he is just now coming around on the 110. I think he lost alot of interest when we got the 110 because he couldn't touch the ground and just didn't feel comfortable. If I would of known of all the tall seat foam, and parts available for the xr50 then I would have never sold it. You can also run it in 2nd gear & its just like an automatic. It will pull about any hill that a kid that age needs to be attempting. Almost maintenance free. There is even a kit that raises the Tank/seat together by 3 inches. I recommend the XR50.

 

[Biglmbass]

Fast forward 1 year and 5 months...

Due to numerous unforseen circumstances, etc. the new bike for my 6-year old never came to be in the time frame that I had envisioned.

However, the story does have a happy ending. Unbeknownst to my son, he's got a brand spanking new XR70 (leftover 2003 model) waiting on him in the garage. I plan to surprise him w/ it on his 8th birthday this Friday morning

I can't wait to see the look on his face! This has been a long time coming for him. :yeehaw:

 

[theroyz71]

Congratulations on the new xr. I personally like the klx110, but hondas are great bikes.

 

[drz400e]

I just bought my son a kdx50. He loves it. The exhaust restrictor was the first thing I removed. The adjustable throttle stop is another nice touch for beginners.

 

[texastrades.com]

Great sites! I'm going to show them to my kid for inspiration!