need good argument for 50cc bike

[paper racer]

My son will turn 4 in April, he is 3ft 7in., 35lbs and loves motorbikes. My wife wants to get him an electric kawasaki bike made by fisher price and I want to get him a 50cc bike. Please help me make a good argument.

 

[Jasle]

take her to the races. there are so many super fast 5-6 year olds there. show her and say see that could be our kid. Well ok it might actually hurt the effort. Tell her my almost 3 year old weighs 44 pounds and rides a PW50 without training wheels. So to keep up with the jonses you'll need one.
Besides in 6 months that POS plastic thing will be ready for the garbage and you will still be able to get a pretty good resale value.

Can your kid ride his biccyle without training wheels? If not you ought to start with that first so he's not totally syched out for the motorcycle. Tell him he has to ride the bike without training wheels before he can get a motorcycle. Also don't skimp on protective gear. figure another $500 for gear. Helmet, boots, knee pads, elbow pads, neck roll, chest protector, kidney belt, mouthpiece, gloves, pants , jersey.

And most of all DONT push him too hard.

 

[paper racer]

He is still using training wheels but wants them off. I wish I had a few months of good weather left to help him learn to ride without the wheels but the bad weather will make it tough. I was thinking of getting training wheels for the 50.

 

[mprest4]

i've got a pw50 and an xr50 and training wheels for both. they kind that go underneath the footpegs. wheels-4-tots is the brand.

the pw50 with training wheels and stock restrictions is just as tame as a fisher price power wheels. and they can ride it much longer without recharging the battery. sure its 5 times the price but it won't lose much value over the years

 

[minifig-phil]

Plus it will last longer. the more they grow up the less restrictive you make it. PW50 is a super great choice!

 

[tri-mx'er]

Don't forget to tell her that you are pretty much just renting it. I bought my sons PW50 for 1100 bucks a few years ago, and sold it for 1000 14 months later. I did keep it in real good shape and was lucky, but they go for between 850 and 950 all the tiime on e-bay. And last time I checked, Yamaha was throwing in some gear with them.
Dont tell her that this only goes for the little bikes though. The bigger ones dont hold their value nearly as goood.
Good luck. I am really lucky to have a wife that doesn't mind. I just bought a YZ85 for my 10 year old, and almost came home with a YZ450 for me as well. She asked why I didnt get it and told me to go back for it! I think I just might!
Rich

 

[Jasle]

Originally posted by paper racer
He is still using training wheels but wants them off. I wish I had a few months of good weather left to help him learn to ride without the wheels but the bad weather will make it tough. I was thinking of getting training wheels for the 50.

 

The only thing that sucks about the training wheels is that the bike turns differently with them.  So once you get them riding and then take them off you need to reteach them turning.  When you have the 4 wheels and want to go right you have to turn right.  Opposite when you don't have the training wheels.  My oldes son we taught using training wheels.  My youngest is just now learing to ride but we just started him without training wheels.  He is seeming to pick it up a lot faster than my older one did.  But part of that might be that he's been around bikes since birth? 

If you do get the training wheels get the ones that bolt to the lower frame rails.  The ones that hook to the shocks SUCK!   Search this forum.  I have posted directions on how to build training wheels for the PW

Jason

 

[headbanger]

My son also started on a PW50 when he was 4 yrs old. I told him when he could ride a bicycle with out training wheels he could get a motorcycle. (He was doing wheelies& heel clickers w/training wheels on) The first thing that came out of his mouth after he rode w/o training wheels was
"When can I get my motorcycle" We got the Pw after a month on the bicycle.
He is now 5 and just started riding a KTM 50SX Pro Jr and is having a blast!
It's amazing how fast they catch on to stuff!
Good Luck!

 

[Vytas]

Both of my boys started riding at 4yrs on a JR50. At first they would walk with the bike while giving it some gas. After about four to five falls they were riding in the yard faster than I liked. Also, both of the boys rode the 50 with feet on the pegs BEFORE they rode their bicycles without training wheels. Just buy the bike - Remember, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. Good luck.

 

[Rcannon]

I am thinking to avoid the races. Show her the McGrath jammies and the cool clothing in kids sizes. Buy the bike, then go racing if you wish!

Maybe it is just me, but the ladies in my house like clothing. Shoes also.

 

[mcnut182]

I'm totally opposed to training wheels! If a kid can't balance they don't belong on a motorcycle!

I had a deal with my boy (then 4). Learn how to ride the bicycle w/o training wheels, be able to pop a wheelie, skid to a stop, and then we'll get a motorcycle. We pulled the training wheels off his bicycle on Memorial Weekend. By Labor Day he had met the criteria and I bought him a PW50.

 

[beer_stud_76]

i say try extortion. invite your closest, most annoying friend or relative over every chance you get and tell her it will not end untill the XR50 is in the garage

either that or just man-up and do it. take the heat later.


jeremiah

 

[Rooster]

Tell her the plastic Fisher Price thingy is for baby girls. Then run. :eek:

 

[Cary]

Don't know if you have HareScrambles up there, But my baby boy started racing them when he was 4 on a jr50. He couldn't compete with the KTM boys, but each race he finished, you would think he'd whooped Jeremy by the grin on his face, He finished his second season in 5th place for the year in the Texas Championship Hare Scrambles Series. As MC and Visa say, The grin and learning process was "Priceless" Go for it, you'll both have a blast....Cary

 

[94ruck]

I started my son on traing whees at 3. He was smallish and loved to ride but didn't have the strength to hold the bike up. I started him gradually but he got the feel for the brake and throttle and all controls way before the wheels came off. he is now 13 and is still very small(he rides a converted 85cc to 100cc KX) in Missouri HS. He rides MX and loves his bike. He rode in the Dallas Ktm challenge in 98 and enjoys all aspects of the sport. he is not the next jeremy or Shane watts but I am sure he will ride for th rest of his life. We spent Thanksgiving weekend for the last 10 yrs camping and riding at Chadwick. These memories last. get the kid a bike, don't force it and definitely don't become a "pitdad".!

 

[cbrbob]

Put him on a little quad, both my boys started on a lt-50. This allows them time to get use to throttle and steering control. These can be picked up for $600 - $800ish and resold for same price when he moves up.
Bob

 

[Jasle]

I personally really don't like the quad idea afor a few reasons.
1. They are heavier than a bike! Big misconception that quads are safer. If you look at accident stats you find a ton more back and neck injuries due to loop outs and roll overs. The heavier quad just squashes the kid. A Jr or PW is aobut 75lbs. Most of the kiddie targeted quads go closer to 125-150lbs. That extra weight makes a big difference.
2. The quad doen't lend itself to putting your foot donw. Put the foot down in a corner or while going over and it gets ran over but the rear wheel.
3. Most quads have a thumb throttle. Way different than twist.
4. Unless dad rides one you can run in to "why isn't my bike like dads"

One good thing I found is once my kid had been on a bike for about 1 year he still wasn't power sliding the ass end. I took a lt50 in as trade for labor. I let the kids ride it. they had a hard time turning and I showed them how to slide the rear. After a couple days on the lt my boy started sliding the ass of the Cobra and was no longer scared when the rear tire broke loose.

Nothing personal cbrbob! I just think the kids should start on the bike style they will end up riding on.

 

[gxdragon]

The throttle restrictor will allow your son to go just as fast as the fischer prices top speed (about 5mph, he probably goes that fast or faster on his bycycle). He'll outgrow the fischer price toy (getting bored it's too slow) while with the xr50 or whatever you get you can slowly increase the speed as his abilities grow. The bike will last him a long time and will retain its retail value. Also let her know about all the protective gear he will be wearing (more then he wears on his bicycle).
The fiscer price toy will end up being given away or sold for $20 at a garage sale. also tell her about all the quality time you'll be able to spend with your son riding together.
Hey, it worked with my wife. I spent the last couple months taking my daughter riding her new XR50 with training wheels.