Just this week I bought my 9-year-old son a KX65 (for his birthday) to replace his XR70. Saturday was his first ride on the bike.
I figured I’d take it out just to warm it up for him. I got the thing on the long straight on our home track, opened the throttle in third gear, and when the bike came on the pipe the front wheel came right off the ground and I rode a nice 200 foot wheelie. Holly crap, this thing makes some nice power!
What’s fun for 180 pound dad can be very bad for a 70 pound boy coming off a 4 HP auto clutch bike, now trying to learn how to use a clutch.
When I got back to the garage, Connor says “nice wheelie Dad”. I say to Connor “we gotta talk”. In short I put the fear of God into Connor; “avoid revving this thing out, don’t even explore the power band just to see what it’s like”.
Connor takes to the clutch real well and is (short) shifting in no time, but riding much slower than he ever did on his XR70. So what do I do now? Do I let him explore the power band and learn all about a 2-strokes hit, or do I try to tame this beast? On one hand I’d hate for him to have a bad experience and not ride the bike to its (or his) full potential; but on the other hand I don’t want to water-down the bike if I don’t have to (it will cost $500 to do all of the recommended mods – low-tension reeds, FMF Fatty/Turbine Core II, flywheel weight, intake spacer…).
Thoughts or suggestions please.