What age do you let them start ?

[Jonesy920]

I have a 2 year old, and he has one of the electric quads. He loves it ! , However he keeps wanting to ride the neighbors Jr 50, it has training wheels and he is 3. What age is appropriate to let kids on a bike ? I am making my son ride with a helmet (neighbor thinks I'm anal) on the electric quad, but 3 seems a little young to ride the 50, let alone by 2 year old. Isn't 4 the suggested min age ? Any suggestions ? Or better yet , things that you wouldn't do again ?

 

[IrishEKU]

4-5 sounds pretty good to me. I have a nephew that is just a little over one that grabbs the bars on our bikes and burbles bubbles while making DB sounds. Talk about a future DRNer!

4-5 is a perfect age to start at with the right equipment and that's the training wheels so he can work on his balance. Don't adjust the throttle or remove the limiter from the exaust untill he has all the basics covered starting with the balance issue.

Just use your better judgement and he will be fine. Support him, and teach him well and you will have a riding buddy for life.

Good Luck,

 

[mx547]

i had my oldest daughter spend a year on bicycles without training wheels before putting her on the dirt bike. so her first ride was at age six. she was racing within one month.
my younger daughter took one ride on her jr 50 without training wheels at age five (for about 60 feet) and is still scared of it. we'll get her back on it next summer at age six.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

My youngest started at three but did not ride much the first couple years

 

[Senior KX Rider]

I bought him a JR at 2 years and 9 months. My wife thinks I pushed him into the sport and got it to early. :aj:

 

[Jaybird]

Age has nothing to do with it. It is a maturity/motor skills thing. They need to be mature enough to handle the responsibility of the control of a machine and the motor skills to be able to handle it. It's the parents job to determine if and when these skills are there for their kid.
An irresponsible parent will get a kid in the saddle before he/she has either the maturity or the motor skills to handle it. That is a mistake for all involved.
Honda puts out a great pamphlet on this subject.

 

[Gary B.]

My boys started on a JR50 at 5 and 6. Don't rush 'em, don't take 'em on a serious "trail ride" (way too much pressure) just let them enjoy themselves in the back yard. And you can't stress the safety thing enough! It's the only painless way they learn to respect these things. If they crash, the sooner you can get them back on, the better. Be patient, HAVE FUN!!! :thumb:
P.S. Jaybird's right about the maturity thing, although I still don't have that mastered!

 

[viking20]

My eldest son started on a Honda qr 50 at age 4,without problems,no training wheels.My daughter asked to have her own 3 months later,she was only 3.I told her she couldnt start before she could ride her bicycle without training wheels.She immediately asked me to remove them,and took off like shed never run a bike with training wheels!My youngest son got the same message,when he wanted to ride at age 2.One hour later he was riding my daughters bicycle around the garden without training wheels!He didnt even have his own bicycle yet,and started moto-x as a 2 year old.
My daughter won lots of races on the 50,and had just started on a pw 80,when she broke a leg.She was scared after that,and hasnt ridden since.
It was kind of cool to have a moto-x girl in the family!
The youngest,now 11 raced 80´s last year,but has sadly been diagnosed with Epilepsy,and has to take a brak of at least 2 years.
So, only the oldest still ride at 14,just started on a 125.
Its important when they first try a bike,that its got an adjustable throttle.
Always run in front of the kid at first,in case they panic!

 

[psycho]

[/B]Always run in front of the kid at first,in case they panic! [/B]

And be warned, it really hurts when they do panic....... Learned the hard way with my kiddo. He is 8 now and started riding when he was 4 on a PW50. Never pushed him, just went when he wanted to. Now, I can't keep him off the dern thing hehe. Heck of an excuse to go riding and the best one I could ever think of. Just don't push them, let them go at their own pace. Ya'll will have a blast!!

 

[Jasle]

My son is about to turn 3. He has been riding his bicycle without training wheels since last thanksgiving. we started him on a PW 50 without training wheels a few weeks ago. for the panic I attached a rope to the frame rail under the rear fender. if he gets crazy I act as the brakes.
I strongly suggest you don't use training wheels. Using the wheels teach the kid to turn the wrong way and then when you take them off they have to relearn turning. Maybe a day or two just to det the throttle and brakes down. With training wheels you have to turn the steering wheel in the direction you want to go. Exact opposite without training wheels.
Just tell them they cannot ride until they ride their bike without trainint wheels. Thats how we worked it for all three of my kids.

And don't skimp on the safety equip. a helmet isn't enough. You'll need elbow pads, knee pads, boots, and for a chest protector for the lil ones you can buy hockey pads. Besides the hockey stuff is less than 1/2 the cost of the MX stuff. The Andre Federov pads we bought are EXACTLY like the Sinsalo peewee pads. Only difference is one says Sinsalo on it.

 

[viking20]

I agree about the training wheels,they dont learn to ride properly,and its sometimes impossible to get the kid to ride without them!I have been in charge of the kids coming to the track on "open track"day several times,always let them use full gear!When your kids start to ride for real,NEVER let them race without goggles,this way youll never have to discuss if it is ok to ride without them!Always be ready to "catch"them,on the first few rides,or as mentioned,use a rope.Its only necessary till they get the feel for the throttle.Believe me,watching a 4 year old break a fence with his head without being able to do anything, is rather uncomfortable!

 

[Green Horn]

Originally posted by Jaybird
Age has nothing to do with it. It is a maturity/motor skills thing. They need to be mature enough to handle the responsibility of the control of a machine and the motor skills to be able to handle it. It's the parents job to determine if and when these skills are there for their kid.
An irresponsible parent will get a kid in the saddle before he/she has either the maturity or the motor skills to handle it. That is a mistake for all involved.
Honda puts out a great pamphlet on this subject.

BINGO! I didn't think I'd even have to scroll this far down the thread to find someone with the RIGHT answer. It's all about a child's ability to handle a bike vs. how old they are. I'd love nothing more than to put my 3 yr old son on a 50, but he is no where near being ready. In my opinion he needs to learn to ride his bicycle w/o training wheels and show good control of that first. He still tends to get distracted and wander off into the grass when he's not paying attention. I also want him to be better at listening to me when he rides a bicycle and eventually a motorcycle. Right now, if I yell stop he'll sometimes stop. I want to know that he'll stop, turn right, turn left etc... when I tell him to do so. For safety resaons, he needs to be able to trust and listen to my instructions. I don't care if he's 3 or 10, I know that he'll be on a bike one of these days. He'll still be way ahead of me considering I started at 23! :scream:

 

[tx246]

this thread also begs the question "is my kid really aware of the risk he/she is taking on a dirtbike?" as a parent i am squeamish about this part of it. i know my kid enjoys riding and think of it as nothing but fun. he is getting fast enough that he could actually get hurt. god forbid but if something serious or permanent happened to him i would be blaming myself because i dont think he is even aware of what could happen to him at this point. i have street bikes and i wont let them ride with me for the above reasons. when they are kids i dont think they can calculate risk. we ride dirt because the odds of something happening are less but still possible.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I waited until they were riding bicycles without training wheels.

Other than what others have posted, there is another danger of starting them too early. While my oldest is still absolutely crazy about riding, neither of the two start started earlier are very interested. I have gotten, "Do I have to go?" many times from the (now) 13 year old and my 5 year old hasn't gone the last 2 times I went.

I never make them ride and don't even tell them how to ride beyond the basics of control and safety related items. If and when they do want to ride, the most important thing is that they enjoy it, and I don't want to ever ruin that for them.

In short...maybe it is better to wait until they *really* want to ride and are to the point of begging for a bike.

 

[Jaybird]

I can relate, Gomer. My kids aren't half as ate up with bikes as I am.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Originally posted by High Lord Gomer


I never make them ride and don't even tell them how to ride beyond the basics of control and safety related items. If and when they do want to ride, the most important thing is that they enjoy it, and I don't want to ever ruin that for them.

Thats the way I look at it too. The little one goes in spells. Sometimes he wants to ride everey night, other times he will go weeks without riding.

 

[mark_england]

i personally dont let my kids ride dirt bikes [age 8 and 10]
i looked at them having quad bike but i wasnt convinced by these either so the compromise is we are building them a couple of off road buggys with full roll cage