What age should you start?

Rod Grove · Jan 23, 2003

Well at 34 I finally have my 1st one in the oven. Cant waite till I have my own little riding buddy. Dont know what yet, to early to tell. I am wondering what age to think about getting him or her started riding. Maybe I should be watching for certain motor skills. Being my first and all I just doent have a clue. I have an open mind and would like to have your opinion. Thanks, Rod

Midhigh · Jan 23, 2003

Early, Early, Early! :)
Saw a kid last Monday on a KTM with training wheels. He couldn't have been moore than 4 years old.

gwcrim · Jan 23, 2003

My little riding buddy started on one of those battery powered quads at age two. He was also treated to ocassional putt-putts around on his uncle's quad as well as up and down my lane on my Sportster. He really took to the battery quads. By age 4 he could slide the rearend around and even tried jumping things. At 4-1/2 I taught him to ride a bicycle and this past summer at the ripe old age of 5-1/2, he got a PW80. Though it's a stretch for him to reach the ground, he's taking to it like a pro.

We ride mild trails and climb some mild hills together. But I now have a built in riding buddy and a new best friend! :thumb:

FMFHonda161 · Jan 23, 2003

My little brother was 3 years old when he started and he didn't even have to use the training wheels that we had. As for me I never owned training wheels and i started when i was about 4.

Vytas · Jan 23, 2003

Both of my sons started at four years old or just before.  No training wheels, just exhaust restrictors.  Both rode a motorcycle before they learned to ride a bike.  That's having your priorities in order.

Rod Grove · Jan 26, 2003

Im for the earlier the better. Cant wait to get started!

phirechick · Jan 28, 2003

My little guy started racing BMX at three, just to get the feel of racing. He wanted to help everyone who crashed, but still he had a good time.
So for the heck of it, against husband, went and bought him a PW50. Before I let him on it, I broght it into the kitchen, layed it on it's side where he practiced picking it up. That was the deal. Until he could start it and pick it up he couldn't ride. That's how my old man was with me. Right before his 4th birthday was his first race, how fun.
On the other hand I have a three year girl, she rides a bicycle w/o training wheels, but she has a long ways to go.

Rod Grove · Jan 29, 2003

Its great to hear a womans point of veiw. It is suprising that you were ready for the youngun to ride before your husband. Although my wife brought it up to me. I have noticed I get more nervous watching my nephew at the playground then she does, but she freeks out more than I do when he actually gets hurt. Hope I can keep my nerves straight when it comes time to put him or her on a motorized bike. I love to ride but ive noticed my nephew has know fear of anything at age four. I think that scares me more than anything. It will be interesting to see how things unfold. Rod

Rod Grove · Jan 29, 2003

Oh ya! My mom told me I got started by getting a big kick by riding my big wheel down the basement steps between 3 & 4. WoW. I think I know why her hair turned grey.

99CR125OK · Jan 30, 2003

My deal with my son was I would buy him a bike when he could ride his bicycle without training wheels. It worked out to be a great motivational tool. As soon as I told him that he wanted me to take the training wheels off his bicycle. He got a XR50 soon afterward at four years old.I still haven't let him race yet, he mostly rides around my track at the house. He really enjoyed the trip to Cooperland to ride on the kiddy track last summer though so I may have to make some time for the races there this year for him.

Fark · Jan 30, 2003

Originally posted by gwcrim
My little riding buddy started on one of those battery powered quads at age two. He was also treated to ocassional putt-putts around on his uncle's quad as well as up and down my lane on my Sportster. He really took to the battery quads. By age 4 he could slide the rearend around and even tried jumping things. At 4-1/2 I taught him to ride a bicycle and this past summer at the ripe old age of 5-1/2, he got a PW80. Though it's a stretch for him to reach the ground, he's taking to it like a pro.

We ride mild trails and climb some mild hills together. But I now have a built in riding buddy and a new best friend! :thumb:

 

That's touching man.  ;)   To be honest, I despise kids... I really don't want any but when I think about getting him or her riding real young it makes me feel warm inside.  :)  I love my folks but they never let me have / bought me a dirtbike.  I didn't get one until I turned 20 and I'm hooked.

I love how the little kids jump over and pass me at the track.... :uh:

Ernie Estes · Feb 1, 2003

As soon as they can ride a two wheeled bicycle with some skill, they are more than ready.
I believe this is a widely used litmus test.

olddirt · Feb 2, 2003

I had the same deal with my son. I would get him a bike when he could ride without training wheels. The training wheels sound like they'd be good for really young riders but I don't think so. They don't help much unless you are on very flat ground and then they still get in the way of transferring weight when cornering. My son started at 4 years old on a pw50 without training wheels. He's 9 now and we have a blast. It surprises me what he can do sometimes!

ktmdad · Feb 2, 2003

Did the same as most, using the bicycle as a guage. Biggest problem I see anymore is kids that can't ride their peewees, yet mom & dad enter them in races. Leave the racing till the rider is ready and wants to try it.

Rod Grove · Feb 5, 2003

I do agree with waiting till they are ready to race. I see the pee wees crash in a race and I cringe. But I have noticed some parents run out on the track and pick up the bikes, while other people are checking to see if the kid is ok. I think my first priority is going to be that my kid is ok. It seems to me that some parants forget that it is for fun. I think a bicycle sounds like a pretty good gauge, and get them to learn balance and stearing first. Rod

taraker · Feb 5, 2003

I don't think there is any specifc age or time you can point too getting kids started. I score the peewee races for TORO and I see kinds 4 & 5 on Polini's, LEM's, PW's as well as what appear to be lowed KTM's and have been told a few stories of 3 year olds racing. I think OCCRA has a kid who raced & placed soon after he or she turned 4

As you can see from the attached I am ready to start mine as soon either one can coherently pronounce bike :eek:

In any event, congratulations on the baby, your life is gonna change in ways you never imagined.

jpuetz · Feb 6, 2003

If jr is'nt born yet, then pray everyday for a healthy normal child. When that happens, you'll know what to do. Hopefully you'll have the overprotective trait that it takes to have your child ride a motorcycle. If you do, the child will be ready to ride before you will be ready to let your child ride.
My oldest just turned 7 when he got his first cycle and is and awsome rider at the age of 9 now.
My younger one rode cycle at the age of 5 and picked it up fine, and is a huge jumper at the age of 7. He rode a bike without training wheels with a diaper on and on his own. Just went an picked his brothers bike up one day and took off. Couldn't talk worth a crap either. Real funny site.
But, even to this day, as good as they can ride. I have to stop them once in a while just to tell them to take it easy, and I wish they wouldn't do some of the jumps they do all the time.
I hope you have a healthy young one, and believe me, the biking won't be as important once your little one gets here. (Biking is still important to us, I mean it definitly takes its place behind other things)

SERPA · Feb 7, 2003

My son Austin was 2 when he started. On a Jr50 with the wheels-4-tots.com ez trainer. He couldn't touch the ground to hold it up so that was the only option. He rode an eletric quad from 1 and 1/2 until then. When he turned 3 and he wanted the training wheels off of his bicycle and a week later off of his JR. He's doing great, and he has his eye on a KTM mini adventure for his 4th birthday. Right now his biggest problem is the JR doesn't have enough torque to pull some of the hills. His brother Dallas is about ready to start on the JR now(the e-z trainer goes back on of course). He'll be two next week. It does a dad'sheart good and makes me all misty when my boys excell at things they enjoy. They'll be roosting me before too long!

RazBarlow · Feb 7, 2003

My daughter started at age 3 on a JR50 that Santa brought her. She is now riding a XR50 to get the changing gears down. Even though it is an auto 3 speed it is teaching her fundamentals. Give her a year or two on this one then I will buy here a new bike and Dad will have his pit bike !

Iowa883

Rod Grove · Feb 17, 2003

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't responded recently. Got busy at work the last week or so. I am hoping for healthy most of all. At 15 weeks everything seems to be going very well. I know its off the subject, but I have to laugh at the dr's office. Dr told my wife we are having a girl. She asked him, how do you know so early. He said hon Ive been doing this for 25 years. His wife works their and saids hon doent listen to him Ive been doing this for 37 years and he doesnt know. HeHeHeHe. Guess Ill know for sure when it comes out. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and input, and thanks for the congrats. Riding isnt the only thing im concerned about, but is one of the things on my mind. I just hope my kid loves to ride as much as I do. If not I want to encourage him or her to excell in what ever they are into. (as long as its not watching tv or playing video games all day.) Some of you have started sooner than I thought possible. I doent think there is a right or wrong, when to start. I have gotten some good Ideas so far. I guess its like you said jpuetz, Ill know what to do when it gets here. Keep the responses coming, I have a lot to learn.Thanks, Rod

Mario · Feb 20, 2003

Hi, my son started on his 5th Birthday. He is now riding national motocross events (he'll be 6 in April). He rides a HM 50 CRX Junior full competition bike. It is an awsome sight when he lets it go. The bike is running circa 13.9 bhp with a few modifications and the various gearing ratios depending on the tracks. My tip if I may give one is to make sur that they themselves are comfortable and it will come. Put them on a bike because you want it to be so is the biggest mistake you can make. And finally remember to stay fit because you will need to run after them to pick them up.

xr400xr50r · Feb 22, 2003

Well, I've been in love with everything on 2 wheels from birth. But, I wasn't even aloud to talk about motos till i was outta the house....1st thing i did when i graduated college and got a job?? bought a YZ125, a 650 Nighthawk, and a 4x4...well that was back in '88. Since marriage, i have bought and sold many dirtbikes/streetbikes and quads. I sold everything when we had our 1st child (needed a "family" car).
Fast foward 4 years...my son has played dirtbike toys since day 1. Got him a bicycle at 3...rode it for a year with training wheel....same litmus test....
Ride the bike w/o t-wheels....blah blah blah...had to buy a bike that week.
We got him a used '00XR50....man, did he love that bike!! Mimi and Pop Pop were horrifiedthe boy on his XR rode the p!ss out of it. I'm not sure it would have taken much more (he loves to get big air on bigger tabletops...bike bottoms out pretty hard!)....he rode the bike for a year and then at age 5 we got him a KX60..!!the boy on his KX .feet couldn't touch the ground for sure....took him 3 tries for the clutch and he was off and runnin'
Now he just turned 6, he really wants to race.
Momma is all for it (more so than me)...gonna let him race in the AMA Beginner 65cc 7-9...it's like 10 races..no points...this will let us know if he's cut out for racing.
Hope the bike and dad hold up for the season...
IF not, it sure is fun to have a ridin' partner.

Wow, sorry that was so long...i get a little misty talking about this stuff too...

Rod Grove · Feb 22, 2003

he he well mario I am way out of shape but hope to change that soon. My story is a little like yours xr400xr50r. I did the buying and selling and very little riding till later. I just want to give my kid a head start so he or she will be good at it. Rod

hp500efi · Feb 24, 2003

I have three BOYS :). Oldest is 12, middle is 10 and youngest is 8.

In 1997, I found a used and beat up Honda Z50. Figured it was the perfect bike to get them started. I brought it home and they all said "cool Dad" and left it at that. I did not push them however about 6 months later my middle son (4 at the time) asked if he could ride it. I let him ride it after I showed him the basics and soon after, my oldest and youngest took at it as well.

It was only two years later and I knew that the Z50 had to go as they were riding it beyond the bikes design. I bought a XR80 to teach them how to ride a clutch....shortly therafter, middle son wanted to ride a two stroker...got him a KX65...oldest wanted something bigger and a 4 stroker...got him a TTR-125L and youngest still rides the XR80.

It tickles my butt to see kids on a bike. It tells me a lot about the parents who like to enjoy their family. My oldest and middle son went with me last year on our annual "Mens weekend" riding trip and the other Dad's all told me how cool that was to bring them at such an early age.

Boy or Girl, get them involved early (when they are ready) and it will bring many years of enjoyment.

What age should you start?

Rod Grove

Midhigh

gwcrim

FMFHonda161

Vytas

Rod Grove

phirechick

Sponsoring Member

Rod Grove

Rod Grove

99CR125OK

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Fark

Ernie Estes

olddirt

ktmdad

Rod Grove

taraker

Freedom Ain't Free

jpuetz

SERPA

RazBarlow

Rod Grove

Mario

xr400xr50r

Rod Grove

hp500efi

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