Shopping for a kiddie bike/quad

[cowboyona426]

We have been scrounging on CL looking for a little 50 of some sort (hoping for a quad honestly, she's just not ready for a bike yet) for Alyssa (4.5 years old). It's been a llooooooooooooong time since I've paid much attention to anything less than a 250 so I'm looking for some advice. I have had her sit on a TT-R 50 (too tall), a JR 50 (just about perfect) and a Polaris Predator 50 quad (it just seemed so dang big, even for a 50...) There are 2 major criteria I have- not a total piece of crap (like the cheap Chinese knock-off brands) and no gears to shift. I think the "no gears" limits the choices quite a bit, so I guess I could always just leave the bike in 1st until she gets the confidence and skill to worry about shifts. So..

Bikes- TT-R 50, PW 50, JR/KDX 50, CRF/XR 50, Z 50... any others?
Quads- Raptor 50, Predator 50, LT 50 (and whatever the Kawi version is called)... any others?
I know Eton and Kasea are brands that have been around a while, but I know nothing about them- are they worth spending money on?

I'm going to call the "local" dealer at 9AM sharp this morning too- buy a YZ 450 or a CRF 450 and get a TT-R 50 or a CRF 50 free (yeah, it won't happen but it's nice to dream)

[Freak]

One in Bend man [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

IMO, if your going to get a kwad, get a Raptor 80. It also has a throttle stop you can set and a walk behind cord. The little raptors are bullet proof IMO.

[cowboyona426]

Freak... local shop in Spoko will sell me a brand new TT-R 50 or 8 hundo or a CRF 50 or 9 hundo. I just don't want to drop the coin for a brand new one knowing that it will get beat up, and that as soon as the tires hit my truck bed it loses $200 in value. Raptor 80 is too big for starting out IMO. She sat on a 110 quad yesterday (brand unknown, but it was blue and black) and her feet barely reached the pegs and she really had to stretch to reach the bars. I do NOT want her to have problems controlling herself and get scared or hurt... it took me 4.5 years to convince her that dirt bikes aren't scary in the first place!

[cowboyona426]

So nobody on this site has bought a bike for their kid???
Anyone know anything about Kazuma?
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[RCPH]

A few weeks ago we picked up a CRF 50 and I couldent be more happy. Starts out small, but can "grow" over time with differnet hop-ups.

I also loved the screw that you could turn in on the throttle to limit the throw. The first day I had it going so slow, I could walk side by side with it. At that speed, absolutly nothing could happen that would be an issue.

At 4.5 years old, Its actually somewhat hard to get it to shift into a higher gear, so please do not let that be a worry.

[G220]

I bought my son an 02 xr 50 for $550 and the guy gave me a chest protector,boots etc.
Put training wheels on it till they get used to it.

[mxmama393]

We invested poorly in one of those cheep 4-wheelers... sounded like a bucket of rocks by the second week. All I can say is you get what you pay for when it comes to name brand bikes!!

But I wont let my little ones ride small quads anymore. They flip over too easy and then my child is trapped under it. So I think bikes are better for starting out. Thats my 2 cents.

Good luck

[cowboyona426]

We will be going to look at a PW 50 on Thursday... it's even pink and white

[mxmama393]

Originally Posted by cowboyona426

We will be going to look at a PW 50 on Thursday... it's even pink and white

woohoo sounds purdy!!! get pics!!!

[cowboyona426]

Originally Posted by mxmama393

woohoo sounds purdy!!! get pics!!!

LOL nothin' fancy just an early 90's stock PW as far as I know, probably looks like the one in this pic:

[pjg351]

Cowboy i have nightmares about kids on quads I like the training wheels on the PEE WEE

[cowboyona426]

Originally Posted by pjg351

Cowboy i have nightmares about kids on quads I like the training wheels on the PEE WEE

I had a quad when I was a kid, and I'm "normal" or at least reasonably close... on most days It is a concern for us too... we don't want our kiddo getting hurt. How stable are the training wheel kits for the little bikes? They look it would be hard to tip over unless you got on some real uneven ground with them.

[mxmama393]

Now thats cute!! I have never seen a kid tip one with the trainers on it. Mine never used them, but I have seen plenty that do.

[pjg351]

Originally Posted by cowboyona426

I had a quad when I was a kid, and I'm "normal" or at least reasonably close... on most days It is a concern for us too... we don't want our kiddo getting hurt. How stable are the training wheel kits for the little bikes? They look it would be hard to tip over unless you got on some real uneven ground with them.

I watch this little tacker at the races most weekends, he's on a 50 with trainers. He's a crack up, the bike looks to big, the helmet twice his size, which gives him the big bobble But when he falls off the bike doesn't tip over normally

[cowboyona426]

So, how do the training wheels affect turning? My cousin said his dad rigged up a set of wheels similar to the picture above for one of the little ones and that it made the bike a bear to turn.

[pjg351]

Originally Posted by cowboyona426

So, how do the training wheels affect turning? My cousin said his dad rigged up a set of wheels similar to the picture above for one of the little ones and that it made the bike a bear to turn.

The wheels are only to help with balance untill they get strong enough, the bike will still turn but they won't be smashing rut's first time out. If your kid has good balance take them off, it's a bit like your first push bike after 3 days of crashing your away.

[cowboyona426]

Well, we are leaving today to visit my folks, and we are picking up a pair of Kazuma 50cc four wheelers along the way. My uncle is going to buy one, and we are going to see how it goes on the other one for a while. The nice thing is, our out of pocket expense will only be $100 after my uncle buys one of them so we should be able to make the money back if she doesn't dig it. Fingers crossed...

[mxmama393]

Wishing you all the luck... i dont know what a Kazuma is, But good luck!!

[cowboyona426]

Originally Posted by mxmama393

Wishing you all the luck... i dont know what a Kazuma is, But good luck!!

Chinese brand... we shall see.

[cowboyona426]

Soooooooooooo pissed off right now... we made arrangements to come look at the 2 little Kazuma quads today, knowing we were on a tight time schedule because the seller had to coach his son's football game at 5:00. We got to his place about 10 minutes too late... no biggie, we have his phone number and addy. Go back into town, grab some grub and chill for a couple hours. Go back to the guys house about the time he told us he'd be home and wait.... and wait... and wait... and wait. 9:00 rolls up and he's still not home and won't answer his phone. So we ended up getting a hotel for the night and hoping that this guy will call us back in the AM so we don't have to head to ID with a broken hearted little girl who wanted a 4 wheeler to ride. And pulling a trailer with nothing on it to boot...
GRUMBLE.