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Posted by: EXtreme
This post is for ALL DADS (or moms) who can give first hand experience with quads for their kids. I'm looking for a quad for my 9 year old son (this post was in the old forums).
My son is a typical skinny 9 year old with no experience as an operator. He is tall though, and doesn't fit the 50's very well.
The next step is either the lt80, Imp90, or trx90. Dependability says to go with the suzuki or honda but I want the REAL story.
Price: I don't feel that price is a factor when it comes to your kids. Safety is the main factor, with fun to follow. Therefore, I'm leaning towards the trx90 as a bike that he'll get many years out of as well as fun, power and safety. Whatta you think?
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Steve Small, 00' 400ex, 00' 325 Trail Boss for the Mrs.
Posted by: EXtreme
Again, we're talking safety as the primary concern. The breeze and lt160 are mid sized frames...I may as well give him my old blaster, but it will kill him!
Youth quads are designed for the kids with small grips, throttle, levers, seat height, etc.
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Steve Small, 00' 400ex, 00' 325 Trail Boss for the Mrs.
Posted by: EXtreme
Well, this is the end for me on this topic but I hope it will continue for those parents who are shopping in the future. After much consideration and on site fitting, I finally purchased an Impuls90 for my son. We're quite happy with the quad.
It is identical to the lt80 accept for wider a-arms and rear axle, but smaller overall to the trx90. Price won over both machines which helped ease the decision process.
The cvt tranny is very easy for the youngsters and has plenty of horses to run it on hillclimbs. My sons only complaint is that the throttle is pretty tight making it tough on extended rides. I also softened the suspension for a plush ride. The tires are the same as the lt80, nicely aggressive.
Overall, I would recomend this quad for any child. It is very stable under most conditions, has great power, oil injection, easy handling, room for mods and makes for a huge smile!
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Steve Small, 00' 400ex, 00' 325 Trail Boss for the Mrs.
Posted by: EXtreme
The only adjustment to make is the preload settings on the front shocks. The rear is a fixed position. I ran them all the way to the softest position till he grows.
Posted by: EXtreme
so far, very happy. I'll check back in a couple weeks.
Posted by: Mark Vinson
EXtreme,
Being a father myself, I have a couple of comments. I know you don't want a quad that is too much for your child. I also know you don't want one that your child will grow out of before the year is up. (They grow out of EVERYTHING quickly don't they! And this isn't a pair of pants or a pair of shoes we're talking about here!) After reading your post I see you say that your son has "no experience". The main thing I would say to you regardless of what you get is NOT TO LET HIM RIDE BY HIMSELF! So often parents allow their children to just take off on the ATV. I say if you aren't willing to let them out the door by themselves with a loaded pistol, you shouldn't let them out with the quad. The gun can kill them no deader than the quad can - regardless of if it is 50cc or 500cc. I take my son out for target practice. He can shoot a pistol better than me. (That is another story altogether!) But I won't let him take off by himself with a gun yet. I am there to make sure he handles it safely and has his ear protection and eye protection. When riding I am there to make sure he handles the quad safely and has his safety equipment. Even the best kids in the world will do things when Mom or Dad isn't around they would never dream of if we are present. It's just part of being a kid. Regardless of what you get, I hope you both have a blast!
Mark Vinson - mark1@ipa.net
Posted by: RoostKing
Personally I would go with the trx90. They are good looking, can be worked on, and are ultra reliable. It has plenty of power to grow with. Not to mention the throttle can be governed for speed.
RoostKing
Posted by: Rob
Well I have an 80cc Yamaha Badger Which is realy nice its an 86 And it runs like brand new it will last for ever and i can maintain it is so easy IM 14 now So im geting a new quad but my sister is 8 And loves to ride it mine has 4 auto clutch gears the newer ones have like 3 theres plenty of power for a couple years You schould just take a look at them The older ones do not have supention but thats ok its prety soft with out suspention but you can get them realy cheap im selling mine for 800 bucks Hope your son finds some thing and can laern to ride and a have a Blast !!
Posted by: HERBERT C.
Extreme, keep us posted on how your son's Impulse does as far as reliability and and other problems.I am wanting to buy a LT-80 for my daughter but have been thinking about the Impulse 90 but have not heard anything about there reliablity and stuff like that, thanks.....Herbert.
http://community.webtv.net/murdo77/QuadzillaZone
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Herbert~~99Wolverine & 89LT520
Posted by: Blaster668
Steve, how did you adjust the suspension. My buddies son has an impuls50 but the suspension is super stiff on it. A 200 pound person barely compresses the shocks.
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Garrett Lowman; CT240 Blaster, YZ490
Posted by: Rob_Ervin
I went through the same predicament a couple of months ago, and decided to go with a Suzuki LT-80. My son just turned 7, but he is tall for his age and weighs about 80lbs. I had looked at the Impuls 50cc quads, but finally decided on a Lt-80. I shopped around and finally found a 97 LT-80. I have a hard time keeping my son off of it! As a wise man previously posted in this thread, I never let him ride alone or without someone (mostly me!) close by and watching. We have made a little game out of his learning about the quad..."whats the most important part of a quad...THE BRAKES!...what's the easiest thing to tear up or break on a quad....THE RIDER!" I just recently backed off the throttle stop and he can go about 15 mph now. I did have it so low that 7-8mph was all that he could do while he first learning.
There are several restrictors on the LT-80..
one in the carb, and two baffles in the exhaust that can be removed and it can reach a speed of about 30mph tops. I'm saving that until he is 10 or 11 years old! There are a lot of aftermarket parts for the LT-80 and I firmly believe that I'll be able to sell it for close to what I paid for it...but I've got a 14 month old that might be standing in line when it's time to "hand it down"! Good Hunting!
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Rob Ervin 99' AC500
Posted by: Harold
My ten year old daughter rides a yamaha timberwolf, two wheel drive with 1500 superwinch and maxxis sur tracks. She handles this quad real well. top speed is 44.5 on asphalt readings taken by gps with 200lb. rider. You can always ajust the throttle limiter to slow your child down.
Posted by: cisko61832
Did you ever consider something like a yamaha breeze 125? Its super easy to use, has nice suspension and good power, plus its and auto tranny and its easy to work on as well. The are $3000. Or what about Suzuki's little 160--its 3000 as well!
Happy trails, Shawn
Posted by: Mud600
Hey I am in the same place you are but i am the kid. I am 15 years old 6 foot 160 lbs and my dad bought a Grizzly but i can't legally ride it in minnesota. And theres no way i am gonna buy a 80cc quad. I mean we have a Indy500 snowmobile that will do close to 100mph and i could ride that when i was 12. But i can't ride a a 600cc quad that will go 55mph. I don't get what there point is. Theres no age limit for riding a CR500 dirtbike but there is on a yamaha breeze. It don't make sense. Well thats my opinion on it. But my b-day is coming up so i can legally ride our Grizzly. Good luck shopping for a quad for your son.
Mud600
Posted by: samimike
Yeah, yeah, the Honda 90 may be the "Dog".
Good luck finding one used.
There are tons of Lt 80's around consider this the VW of kid bikes.
Runs forever tons of aftermarket parts and oil injection. Don't for get the electric starter button!
There is really no correct age to get the kid riding. For some it may be four or five.
It really depends HOW HE OR SHE LISTENS!
If you can't get your child to stop jumping on the couch or other simple on command items
how will he or she listen when you tell them to stop there is a truck comming?
It may not EVER be the right time for others!
Yeah I could be wrong as these are my opinions!!!!!!
M.K. the man who rides the the green bike named after the Mexican beer!
Posted by: whisky
i just got my new issue of atv sport and they tested alot of of miniquads the one that looks the best is the LEM Caymen 50 it cost $2195 but it has a kick starter and that would be hard for a little kid they said it was one of the fastest ones tested
Posted by: Stump
DADS,
Whatever you do stress to your kids the dangers of crossing the highway(besides illegal). I had a wreck wed night(9-8-99) because a 11yr old kid pulled out of his drive way on his ATV with out looking or stopping !! I was able to avoid him by only inches at the most. If I hadn't hit the brakes when I did I would have surely killed him. I ended up in a fairly deep ditch and called the Highway Patrol. The kid is fine and so am I now(still a little shaking), but he is in some big trouble. They charged him as a juvenile and he will have to go to court. He's lucky that's the only lesson he has to deal with !!
Posted by: deanmass
I have a son that is almost 9. I live in Michigan, and have been wanting to get him a Quad. The state age limit has been holding me up. My son is large enough for a 90 right now, but the law says 50 cc and under if under 12. I don't want to waste 2K on a LEM or Impuls when he is really sized and ready for an LT-80 or TRX 90. I have looked at the LEM and Impuls, and they seem OK, but the Japanese reliability can't be argued with. Since I do not have private land to ride on other than a 1/2 acre yard, I would be interested in hearing from others who may have similar situations. Just a little rant here...Why the heck can he ride a more dangerous/difficult 2 wheeler of any cc??? I have riden both, and a quad is much more stable and fun...
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Posted by: deanmass
That is the thing about it. The laws have been all monkeyed up because of the 3 wheeler fallout. Anyone can ride a dirt birt of any displacement, but the ATV rules are silly. I don't own one right now, but havce ridden anough to know that 'stupid' is usually what hurts people on ATV's/Bikes, etc. Case in point...I saw a 5 year old SMOKING around his large yard on an LT-80 (i was surprised how fast it was) in shorts, no shoes, no shirt, no helmet. I aske the mom if he had a helmet (never mind the needed skin grafts with no protective clothing) and she said 'Yeah, its around here SOMEWHERE!...I think I have decided on the Suzuki OR a Badger...I like 4 stokes for long term no wrench-just ride..
Posted by: Fast_&_Red
I would go with the TRX90. If you want safty they offer a free saftey coarse when you purchase a new Honda quad. It might take him a while to learn how to shift (My sister doesn't quite understand her 125) but it is a good, safe kids quad.
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