Monday, June 23, 2014

When did your kids learn to peddle a bike?

Q.


Answer
Bikes are unsafe, and they don't do well with bubbles!

Best pocket bike for kids?




Asia D


I want to purchase a pocket bike, mini dirt bike, or mini quad for my nephew's graduation present. He is 6 years old, about 60 lbs, average Height. I want to know the best thing to get him, if there are any with speed lock-outs or remote shut offs. A few good name brands would be awesome. I also need something I can get training wheels for. I'm looking to spend no more than 500. Please no comments about how he doesn't need one or that he needs to be supervised he is well taken care and we understand this isn't a toy. I just need advice on what to buy. Thank you!


Answer
Pocket bikes are Chinese made knock off's/clones of Japanese and European bikes. They are inferior to the bike they are cloned from. They do not have the reliability, dependability, quality or craftsmanship of the bikes they are cloned from.

With that said, I would recommend you look into a Japanese or European bike. He will fit on a 50cc to a 65cc bike. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM all make mini-bikes.

Since you do not have a lot to spend, you will have to look used. Check Ebay, Craigslist, CycleTrader and BikeFinds.

If you go with a used older bike, Honda used to make a MR 50 2-stroke and an XR75 4-stroke. The XR75 is built like iron and will last for your nephew's children.

The Yamaha PW50 has a restrictor that can be removed.

When it comes to training wheels, just Google mini-bike training wheels. There are a lot of different ones out there. Example: http://gokartsusa.com/EZ-Bike-Mini-Motorcycle-Training-Wheels.aspx
Training wheels are not cheap, they cost around $150. You can also look for used training wheels on Ebay and Craigslist.

If your nephew can ride a bicycle, he will be able to ride a dirt bike. I am not a fan of quads. When I taught my children to ride, I also let them ride my buddies quads. They all preferred dirt bikes to quads. Quads are super easy to learn to ride, but are very easy to tip over and if they do not keep their feet on the pegs can get run over by their own machine. Quads are also heavier than dirt bikes and if the child flips the quad, they may not be able to get our from underneath it without help.

This is the motorcycle racing section, so we mainly only recommend racing machines, but since he is just starting out a true mini-bike from say Sears or Pep Boys might fit the bill fine. These mini-bikes brand new cost under $400. Have large 4-stroke lawn mower engines on them and are perfect for trail riding and basic transportation. If your nephew likes riding though, he will outgrow the mini-bike within a summer.

Don't forget riding gear. Helmet, goggles and a pair of riding boots. Goggles, gloves, shoulder pads with chest protector, kidney belt, armored riding pants and racing jersey can come later. You can find used gear at Ebay, Craigslist, garage sales and flea markets. Does he need the protective gear for a mini-bike? Probably not, but a helmet and goggles are the minimum he should have.

If he ever needs tips on riding or maintenance, tell him to check Youtube. The amount of information on there is unbelievable. He can learn everything from fixing a flat to rebuilding an engine.




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