Get kids on a dirt bike or ATV?

[Demo250]

I feel like I can give you an educated opinion here as my father had me on both dirtbikes and ATVs by about age 8. My worst injury came on my bike.... (a 3rd degree burn to my leg from the pipe of the bike, honestly a freak accident and not really something to worry about in my opinion) I can't say I preferred one or the other... had a ton of fun on both.

If I had to give you an answer though I would say to start him or her on the bike. Easier to learn when you are young and those skills will stick with you forever. I rode my buddies YZ 250 last year after being off a bike for about 8 years and honestly rode at or above his level.... all because the skills from my childhood came though. I'm sure a lot of my sledding skills and mountain biking skills also came through though. Plus, if you start them on the bike they will have absolutely NO problem transitioning to an ATV.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Wheelers are heavy and roll, roll, roll, roll.
Bikes are light and tip over.

Bikes require skill.
Wheelers require fat asses with BEER.

LOL.

My 7 year old started at 3 on a PW50. he's on an XR70 now. Hunter can't ride on two wheels yet and I won't give him a crutch (training wheels) but he rides a 70cc ATV.

I use my ATVs for hunting, family rides and snow plowing. Hmmmm, this year my plow never got installed. How sad.

 

[polaris dude]

I voted ATV just because I want one for riding to work and back and cuz I wouldn't have to get a special license like I would for the crotch rocket I want. Regardless both are fun, but I think more accidents occur with atvs because riders get complacent and think they can go faster than they should because they have more stability. And the fact they are heavy

 

[K3]

Parent-Grand P Skills

This is a great ? for KIDS now days!! My oldest boy 28 now was circuit racing pw50 3 months before he was 4, but had many miles logged before that on 3 & 4 wheel 70 honda's and unbreakable bicycles too?? As boy 2 now 26 learned the turtle can out smart the fox, did not race till almost 5, My now 17 daughter still likes the atv sometimes, but all of them started sledding @ 7 -250 Yam.bravo that the 3 G-Kids are calling theirs already!!! So the answer to your ?? What is your KIDS SKILLS & WANTS there Parent. All 3 of my kids knew what they wanted to WORK for before they were 2, amazing poddy traing incntive for generations!!! They GROW fast & BIG, 2 wheels loads the easiest & do not forget the camera!! l<>l !!!

 

[girlpowder]

I've voted dirt bike. ATV's are boring!

 

[hatchers]

I grew up on atv's

Much safer

yur dum

 

[hatchers]

my 3 yr old son asked me to buy him a quad, with that i reached back and he took an aldult sized upper cut to the chin, lil bro now wants a bike

 

[Bkinz]

Teach him how to ride a dirt bike first, thats how I was raised. If you know how to ride a dirt bike you can ride a four wheeler easily, now if you know how to ride a four wheeler you wont be abel to hop on a bike easily. Plus riding a bike will help his confidence on a sled, which you will like in the years to come.

Kinzer

 

[SledsWest]

my 3 yr old son asked me to buy him a quad, with that i reached back and he took an aldult sized upper cut to the chin, lil bro now wants a bike

Bwahahaha, thats funny chit

 

[SledsWest]

I found this link, very insightful:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news...d_riding_and_racing_johns_hopkins_study_shows

The research, to be presented at the American College of Surgeons’ 2010 Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C., this week, found that victims of ATV crashes were 50 percent more likely to die of their injuries than similarly injured victims of off-road motorcycle crashes. ATV victims were also 55 percent more likely than injured motorcyclists to be admitted to a hospital’s intensive-care unit and 42 percent more likely to be placed on a ventilator.

 

[Mafesto]

I found this link, very insightful:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news...d_riding_and_racing_johns_hopkins_study_shows

The research, to be presented at the American College of Surgeons’ 2010 Clinical Congress in Washington, D.C., this week, found that victims of ATV crashes were 50 percent more likely to die of their injuries than similarly injured victims of off-road motorcycle crashes. ATV victims were also 55 percent more likely than injured motorcyclists to be admitted to a hospital’s intensive-care unit and 42 percent more likely to be placed on a ventilator.

There's the answer, that settles that.

What's next?

 

[raytech]

Not a doctor but have worked in orthopedic medicine for almost 15 yrs. My very unscientific observations would support the results of the study posted by SledsWest. I've seen injuries from both but I would say more, and far worse injuries from ATV accidents. I grew up on dirt bikes so I may be biased but my vote went for the dirt bike.

 

[Dam Dave]

I knew you didn't have any proof

And I also figured you would try child like tactics of insulting me.

Hope you feel tough, you win the internetz

I did win didn't I

 

[zblink]

Dirtbike for sure. teach them to ride a bike first and they will be able to ride an atv no prob. I've met to many adults that rode atv's and had a hard time transitioning to a bike. The other way around and it seems to be easier. It drives me nuts when people teach kids to drive automatics teach them to drive manuals!!

I agree completely.... I started on 4 wheelers and I now have a dirt bike and it feels so foreign to me. (like sandy conditions and the front just pushes and washes a bit until you give the throttle a good whack and bring the back around, that concept took a while.... i picked the bike up many times after tipping over)
*trust the front tire, the rear will follow.....

 

[Dam Dave]

*trust the front tire, the rear will follow.....

and look where you want to go and the front tire will go there, and where the front tire goes the rear will follow

 

[Teflon]

As far as safety goes, you have alot more little tip overs on a bike, but when you wreck an atv it's alot uglier. As far as starting your kid off to gain skill, the balance you gain from a bike carries over to almost everything. As far as fun, a bike is about 150x more fun!!

 

[james]

Sledswest,

Check into an OSET

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSzNUel65p8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCGC_qh6dC8

 

[Big D rmk700]

Have a three year old that is riding atv on his own!! Rode the 120 all winter and is now good on the atv on his own!!

 

[off road rider]

I have just a little bit of experience with both. I started riding at 4 years old. Honda Minitrail 50. I also taught all 3 of my kids around the age of 5 on bikes..
One is now a pro racer the others are good riders, We also ride Quads in the sand.I dont see a purpose for a quad unless its in the dunes or a farm field. We have had more than our share of trips to the ER..It goes with the territory.. I love bikes.But respect both.
Now the story.
I have a very good Friend who wanted to get his daughter on a something, he opted for a quad so they could hit the dunes.. She became a very good rider after a few years started winning races. One day she had a getoff, broke both arms and collar bones as well as a leg.. This was her very first crash.. Ever
Moral of the story.. with a quad you get a sense of stability and end up riding way over your head far to early in the learning process.
I would not allow my kids to ride a quad until they know what pain is..
Pain brings wisdom..

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Speaking of bikes, I am trying to find gear for my kids. It's harder than heck to find any. Nobody carries it and ordering online always nets the wrong sizes.

I'm looking for jerseys, pants and boots for the older kid. He's 7, but is close to 5' tall and tips the scales at 90 pounds. Every time I get him into something, 2 weeks later he is too big for it, seems like.

So if any of you have size 4 or 5 boots along with size 10 or 11 pants/jerseys please let me know, I'd be happy to buy it. He wants to keep riding but I don't want him doing it in tennis shoes.