Want to buy daughter dirtbike or 4-wheeler for Christmas

[sixpack577]

Agreed, but my only negative is it is a two stroke. Sometimes they can be picky. I bought the yamaha raptor 80 just because it matched my 660. It has a very crappy front end suspension (non independent). I think the honda trx 90 is better than both the yamaha and the suzuki. It has a great suspension for a small quad and as most hondas, it will run forever with minimal upkeep. there are also several aftermarket parts if she should want to upgrade.

2 strokes get a bad rap because too many people know too little about them. Mix the oil wrong(LT 80 premixes itself) and they run bad, adjust the carb wrong, they run bad.
Maintain and properly tune a 2 stroke and they will run well forever. They are very simple and cheap to fix.
My friends 89 JR 80 will still start first kick almost every time and it runs great.

 

[sixpack577]

So many kids are getting killed on quads here in Missouri, that there is sizeable movement forming to completely ban anyone under 16 riding one by themselves. Seems like an every weekend thing in the newspaper during the summer.
Personally, I despise quads. You have to body english the hell out of them to turn at more than a walking pace without risking a roll over. And if they ever do go over, it's very hard not to end up under the thing. Plus, in the case of a small(er) kid, quads take a lot more sheer muscle to turn than a bike.
Good gear, and a correct size dirt bike for the child, is by far the safer way to go.

It's not the 4 wheeler, it's the rider! They aren't hard to ride. And I'de be willing to bet most of the kid deaths on them are due to no instruction and more so, no helmet.

 

[dsbunton646]

2 strokes get a bad rap because too many people know too little about them. Mix the oil wrong(LT 80 premixes itself) and they run bad, adjust the carb wrong, they run bad.
Maintain and properly tune a 2 stroke and they will run well forever. They are very simple and cheap to fix.
My friends 89 JR 80 will still start first kick almost every time and it runs great.

I wasn't knocking the lt80. My nephew has one and it is a good quad. I have had my share of the two strokes too. My last two stroke quad was suzuki lt250r and that thing was a beast. Before that I had a honda 250r, that wasn't as fast but to me was more comfortable and seemed to be less finicky. But for those who aren't as familiar with two stroke maintainence it might just be easier to upkeep the thumper at home, that's all I was saying.

 

[dsbunton646]

It's not the 4 wheeler, it's the rider! They aren't hard to ride. And I'de be willing to bet most of the kid deaths on them are due to no instruction and more so, no helmet.

+1. And riding one that is way too big for them.

 

[StromBusa]

I wonder how many org memnbers learned on 2 wheels, 3 wheels, or four wheels.

Honda CT70 for me.

 

[sixpack577]

I wasn't knocking the lt80. My nephew has one and it is a good quad. I have had my share of the two strokes too. My last two stroke quad was suzuki lt250r and that thing was a beast. Before that I had a honda 250r, that wasn't as fast but to me was more comfortable and seemed to be less finicky. But for those who aren't as familiar with two stroke maintainence it might just be easier to upkeep the thumper at home, that's all I was saying.

Agreed, and no problem here

 

[sixpack577]

I wonder how many org memnbers learned on 2 wheels, 3 wheels, or four wheels.

Honda CT70 for me.

2 first, at age 12, 79 Suzuki TS 100 2 stroke 4 speeed. Then 4 wheelers, and I like both but still prefer 2 wheels. 3 wheels = eventual death 250R 3 wheeler, awesome, and possibly the most dangerous thing ever invented

 

[HillbillyTom]

It's not the 4 wheeler, it's the rider! They aren't hard to ride. And I'de be willing to bet most of the kid deaths on them are due to no instruction and more so, no helmet.

Yes, that does play into it a lot I'm sure. Dirt bike kids wear helmets and gear. And their parents have a far greater interest in teaching them the right way to do things.
Meanwhile quad parents are in the backyard drinking beer while the kids are flying up and down the highway on the 4 wheelers unsupervised. That has been suggested in the public comments that go with the articles, but never seems to play into the actual case.
Having rode in the woods around quadtards for years, and seen all the ignorant s**t the adults do, I'd say your right about the kids.
But everything I stated about quad handling characteristics are true. I've rode a few, they're a joke, and a dangerous one at that.

 

[sixpack577]

Yes, that does play into it a lot I'm sure. Dirt bike kids wear helmets and gear. And their parents have a far greater interest in teaching them the right way to do things.
Meanwhile quad parents are in the backyard drinking beer while the kids are flying up and down the highway on the 4 wheelers.
Having rode in the woods around quadtards for years, and seen all the ignorant s**t the adults do, I'd say your right about the kids.
But everything I stated about quad handling characteristics are true. I've rode a few, they're a joke, and a dangerous one at that.

I agree, I've seen too much of that too.
It's cool that you don't like 4 wheelers, but what have you rode?
A Banshee, LT500, or any late model sport model 450? These things are awesome. And they're only dangerous in unskilled hands, and sadly uninstructed kids with no gear that don't know any better.

 

[HillbillyTom]

I agree, I've seen too much of that too.
It's cool that you don't like 4 wheelers, but what have you rode?
A Banshee, LT500, or any late model sport model 450? These things are awesome. And they're only dangerous in unskilled hands, and sadly uninstructed kids with no gear that don't know any better.

Yeah, I knew a guy who had a YFZ450. I rode it a few times, and like I said, you gotta body english the thing like crazy to keep it from rolling like a ball. Reminded me of those videos you see of people racing sidecars.
Maybe it's because I've always rode bikes, but quads feel totally awkward, and just ungainly in general to me.
But, the accidents involving kids (when any details are given) seem to usually involve "farm buggy" style quads. The 4wd, hunter, farmer rigs.
One of those cases of "too each his own" I guess, but I'd never put a kid on a quad when they could have a dirt bike instead.

 

[dabeechman]

So many kids are getting killed on quads here in Missouri, that there is sizeable movement forming to completely ban anyone under 16 riding one by themselves. Seems like an every weekend thing in the newspaper during the summer.
Personally, I despise quads. You have to body english the hell out of them to turn at more than a walking pace without risking a roll over. And if they ever do go over, it's very hard not to end up under the thing. Plus, in the case of a small(er) kid, quads take a lot more sheer muscle to turn than a bike.
Good gear, and a correct size dirt bike for the child, is by far the safer way to go.

If you despise something, you are already biased.

A lot of people get killed on dirtbikes too. It's a moot point. And the little bikes are fairly easy to turn, even for little kids.

 

[Fastfrog007]

Yamaha Blaster, hands down. They're pretty cheap and can be modded easily as she grows or wants more power. The Blaster forum is pretty god aswell, its no Org, but they do know they're stuff. I dont have a blaster, but a friend does and i hang over here from time to time

http://www.blasterforum.com/

 

[dabeechman]

Agreed, but my only negative is it is a two stroke. Sometimes they can be picky. I bought the yamaha raptor 80 just because it matched my 660. It has a very crappy front end suspension (non independent). I think the honda trx 90 is better than both the yamaha and the suzuki. It has a great suspension for a small quad and as most hondas, it will run forever with minimal upkeep. there are also several aftermarket parts if she should want to upgrade.

The LT's can be a little finiky with jetting, but you should never be tooling with the carb unless you are adding a performance modification.

The trx90 is a decent quad, and I've worked on many. But they are nowhere near the quad of the suzuki in terms of power. I know it is for a kid...lol, but it has to be said.

 

[sixpack577]

Yeah, I knew a guy who had a YFZ450. I rode it a few times, and like I said, you gotta body english the thing like crazy to keep it from rolling like a ball. Reminded me of those videos you see of people racing sidecars.
Maybe it's because I've always rode bikes, but quads feel totally awkward, and just ungainly in general to me.
But, the accidents involving kids (when any details are given) seem to usually involve "farm buggy" style quads. The 4wd, hunter, farmer rigs.
One of those cases of "too each his own" I guess, but I'd never put a kid on a quad when they could have a dirt bike instead.

The utility 4 wheelers are much heavier, and the 450s of today have that "riding on rails" feel. Once you figure out how to ride em on 2 wheels(on the side 2, not just the front or back)and get a good powerslide, they're tons of fun. I still prefer dirtbikes, and man have we threadjacked
Sorry Skydiver. And when my daughter gets to be around 3, 4, or 5, she'll be on something

 

[HillbillyTom]

and man have we threadjacked

Ah well, at least we kept it in the dirt.

 

[sixpack577]

Ah well, at least we kept it in the dirt.

Yep, and FYI, I always wanted to be the guy on the sidecar

 

[skydivr]

Thank you all for your comments. Like I said, I'm still debating this.

From what I've seen, you fall OFF a dirtbike, but a quad falls ON YOU....

 

[macon454]

KLX 110 is a great beginner bike, It has a 3 speed so she learns how to shift, and does not have a clutch which is good. A 4 wheeler is going to hurt alot worse when it ends up on top of her than a bike is, And at some point it usually happens. And get her some boots and gloves and a helmet, Maybe a chest protector also.

 

[StromBusa]

Where I live it is very 3D terrain, many hills, banks, "mountains". Yes I know people that have been hurt by rolling their quads in them. I don't like the bit when I get one "out of shape" on hillsides, bikes stay level going along a side hill, easier to "drop" in a "situation". I enjoy quads, and I'm sure they are easy for "kids" to operate, but (IMHO) starting on 2 is probably the safest, and better skill training approach, & I don't mean starting out on a race bike, more a trail bike, I bet more peeps learned to ride on Honda 50's and "mini bikes" than heavy quads. If the ground is all flat, prolly different.

 

[iamsofreakindumb]

Suzuki LT 80cc Quadsport 2 stroke 4 wheeler. Made for many years, cheap, cheap parts, easy to work on, fun to ride, good power.

My 5 year old girl rides one of these and loves it. I have fun on it too when i ungovern it. My 4 year old rides a Suzuki 70 dirtbike. I would stay away from the 50. IMO it will be outgrown quickly.