Kids and dirtbikes question
#11
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Thats pretty cool .... I'm toying with the idea of getting mine started on something this year ....he's 4 .... the problem with kids this age is the will do things just to test ya .... not stop when you tell them ect .... ???
Cool training wheels !!!!
Cool training wheels !!!!
#12
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Wanna slow him down?....take off those training wheels. The T-wheels are the problem because he is really riding a motorized three wheeler that goes and goes...seriously you wanna be careful letting a 3 y.o ride a bike like that with those training wheels. Most of the PW50's I have seen with t-wheels had ones similiar to that of a regular bike. Your T-wheels extend out quite a ways which create more stability but also act as something that can hit a tree, rock etc and send him flying.
I started my boys out at 5-6 using a Honda Z50 with NO training wheels. It is important for the kids to gain respect for the machine they ride and that includes tipping, spills, crashes etc. Bikes act much different when only two wheels are on the ground. I doubt he is to that point to cruise on only the two wheels and if he does, might be too young to figure out when trouble is near and might end up hurting himself.
My boys are all riding (12 y.o on a TTR125, 10 y.o on a YZ85 and my youngest 9 y.o is riding a XR80). It takes time and practice to get them to the point that they actually feel comfortable and safe riding the bike.
3 years old is pretty young especially on that PW50 because that is a two stroker that moves out pretty good. You could always install a larger rear sprocket to slow him down even more.
I started my boys out at 5-6 using a Honda Z50 with NO training wheels. It is important for the kids to gain respect for the machine they ride and that includes tipping, spills, crashes etc. Bikes act much different when only two wheels are on the ground. I doubt he is to that point to cruise on only the two wheels and if he does, might be too young to figure out when trouble is near and might end up hurting himself.
My boys are all riding (12 y.o on a TTR125, 10 y.o on a YZ85 and my youngest 9 y.o is riding a XR80). It takes time and practice to get them to the point that they actually feel comfortable and safe riding the bike.
3 years old is pretty young especially on that PW50 because that is a two stroker that moves out pretty good. You could always install a larger rear sprocket to slow him down even more.
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#14
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My take.
A training wheel bike is both
1) easier to ride fast
2) more dangerous to ride fast
than a bike w/ no training wheels. If you planned to keep the wheels on it, you shoulda bought him a 4 wheeler.
Now that he obviously has the mechanics of throttle control and braking down pat, it's time to take the trainers off of it. That in and of itself will slow him down, cause he will now have to spend time learning how to negotiate turns and understand the dynamics of countersteering (do it soon before he hardwires the steering reflexes wrong).
Obviously, he'll spend some time rolling on the ground as he comes to understand that finesse and traction play a part in riding a regular 2 wheeler, but that is a good thing as long as he is learning from it.
As far as things you can do to slow the bike, that's easy. Put a tiny countershaft sprocket on it to kill the speed. It will keep the acceleration intact (which he will like) but it will take the edge off the top end.
If you were not using a throttle limiter then you just put a main jet 5 sizes up and it will blubber like an old weedeater on top, but run clean down low (but you are a long way from taking the limiter screws out I see).
Happy trails.
A training wheel bike is both
1) easier to ride fast
2) more dangerous to ride fast
than a bike w/ no training wheels. If you planned to keep the wheels on it, you shoulda bought him a 4 wheeler.
Now that he obviously has the mechanics of throttle control and braking down pat, it's time to take the trainers off of it. That in and of itself will slow him down, cause he will now have to spend time learning how to negotiate turns and understand the dynamics of countersteering (do it soon before he hardwires the steering reflexes wrong).
Obviously, he'll spend some time rolling on the ground as he comes to understand that finesse and traction play a part in riding a regular 2 wheeler, but that is a good thing as long as he is learning from it.
As far as things you can do to slow the bike, that's easy. Put a tiny countershaft sprocket on it to kill the speed. It will keep the acceleration intact (which he will like) but it will take the edge off the top end.
If you were not using a throttle limiter then you just put a main jet 5 sizes up and it will blubber like an old weedeater on top, but run clean down low (but you are a long way from taking the limiter screws out I see).
Happy trails.
#15
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Adorable...awesome ride....boat in the backyard...scars....bad boy attitude.
Sounds like you need to start the fan club now, dad! The girls are gonna be lining up!
Sounds like you need to start the fan club now, dad! The girls are gonna be lining up!
#16
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Brett,
That is AWESOME! All of us past and present MX racers know that when you got the bug, it's in your blood! I think you are doing him a HUGE service because you are letting learn his boundaries and that sometimes you do fall off, but you have to pick YOURSELF up, brush it off, SUCK IT UP, and get right back on. In this there are MORE life lessons than one can easily comprehend. Not until I was older did I truly realize how much I learned in the process. So many people today "fall off" and expect others to run to their aid. This teaches him not only dexterity, motor skills, but larger "life" lessons as well. I started about 3 or 4 as well.
Oh, BTW he is ADORABLE and thank god he looks NOTHING like that Kreimeier guy.
That is AWESOME! All of us past and present MX racers know that when you got the bug, it's in your blood! I think you are doing him a HUGE service because you are letting learn his boundaries and that sometimes you do fall off, but you have to pick YOURSELF up, brush it off, SUCK IT UP, and get right back on. In this there are MORE life lessons than one can easily comprehend. Not until I was older did I truly realize how much I learned in the process. So many people today "fall off" and expect others to run to their aid. This teaches him not only dexterity, motor skills, but larger "life" lessons as well. I started about 3 or 4 as well.
Oh, BTW he is ADORABLE and thank god he looks NOTHING like that Kreimeier guy.
#17
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I think your doing fine. My son started at 6. When he gets to the track hold your breath....the father fear factor sets in.......you have to live with it. This is him today he has about 9 tricks including so very funny Z-50 stuff. cb
#18
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he'll wreck and it will slow him down for two or three days and then he'll top speed the bike again.. then wreck again.. two or three more days.. it's a cycle that never ends until you hit 30 and then it just hurts too much....
#20
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last time i rode.. i took a corner going into a double and some kid came onto the track out the center and got right in my way when i just got into the power band and i had too dump the bike to avoid hitting him.. broke two ribs from teh hand bars.. two me two months of pain and new bars to get over that one... still to be fast on a bike.. NOTHING LIKE IT... sorry i'm on your son's side here ...