My kid is spoiled

[Benny]

He has to finish the year with straight As before it's "his" but I found a deal I couldn't pass up. He about peed himself when I showed it to him.

The weekend can't get here soon enough. I can't wait to take him on the trails.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Well done on the helmet, but get some wrist guards and a chest plate

 

[MrsGungho]

on the chest plate... pretty sure that saved my son when his flipped over on him

 

[Benny]

Well done on the helmet, but get some wrist guards and a chest plate

Oh trust me.

He's a little uncoordinated dare devil. Before I open that governed up, he'll be wearing full body armor.

 

[Benny]

on the chest plate... pretty sure that saved my son when his flipped over on him

So yeah, about that body armor...where is a good place to look for it?

We just went out for a bit not doing anything dangerous at all, the governor set at maybe 5 mph and I was still a nervous wreck. If there is a tree around, he's going to find it.

 

[PX4me]

I picked up a Suzuki LT50 last summer for my little one. He needs more seat time but he's not doing too bad in the transition from his power wheels jeep.

I would check the local motorcycle shops for protective gear. It's better than ordering online since you can have him try the stuff on.

 

[Giddaltti]

Very nice and yes safty first and practice a tuck and roll just in case.

 

[atvdave]

So yeah, about that body armor...where is a good place to look for it?

We just went out for a bit not doing anything dangerous at all, the governor set at maybe 5 mph and I was still a nervous wreck. If there is a tree around, he's going to find it.

Around Evansville you can find it at West Side Honda, Big 4, Superbike Shop, & Southern Indiana Honda has some. Online there are many.. I'd look at Chaparral first though. Chaparral Motorsports - Motorcycle Parts and Motorcycle Gear

 

[Lumpy76]

See if you can find used gear. He will grow out of it so fast. A play it again sports type of store maybe. Nice buy.

 

[Benny]

I picked up a Suzuki LT50 last summer for my little one. He needs more seat time but he's not doing too bad in the transition from his power wheels jeep.

I would check the local motorcycle shops for protective gear. It's better than ordering online since you can have him try the stuff on.

Pffft, this kid is going to need weeks of "seat time" before he does anything but flat ground. I'll let him get in some mud this weekend, but as of right now I'm not even giving him enough throttle to get out of 4" of mud without getting stuck. If I gave him 10 MPH, he'd try to give it all 10 just as he takes off.

Around Evansville you can find it at West Side Honda, Big 4, Superbike Shop, & Southern Indiana Honda has some. Online there are many.. I'd look at Chaparral first though. Chaparral Motorsports - Motorcycle Parts and Motorcycle Gear

See if you can find used gear. He will grow out of it so fast. A play it again sports type of store maybe. Nice buy.

I definitely want to look into used gear since I know he won't be in it for too long. Hopefully I can find a good price on some used local stuff and then just pass that deal onto the next person looking for gear for a new rider.

I see a few things on Craig's list. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

 

[BURNSURVIVOR725]

"chest protectors" are actually just roost guards. they offer some protection but are not impenetrable. first thing you should do is, if he has the habit, to NOT put his feet down if it starts to go over. thats a one way street to a broken ankle. i wouldnt put him in wrist guards, he needs too much wrist movement to turn the bars to be hindering it. buy him legitimate riding boots too, the kind that go almost to the knee. they can be found used. they will keep him from breaking an ankle, WELL worth the money.

also, dont expect him to grow out of the daredevil phase. i never did. rode bikes and quads since i was 5 and now at 23 im into racing cars. my nickname is "Evil" you name it ive crashed it. just preach proper safety techniques and if he EVER rides without his helmet and gear punish him. get him in the habit now. i will be 24 next month and i wont even putt around the yard without a helmet. my life has been saved several times thanks to my gear.

my calves have grown so large i am no longer able to find true riding boots. i can have a set made but it takes a lot of money i cant justify in college. i paid for it. high ankle sprain and hairline fracture that still give me trouble 4 years later. it wasnt a huge crash either, i wrote a check my Z400 couldn't cash. heres the video. NSFW due to language

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0FznROkCAY

get him some goggles too. trust me ive had enough spills for three lifetimes, from bumps and bruises to a 4 inch tear in my liver. dont skimp on the gear!

 

[PX4me]

Pffft, this kid is going to need weeks of "seat time" before he does anything but flat ground. I'll let him get in some mud this weekend, but as of right now I'm not even giving him enough throttle to get out of 4" of mud without getting stuck. If I gave him 10 MPH, he'd try to give it all 10 just as he takes off.

Oh mine isn't doing anything but flat ground and the throttle is governed just off idle. He'll be 5 in July.

Teaching throttle control is definitely the hardest part. He's used to the jeep where he just mashes the pedal and goes. It's also another world regarding steering, and braking, and body control.

It can be nerve racking, especially for my wife.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I would go with a helmet, riding boots, and maybe one of the foam neck brace rings the chest protector aren't really going to do much. I also like riding gloves with hard rubber on the back so the briars can't go through, not a big issue on a quad, but if your on a dirt bike and pull your hand off the bars it could be bad.

 

[MrsGungho]

didn't comeback and look at this until now Benny but it looks like the guys took care of ya

 

[hoosierdoc]

I saw a 14yo that rolled his crossing a creek and was knocked unconscious face down in a creek. Wasn't going fast. He was on grandpa's property where he rode all the time and just didn't come back when he was supposed to so they went looking. Was very sad.

My point is even safety systems and responsible use can't stop badness all the time. My poor kids will suffer in their enjoyments because of my job

 

[Benny]

Ok thanks everyone, especially burnsurviver for the detailed response. Once I get to my computer I will watch that video.

I'm going to start looking for boots and a chest protector soon, but this weekend is going to be a 4-5 mph learning session with dad, so I'm not worried about it just yet. It will be a long, long time before he's allowed to ride without my supervision anyway.

I'm as paranoid as my mom when it comes to this stuff, except I wasn't allowed to have a quad at that age.