The Best Motorcycles for Kids: Get ‘Em Started Young

How to Choose the Right Motorcycle For Your Kid

On the off chance that you have a bike shop in your neighborhood, you may want to pop in and ask for some advice. This isn’t to say you should purchase the motorcycle from them, even if you see one you really like you should come home first and shop around for the best deals, it might just be useful to talk through your options with someone who knows what they’re talking about. Try a couple of different stores if you can. If you have a brand in mind already, you might want to look at the different options they offer and read reviews on a few different sites to work out which is the most reliable. Alternatively, if the brand is something you are open to discuss, then you might want to start by focusing on what your child wants the bike for. Is it for off road use? Is it for pavement use? Depending on where the bike will be used determines what kind of bike you will need to look for. The speed for example, might not be important if your kids wants to ride it to school and back. Alternatively, a 2mph bike is unlikely to impress the child who wants to ride off having adventures on the dirt track in your back garden.

Another thing to consider is how easy it would be to get it replaced or repaired if the bike were to break. Does the motorcycle you are looking at come with a warranty? Are you able to buy parts for it to replace broken pieces?

You also need to take into account the age of your child. By all means you don’t want to buy them a bike that they will grow out of within a few months, but you need to make sure that the motorcycle matches their ability. It might be that you have a young child who has already owned motorcycles before so is confident sitting on another and you are comfortable with them riding at a higher speed. Alternatively, you may have an older child who has yet to learn how to ride a bike so is likely to be a bit more wobbly.

Your child should be able to:

• Sit in the right position on the seat, with the two feet level or solidly to the ground.
• Hold the heaviness of the cruiser.
• Comfortably hold the handlebars and work the throttle and front brake easily.

Another thing to consider is whether you want to purchase a 4 stroke or 2 stroke motorcycle. This relates to the strokes of the cylinder. A 2 stroke motorcycle doesn’t contain valves which is why a 4 stroke is much heavier. Some say that the 2 stroke is very noisy and gives off an irritating sound. It is also thought that a 2 stroke motorcycle is more harmful to the environment due to oil consumption. The 2 stroke is also quite snappy and so might not be so well suited to a younger more cautious child.

Why You Should Buy A Kids’ Motorcycle

It is important to encourage your children to be adventurous, try new things and step out of their comfort zone. As long as they are careful and wearing the right protection, riding a motorcycle is a great way to hand over some independence and trust them to be sensible. It is likely that riding their motorcycle is no more dangerous than them playing a game of football or running around with their friends at school.

If you have never stepped onto a motorcycle before, you may be cautious of the dangers associated with them. However, a motorcycle will give your youngster confidence and provides them with an outlet to let off some steam after a hard day at school or when they just want to have a moment of independence.

Motorcycling also breeds discipline, when you discover discipline in one part of your life it channels through to different aspects of your life. Encouraging your child to look after their motorcycle and be sensible whilst riding it is a really great lesson to instill in them from a young age that will continue to benefit them throughout their lifetime.

Different Types of Kids Motorcycles

If this is going to be your child’s first bike, it is likely that a motorcycle that is more lightweight and less powerful will make a better ride. The smallest motor you can buy is a 50cc and this size of motor is perfect for those younger children under 7. A 4 stroke 50cc would make the perfect starter bike.

For youth motorcycles, motor size ranges from 50cc to 125cc so it’s important to find one that suits your child and what kind of bike they are looking for. Of course, a 125cc should be limited to those children with more experience. For older and more experienced children, you may look at 250cc models, but these will be full size models that should be saved for those with confidence in riding.

Some bikes are more focused on the “look” and might have working lights, music, bright colors, and storage for toys. Others might not look so exciting but are likely to make up for their lack of novel features in their power and battery charge. Again, this all comes down to what your child is after. Is this intended to be just a fun play toy or is this intended to be their first of many motorcycles?

As previously referenced, four-stroke motors are generally the best approach if this is your child’s first motorcycle. They allow for a smoother ride, with less terrifying starts, giving your child a chance to work out their stop and starts whilst at the same time sussing out the throttle.

Two-stroke motors have substantially more kick in their progression higher in the rev extend however are now and again more hard to control at low speeds than four-strokes.

This is the reason they are frequently the favored motor sort for child’s motocross bicycles. Motocross fans favor a bicycle with more increasing speed than top speed, so if your tyke is thinking about dashing in the trees, they may essentially need to change to a two-stroke model.

When deciding which motorcycle to purchase, think about whether a four-stroke or a two-stroke is the best choice. On the off chance that your tyke is confident and improving in their abilities at a quick pace, a two-stroke with lower motor relocation (50cc – 80cc) may be the best approach. In the event that they are less experienced and want the motorcycle for more recreational riding, they may get on better with a four-stroke as it will be simpler to control.

How to Ensure Your Child’s Safety

To ensure your kids’ safety, it’s important that they are kitted out in the right protective gear. Getting on a new motorcycle for the first time will always be a bit scary and there are likely to be a few slips and bumps to start, but don’t let this deter you or your child! In the right safety gear, your child should be fine even if they were to have an accident.

Here is some equipment you might want to look into:

• Children Dirt Bike Helmets

It is necessary to get a decent quality motorcycle helmet for your child. While they are driving, the most important part of their body to keep protected is their head. The helmet that you buy should have a Department of Transportation mark on it to guarantee that it meets the necessary safety requirements.

• Children Dirt Bike Goggles

Your kids’ vision is significant as well so it is essential for you to get great quality motorcycle goggles for your child. While driving, there are a ton of things flying and all sorts of mud and dirt can go flying into their eyes which worst-case scenario could affect their vision. It’s also possible that something flying in your child’s eye may lead to a crash as they might not be able to see clearly. In goggles, this dirt would just bounce off the goggles and they can continue riding.

• Children Dirt Bike Chest Protector

When riding the motorcycle, as we said there is a great deal of dirt and rubble flying around. Having on a motorcycle chest defender will guarantee you that they are shielded from anything that may fly their way, whilst also protecting them if they have an accident and fall off.

• Children Dirt Bike Gloves

Motorcycle gloves are really useful for kids. In addition to the fact that they add an additional layer of padding to their hands, they will also give them a better grip on the handles. Therefore, this makes motorcycle gloves an absolute necessity.

• Children Dirt Bike Boots and Socks

Some dirt bike boots and socks are also a great item to have. This ensures that your child’s lower legs and feet are protected from anything that they may come across and having proper bike boots will not only protect their feet from the harms outside but will also protect any of their current shoes from being damaged.

• Motorcycle Training Wheels

These are the Holy Grail for the younger children or the complete novices. We’ve all had them on our bicycles previously and realize the amount they can help us when we first begin our riding journey. These are also great for those moments where your child loses their confidence. They might have a tumble and lose faith in themselves. Having training wheels to put onto the bike allows the child to ease themselves back into riding without becoming too overwhelmed or running from riding altogether.

• Other Dirt Bike Accessories

There are lots of other motorbike accessories that you could purchase to ensure the safety of your children, such as motorcycle knee supports and elbow supports. Knees and elbows are two of the things most likely to hit the floor first, so these are a great investment to prevent those scrapes and bruises.

It’s also important that you update these as you go. It’s important that all this protection, particularly their helmet, fits them perfectly. Therefore, it’s likely that you will have to update their protection fairly regularly but this is a really important investment. Similarly, if any of the protection encounters any damage, these should be replaced right away.

Aside from the additional safety equipment, you also need to ensure the motorcycle itself is safe. You should be checking the motorcycle over before each ride checking things like the ties and the brakes to ensure they are working OK, just like you would with a car. If something seems off, or there has been some damage and you are unsure whether the motorcycle is safe to ride, do not let your child use it. Instead, take it to a local store to get a once over. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Lastly, always provide your child with the best safety advice. Make sure they know where they can and cannot ride and that they understand the importance of letting you know any damage that their motorcycle or other equipment might receive. Also, make sure that they know how to put all their safety protection on themselves. Now on the off chance that they ride off and take their helmet off because they’ve got an itch, they will know how to put it back on, rather than riding back to you without it on to ask you to put it on for them. Also, bear in mind the weather. Just like with any vehicle, these motorcycles will drive differently in the snow and the rain, even if they do only work at a low speed. Make sure your child knows how to handle these different situations in the safest possible way and go through potential situations with them and how they should handle it if it arises.

Our Top Pick

Now that you’ve seen some of the wide range of options on the market when it comes to kids’ motorcycles, it’s easy to see why the Razor MX350 Dirt Rocket Electric Motocross Bike is our top pick. It’s an award-winning electric design that’s lightweight and has a fun, yet safe top speed of 14 mph, making it a great pick for beginner motocross enthusiasts, or for kids who just want to bomb around in the backyard for fun.

For our tiny tots, the Costway 3 Wheel Kids Ride On Motorcycle is a fun and safe option that lets them pretend to be grown-ups without stressing you out financially or power-wise.

Sources:

1. 3 Safety Tips For Taking Your Kid On A Motorcycle Ride With You – Planet Awesome Kid