Hey everyone, I'm Susan. I was just posting in the introductions forum and Cyphen wrote about his friend getting hurt in an ATV accident.

I'm a young mother with a four year-old and a second on the way, and my husband is talking about getting an ATV. Are they safe to own in families with young kids (and eventually teenagers) in the house? Of course I wouldn't let them ride alone until they were like 18. Is there a legal age, by the way? From Cyphen's story I'd hope it IS 18, but I've heard they make kid-size ones.

I guess it's probably clear that I'm not a fan of the idea, but I'm hoping that you guys and gals can help me learn more before I decide whether or not to have it out with Bill. I don't want anything in my house that I have to forbid the kids to ever use (nothing I can avoid anyway), but maybe I'm being overprotective. Maybe I'm not. But if you know anything about ATVs, whether they're safe, how old kids/teenagers are supposed to be before riding them, etc. it would be really helpful if you would share it with me.

Thanks everybody!!!

SuzieQ

 

To start off, I'm acctually sixteen and When i was thirteen my brother kyle (was 16) bought a Yamaha Baster 200cc ATV. At first i was very scared of it, but i learned to ride it and i had alot of fun on it. They are only as safe as the rider is In my own opinion. I drove it slow, My brother did catwalks and high speeds.
They do make smaller ones without clutches and stuff, but to tell the truth they get boring really fast I've heard. Snowmobiles on the other hand are VERY dangerous. I own a 2001 Arctic Cat ZR500cc
They are very fast. My snowmobile can reach about 95mph and it doesn't take long to get there either.
My dads 2003 Ski- Doo MXZ 700 can do about 120 mph (on the speedo) and gets there extremely fast.
Just to give you an insight to how dangerous ATV's are compared to other recreational vehicals.

 

They can be dangerous and they can be safe. It just depends on the rider and where you ride it at. They should be alright with a helmet but I think a dirt bike is safer because if you go up a hill and fall down it isn't going to roll over on top of you and crush you like an atv. I have a Yamaha 85 2-stroke and sometimes I do some stupid stuff on it but I know what I can and can't do so I have never been hurt on it even though I fall off the thing all the time. I think that if you start them early on like a 50 with training wheels they will learn how to ride and develop skills they need early so they don't really hurt themselves starting later on a big bike. I think it is safe enough to let them use one with their dad and helmets but there is always going to be a chance that something could happen. Make them get the full suits and stuff if you are that worried about it. (chest protectors, boots, gloves, helmet, pants, goggles, and the shirt.)

 

they are a blast..but in the wrong hands can do some damage. i've only driven a few different ones...one being an automatic which is just throttle and go brake and stop. the manual ones are little trickier but are easy once you know how to work it.

with proper lessons, your kid could ride one and be fine..but it mostly depends on your kid.

some of them can be really really fast. i got to take my neighbors 660 raptor out one time, and that thing is fast!

http://atvsafety.org/asi.cfm?pagenam...Young%20Riders
thats link about safety and kids w/ atvs

from: http://atvsafety.org/

on the yamaha page it says 49cc-70cc engines are recommended for kids 6 and up, 70cc-90cc for 12 and up, and 90cc and up for kids 16 and older. they also recommend parental supervision of course.

 

I've never ridden an ATV but I ride a motorcycle. The ATVs I saw at the motorcycle dealership said that they should not be operated by riders under the age of 16. However, it was a bigger ATV. Riding motorcycles, dirt bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles is really similar as far as how old you should be to start riding. I know that they make really small dirt bikes for really young kids (like 5 years old) so it is safe for kids to start out riding when they are young of the machine is not powerful. Also, I would never let anyone under 16 ride anything without supervision. Kids do stupid things but they won't be as likely to do stupid things if mom/dad is watching over them. I wish I had ATVs and dirt bikes growing up but its nobody in my family does that kind of stuff.

 

I have rode them all my life and they are what you make em.

 

u also have to get em insured and registered or cops can impound them , but i agree its only as asafe as the driver

 

They can only impound it if you are on a public road. You can do whatever you want on private property.

 

+1 on the private property.

 

Short answer..... No child under 10 should ever be on an ATV. Ideally they should be at least 12-14. But 10 years old would be a good ballpark age.