Starting my son riding

Villo2fan
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Las Vegas, NV US
7/31/2017 11:46am Edited Date/Time 7/31/2017 2:29pm
My son just turned 9 and is begging me to ride. Before I had kids I always told myself if I had a son he'd be a racer. But after so many broken bones and hospital visits, my opinion changed after I had him. Obviously I still follow Moto and he's seen me race a handful of times but he never really begged me or made it seem like he was interested and I as OK with that.

So my question is, what's a good bike to get him on? He rode a friends crf 50 a few times and I even got him a ktm 50 jr that I bought used and was a mistake. The clutch was about shot in it and the rpms being so high before it engages kind of freaked him out. I ended up getting rid of it as he didn't really like it. It's been a year since then and Hes showing a ton of interest and I don't think I can let another Christmas go by without getting him a bike. I think he's ready as he's become daring on his bmx bike with jumps and whatnot.

Would love some input
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Log Hopper
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7/31/2017 12:26pm
KLX110 without the clutch. I'm getting one for my daughter and can't wait to beat the snot out of it.
rongi#401
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southern, CA US
7/31/2017 12:45pm
you know ive always thought a modded 110 with good suspention would be a good starter bike. easyer to learn to ride than a 65, i feel like the pipeyness of a 65 hold riders back, when i was little i was all good on my pw, and my dad got me a LEM and i was scared shitless of it.
7/31/2017 12:49pm
Log Hopper wrote:
KLX110 without the clutch. I'm getting one for my daughter and can't wait to beat the snot out of it.
This or a Honda CRF 70 is a great little bike. Either really has no suspension though.
Swann
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Phoenix, AZ US
7/31/2017 12:57pm Edited Date/Time 7/31/2017 1:07pm
I fucking cherish this picture. It is literally the very first time I rode a motorcycle. Christmas morning 1984 on my brand new Honda XR80. I was 8. That's my Dad teaching me how to use a clutch, throttle and brakes.



Get him a bike with a clutch. He'll figure it out. I don't subscribe to the "just twist the throttle and go" approach to learning to ride. Basics and learning the controls slows the pace of actual riding. Important, I think.

Make sure to take photos too so he has something to cherish 35 years later. The cool thing about introducing your son to motorcycles is that, no matter what trials and tribulations the two of you will inevitably have, when he's mature enough, he'll look back on that very moment and appreciate the fact he had such a rad dad that introduced him to motorcycles. There's nothing better. Just one last thing - leave racing entirely up to him.

The Shop

Rockinar
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Katy, TX US
7/31/2017 1:20pm
Id go the CRF 70 type route.
sgrimmxdad
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Farmville, NC US
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7/31/2017 1:28pm
How big is he? At nine I'd think the 110 would be a hard bike to beat to get him started! They can take a serious beating. 70 would work too but if he likes to rip he will out grow it quickly.
Villo2fan
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Las Vegas, NV US
7/31/2017 2:29pm Edited Date/Time 7/31/2017 2:32pm
Thanks for the input guys. It's hard to tell where he's at. He was braver on the crf 50 because of the power delivery being so mellow. I noticed he would push himself harder and try jumps. Once I got him on the race type 50 the pop of the throttle scared him and tamed him out a bit. I'm thinking I'll go the 110 route to build his confidence. But the other side of me says not to raise a wuss. I went from pw50 to 65 and adjusted to the powerband and clutch. Decisions decisions
Gooose
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Eatonville, WA US
7/31/2017 4:05pm
I'd get a klx110.....the klx you can buy a clutch kit so it's semi with the lever to get him to learn to use it but not required. And you can later use it to chase him around when he steps up to a bigger or faster 65 or something.
Id Just stay away from the 02 unless it's dirt cheap. Basically everything interchanges from 03-09. Few differences but nothing major.
Mickolobe7
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Chicago, IL US
7/31/2017 7:34pm
If he knows how to use a clutch I would get his a KX 65 special if you think he is going to be on tracks and possibly race. If he has no idea how to use a clutch then KLX 110 and if he is going to ride around small tracks and fields. I have a 4 year old son I started on a PW 50 and as soon as he can ride it to the limits then going to move him up to a Ktm 50 then an KTM 65. If my son was 9 I would go with a 65. Depends on what you want him to do on it?
wwoberg
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Soddy Daisy, TN US
7/31/2017 7:41pm
My son who rides, who is now 23, went the PW, JR80, RM85, RMZ250 route.
7/31/2017 9:04pm
Since he is 9 years old I would go straight to a KX65.
Radical
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San Diego, CA US
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7/31/2017 10:37pm
Swann wrote:
I fucking cherish this picture. It is literally the very first time I rode a motorcycle. Christmas morning 1984 on my brand new Honda XR80. I...
I fucking cherish this picture. It is literally the very first time I rode a motorcycle. Christmas morning 1984 on my brand new Honda XR80. I was 8. That's my Dad teaching me how to use a clutch, throttle and brakes.



Get him a bike with a clutch. He'll figure it out. I don't subscribe to the "just twist the throttle and go" approach to learning to ride. Basics and learning the controls slows the pace of actual riding. Important, I think.

Make sure to take photos too so he has something to cherish 35 years later. The cool thing about introducing your son to motorcycles is that, no matter what trials and tribulations the two of you will inevitably have, when he's mature enough, he'll look back on that very moment and appreciate the fact he had such a rad dad that introduced him to motorcycles. There's nothing better. Just one last thing - leave racing entirely up to him.
That's awesome!
Radical
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7/31/2017 10:38pm
I would get him a 65.

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