How to Introduce Your Kids to ATVs

More and more kids under 12 years of age are discovering the fun and excitement that come with riding a quad. If dad, mom or both are riding across sand dunes or rough terrain, the kids would be intensely enamoured with the activity that they cannot wait to be old enough to ride an all terrain vehicle. As a parent, you too are excited for the day when your youngsters are big and mature enough to handle the quad. Nevertheless, if that day is almost in sight, learn how to introduce your kids to ATVs here.

Get the Right Size

First off, you have to think about the size of your child. If you are an avid rider, you know very well that bigger quads are heavier, faster and more difficult to manoeuvre. Therefore small and skinny kids will have a lot of trouble handling the larger youth ATVs.

Practice Wearing Safety Gear

At the sight of the vehicle, your kids would be so thrilled that they might jump on the vehicle without any gear. Don’t let them ride into the sunset just yet. Teach them the importance of wearing safety equipment. Before starting the engine, make sure your kids are wearing a helmet, body armour, gloves, pants and a long-sleeved shirt. There are never enough precautions when it comes to your children.

Start Early with Electric Quads

If you are really passionate about riding outdoors and you want to start your kids as early as possible, electric quads are available on the market to help your kids build confidence. These quads are battery-powered, super lightweight and are incredibly slow. The idea is not to give your kids the adrenaline pumping ride that you enjoy as an adult. By playing with a slow and safe toy, children will acquire essential skills to ride bigger quads such as steering and braking.

Acquire Experience with Youth Quads

If your young ones have experience riding a quad, they are ready to handle a 50 cc gas motor ATV. This ultra light youth quad is small with minimal to no suspension. More importantly, the vehicle is outfitted with a governor to control the quad’s top speed. Taking baby steps is important to avoid any accident. After a few weeks of riding and you can see the development of your kids, you have the option of increasing the maximum speed.

As an added precaution, safety kill switches attached to a tether are available for small quads. An adult can hold the tether while walking behind the vehicle and should something unexpected happen, a quick pull will kill the quad’s engine.

Get Them Ready for Bigger ATVs

Once your kids have shown sufficient skill and awareness, the next step is to move up to a 70 cc quad. The recommended age for an ATV this size is 13 years old, and the recommendation doesn’t change until your kids hit 16.

At this level, age and skill are very important because these vehicles are heavier and quicker which means they are dangerous to those with no skill. Again, ensure that your kids are always wearing safety equipment before going on a ride. Lastly if you are riding as a whole family or a group, do not make the mistake of going too fast. Kids are going to try to catch up and when they do, they might commit errors that could lead to accidents.