rg0r
Well-known member
Nice.. It is a crf50... Neighbours looked ****** because their kids were begging them for one.. Will try to find some empty space to practice
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kids dirtbikes?
- Thread starter ajaxguy
- Start date
Nice.. It is a crf50... Neighbours looked ****** because their kids were begging them for one.. Will try to find some empty space to practice
ajaxguy
Well-known member
I was looking at the cr70 actually, but was thinking of that for my 11 year old, as he may have more fun not trying to learn a manual clutch just yet. I was thinking a cr50 or ttr50 for the lil guy, although he just turned 7 he is a small kid and 42 lbs only. My oldest will take a while learning a clutch, and to be honest he may be best on a semi auto like a cr70 as well, he is very timid and is not about speed, he is just happy puttering around, and can get frustrated very easy.
The 100 is a pretty small bike. 1st is geared so low that you can dump the clutch at idle and it'll putter off at less than walking speed.
The clutch may be a steep learning curve at first but kids catch on pretty quick. You can always take them out to take turns with the little guys bike to gain throttle control and balance before letting them on the bigger ones. If racing is on their minds at all they would probably get tired of a mini bike within a month.
I gave my youngest a 100f for his 12th birthday. He was a pretty small kid. He was able to catch on to the clutch quickly and he is as timid as it gets. He is moving up to my daughter's 150f next season after only about a dozen rides on the 100. My daughter took over my RM125 when I got my KTM at the beginning of this season after 1 season on the 150, the bike she learned on.
I've taught quite a few kids the basics since I got the bikes. Nieces, nephews, friends, etc... Kids seem to come out of the woodwork once they find out you have dirtbikes in the garage.:lol: I find the biggest thing to help a kid feel comfortable on a bike is whether they can touch the ground. It shouldn't take them more than a ride or 2 to get the hang of the clutch enough to keep them moving.
The clutch may be a steep learning curve at first but kids catch on pretty quick. You can always take them out to take turns with the little guys bike to gain throttle control and balance before letting them on the bigger ones. If racing is on their minds at all they would probably get tired of a mini bike within a month.
I gave my youngest a 100f for his 12th birthday. He was a pretty small kid. He was able to catch on to the clutch quickly and he is as timid as it gets. He is moving up to my daughter's 150f next season after only about a dozen rides on the 100. My daughter took over my RM125 when I got my KTM at the beginning of this season after 1 season on the 150, the bike she learned on.
I've taught quite a few kids the basics since I got the bikes. Nieces, nephews, friends, etc... Kids seem to come out of the woodwork once they find out you have dirtbikes in the garage.:lol: I find the biggest thing to help a kid feel comfortable on a bike is whether they can touch the ground. It shouldn't take them more than a ride or 2 to get the hang of the clutch enough to keep them moving.
ajaxguy
Well-known member
Ya after some consideration I think I am going to go with a cr70 for my 7 year old as the seat height is good for him. For the 11 year old may go with a ttr90 and a xr/cr 100 for the 12 year old and that way the 2 older boys can tinker with each others bikes and see what one they like.
ajaxguy
Well-known member
So as an update to this post... I got my 7 year old a KTM 50 mini adventure... my 11 year old still wants one, and think im gonna look out for a KTM 50 JR or SR...he just wants to race but never has before.
My lil guy will be racing at the Tuesday night OCMC races so that should be fun! I just need to learn how to get this lil bike ready for the race... I am assuming plug, fresh oil, chain? any suggestions from people who have these 50 ktm's?
My lil guy will be racing at the Tuesday night OCMC races so that should be fun! I just need to learn how to get this lil bike ready for the race... I am assuming plug, fresh oil, chain? any suggestions from people who have these 50 ktm's?
rmemedic
Well-known member
A 50 is small for your older boy to race on. He won't have a class to be competitive in on one. A 65 is a better bet, but by that whole 11-13 age range the experienced kids are getting on 80's and haulin'.
Go over the bike before you start racing. My MX bike gets a complete tear down minus the motor for inspection, cleaning, greasing and fastener check every spring. The more prep you do now the less heartaches you have at the track.
Check brake pads, clutch, chain and sprockets, etc. New fluids (brakes, transmission), new plug is great but I would always have a couple new plugs waiting in the tool box at the track (even with a 4 stroke I have 2 fresh ones ready to go).
Takes me a solid afternoon in the garage to do my spring check up. But if you haven't wrenched on the bike much, it will take a bit longer until you figure out fastener sizes and how everything goes together. It's pretty cool once you've worked on a specific bike a bunch to see how fast you can pull things off and get them back on, it comes in handy when you're in the pit smashing things back together and your moto is on the line warming up.
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My 11 year old has a 65sx, I really couldn't imagine him on anything smaller. If he wants to race then even with a 65 I think he'll be behind the pack. Not knowing the kid it's hard to comment, but my son hates his bike. He doesn't like how fast the power band is and would rather have something a little smoother. He's doesn't have the kind of heart for MX, but he loves enduro/woods.
ajaxguy
Well-known member
then you should sell it... I may know a guy
I was thinking about it, but I'm going to try a flywheel weight first and see how that goes.
ajaxguy
Well-known member
Im trying to access the ktmtalk website but its a nightmare. I want someone to do a full tuneup of my sons 50 so I can get the idea and make sure its running perfect come race time, but that site which is suppose to have all the info sucks to register for.
Iceman
Well-known member
Yeah most new ( young kids) riders are simply overwhelmed by that two stroke hit, actually scares many riders away altogether. Ajaxguy, didn't you say your older boy was timid? Good luck putting him on a 65. Think 4t trail bike, he'll likely enjoy it more and stick with it. If you plan on them racing, I'd get them on the bikes soon, so they know how to work it before they hit a track. Track isn't the best place to learn initially.
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ajaxguy
Well-known member
I only have the one kid( my 7 year old) with a bike right now, and although its a KTM 50 2 stroke, its the mini adventure, so from what i understand not as scary. Plus no clutch so he can focus on just riding. any nice day, he is out on it and im teaching him, he has no fear and is wide open with no issues. Even gets the leg down before I even taught him that. He will racing starting in May, and if I can find the right deal for my 11 year old, will get him a 65. My timid son who is the oldest is not getting one this year.
Iceman
Well-known member
If the little guy is going good already, then just wait. Chasing a few other kids around a track, he'll learn in leaps and bounds. My daughter picked it up fast, my son not so much. I had to repair the fence in my yard 3 times last summer, keep reminding him about brakes and steering... Lol
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rmemedic
Well-known member
What club are you guys racing with? MMRS is a great family club, and growing. Practice saturdays, race sundays. This gives you lots of seat time, less travel and makes it a safer race day. We start racing late this month. Come out on a sunday and watch. Pay attention to the classes your kids would be running in to get a feel.
Something like a crf110 would be great for the older kids. Has a clutch, it's mellow but has some grunt to it. Would be a good stepping stone to a 65 since it's easier to learn clutch feel when it's not stalling all the time.
The track is not the place to learn bike basics. Because not only do you need to know how to ride a bike, you also need to understand how a track flows.
Some of these kids haul. My buddie's 13 year old brother on an 80 can pull lap times about a second slower than me. Take a kid clearing a 70' triple, and have an inexperienced kid that can hardly control a bike cross lines on the landing, equals a bad day. Or the pressure of learning to ride in the ruts, bumps etc and having bikes on the gas ripping by inches away. I've seen people try to get out of the way and cause crashes. It takes a while to learn that the experienced guys will pass if you just stick to your line.
One family started their boy racing in 2012 at 6 on 50s. Last fall he went to Florida for the mini-os and would gap the field. He went from barely being able to hold his bike up to killing it and being one of the fastest 50 kids in the club in about a year, so some of them learn fast! (His dad started to race last year at 45 and hasn't learned near as fast lol)
Something like a crf110 would be great for the older kids. Has a clutch, it's mellow but has some grunt to it. Would be a good stepping stone to a 65 since it's easier to learn clutch feel when it's not stalling all the time.
The track is not the place to learn bike basics. Because not only do you need to know how to ride a bike, you also need to understand how a track flows.
Some of these kids haul. My buddie's 13 year old brother on an 80 can pull lap times about a second slower than me. Take a kid clearing a 70' triple, and have an inexperienced kid that can hardly control a bike cross lines on the landing, equals a bad day. Or the pressure of learning to ride in the ruts, bumps etc and having bikes on the gas ripping by inches away. I've seen people try to get out of the way and cause crashes. It takes a while to learn that the experienced guys will pass if you just stick to your line.
One family started their boy racing in 2012 at 6 on 50s. Last fall he went to Florida for the mini-os and would gap the field. He went from barely being able to hold his bike up to killing it and being one of the fastest 50 kids in the club in about a year, so some of them learn fast! (His dad started to race last year at 45 and hasn't learned near as fast lol)
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rmemedic
Well-known member
OCMC would be a great club for you guys then, good atmosphere.
If you guys have a spare saturday and want to try some new tracks, MMRS has day passes.
ajaxguy
Well-known member
Ya IF we get a spare Saturday i will look into that...I heard good things about OCMC and will be a great entry level race deal for him.
rmemedic
Well-known member
I'd stick to stock gearing, any changes in the sprocket sizes changes the way the centrifugal clutch works and then you end up playing with springs and weights. I'm sure another mini-dad will offer advice at the track as to how they are set up.
I usually just run regular renthal sprockets and DID chains... But, there might be some hot ticket for the little bikes.
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