do you think there should be an age requirement on atv's?

[Kennethyfz450]

My first atv was a polaris 400 4x4 bored out .080 over weisco piston/ shaved ported and polish head/ fmf pipe/ clutch kit and some other small things that inhance power.....

I was 12!! the only time that bike got me down is when it snowed and my rear brakes didnt work and i hit a concrete block that was covered in snow with my right back tire and it almost caused me to flip completly over my handle bars, but i held on and pushed myself back on the seat.

now i'm going on 19 and i have close calls every minute it seems like ..

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I always head my helmet on
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so what do you think should the law inforce the age requirments of atv's ??

if you know any good sources to back up your opinion let me know...

(i got really ill at the honda shop the other day because they wouldnt let a 14 yr old ride a 450r and would not sell it to him either.. i thought to myself he could be a better rider than most 16yr olds...
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so whats your opinion, and hopefully im not beating a dead horse....

[Cdaleracer]

I don't think there should be an age requirement. I wish I started riding when I was younger. I was learing a lot from a 14 year old girl at my last race. I am twice her age. I think it teaches the kids a lot when they start young. Especially how to control the quad.

And a 14 year old on a 450R. That really depends on who the kid is. If it his first time on one, then no. If he has been riding for a really long time, knows the ins and outs of the quad, then yes. I think dealerships should have some land if possible, then when a kid like that walks in wanting to buy a quad, the kid needs to show his ability on the land. Then he needs to take a training course of some sort.

[Flynbryan19]

Ever seen the "you have to be ---> tall to ride this ride" signs at the state fair? I think thats more along the lines of how it should be although its a very crude idea.

I really don't know the best answer. I've met 8yr olds that acted more responsibily than some 18yr olds I know. But I have to say having an 10yrs old that just happens to be very tall for his age at say 5'6" is just rediculous to expect them to ride a 90cc quad. Alot of the problem is we have people that have never ridden a quad/dirtbike in their lives making the rules.

Its just a shame that we as a general public can't parent our children and then the government feels its their responsibility to raise our children and set their rules for us. :cuss:

Theres no easy answer. As I said, its stupid to have a giant for thier age child ride a tiny quad, but at the same time (for example) its just complete STUPIDITY that parents allow thier 8yrs old children to ride they're 700lbs sportsman then blame the manufacture........" if they'd have just had a sticker or a sign that said not to do it......." YOU FRICKING IDIOT!!!!!! You don't need a sticker. What you need is a good dose of COMMON SENSE!!!!!

Ok.........I'm done now........ :p

[FourFiftyFour]

the way i see it is and everyone please dont take this the wrong way... a lot of the people who just buy quads for fun dont really know how to control some of the quads that are in production (not saying all of them bc i know there are some people who are great riders and just ride for fun) and usually when a kid is under 16, its probably going to be his first full sized quad (unless the parents just buy them the sizes as they grow, but around here that is not really the case..so im just speaking from what ive seen) and when those kids get on the atv..they go wild and they really dont have any business on them... Sooooo I see why there is a rule! Because you have these crazy kids riding on the roads and flipping and getting hurt on a four wheeler they had no business on.

Now for us racers and people who are really all about riding.... that rule is silly to us, we know how to ride, and we have a lot more experience! so it is not unusual to see a 14 yr old out on a 450.

But, there are more people who dont really know how to ride than those of us who really do, so that might be why that rule is in effect. It seems dumb to us, but maybe it really does serve a good purpose for others.

[Flynbryan19]

Originally posted by CDaleChick
the way i see it is and everyone please dont take this the wrong way... a lot of the people who just buy quads for fun dont really know how to control some of the quads that are in production (not saying all of them bc i know there are some people who are great riders and just ride for fun) and usually when a kid is under 16, its probably going to be his first full sized quad (unless the parents just buy them the sizes as they grow, but around here that is not really the case..so im just speaking from what ive seen) and when those kids get on the atv..they go wild and they really dont have any business on them... Sooooo I see why there is a rule! Because you have these crazy kids riding on the roads and flipping and getting hurt on a four wheeler they had no business on.

Now for us racers and people who are really all about riding.... that rule is silly to us, we know how to ride, and we have a lot more experience! so it is not unusual to see a 14 yr old out on a 450.

But, there are more people who dont really know how to ride than those of us who really do, so that might be why that rule is in effect. It seems dumb to us, but maybe it really does serve a good purpose for others.

I understand your logic Cdalechick, but how about 16 year old kids whose mommy and daddy buy them brand new corvettes, camaros, and mustangs.....? Just as deadly in the hands of an inexperienced driver, but you don't see the government stepping in and saying that sports cars will be limited to drivers over the age of 25 do you?

As I said.......theres no replacement for common sense. It is sad that many parents lack this, but I refuse to think its right that the government has the right to try and tell me when and what quad I will put my child on. And even more angry that there are idiots in this country that feel its the manufacturers responsibility to regulate their children....:ermm:

[FourFiftyFour]

Originally posted by Flynbryan19
I understand your logic Cdalechick, but how about 16 year old kids whose mommy and daddy buy them brand new corvettes, camaros, and mustangs.....? Just as deadly in the hands of an inexperienced driver, but you don't see the government stepping in and saying that sports cars will be limited to drivers over the age of 25 do you?

As I said.......theres no replacement for common sense. It is sad that many parents lack this, but I refuse to think its right that the government has the right to try and tell me when and what quad I will put my child on. And even more angry that there are idiots in this country that feel its the manufacturers responsibility to regulate their children....:ermm:

my insurance company wont even insure me on my 92 corvette and im 19.... Id hate to see how pricey it actually is if the 16 yr olds get approved.

But theres an easy solution.... if you know of someone who has the type of quad you would want to buy for your child, then ask them if he could maybe ride it just a little bit. If everything is fine after the ride, then go off to the dealer, make up a different story, and buy the quad.

[Kennethyfz450]

bump its a good topic!:D

keep the ideas coming.. anyone for age requirments?

[jonc623]

Originally posted by CDaleChick

But theres an easy solution.... if you know of someone who has the type of quad you would want to buy for your child, then ask them if he could maybe ride it just a little bit. If everything is fine after the ride, then go off to the dealer, make up a different story, and buy the quad.

hit the nail on the head there ^plus fine out what political partys support atv's and vote for them

[400exrules]

Originally posted by Kennethyfz450
My first atv was a polaris 400 4x4 bored out .080 over weisco piston/ shaved ported and polish head/ fmf pipe/ clutch kit and some other small things that inhance power.....

I was 12!! the only time that bike got me down is when it snowed and my rear brakes didnt work and i hit a concrete block that was covered in snow with my right back tire and it almost caused me to flip completly over my handle bars, but i held on and pushed myself back on the seat.

now i'm going on 19 and i have close calls every minute it seems like ..

-----------------
I always head my helmet on
---------------------------

so what do you think should the law inforce the age requirments of atv's ??

if you know any good sources to back up your opinion let me know...

(i got really ill at the honda shop the other day because they wouldnt let a 14 yr old ride a 450r and would not sell it to him either.. i thought to myself he could be a better rider than most 16yr olds...
------

so whats your opinion, and hopefully im not beating a dead horse....

yah i went to my dealership, and they had a nice 400ex with nerfs, t-4 exhaust, and cut fenders and i wanted to ride it, and im 16, but thye wouldnt let me. They said we had to be 21 cuz of some kinda liability insurance sh^t:huh, yet their was a guy ridin wheelies on a raptor up and down the street behind the dealership

[BLEEDRED]

As I said.......theres no replacement for common sense. It is sad that many parents lack this, but I refuse to think its right that the government has the right to try and tell me when and what quad I will put my child on. And even more angry that there are idiots in this country that feel its the manufacturers responsibility to regulate their children....

This really is the bottom line, no questions asked. It all boils down to poor parenting and nobody wanting to take responsability for their actions or the actions of their children.

[Sportrax10]

I agree with certain age requirments. I just think they need adjustments...

It should be up to the dealers, and the parents at the time of the sale. The parents need to know that their kids responsable enough to handle the quad there going to buy them. At the same time the dealer needs to know whether or not the parents are informed enough to know what to buy their kids.

[wilkin250r]

Nobody wants to get sued.

Me personally, I think the age limitations are a PERFECT compromise, and I'm totally in favor of them. Follow my logic:

-We all know that some parents are stupid. It's a fact of life. Some idiot will let his 10yr old son take off on a banshee. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.

-You can't control stupidity.

-Lawsuits cause problems for EVERYBODY, not just the people getting sued.

Age limitations are the perfect solution. It doesn't actually prohibit a 14yr old from riding a 450r. All it does is prohibit a DEALER from SELLING a 450r to a kid. If the parent thinks the 14yr old is responsible enough for a 450r, then the parent can buy it for him. It removes liability from the dealers and manufacturers, and places it in the hands of the parents where it belongs.

If the only drawback is that a 14yr old can't test drive a 450r at the dealership, that's really not the end of the world. Personally, I'd MUCH rather have age restrictions than a repeat of the late 80's lawsuits and bans.

[fastblaster2002]

i think its pure crap that ATVs have age requirements. when i started riding i was just turning 12.my dad bought me a raptor 80. i rode it for 2 years and was way overgrown for the "toy". my dad went by what he thought were the rules of any quad over 90cc's i had to be 16. whenever i started complaining about being way to big (5'9" and about 140lbs) he looked into me moving up. he had a blaster at the time. the age requirement is just that, a requirement. its so unfair though. you could put a 8 year old kid on a 250cc dirtbike because theres no requirements. dirtbikes are involved in 10x more crashes than atvs, though ATV incidents tend to be 10x worse because of the weight and the ability to keep rolling.

i now have my dads old blaster and i love the thing. i know how to ride, therefore im safe being on it. i took the training course and everything when i started riding. i did however break my leg (because of having no nerfs) but it was a stupid accident that couldve happened on my old 80.

i guess what im trying to get at is....the age requirements are way blown out and crap in my opinion...if your gonna have them for ATV...have them for dirtbikes

[DeerNuts]

Fastblaster, you either ignored or didnt follow Wilkin's post correctly. His logic was perfectly sound and valid. Think about it, the age limitations are there for a LEGAL reason, and none other. Again, a 14yr old can ride an adult quad; however, the quad cannot be purchased in his name. That makes good common sense.

Agreed, there should be age limitations for dirtbikes if there are going to be age limitations for quads. They are much more dangerous and hard to control.

Because of SOME people's STUPIDITY, age limitations are an absolute necessity. Again, we may not like them or think they are necessary because we are the few who are able to ride responsibly, but they serve a necessary purpose, agreed?

[wilkin250r]

I don't think dirtbikes are a very big issue. There are not NEARLY as many stupid-parent-accidents with dirtbikes as opposed to ATVs.

Think about it. You put a 8yr old on an XR400, and what's going to happen? Honestly, they'll probably just fall over. If not, they'll gas it, get up to 12mph, get squirrely, and THEN fall over. A few scrapes and bruies, and a lesson learned. Plus, no parent in the world, stupid or not, would put an 8yr old on an XR400.

But that very same engine in a quad frame, the 400EX. What happens when you put a 8yr old on a 400EX? They go out, make a few turns, come back, everything seems fine. They go a little faster, and faster, and eventually get in a situation over their head. Now, instead of 12mph, that 8yr old gets in an accident at 45mph!

People make the mistake that quads aren't as dangerous as dirtbikes, because quads FEEL so much more stable and safe. As such, they let their kids ride them without proper supervision or training. THAT is why ATVs need age restrictions and dirtbikes don't. People already know that dirtbikes are dangerous, because they FEEL dangerous. Some morons don't know that ATVs are just as dangerous.

[DeerNuts]

I realize that ATV's are dangerous, I just always thought that dirtbikes were more dangerous, maybe because of my personal experience with them. My first time on a dirtbike, I was 10. I drove in a small circle and crashed into our porch!:o Agreed, there was a lesson learned, but just a few bruises were the only negative result.

I agree now that ATV's can be just as dangerous, if not more than, dirtbikes. You made some points that I've never yet considered. Thanks.

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by DeerNuts
I drove in a small circle and crashed into our porch!:o Agreed, there was a lesson learned, but just a few bruises were the only negative result.

And that's why I honestly think that ATVs are actually MORE dangerous than dirtbikes. Sitting on an ATV, you can easily get lured into a false sense of security, especially if you're young.

Think about yourself as an example. A 10yr kid doesn't really have the skills to get into serious danger on a dirtbike, they'll crash long before they reach dangerous speeds. Crashing into a porch at 12mph can result in some scrapes and bruises, possibly even a broken bone, but it isn't really life-threatening.

On a quad, it's all to easy to get up to 40mph and beyond, even for a 10yr old. At this point, a crash isn't as simple as scrapes and bruises or broken bones. At 40mph, you're looking at spending several days in ICU.

Dirtbikes are less stable than quads, increasing the chances for crashing, which is actually what make them safer. They FEEL unsafe, ensuring that the rider and the parents will take extra precautions.

[440exnacsracer]

very good points you have made wilken, i never looked at it that way.

[DaleJrFan]

as in all sports, if you start out young enough and with the proper guidance and mentorship, you have the potential to learn the fundamentals of your activity and become better with age and maturity(ex:Tiger Woods). my daughter is 5 and has a suzuki 50 that is goverened down to a speed she can control on her own but i would never let her ride unsupervised and under no circumstance can she even think about riding without helmet,googles,gloves, boots and protective vest. sounds a little overkill but over the last year she has had it beat into her head enough where she puts all of her own gear on and then comes and asks to ride. under controlled circumstances, i will let her ride with me on my 400 with me driving and she really enjoys riding my wifes polaris 500 sportsman when riding trails and at the dunes. hopefully by the time she is 10 or so she will be responsible enough to handle a quad capable of some sort of organized racing. i dont know about other areas of the country but around OKC, the dealars frown on you if you even let a five yr old sit on a quad out of her age group and enforce the age law to sell you a quad. all this leads to a "yes" i support age limits on quads but it ultimately falls back on good parenting of you kids.

[300ex13]

no

[tiger250ex]

Are you guys and girls saying that if your like 13 or 14 your only not allowed to test the quad? Or if a parent wants to buy a quad for a 13 or 14 year old they wont let you buy it because you dont meet the age requirment???:confused:
Can you explain this to me?

By the way since I'm getting sick of being bashed about spelling I've decided to get my act together and type properly:ermm:
Are you people happy now?
I may have a few typos (sp) now and then but dont bash on me about it. At least I'm making an effort.:macho

[DaleJrFan]

all the new dealerships that i have been to wont let you test ride a quad or dirtbike cause their insurance wont cover you if you have a accident. the same dealerships can not sell you a quad if you dont meet the manufacturers recommended age requirement for that bike. for example, my daughter is only five so the dealership cant sell me a 90 cause it is recommended for 10 yr olds and above. i had it out with the only polaris dealership here in okc cause my daughter was with me and i wanted to get her the dale earnhardt limited edition 90 but they wanted proof it was for someone over the age of 10, i told them that it was for me and they shut the hell up but was still hesitant about making the sale cause if they knowingly sold a quad to someone younger than the age limit they could be held liable. i didn't buy the quad but just wanted to make a point to the prick salesman even though by law he didnt have to sell the quad to me cause he knew what i was up to, they are no dummies. now someone selling a used quad not at a certified dealership can let anyone they want to test ride it for a sale. if you are wanting to buy a quad out of your age brackett, have your parents buy it without you there or appear to be older so no questions are asked(at least around okc)!

[Cody_300ex]

Yes and No. Just depends on rider abilty/skill.

[tiger250ex]

What if you already made a deposit on a quad and they find out your not the right age requirment could they take it off reserve (sp) and keep the money you deposited?

[DaleJrFan]

i dont know, good question. you would have to talk to the dealership. dont get me wrong, not all salesmen at dealerships are a**holes, they are just looking out for your best intrest. some may sell quads to whoever has the money but i guess it boils down to a judgement call on the dealer on if he wants to make the sale or not.

[BassGin3]

Originally posted by wilkin250r
Nobody wants to get sued.

Me personally, I think the age limitations are a PERFECT compromise, and I'm totally in favor of them. Follow my logic:

-We all know that some parents are stupid. It's a fact of life. Some idiot will let his 10yr old son take off on a banshee. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.

-You can't control stupidity.

-Lawsuits cause problems for EVERYBODY, not just the people getting sued.

Age limitations are the perfect solution. It doesn't actually prohibit a 14yr old from riding a 450r. All it does is prohibit a DEALER from SELLING a 450r to a kid. If the parent thinks the 14yr old is responsible enough for a 450r, then the parent can buy it for him. It removes liability from the dealers and manufacturers, and places it in the hands of the parents where it belongs.

If the only drawback is that a 14yr old can't test drive a 450r at the dealership, that's really not the end of the world. Personally, I'd MUCH rather have age restrictions than a repeat of the late 80's lawsuits and bans.




Completely agree with you. I thought it was ridiculous when I was 14 that I couldn't legally operate a quad over 90cc's, even though I had a Blaster at the time. Looking back though, I can easily see how stupid my friends and I would act on quads. While it's very true that there are many people under the age of 16 that can handle a full size 450 or so, there are also a good amount of knuckleheads that are 13 and 14 that just want to say they have the biggest and fastest quad around but would get killed if they rode it to it's full potential all the time. It all equals out. Kids who are young but into racing and are responsible riders, they usually don't have too much of a problem getting their hands on what they deserve.