Need some advice from the dads

[JDubb0273]

My son was 3 when we got him a strider bike. He learned to balance within a few weeks...i was skeptical it would work (have you seen the promo?...) but after a year on that he rode a pw for the first time no problem. No training wheels, just the throttle limiter screwed mostly in. Ive let him drive the boat since then; never forcing.

Now this weekend he started jumping tree roots so i made him a makeshift jump (safe-ish) and he went nuts. He asked if it could go faster (previously he would even throttle the turns). Now he wants a bigger bike for his 5th bday. It happened overnight with his confidence. I rode with him at first and now he just asks to go out himself. ?ImageUploadedByThumper Talk1401940228.584648.jpg

There are very few sites better then this :-). I luv it!

[dhallilama]

started my now almost 9 year old off on a balance bike (similar to a stryder)... took her 2 years to get used to it... another 2 years to go without training wheels on her bicycle, now 2 years off of training wheels and decent balance. very fearful while learning. she's ridden motorcycles with me a number of times, starting her solo on a 50 shortly.

 

my now almost 5 year old son started on a stryder before he was 2. balanced the first day. never rode a bicycle with training wheels, just got on and went. went fast. he hits jumps, tries to wheelie, totally fearless. if he bails, he jumps up and tries again.  just now starting on a motorcycle (50) and he's totally got it.

 

huge difference between the kids.  one needs lots of time and security to build confidence... one just flat out bombs everything.  in short, all kids are different.  one is starting before 5 years old, one is starting at nearly 9 years old. 

 

PW50... once my daughter is comfortable, something a little bigger (she's tall).  that, and try to teach my son throttle control and get him to stay on the 50 for a while

[Smacaroni]

My two cents, pw50 is very small for an average sized 9 year old. Try a PW80 with an 3/8" washer in the exhaust instead. A bike that's too small can be as problematic as one that's too big.

[JDubb0273]

My two cents, pw50 is very small for an average sized 9 year old. Try a PW80 with an 3/8" washer in the exhaust instead. A bike that's too small can be as problematic as one that's too big.

I couldn't agree more. That bike is way to small.

[AKmud]

At 9, the PW80 is the much better choice, maybe even a TTR110.... 

 

My kids progression went like this -

 

Just getting started at 4yo on a PW50 -

 

 

 

5yo on his PW80.  (He's tall for his age)

 

 

At 7yo he has now graduated to a KTM65SX -

 

[YZJohn250]

That's some beautiful scenery you have there AKmud

[dhallilama]

My two cents, pw50 is very small for an average sized 9 year old. Try a PW80 with an 3/8" washer in the exhaust instead. A bike that's too small can be as problematic as one that's too big.

 

 

 

i agree... a pw50 is small for her. feel like my son will outgrow one quickly, too. (i do also have a 2yo and another baby due very soon, though... it'd get use)

i'd like to get her on something along the lines of a PW80 sooner rather than later.  (like i need a "reason" to buy more motorcycles ? )

[JDubb0273]

i agree... a pw50 is small for her. feel like my son will outgrow one quickly, too. (i do also have a 2yo and another baby due very soon, though... it'd get use)

i'd like to get her on something along the lines of a PW80 sooner rather than later. (like i need a "reason" to buy more motorcycles ? )

LOL!! I know I do t need a reason to buy one. I like the SSR's for the inbetween age of a 50 and 65. They don't cost a ton and I they run great.

[YZCas27]

Both my sons been riding since three one is 5 and his older brother is 8 my 8 year old rides a kx 65 and a klx 110 my youngest rides a ttr 110 like he's been on it for years I didn't use training wheels I helped them start and stop and Theye both are turning out riding better than me at that age because I didn't ride till about 12 years old.

[CrashMW]

I am glad that I found this thread...

I read the posts where wallrat insists that the quality of the Kuberg is much better than the Oset. 

Now I get that the Oset is built in China, but I happen to have a Pitster Pro that absolutely amazes me with regards to what it can take. So my opinion of a chinese bike is not as critical as it used to be,

So what I want to know is "quantitatively" what makes the Kuberg superior from a quality standpoint?

It does not have a standard swingarm, but that is not necessarily a negative.

It looks like it would be more difficult to learn to stand up on, since I like the idea of the Oset and learning to stand on a bike at an early age...but ergonomically, they could be identical. I just have not seen them side by side in a comparison.

If anyone has a side by side comparison that they could send me to, I would be much obliged. (BTW-I Have searched for everything Kuberg start and Oset 12.5 related that I can find).

 

I know that I can probably drive an hour plus to Santa Cruz to see them myself, but without an Oset to compare, I would only be getting one viewpoint.

 

Also, with regards to being suited to small kids, I rarely see the Kuberg without the seat. My son is almost 3 and is 34#s and about 38" in height. My plan is to limit top speed and teach him to start riding it like his balance bike, with both feet out (or down). I will take him to a park with grass so the space will be open and falls will be "cushioned"...I live on a gravel road -not ideal for learning to ride a bike or motorcycle.

 

I have a CRF50, but that thing is big and heavy for him, he cannot reach the ground, and the throttle limiter does not do much to reduce top speed, only how fast he gets to top speed...So the electric idea is very attractive from this perspective.

 

Anyway, thanks for listening...

[ToadalyCrazyCanadian]

Between my daughter and all your kids I'm jealous. Here was the bike I learned on when I was 4. I still have it but this is a Google pic. Mine is almost restored but I'm afraid to let my daughter touch it. Still a long way from the little bikes available today.