Got my son a dirt bike - - what else do I need?

[Bails]

My sons 5th birthday is coming up so I picked up a used yamaha 50. I got a good deal on it and I'm spending some time fixing it up before his birthday, new carb, batt, and even plastics.

The family has been doing some fun camping and riding in our Can Am, so I thought this would be fun for him around camp. The issue I'm having is I'm not sure what I need to outfit him with, as I've never been on a dirt bike myself. What is important to outfit him with? Boots? riding shirt and pants? elbow and knee pads? I have a helmet that he wears in the Can Am so I'm set on that.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Make sure the helmet fits him well but isn't too heavy / big, some are obscenely big and make the kids top-heavy and put alot of pressure on their neck, wobbling around like a bobble head. It's surprisingly hard to get a good fit on some kids that age.

Run a neck pad / neck brace , they usually have snaps that attach to the chest protector so they stay in place. This helps support the helmet whipping around too, as their neck isn't that strong.

A chest protector with built in shoulder and elbow pads is a good deal to have, even if they are riding slow it helps against scrapes when they bail and of course keeps the bars out of their chest if they get a case of whiskey throttle and bail into a bush

I would put a good little boot on him and now worry about riding boots at that age. They are really bulky for how small their feet are and it may make it difficult for them to operate the rear brake (or shifter if the 50 in question has one).

Long sleeves and jeans

And make sure they dont ride anywhere near everyones trucks / RV's at camp. They start of going in a circle, its so cute....everyone claps. After a few laps it goes wrong, and your forking over $500 to pay your buddies deductible when the kid nails the door

 

[Bails]

Thanks for the info............just what I was looking for.

 

[MissB]

a good insurance policy. Nolan is not a fast or furious rider, he hit a rock, endo'ed (yes he had a GOOD helmet on) and ended up in the ER, concussion, $50K, I paid $50.00 I look at it this way, they can go out and enjoy life or choke on a peanut at home. Bigbore hit all the importants, now go have fun!!

 

[Thunderhead1]

I agree with BB500 ...Don't over spend on gear... good helmet is a must... after that , they will grow out of the stuff so fast it'll make your head spin and your wallet light... don't ask me how I know.... if I could do it allover again , I would have done the cowboy boots and jeans until he was really "riding"..

And as a 40+ guy who didn't wear knee pads last weekend and had one helluva get off... Make the kid wear the knee and elbow pads now so he is used to them later.. Im pretty sure im headed to the surgery center in the next couple weeks for this one...

 

[stokerwhore]

all the gear all the time

 

[Rajobigguy]

I would seriously consider a neck brace and kidney belt. I know it seems like overkill but if he gets used to the idea of wearing all his PPE at a young age he will not think twice about it when he gets into the bigger faster machines.

 

[rmarion]

let Chaparral Motorsports be your Best friend!!

Chaparral Motorsports
555 S H St, San Bernardino, CA 92410
(909) 889-2761

Chaparral Motorsports · 555 S H St, San Bernardino, CA 92410

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[25Elmn8r]

all the gear all the time

This!
As someone that's had a big enough get off to take a helicopter ride, I'm thankful I had all my gear on when it happened.
Enjoy the ride, because they start like this

And end up like this before you know it!

 

[240Hallett]

Check with other people in your group with kids a little bit older that have sized out of their gear. Stuff like boots will last through several kids in the smaller sizes before they wear out.

 

[sirbob]

you are going to need a bigger trailer, a bigger truck, maybe even a motorhome, his own tool set, a pop up for his pit, gear bag, all the gear as mentioned already, might as well buy more beer, he will be drinking yours soon...

you will also need a new camera to take pictures of him - might as well just hire Carter to follow you around and make videos of every ride he does...

once you have a season filmed you will need a bigger tv and new sound bar to bench race in the off season...

You WONT need to remember to have fun

 

[Nordie]

Honestly you cannot put enough safety gear on him, post #2 covers it perfectly. Even as an adult and racing desert races I would gripe at how expensive all my gear costs, but at the same time before I left the starting line I would remind myself that I have to be at work on Monday. Everyone will eventually take a tumble, might as well make sure he gets right up. If this becomes a passion of his and the bikes get bigger it will always be second nature to him to have all of his gear on.

 

[EmpirE231]

helmet, boots and gloves every time.

after those basics, every thing else is a bonus.

 

[Jed-O]

Bandaids, guaze and duct tape.

 

[Bails]

well, what have I done? I didn't need another expensive hobby. I'm looking forward to the fun.

Who has some kids riding gear they want to get rid of?

 

[Fenderbender]

Just to add to what everyone else said maybe get another small 4-stroke to follow him around on so you don't have to do circles around camp!

 

[Bails]

Check with other people in your group with kids a little bit older that have sized out of their gear. Stuff like boots will last through several kids in the smaller sizes before they wear out.

what group? I have enjoyed the Havasu offroad fun for a couple of years and this year started to venture out to other areas. I guess I need to find a group to show me around.

 

[motormonkey]

Play it again sports, you can pick like new kids gear as they grow out of it so fast. Name brands for half price. Boots, chest, gloves, pants,jerseys, ect. When they grow out of it in 6 months trade it in on bigger sizes.
We buy new helmets and neck donut tho.

 

[Big B Hova]

Gotta get my kid the donut. Hes almost 4 years old and is wearing an adult small helmet. Youth xl was too tight

 

[PlumLoco]

If you are near Rialto/Colton check Neanderthal Cycle Salvage, they always have a ton of used gear for cheap. The smalller kids' stuff never get used much and so used is usually still clean and nice. Also when the District 37 races come to town some of the nice ladies from the Kurt Caselli foundation always have a lot of donated gear available. They are at Glen Helen next weekend, then 29 Palms in April.
Personally I wouldn't spend money on actual motorcycle boots for a kid this age. It definately makes learning to operate the bike harder.

 

[Captain Dan]

What else do you need? I might have missed it above, but what you really need is to get a bike for yourself and RIDE WITH HIM. Life is short.

 

[Meaney77]

And make sure they dont ride anywhere near everyones trucks / RV's at camp. They start of going in a circle, its so cute....everyone claps. After a few laps it goes wrong, and your forking over $500 to pay your buddies deductible when the kid nails the door

Dude your posts are always spot on!

 

[Meaney77]

Get yourself a good pair of running shoes because you will be running your ass off and your back will be killing you when you realize how out of shape you are!!

Also if he hasnt ridden before you may also want to figure out a longer rope and be able to tie it off somewhere on the back of the bike so once he gets going you can still kind of control him before he takes off and runs into something like the side of a motorhome!

 

[mswasey]

Welcome to the beginning of the madness.

Great advise from all posts above! Make sure every piece of gear is on him before the bike is started, every single time, and have fun riding with him. And damn, I just sold a sweet pair of size 3 Gaerne boots for $25, used gear is great for getting him set up.

 

[mswasey]

This is next for you, lol!

 

[squeezer]

For my two the right (LIGHT) helmet is key.

I highly recommend this FOX model. Light, strong, full MIPS rating. Its not DOT approved but that really shouldn't be a factor for a kid on a 50cc dirt bike.

 

[j21black]

Get him a 6D helmet - Best on the market - And I'm postitive it saved my kids life. They are pricy but $700 is nothing if it keeps him alive.

 

[j21black]

And if I can get the video to post. Check out this little badass on his 50. I took the video a few weeks ago when my kid was practing on his 85.

 

[j21black]

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[j21black]

I agree with BB500 ...Don't over spend on gear... good helmet is a must... after that , they will grow out of the stuff so fast it'll make your head spin and your wallet light... don't ask me how I know.... if I could do it allover again , I would have done the cowboy boots and jeans until he was really "riding"..

And as a 40+ guy who didn't wear knee pads last weekend and had one helluva get off... Make the kid wear the knee and elbow pads now so he is used to them later.. Im pretty sure im headed to the surgery center in the next couple weeks for this one...

I whole heartly disagree with you on cowboy boots and jeans.

Kid we bought one of our bikes from did this on his pit bike playing in his yard using your method. The right boots and pants are a must. Not cowboy boots.

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[Bails]

Wow, after those two pictures looks like I'm selling my kids dirt bike.

 

[fishing fool]

Good medical insurance, it's if he is going to crash it's when.......

 

[Thunderhead1]

Wow, after those two pictures looks like I'm selling my kids dirt bike.

fuck it... Bubble wrap ... that's the answer!!!

 

[Thunderhead1]

I whole heartly disagree with you on cowboy boots and jeans.

Kid we bought one of our bikes from did this on his pit bike playing in his yard using your method. The right boots and pants are a must. Not cowboy boots.

View attachment 846663 View attachment 846662


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that's a good one...

 

[j21black]

Wow, after those two pictures looks like I'm selling my kids dirt bike.

Nah. Just moderate the risk the best you can. I’ve seen kids ride the rail pinned to it by their bike and walk away with a little luck and the right gear.

But yeah, eventually they are going to have a bad one.

I’ll post the pic of mine in the hospital with his cracked 6D helmet Later when I have time to grab it. He had a concussion, but the helmet did what it’s supposed to do. He’s raced indoors every weekend since November. Last indoor race is Saturday. They are quite a bit more dangerous than out MX IMO. Outdoor starts beginning of March here.

I’ve seen some pretty bad crashes. Some it wouldn’t matter what you had on and it’s still going to be bad, but I won’t let my kid on his bike without the right stuff on. Small price to pay IMO.


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[motormonkey]

Boots help support ankles and I made mine wear shine and knée pads. I know it's tougher for them to shift, but it saves them when they go down. We never did the training wheels either.
Like everybody else said, ride with them and be ready to chase them down. Haha
Whatever you choose to do have fun.

 

[rivermobster]

I whole heartly disagree with you on cowboy boots and jeans.

Kid we bought one of our bikes from did this on his pit bike playing in his yard using your method. The right boots and pants are a must. Not cowboy boots.

View attachment 846663 View attachment 846662


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Ho Le Chit...

He's gonna be well liked. Chicks dig scars!

 

[j21black]

Here’s the pics of his helmet and him at the ER. Had a concussion.

I missed it happen, I was helping some other kid get his bike picked up on the track because his parents were no where around. My kid actually drove around me while I was helping this kid. I got him up and going and walked around the corner and saw his bike laying on the ground with about 10 people around him. When I got to him he was just coming to. Lips were blue. For the next 30 minutes on the way to the hospital he asked me the same 2 questions at least 5 times a minute. The accident slowed him way down. Still hasn’t got it all back.

And 6D will give you a percentage off a new helmet if this happens.

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[j21black]

But it’s an all around good time. Way better than playing video games.

View attachment 846771

And I built him a custom workbench.

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[j21black]

And to the OP. We have a pair child’s size 5 fox youth boots and a pair of adult size 7 Alpine Star tech 7s boots along with some Fox pants (26” waist) a shirt and some gloves, maybe a few extras you can have. Just pay the ride. PM if you are interested.

We have a Kevlar vest to but the wife won’t come off that one.

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[Bails]

Great stuff, thanks all for taking the time to respond. I have a good helmet, neck doughnut, and gloves for him. After reading all the comments and seeing the pictures I'm going all in when it comes to equipment. I've searched facebook, craigslist, offer up, and let go, and I have a line on everything except boots. With the above post I might have that covered also.

As far as riding with him I guess I'll pull the old 1965 harley scooter out of the garage so I can lead or follow him around - better than the running shoe idea.

 

[j21black]

And make sure they dont ride anywhere near everyones trucks / RV's at camp. They start of going in a circle, its so cute....everyone claps. After a few laps it goes wrong, and your forking over $500 to pay your buddies deductible when the kid nails the door

Another good point. Some kid smoked my company truck last spring at the track. Missed people in lawn chairs by inches.

Just glad he didn’t hit the wheel square.

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[squeezer]

Get him a 6D helmet - Best on the market - And I'm postitive it saved my kids life. They are pricy but $700 is nothing if it keeps him alive.

Well this post is going to cost me a few bucks...

Will grab one of those for each kid when they get bikes! Great looking tech in those things!

 

[SHOCKtheMONKEY]

When my daughter was a young we'd get her new Ocelot boots at Chaparral every year.
She looked pretty clumsy at five years old with MX boots but she managed just fine...

 

[j21black]

Well this post is going to cost me a few bucks...

Will grab one of those for each kid when they get bikes! Great looking tech in those things!

Yeah. It is top shelf stuff. Some of the pros we talk to want to wear them but they can’t do to contractual issues.


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[squeezer]

Yeah. It is top shelf stuff. Some of the pros we talk to want to wear them but they can’t do to contractual issues.


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I make it a point to not economize on protective gear...

I have been out of the motocross game for 30 plus years. Will give my son the chance soon hope he loves it.

 

[mswasey]

Get him a 6D helmet - Best on the market - And I'm postitive it saved my kids life. They are pricy but $700 is nothing if it keeps him alive.

I love 6D’s and my son wears one. That said, many top helmet manufacturers are now using the MIPS system, and can be less expensive than 6D. I wear a Fox helmet with MIPS and love it.

 

[j21black]

I turned the car hauler into a redneck toy hauler. 8x8 room in the front. We throw 2 Tempurpedic mattresses in there for overnight and plug a radiant heater up to the genset and it keeps us toasty in 20 degree nights. I’m eventually going to add a roof mount heating and AC unit.

Wife has decided we need to sell the boat because of the MX schedule and my daughters horse schedule. We don’t have time for much else.

We were discussing last night getting an actual toy hauler after we sell the boat, but what I set up works fine for now.

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[j21black]

Well this post is going to cost me a few bucks...

Will grab one of those for each kid when they get bikes! Great looking tech in those things!

Another thing on the 6D helmets. Maybe others do it as well but I’m not up to speed on them as we’ve stuck with these as they’ve worked for us.

They make different sized inserts for the inside. Say the kid needs to wear a small sized helmet now, when it becomes to small, you can remove the small insert and purchase a medium one to install in it place. Saves the cost of having to buy a completely new helmet.


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[j21black]

Great stuff, thanks all for taking the time to respond. I have a good helmet, neck doughnut, and gloves for him. After reading all the comments and seeing the pictures I'm going all in when it comes to equipment. I've searched facebook, craigslist, offer up, and let go, and I have a line on everything except boots. With the above post I might have that covered also.

As far as riding with him I guess I'll pull the old 1965 harley scooter out of the garage so I can lead or follow him around - better than the running shoe idea.

Boots and a few extras are in the mail. I forgot he had an issue with the sole on one of the boots about a year or so ago. I fixed it with 5200 and it hasn't been a problem since.