Kids quad HELP

[novhead]

Hi. hope Im posting in the right place here...im a newbie...

My 8 year old son is hankering after a quad for his birthday in two weeks. I was reluctant because of safety issues but its literally ALL he wants.

I've had a good look around and really didn't want to buy a used one, again for safety but also reliability...
I saw that there were some decent ones around and was looking at the Polaris range BUT they are looking way too expensive.

We are limited to @ £600.

He doesn't want to race it, just wants to ride around on it. I was looking at 50cc and I want to be able to limit the throttle too. Really needing some help as Im just bogged down and not very in-the-know. Had Suzuki LT%)(I think)? recommended by a friend but they look old? also looked at Polaris 50cc but too expensive! I don't want to buy cheap Chinese cr&p.

Any help would be HUGELY appreciated

[austinsmirk]

try the council thread, in the "lounge" for further advice.

[Krikkit]

LT50 looks ideal, designed as a first quad for little kids with safety in mind.

[Major Fallout]

I have a 300cc quadbike for horse duties.

For fun they are crap in my opinion, fun is at the limit of traction and at the limit of traction they are dangerous.

As a tool they are fantastic.

An off-road go cart or motorbike would be more fun.

Just my thoughts.

[TooMany2cvs]

You've got permission for him to have access to a sufficiently large area of private land to ride it on, right?

A typical suburban back garden's going to get very trashed and very boring in about two days flat.

[Mammasaid]

Short answer is don't unless you don't value your child's safety.

Who is the parent here?

Secondly, unless you have access to > 1 acre of land, little Billy is going to get very bored going round and round in circles in the garden.

[chasingracecars]

Maybe £600 down at the local go-kart track and get him racing at weekends. Might even come to something then! Plus you don't have to store it! At least until you need to buy one for his next birthday!

[novhead]

We have two acres and an airfield opposite which he can ride on. Plenty of land.
he is pretty sensible actually
Initially he wanted a mini moto but he thinks he will be safer on a quad and I tend to agree. I ride a bike myself and I am very safety conscious.

[novhead]

@majorfallout He would LOVE a go cart / buggy type thing BUT they are way over £1k :-s

[Troubleatmill]

And driving it around some poor sods field without their permission will end badly.

I have seen broken glass specifically positioned (sorry I mean accidentally dropped) by some fed up landowners.

[novhead]

TooMany2cvs said:

You've got permission for him to have access to a sufficiently large area of private land to ride it on, right?

A typical suburban back garden's going to get very trashed and very boring in about two days flat.

Loads of land yes.

[TooMany2cvs]

novhead said:

TooMany2cvs said:

You've got permission for him to have access to a sufficiently large area of private land to ride it on, right?

A typical suburban back garden's going to get very trashed and very boring in about two days flat.

Loads of land yes.

Private land? Not just a local park or common or the green bits of a housing estate...? With the landowner's permission?
You say you have an airfield opposite - do you have their permission to use their land?

[mph1977]

Troubleatmill said:

And driving it around some poor sods field without their permission will end badly.

I have seen broken glass specifically positioned (sorry I mean accidentally dropped) by some fed up landowners.

when the OP says they have 2 acres i presume they mean they have control / ownership ofthe 2 acres

however the 'airfield' is probably a different matter ...

ask lincs pold how many FPNs, seizures and prosecutuions they get from Metheringham airfield of all kinds of vehicles...

[novhead]

Troubleatmill said:

And driving it around some poor sods field without their permission will end badly.

I have seen broken glass specifically positioned (sorry I mean accidentally dropped) by some fed up landowners.

We have two acres ourselves and I said an AIRfield, not a field.
As a lawyer Im well aware of the legalities. That wasn't the question, the query was recommendations / ideas on models, makes etc
thanks

[novhead]

TooMany2cvs said:

Private land? Not just a local park or common or the green bits of a housing estate...? With the landowner's permission?
You say you have an airfield opposite - do you have their permission to use their land?

2 acres of private land yes and yes we have permission

[Mammasaid]

novhead said:

Initially he wanted a mini moto but he thinks he will be safer on a quad and I tend to agree. I ride a bike myself and I am very safety conscious.

I'd probably think the converse, a quad will give him a false sense of security with 4 wheels, until it decides to throw him off, whereas with a motorbike, he'd be more conscious of his vulnerability and hopefully more cautious.

That said, if it was my son, it'd be wait until you're 40 16+

[TooMany2cvs]

novhead said:

As a lawyer Im well aware of the legalities.

Then you'll be equally well aware of exactly why people are trying to make sure you're fully aware of the illegality of using one in public...

[so called]

You may be better with a used but inspected Polaris than a very cheep make.

[novhead]

mph1977 said:

when the OP says they have 2 acres i presume they mean they have control / ownership ofthe 2 acres

however the 'airfield' is probably a different matter ...

ask lincs pold how many FPNs, seizures and prosecutuions they get from Metheringham airfield of all kinds of vehicles...

The land is no issue. Its the quad that's the issue

[schmunk]

Could you flood your land and get him a jetski?