*Skip to the end to see my update. I’ve now had two of my kids go through this and both are very good riders at 4 and 7 years old.
I was shopping for my kids first dirt bike before he was even a toddler. If an infant could safely ride I was going to do it. That’s not the case so I waited until he was 2. There are a few 50cc options and more alternative options every year to get your kid ripping on 2 wheels. The introduction of electric motorcycles have changed the name of the game and major manufactures are now on board. KTM and Husqvarna both have a race ready electric bike on their 50cc platfrom. There is now a sanctioned electric 50cc class. What are the options for starting your kid on a dirt bike really young? Is it too dangerous? Can’t they just wait until they are 7 or 8?
I ride and race off road dirt bikes. We live close to the desert and often ride multiple times a week. Because of this, I wanted my kids to participate at a young age. The reason I started him so young was he showed interest right away in my bikes and he loved all things motorized. If you take the proper safety precautions, having your kid ride a dirt bike at 2 years old is not unsafe or reckless.
Reasons to Start Young
The main reason is get them to start building good habits on the bike. Kids don’t naturally know how to operate a throttle. They often “blip” the throttle on and off. It takes hours on the bike for them to learn how have good throttle control. This stays with them and after my kid mastered he can safely move up to faster and faster bikes. Have you ever seen a new rider get “whiskey throttle”? If your child never practices throttle control then this is most likely to happen when they do get started on the bigger bikes.
Braking is another habit kids practice. Learning to brake with their hands and their feet. Building this habit is crucial, especially when they start to go fast (which is sooner than you think!)
Fear. Fear will prevent your kid from learning how to correctly ride. You don’t want give them too much bike in the beginning. Some kids can handle it but most will not have any fun if they are fearful. Who can blame them, a lot of adults don’t ride because of fear! Overall your goal is for them to have fun. When they are having fun you can work on all the techniques that will make them a better ride. Time on the seat is more beneficial then what first bike you purchase. If they aren’t spending time in the seat then it doesn’t matter what you buy!
Reasons to Not Start Young
If you aren’t a patient person, then don’t start them young. It can be extremely frustrating and you don’t want to ruin it for them! You might spend 15 minutes getting them all geared up and they might be done after 10 minutes. 2 year old’s don’t have long attention spans and they often want to stop so they can talk or look at a rock. They also get cold and hot easy and like to complain. You need to be prepared to handle all of this so don’t ruin the fun!
There is always a risk of injury when you are getting your kids involved in a motorized sport, especially this young. Life is dangerous; be prepared and responsible and mitigate risk where you can. That’s why dirt bikes are so great for youth. You can teach them how to conquer fear in a healthy way. Challenge yourself, prepare for the challenge, and overcome that challenge!
Another thing to consider is budget. You will be upgrading every few years and that can be expensive. If you start them later in life you won’t have to upgrade as much. Most dirt bike have a pretty good resale value, but some do not so you need to consider that in your purchase.
PW50 vs Razor MX350
In my experienced opinion, if you are starting your kid out at 2 to 3 years old then one of these two bikes should be your first option. Each one has their advantage and disadvantages.
Yamaha PW 50
The PW 50 has been the go to first bike for decades. This bike is almost unchanged in the last 30 years. Countless professional riders have all started out on this bike!
Pros
- Light weight. The PW50 is lightweight compared to other to Honda and Yamaho 50s. The PW comes in at 90lbs.
- Low seat height. The seat height of the PW is 18.7 inches. That’s much lower compared to the Honda and TTR which come in at 21.6 inches tall. The KTM has a 22″ seat height (1).
- Rear and front brakes are both handle bar controlled. This can be viewed as a negative because the rear brake is controlled with a lever, not a foot pedal. However, since this is meant for toddler aged riders its actually safer and easier to control/stop.
- Adjustable throttle. The speed of the bike is easily adjustable with a throttle stop (controlled by a simple screw). This is a great safety feature that allows you to restrict how fast the bike can go.
- Oil injected two stroke. Super low maintenance motor that will last a very long time with little attention.
- Training wheels hook up very easily to the PW. That combined with a low seat height makes this a very good combination for a young rider.
- Re-sale value is very good. If you take care of this little bike you can probably sell it for the same price you bought it. Their value has never really changed over the years.
Cons
- Components. Overall the bike has terrible forks, no rear suspension, little power, and terrible brakes. The PW still uses drum brakes for the front and the rear.
- Noise. The PW is pretty quiet but it’s still a 2 stroke motor. You aren’t going to be riding this around the neighborhood that’s for sure!
- Expensive. These little bikes still cost a lot of money for what they are. In my market (Idaho) a used PW can still sell for $900. A brand new one is about $1300 out the door.
- Mechanical. Older PW’s can be plagued with fuel and carburetor issues. Make sure you buy one that has been well maintained. It should fire right up!
- Small. This is an advantage at first but it really is a machine that they will outgrow. Older kids still love to ride them for fun but if you are going to be competitive, you won’ town the PW for more than a few years. Unless you want it around the house just for fun!
Razor MX350
The MX350 is a very simple electric dirt bike that is made by Razor. The bike runs off two 12v batteries and is surprisingly very easy for young riders to control. I have one of these for my kids and they all love it!
Pros
- Weight. These machines only weigh 68 lbs! That’s almost 30lbs lighter than the PW50 (2).
- Noise!They are electric so they don’t make any noise. Just the sound of the tires on the street! This was a huge factor for me. My son could just ride in our neighborhood without bothering anybody. Anytime he has the itch he can go ride.
- The seat height of the Razors come in at 20 inches (3). That’s more than the PW but still shorter than the other 50 cc offerings.
- Training wheels fit right up to the MX350.
- Disk brakes. This is a pro and a con. The MX350 only has a rear brake controlled by a handle bar lever. This is nice because it is very simple to use and hard to mess up!
- Price. I can find a brand new MX350 for about $240 (and sometimes cheaper). I often see them be re-sold for around $150 on craigslist.
- Maintenance is almost zero. You just need to charge it and then go. That being said, I’ve owned mine for 4 years and have replaced the motor and the batteries twice! You can read more about my MX350 upgrades and maintenance tips here.
Cons
- No suspension at all on these little bikes. That wont matter when you toddler is on training wheels, it will actually help but in general it can be a rough ride!
- Battery life is only about 30 minutes. You can use an upgraded charger if you want to get back out there quicker!
- Re-sale value isn’t super great on these compared to the PWs but they are significantly cheaper.
- No throttle or speed limiters. This does increase the risk of your kid just taking off but if you are supervising your kid this should never happen. I even tied a rope to mine when my son was just starting out.
Summary
Overall the best decision you can make is the one that allows your youngster to spend more time on the seat. The MX350 was a great way for my son to learn throttle control and braking. He actually mastered the MX350 before he learned how to ride a pedal bike. I personally wanted the motorized 50cc to take out on the weekends and the Razor MX350 for the weekdays when he was home at the house. Best of both worlds!
Update 2022
After years of riding I strongly believe that the MX350 is the better choice. Especially if you live in town. They kids will just flat out ride the electric bikes more. They also are less intimidating at first with less noise and less things to focus on. Just plug them in and go. It also gives them a chance to help out with maintenance and modifications (charging batteries). Kids don’t usually enjoy changing oil but they like charging batteries. Its a great way to get them involved mechanically. The PW is great for starting out but once they get bigger its on to the next bike. You can upgrade the batteries, the motor, and the controller on the MX. My son now has a MX 500 that is highly modified and he rides it miles and miles every day. You can check out my gas vs electric article hear to read more. You can also check out my articles about other Razor MX modifications you can do.
