Getting Your Kids on Two Wheels
Harley-Davidson no longer makes entry level bikes for children, or dirt bikes, or really a small bike that young kids can learn on. So what are we to do?
We all started somewhere. For me it was a Rupp mini bike at age 7. Much like the one in the picture. Ratty blue paint, exposed cables, torn seat, and a lawn mower engine making a couple horsepower. It was so hard to start I had to beg my Dad to get it going anytime I wanted to ride it. It was glorious.
Bike have improved a lot since then and here are some of today’s best!
Yamaha PW50
Yamaha’s PW50 is one of the most popular small bikes on the market. There is a giant aftermarket for parts, a 50CC class for youngsters with AMA Flat Track, and the ability to limit the throttle for brand new riders. You can’t beat the flexibility that is offered. A quick Internet search revealed PW 50’s available from $900 to $1500 depending on age and condition.
Check out the 50CC Flat Track racing.
KTM 50 SX
Falling into the same category as the PW50 is the KTM 50 SX. Priced at almost twice the PW 50 at $3899, you do get up spec components that include WP suspension, chain drive, and the ability to get more power out of it. If you have aspirations that your little one is the next American MotoGP champ and racing is a must then the KTM is Ready To Race!
Coleman CT200U Trail Mini Bike
Coleman Powersports is building nostalgia with the CT200U. An exact replica of that Rupp mini bike I had as a kid it can be had for $499.99 new and is big enough for an adult, easy enough to ride for a small child, and durable enough to ride in the woods. The ultimate in family fun and a trip back in time for those old enough to remember the original.
Kawasaki KX 65
Kawasaki plays in this category by doing what they do often, bending the category and throwing a little extra displacement at it. Sporting 65 CC and a price tag just under the KTM at $3699 new it features the only 6 speed chain drive in the category. Not for the absolute beginner in our minds but a heck of a nice step up for a rider who is riding well and ready for the next step into shifting their own gears.
Tell us what you think of the options and any other ones you like in the comments below or in the forums.