Which ATV is Best for Your Child? Yamaha, Kymco, Kawasaki, or Honda?

ATV's aren't just an adult phenomenon. Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know that many ATV manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Kymco make ATVs which are sized appropriately for children as young as six to ten years old. Fortunately, just as your child grows out of shoes, so will they grow out of a small ATV, but generally you can resell the quad or dirt bike for almost as much as you paid for it, so long as it wasn't ridden too harshly. Companies such as Honda and Yamaha have a long track record of building safe, high-quality child-sized ATVs for kids to learn the ropes on before they get into bigger machines as they get older. Some of the hallmarks of a good ATV for a child is that the engine will come equipped with a restrictor which you can set to limit the engine speed and primarily the speed which the ATV can attain, a low seat height so that little legs can easily manage getting on and off, a lanyard and emergency kill switch in case of accidents, and bright, highly visible color schemes which can't help but be noticed, both in the back yard and near the street, should your child wander out of the backyard. Other points for parents to consider when purchasing an ATV for a child is that they should have proper riding apparel including a full-face off road helmet with goggles, gloves, long pants, and a jacket or vest over a long-sleeved, heavy cloth shirt. Children should wear all protective clothing whenever they ride, regardless of whether they are with you on the trail, or in the backyard buzzing around in a circle. As always, it's better to be safe on an ATV than sorry.