my son, a 300 and fun!

[STEVEV]

Here's a pic of my 12 yr. old son on my '12 300. I was planning on getting him a 200 but with the way he's been riding the 300, I may go the 250 route.

 

[offroadingisbest]

Wow, when I was 12y.o I could barely handle a CRF150! Great pic, he must have learned from the best.

 

[GMP]

See if he can pick that bike up in situations he will encounter on the trail. I had thought of building a 200 for my son but the motor deal fell through, and the light weight of a 125 is better. They just don't have the muscle mass at that age to fully handle a bigger bike. My 13 yr old is 5' 8" with size 12 feet, and can ride my 250 even in technical terrain, but at 135 lbs. I doubt he could pick it up from an off camber fall. Also, I think they should all ride a 125first to learn throttle and clutch control.

 

[hannesd]

See if he can pick that bike up in situations he will encounter on the trail. I had thought of building a 200 for my son but the motor deal fell through, and the light weight of a 125 is better. They just don't have the muscle mass at that age to fully handle a bigger bike. My 13 yr old is 5' 8" with size 12 feet, and can ride my 250 even in technical terrain, but at 135 lbs. I doubt he could pick it up from an off camber fall. Also, I think they should all ride a 125first to learn throttle and clutch control.

i agree here, i think you should let them (the youngsters) learn to be fast on a less powerfull bike and then, later on when they have the strength, you can gradually let them move on up to the bigger bikes.
it's not because he CAN ride it fairly well, that it means this it the perfect bike for him (at this moment).
just kinda protecting him from the brute force those bigger machines can produce...

 

[firffighter]

I picked up a EC200 for my son last winter and he absolutely loves the bike as do I. It is so much fun and light and great handling. So much so that I am going to get one to and say goodbye to the 250.

 

[hannesd]

I picked up a EC200 for my son last winter and he absolutely loves the bike as do I. It is so much fun and light and great handling. So much so that I am going to get one to and say goodbye to the 250.

great!! another one that realises that you don't need all that power to have a great ride!
same here, put the 300 aside for a 200 woohoo

 

[firffighter]

Well, I remember Dick Burleson saying you can only really use about 30 hp in the woods and I tend to agree. The 200 is just more fun IMO and so easy to ride. Its got me hooked!

 

[Jakobi]

SHhhh!! I'm not getting a 200 until 2014!! Don't make me shop sooner

 

[GMP]

Well, I make my kid ride his KX85 in most of the same nasty stuff I do so he has a good start on the clutch and throttle already. This will be refined on a 125 as he will not be able to use his legs to get out of a jam as easy. My nephew was the same way, progressed from a KX100 to a GG125 and could ride that thing VERY well. A 250 is too much of a jump IMO.