Getting a youngster into bikes.

[blueST]

When our toddler is a little older id like to give him a try out with some instruction on those little electric Oset off road bikes or similar. I’ve not ridden for years, and never off road, so wouldn’t be confident showing him the ropes. There is an off road riding centre local to us but they don’t offer tuition, so need another plan. We are just north of Manchester in East Lancs.

Any suggestion or advice from anyone else who has given a child an early start in riding?

[Steve Bass]

PW50 with training wheels and restricted throttle around the garden to begin with. Quiet and unobtrusive so no ned to travel until the training wheels are off and the speeds are increasing.

Suitable from about 3 years of age and you'll not lose a penny when it comes time to sell if they love it and you upgrade or they don't and you put it down to experience...

[blueST]

I do have a pretty big field, but it’s on the side of a steep hill. Even on restricted throttle, you could probably free wheel to about 40mph before hitting the trees at the bottom. I’d like him to go somewhere a bit more controlled to begin with.

[Krikkit]

Where are you in the NW? You would only need a decent playing field or park to use to start with, I'm sure we could recommend some.

[blueST]

I might be mistaken but I assumed it was illegal to ride off road bikes in a public place. Where I live there is a big problem with illegal off roading so I don’t want to be a associated with that.

I guess I was hoping there’d be a club or something he could join.

[Wacky Racer]

blueST said:

I might be mistaken but I assumed it was illegal to ride off road bikes in a public place. Where I live there is a big problem with illegal off roading so I don’t want to be a associated with that.

I guess I was hoping there’d be a club or something he could join.

It sounds like you live near me.

http://www.cowmleisure.com/home.htm

[Steve Bass]

Wacky Racer said:

It sounds like you live near me.

http://www.cowmleisure.com/home.htm

Looks good

[blueST]

I do, about 5 mins from there, but I don’t think they do lessons as such.

[Steve Bass]

blueST said:

I do, about 5 mins from there, but I don’t think they do lessons as such.

No need for lessons if the kiddy is 4ish. Let them figure it out, you'll be amazed how quickly they take to it if they like it.
A friends son at 4 years old was flying on his PW50 and on pure instincts understood that the bike wanted throttle, if the bike wobbled, open the taps. Amazing to watch and no one "instructed" him. Just let them have fun and find heir own way

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

Oset is perfect for what you want. Join your local trials club... They'll have a training area you can practice at.

You can adjust - power, speed, and delivery curve - so are perfect for learning bike control. Easier to work on than a little stroker too.

Bumpy at leads do training courses for kids.

http://www.bumpy.org.uk/off-road/trials/

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

Steve Bass said:

No need for lessons if the kiddy is 4ish. Let them figure it out, you'll be amazed how quickly they take to it if they like it.
A friends son at 4 years old was flying on his PW50 and on pure instincts understood that the bike wanted throttle, if the bike wobbled, open the taps. Amazing to watch and no one "instructed" him. Just let them have fun and find heir own way

I'd echo that to some degree - get em started early on anything with two wheels. But there is room for tuition too.

My lad came second at his first and only ever trials comp... Having never ridden there and he'd only had the oset a month. He was only 11 and was beaten by a 16 year old who'd been riding for years and came from a trials family.

I put it down to him starting on a balance bike just after he could walk and was then off road whener he could. His balance on a slippery rooty trail is something to behold. Shame he's not that bothered as he could be pretty good if he was more driven.

Still it's a good baseline skill should he ever want to do it when he's older.

[KTMsm]

Seems like the ideal excuse to learn to ride off road yourself

Buy a cheap bike join the TRF or one of the many FB groups

[8IKERDAVE]

I built my lad (5 y/o at the time) a little pocket bike with a god awful Chinese engine in to learn on. It cost me around £200 to build and he took to it extremely well. I remember him sliding towards me up the field with the back end stepped out wondering what was going on. Turns out he had a puncture and was just controlling it perfectly! As others have said, let him get a feel for something. I started both my lads on balance bikes and progressed up as quickly as their ability allowed. They were both streets ahead of their mates who were on stabilised bikes.

[Greenbot35]

I started on a wassell 50 then a yz50 and kx60. I just rode with my dad and ever since 39 years late I've been into biking and riding.

I was reflecting just today and the seeming decline of motorcycling im glad I had the chance to ride as a kid.

[blueST]

Thanks all for the thoughts. Quite a bit of food for thought. I think a PW50 when he’s ready might be the way to go. I just need to find somewhere flat for him to learn.

[Steve Bass]

blueST said:

Thanks all for the thoughts. Quite a bit of food for thought. I think a PW50 when he’s ready might be the way to go. I just need to find somewhere flat for him to learn.

Unless your field resembles the White Cliffs of Dover, you're over thinking it.

A PW50 with training wheels isn't going to run away. point the lad up hill and let him find his balance and confidence. If you're constantly driving to a place you think is "suitable", you're less likely to go and the lad less likely to have time in the saddle. Which is the real key.
Start slowly, training wheels and restricted throttle and time. You'll be amazed how quickly he wants the stabilisers off and he's up and down like a champ...
As for training, OK if the lad is 5 or 6 but at 3, they're not really taking it in. They run on instincts, reactions and learnt responses, the best thing TBH. If he likes it, he'll like it immediately and the confidence will come quickly.
Honestly, they're tougher than you think

[Hungrymc]

Steve Bass said:

blueST said:

I do, about 5 mins from there, but I don’t think they do lessons as such.

No need for lessons if the kiddy is 4ish. Let them figure it out, you'll be amazed how quickly they take to it if they like it.
A friends son at 4 years old was flying on his PW50 and on pure instincts understood that the bike wanted throttle, if the bike wobbled, open the taps. Amazing to watch and no one "instructed" him. Just let them have fun and find heir own way

My lad was older (12). But I sat him on an old Serow and set him off working it out in a field at the enduro venue I was riding laps of with a mate. He had the basics down within an hour and was looking for a more challenging field. I actually think training might be a good idea for him now (2 and a bit years later) as he’s trying to do some trickier enduro techniques and keeps breaking our bikes.

[Pat H]

Way back in the mid 1970s my Dad bought me a Malaguti Ronchino. I was about 6 years old. I used to ride it on the old Mains Colliery slag heaps near what is now the Three Sisters kart track in Ashton in Makerfield.

I progressed to a Kawasaki KM90 and then a Montesa Cota.

I eventually passed my test on a Kawasaki KE100.

That was 32 years ago and I have never looked back.

I appreciate a lot of things that my Dad did for me, but the best thing he ever did was get me into bikes.

So on behalf of your nipper, I urge you to do everything you can to encourage him.

God knows, we all need to do something to encourage new bikers. Look at the age of bikers at your local meet. Old farts the lot of them.

We will be extinct soon if nothing changes.

[nunpuncher]

Started my son on a balance bike as soon as he was big enough (must have been about 3). I had no plan of "introducing" him to motorbikes but I took him to an indoor electric MX track near us in Glasgow when he was about 4 (ok, it was more a treat for me than him). They just explained the controls, dressed him like a gladiator and pointed him in the right direction, no formal tuition. He just took off and worked it out and absolutely loved it.

He's 10 now and has been through several bikes starting with a little twist and go Chinese PY50 copy. He's now riding a proper geared 110 and again had no issues picking up clutch control etc. The Oset bikes make sense if noise is an issue where you are (fortunately it's not for us), otherwise the price makes zero sense to me for a kids bike as it'll get dropped, left out and generally abused.

[Shuff4]

Both of mine started off with Oset, 12.5 / 16’s racing models.

My youngest 3 year old, couldn’t ride a bike, but her onto the Oset and off she went, try not to be too soft, they will fall but put them back on and anyway they go.

No training wheels.


There is inch perfect trails, who do experience days.


Wayne (can’t remember his surname) runs raw enduro days, who do have some younger riders too.

Oset are expensive to start off with, but they hold value.