Youth 4 Wheelers
Getting a four-wheeler for your teenager takes more than just putting out the chunk of cash it takes to buy it. When you put a big bow on that ATV to have it under the Christmas tree or to give to him or her for a birthday gift, there is a lot of preparation you must do for this moment and plenty of parenting work to be done before you cut that youngster loose with such a powerful machine.
Many of the biggest names in four-wheeler manufacturing produce models of ATVs that are targeted at the youth market. A four-wheeler that is designed for a teenager is not the same as the one you have parked in the garage that you use for your work or recreational needs. For one thing, a youth ATV must be built at a power level that can be handled by a youngster. You don't want to put the same level of power in the hands of a young person that you can handle as an adult. Not only is that a recipe for the machine getting away from the young person, that much power can give a teenager an illusion that they can do more than they should take on.
Also, be aware of the fit of the four-wheeler to your youngster's size. To operate an ATV, the youth should be able to easily manage the steering and other controls and to access the readings that they need to drive their ATV responsibly. This may call for getting some measurements before you give the vehicle to your youth. But better to get them in on the surprise than to get them an ATV that is not comfortable for him or her to operate. This is both an ease of use issue and a safety issue.
Safety is the number one issue any parent will have with giving a powerful machine like a four-wheeler to their young person. Naturally, along with the ATV, you will give to your youth the proper headgear and other safety equipment they must have to operate the ATV correctly. But gear is not all there is to safety. The teenager must be aware that when they take control of that powerful four-wheeler, the fun of the freedom and speed of the ATV is also a considerable danger to him or her.
So it is a good idea to enroll your teen in some safety lessons in how to correctly operate the vehicle. A few weeks of well-taught safety lessons may be the difference between having good, safe fun with that ATV and an accident, which could ruin the four-wheeler and perhaps cause injury to your child. Any investment you can make in the ATV and in training for your youth is well worth avoiding that kind of nightmare.