Youth 4 Wheelers ... What are the Must Have Features? Engine - 2 stroke or 4 stroke? That is the question. Youth 4 wheelers will have one or the other. What about electric you say? Not to sound like a nerdy engineer, but technically that would be a motor. Plus those are really more like toys than real machines. So unless you're Ed Begley Jr., we'll continue. So which engine is the best? Depends on what you're doing with it. For overall ease of use, I tend to lean toward the 4 stroke. Just think lawn mower. If you think your tot needs to go faster, and you don't mind some extra maintenance, go for the 2 stroke. Starting - Pull, kick, and electric. That's what you have to choose from. Unless you're a masochist, go electric. Actually, even if you are a masochist, go electric. You can always shock yourself. Seriously, it's not a terrible thing to have a kick starter too. Just in case the battery dies from some guy shocking himself silly. Brakes - Now that you're going, the next most important thing is stopping. On youth four wheelers this gets a little more complicated. There are 3 main components you have to think about.  Disc brakes on youth 4 wheelers.
Throttle control - Thumb or twist. Fe - Fi - Fo - Thumb!  Thumb throttles are just safer for beginning riders. Trust me. Also make sure there is a throttle stop screw that will limit the amount of movement of the thumb control. This gives you a way to limit the speed while the kid gets a feel for their new ride. Weight - Relax, it's not about you. It's about the rider's weight compared to the atvs weight. For youth 4 wheelers, most industry experts (whoever they are) say that a 3 to 1 ratio is ideal. But let's custom tailor that to your kid and say a good rule of thumb is whether or not they can pick up one end of the four wheeler. If they can do that, you're on pretty safe ground so to speak. So basically a girly girl needs a lighter kids 4 wheeler, and an aspiring body builder could go with a heavier model. Width - More specifically, track width (the width between the wheels). The wider apart the wheels, the more resistance to tipping over. That's a very good thing. On youth 4 wheelers, the wider the better. Mini atvs are so ... well, mini to start with, it would be hard to get one too wide.  Safety - Last and certainly not least is youth atv safety. Before you buy the kid a mini atv be sure to check out our tips. Click here for youth atv safety tips. When it comes to youth 4 wheelers, if you'll stick pretty close to these features, you should be right in the "zone". Related links: Return to World of ATVs home page from Youth 4 Wheelers.
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