Need help convicinv parent.

[Mustanggt92]

Hey i've been searching for a way to get a new kind of ATV, whether it be a 3 wheeler, 4 wheeler, dirtbike, whatever. But because of my budget it seems that the only way for me to get a decent ATV for the amount of money I have is to buy a 3 wheeler. My only problem is my mom doesn't believe me when i saw that 3 wheelers are not more dangerous than other ATV's when you dont jump them and use them responsably.

Can everyone chime in and give me some good reasons, preferably facts, things i can use to PROVE my point, or any good articles or sites i could show my mom to convince her to let my buy a 3 wheeler?

Thanks! (BTW great site!!!!)

[J.D.]

Show her my post I'm putting in now.

Dear Mustanggt92's mom,

3 Wheelers are not anymore dangerous than a 4 wheeler, or a dirtbike. They are all three safe, as they are used safely. Remember, it's not the machine that's unsafe, it's the RIDER that's unsafe. I've flipped more than 1 quad, and crashed a few dirtbikes, but to tell the truth I've never flipped my 3 wheeler. It's because I take the time to be CAREFUL on it, so I don't flip it.

[jeswinehart]

welcome aboard ! (okay thats out of the way lol)

gotta respect your mom for caring about your well being for sure !

if you know someone with one maybe you could get her to take it for a trip around the yard ,,, hopefully it won't be a screaming, wild as sin go fast get there quick trike.

john

[3WheelHouston]

I would point out the fact that because it is a three wheeled ATV it causes you to be more alert and careful as a rider because it is less stable. And I wouldn't say anything about not jumping them because if you get a decent trike you're going to want to. I agree with swinehart about letting her putt around on one also, and I think that would be a good idea. And maybe try to cut a deal about safety gear that you'd have to wear everytime you ride. And if this is your first machine, do make sure you get something you can handle, because overconfidence will get you in trouble when it comes to trikes. They're a whole new type of riding than anything else. good luck.

[FullBore]

A 3 Wheeler is Safer than a Dirtbike in my opinon, you can also point out that theres and extra wheel to brake with over a Dirtbike, I have had my fair share of Crashes on Dirtbikes, mainly just falling off at high speed, this doesn't happen on a trike, if you slide in the mud the trike just slides, it doesn't fall over like a 2 wheeler and make you pick Gravel outta your leg for a week.

Nat

[Jonathan]

Tell her it's an investment. That's what I do every time I want a new toy. Make sure she knows that you will be able get your money back out of it at any time if you decide it's not for you. Also convince her that you'll get rid of it if it's too dangerous (that's how I talked my parents into my 200x). Use your own money to buy it. Do what everybody else has recomended. Make a safety gear deal, helmets are a definate must for anything 110 or bigger if you're gonna be hitting speeds over 15 mph. If you're gonna do the let her ride one thing, be sure it's on something like a 110.

[ATC crazy]

You're probably safer on a 3wheeler than in your family sedan as long as you're careful, alert, and that you respect the machine. You and your mom should also talk to other people on the site and even at your local ATV dealer (as long as they understand that you only want advice for a 3wheeler and are not there to buy a quad)

[sportvette]

i understand your problems with your parents. i think we all had to go through that at one point or are still going through it. my advice is to start out small and build them up. i first started with a cheap go-ped, and then a 90cc honda cub, then a 100cc dirt bike, then a 230cc quad. from then on dirt bikes and quads seemed to be okay with them. then i got a 250cc ninja, and that was a big deal to them. after the ninja i got a 750cc katana, and now ride a 750cc ninja. so no stopping me now. working your way up works. and if you are young there is no reason to buy a big bike right away. work your way up. its safer for your own good, and as you get older take on bigger bikes.

[TimSr]

Some people may not like this, but the fact is 3 wheelers are much more difficult to master than quads, and especially if you are a new rider, you really may wish to get started on a quad, and move over to trike when the quad becomes easy. Especially when price is a prime considersation, because the low price models are usually the ones without suspension, and they are much more difficult to master than the higher end models, and roll a lot easier yet. There are a lot of used quads out there, often in lower price range than the more stable models of trikes. Older Blasters and Quadsports often sell well below $1000. Im all for riding trikes, but it would be totally false for me to say that they are as easy to ride as a quad, and you no more likely to roll it. Most of the accidents which gave trikes a "black eye" in the publics view involve inexperienced riders trying to ride machines that require more skill than they were able to deliver.

[Mustanggt92]

Thanks for all of the great advice!

Right now im 15 and ive had a quad since i was 11. It's a small yamaha badger 80 but ive driven faster things without problems. My friend has a honda 250R for sale, hes done all of the work on it(its still stock) and he's a good friend of mine, he's selling it so he can use the money for his car. Its is mint condition and hes asking 700, although i can probably talk him down to 5-600.

The one thing i haven't been able to defend against with my mom is the question "Why did they stop making 3 wheelers then?" I usually reply with quads are slightly more safe than trikes, and people with trikes that were idiots got in crashes like that.

Does anyone have any websites that i can go to with info on trike safety?

[Jonathan]

I know you don't want to hear this, but going from a Badger to a 250r is a really really bad idea. I'm used to my Arctic Cat 454 and 200x using full throttle regularly. I got on my friend's KX85 the a couple of weeks ago and sent myself to the ER for the second spring break in a row. 2-stroks are way different from my experience. I don't know if you've ridden the r before, but I think it will be way more power than you can control. What year is the R? If the price is right you might want to buy it and put it in storage while you get accustomed to 3-wheelers and more power, get a 200x or something to learn on. What kinds of faster machines have you ridden before?

[J.D.]

The first bike I ever rode was a 98 Honda XR100. Second bike I ever rode was an 86 Husqvarna 250(2 stroke). I handled the adjustment fine....????

[Instinctz]

They only put a ban up because lawsuits from people that didnt know how to ride them... the ban is off now, but most people like quads better. A trike takes not only time to learn, but much more skill than any other vechicle out there in any of my concerns.

I first road a trike when I was like 10, and it was one without shocks, once I moved to 200s, then to a 250r.. I realized that the 250r was harder to handle ect.. because of its two stroke power band. It takes alot of time to actualy master the use of the clutch, comming from an autoclutch 200s. For me, I have not hardly ever road a quad and would probably wreck all over the place if I was to try and push it on one because of the fact they handle totaly differnt. Then again I am rather skilled when it comes to my own trike since I know just how it handles.

The worst thing you can really do on a trike is to show off before you are naturaly skilled. Popping wheelies, dumping the clutch, speeding around trees.. all that will get ya into trouble if your new ect.. So the point is, anything, be it quad - trike - bike, can be lethal, its how you use it and rather you are trained to use it that makes it lethal. :rolleyes:

[ATC crazy]

My first machine was a '94 XR100R. My dad came home and asked me if I could unload something from his work-van...he opened the door and SUPRISE!!! After 2 years I was too big for it and dad traded for my brother's MINT '87 250SX. 3 months and I had that mastered too. After 4-5 years of the SX...I was too big for it too. :rolleyes: I sold it to a friend and got a '02 Honda Foreman 450S which I still have. Plenty of power...but I plan on making it a 475 or 500 though. I've also ridden everything from a CR500R to 250R's and everything in between.

[ATC crazy]

My first machine was a '94 XR100R. My dad came home and asked me if I could unload something from his work-van...he opened the door and SUPRISE!!! After 2 years I was too big for it and dad traded for my brother's MINT '87 250SX. 3 months and I had that mastered too. After 4-5 years of the SX...I was too big for it too. :rolleyes: I sold it to a friend and got a '02 Honda Foreman 450S which I still have. Plenty of power...but I plan on making it a 475 or 500 though. I've also ridden everything from a CR500R to 250R's and everything in between. I do think the jump from a Badger to a 250R is insane. You will hurt yourself on it and then your parents will never let you ride again.

[FullBore]

My first bike was a Honda MT50, It had no real power but it never broke down, it sure taught me how to ride, 5 gears, bombproof engine and manual clutch, we bought it for £15, spent another £15 getting it running, ragged it for a few years and sold it for £100, i fell of that a few times i can tell you! Then I got a Yamaha TY250, big bottom end thumping two stroke, I did a bit of trials then sold that for a bit more profit, now I've ended up with my little 110, easily the most fun bike I've had yet, (and out of all the others i've ridden) one of the most frightening bikes I've ridden is a Yamaha YZ80, the way the powerband hits is frightening!
I think a 4 stroke is the way to go for a first trike.

Nat

[ATCRYDER]

Heres just how it is:

3 Wheelers are NOT "easier" to ride than a 4 wheeler. If it takes alot of skill for any grown male (or teen) to ride any stock atv....time for some serious common sense lessons. Assuming you know the basics of a cycle, 3 or 4 wheeler: brakes, Throttle, Steering, Leaning....You can ride anything.

Dirt bikes -are- the "easiest" offroad vehicles to use because they are just like a bicycle: an art of balance and control.

Dirt bikes, however, get old kind of fast, but ATV's are always fun.

If she's concerned abotu you riding a 3 wheeler...she should be...she's your average non-riding woman who has been watching the news since the 3 wheeler's demise. They are made out to be dangerous things that theyre not, It simply takes a few days or weeks to get used to the way they handle.

[3WheelHouston]

Another idea is to learn about riding and then when you show her the trike, show her what you've learned, such as how to position your body for certain situations, how to take corners, etc. I believe the Dirt Wheels website has several articles about that which would be helpful. There are also ATV safety courses available that you could take. In addition, my suggestion is that you start out with a utility trike, like an atc 200e. The wide tires and low cg on those things makes them much more difficult to flip, and with some good tread, they'll go through anything. They make a great first trike. Then move up to a sport utility, like a 250sx or 225 DX/DR. Then after you've mastered those get your sport. That's how I did it, and I've never been in a serious accident on one. -Aaron

[Russell 350X]

i started out on a '82 ATC 200E. They are very stable and reliable and will last many years and you will be able to grow into it. They are easy to handle, because they are so big. But they dont have the neck snapping power of a 250r. the 200E or a 185s would be a good beginners trike. i own both of these and they are easy to handle. in my opinion, 3wheelers are much better than 4wheelers, they are easier to turn, and not as heavy, making them easier to manuver. dirt bikes, i have nothing wrong with them, just that you have to be EXTREMLY CAREFUL when riding them. if not you will be picking out rocks from your knees for a while. but whatever you get, it would be a good idea to get riding safety gear(helmet, chest protectors, gloves, etc...) i dont have any riding gear but a helmet and work boots, and im thinking on investing in riding gear. but if you must get a 4wheeler, get a kawasaki bayou 220. from what ive seen they are unkillable and you can find a used one cheap. i hope this helps.