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Son's first solo ATV ride & radio communications.

bczoom

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I pulled the ATV's, go-carts... out of the bunker and brought them home. I was pleasantly surprised that all started in first to third pull on manual start (the batteries were dead).

My son is now of the age where I feel I could trust him to drive his ATV on his own. I bought him his ATV when he was about 2 years old but he's an all-American, true-blue redneck gung-ho, Tarzan, Godzilla kind of boy and has historically been a bit too maniacal to drive it on his own.

Well, I had an idea on how to maintain the situation. Communications and a chase vehicle. With that, I can talk him through creeks, hills, turns and general control.

So, let's do it with some pics.

The first pic of him ready to go. The "chase vehicle" is his sisters ATV that I'm going to ride. I didn't want to use the RTV or something big as some situations may require that I come up and hit the back of his ATV so I wanted to be driving the smallest thing possible for visibility and impact reasons. BTW, that little ATV that's the chase vehicle can and does outrun the RTV...

The second pic:
For communications, I believe I have the best setup for the kids.

I have several of the FRS radios. A few years back, I bought some headsets that fit inside the helmets and attach to the FRS radios. Inside the helmet, there's a microphone that's at the front of his mouth (in the full face section). There's also speakers in both ears.

I wired in his helmet with speakers in both ears and the mike in the front. I ran the pigtail that goes from the helmet to the radio out the back. I then put a FRS radio in a camera case that has a velcro belt loop that I ran through the back of the chest protector.

This setup also has a pigtail that goes to a PTT button on the handlebar but I didn't want him to have to think about responding and feel for the button instead of just talking. It was pretty funny as you can hear him sometimes giving an audible reply to my directions although he was too far away to really here him.

So, having given training and instructions, he's ready to go. I have a comfort level as I can talk to him at any point and give guidance and directions.

Third Pic:
He did a great job. Only put it on 2 wheels (the 2 right ones) once, and at that point, we both thought he was going to flip. I was able to either lead, follow or get out of the way and let him go. Since I had visual at all times, I could sit back and just guide him if/as necessary through the radio.

Of course, he had to take a parting shot (for Mrs. Zoom), so here he is at the end of his ride.
 

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Big Dog

Large Member
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I bought my oldest son his first quad when he was 5. We were living in LA at the time and we use to go on the Mississippi levee near New Roads, LA to ride. I think it was our 2nd time out and climbing up the side of the levee he had it in too high a gear, stalled and rolled backwards. The quad goes rolling along with over my son a couple times, man I was shitting. All I could think about was him getting hurt and the shellacing my wife was going to give me. When I got down to him he was just standing up, shook his head and this big ole grin came across his face (along with mine). All he said was "I was in too high a gear" and "is my quad OK?". Damn we was lucky that day, just a few scrapes .....whew!
 

bczoom

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stalled and rolled backwards.
That's one of the biggest reasons I was driving his sisters quad. I wanted something fast and nimble where I can come right up behind him when climbing a hill to stop him from going backwards by using my ATV to block is backward slide.

All I could think about was him getting hurt and the shellacing my wife was going to give me.
That's always in the back of my mind as well...
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
Great pics and info BC. I see he had the proper safety equipment which is very important to safe learning and driving of off road vehicles. When my son and daughter first started driving, all we really had at that time was the helmet rule. The newer safety vests were not in use except for racing and now they are used for everyday off road riding for all types of vehicles.

I think it is great to start them young on learning the rules of the trail and road. Both my daughter and son grew up on motorbikes, snow machines and quads. Their driving skills are far more superior in my opinion than the kids that just learned by driving full size vehicles. Driving skills are honed over years and not overnight. The smaller vehicles sharpen these skills for when they start driving full size vehicles.

Here are a couple pics of my grandson taken on his ATV a couple years ago while on a ride in our backyard area of the mountains. He is a very safe and good operator of motor vehicles. He uses them on the ranch to herd cattle and do chores as needed. He should be a great driver of full size vehicles when the time arrives.

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