What's safer for my 13 year old son to ride? Dirt bike or ATV?

Question

HI there..my son has been driving me nuts ever since he could talk, asking for anything with wheels!! He's got a go-cart, bmx bikes, motorized scooters, etc...now for the past 2 years he's been begging for a dirt bike or a 4-wheeler. I've said no so many times, and know at some point I should let him get one but being a Mom, it makes me so nervous. Any suggestions? I could just keep saying NO too, but just want to make sure i'm not being over protective.

Answer 1

I would say dirt bike, because a 4 wheeler would be much heavier if it turned over on him.

Answer 2

Both are fun I will admit.  NEITHER ARE SAFE!  Don't ever think for one second they are safe! Either of them is moving a human body between 5 mph and 60 mph over land, pavement, water, rocks, debris and everything else.  All it takes is one little mistakes (rookie or pro rider) and you may be looking a death, a minor injury, being a quad or paraplegic.

Everyone claims to be a great and safe rider, until they end up as a vegetable platter on my wifes hospital ward eating through a tube and having machines do all of the work for them.

When this happens, blame the rider.  The machine is only doing what it was built to do. It will take a life on Monday.  .00000000001 second after that life is destroyed, it will be waiting for the next life to claim.

When you finally "give in" and say yes, it wouldn't hurt to purchase a burial plot for him.  That may open his eyes.

Other will blow smoke up your bottom.  If you say yes, your a weak parent.

Answer 3

A dirt bike can be very dangerous and you should always wear pants when rideing them because you might have to turn the bike to its side to avoid hitting something. But an ATV doesnt flip as much but when it does make sure it dont land on you and thats pretty much it unless your going really fast and hit something.

Hope i helped

Answer 4

Well, since your asking in the bicycling category, I'd say a mountain bike.

Answer 5

Well, my husband broke his back on a dirt bike and after 10 years and a back surgery, he does pretty well.

His second wife hit a tree with an ATV and was kiled instantly due to head trauma, so my answer is a dirt bike would probably be safer.

Answer 6

Well to be honest they both have similar dangers. None is safer then the other. The only difference you have to re lie on is the weight and the fact that one is on two wheels and the other on 4. I would let the boy try out both and see what he likes. Also safe depends on the gear you wear. Basically on both vehicles the rider is exposed to the elements so the injuries would be the same on either one. Let him pick his own ride. Dont worry about differences in safety. Just make sure he has spine neck and head gear.

Answer 7

neither one is safe, per se, but I would say dirt bike, because then if he gets injured, he is traveling under his own power, and is thus going at a much lower speed than he would be on an ATV. why not get him into road racing if he has so much energy?

Answer 8

I say go and buy him a ATV(4-wheeler) and

get a speed limiter on it!!

Well good luck hope your son will be happy!

_Love_JT_Duh_

Answer 9

Dirt bikes can be a lot of fun. I'd say let him get a small bike. ATV's  are more dangerous but they are still both pretty risky.

Google statistics on death / injury ratio differences between quads and dirt bikes.  you wil find that  ATV's are much higher.

ATV's more so than dirt bikes really become lethal when you wreck. you can become traped under it or in many cases crushed. why do you think they are making kids have a licence now to drive them ( at least in our state).

With an atv when you crash, you have to not only watch out for where you are falling to brace yourself, but you have to get out of the way of the ATV to make sure it doesn't land on you.

At least with a dirt bike, when you fall, you dont have to worry about being crushed or trapped under it. Thats why when people wreck dirt bikes they usually break extremedies lieka arms or legs.  But on ATV's they break their backs or necks.  so you decide; break your arm or your back?