son out grew zinger so now what?

[johnny's X]

My 7 yr old son has out grown his zinger. What does everyone suggest for next trike? Would like it to be sporty bcs he like to ride hard.

[bkm]

Get him a nice little 110.

[johnny's X]

Was thinking that. Seems those his zinger was quicker and more sportier. This is harder to come up with something than I thought it would be.

[dougspcs]

Perhaps a YT125..or an AutoX if he's big enough maybe??

[MIK6]

I feel a AutoX build in the near future!!

MIK6/ Mike

[johnny's X]

Ahhhh and auto x. Yup your onto something there. I can always lower it down for him. Nice call mik6

[tecat-z]

I've always liked the autoX theme, only seen a few built though.

[johnny's X]

Well now on the hunt for a 200x roller haha. Might even put the zinger on the market. Problem is I have a pile of $ into it

[atc350xer]

A suspended 70 with a Lifan 125 might be a nice bridge between a zinger and an auto-x... pricey tho...

[whyzee]

Ugh....have him tough it out for another year, then I agree with bkm, a nice 110.

[Swinger]

If you think he is ready to learn a clutch just go for the 200x. He will be ready for one of those in no time anyhow and the money you will spend on building an auto x may just be worth teaching him how to use a cluch and take it easy for a little bit.

[hillbilly 200x]

200x all the way. You can pic one up for cheap, parts are cheap and ever where. If he can't work the clutch right yet put a 185S in it and keep the X engine for a few years down the road for when he is ready for it. Onces he gets used to X and wants more power when you can start to build the engine up. It would be a great father son project that would prolong for a few years.

[whyzee]

200X FOR AN 8 YEAR OLD ???? Are you guys crazy ??? Hell, whats next, a 250R when he is 10 ??? seriously guys.

[caucker]

How about a 185S?

[Swinger]

I see kids that are 7-8 riding kx 65s. Now those little things would rip a 200x a new one. Then again you see kids that are 12 and cant ride stuff like that so it all depends on skill level and good supervision.

[johnny's X]

I am definitely not putting him on 200x. An auto x with a 185s motor might be the plan. I can make a lowering link for the swinger and drop the forks into the tripples to keep him lower to the ground. He is a great rider but a 200x is way to much for a 7yr old

[TimSr]

I see kids that are 7-8 riding kx 65s. Now those little things would rip a 200x a new one. Then again you see kids that are 12 and cant ride stuff like that so it all depends on skill level and good supervision.


I disagree. Skill level has nothing to do with whether or not a child will survive when a machine that weighs 2-7 times as much as they do ends up on top of them, and anyone with kids knows that if they are riding it, sooner or later it WILL end up on top of them. A highly skilled 60 lb kid under a 600lb utility will die just as quickly as a 60 lb beginner, and they don't need to be moving any faster than walking speed to do it. You should never put a child on machine larger than he can handle rolling over or flipping over on him, regardless of his skill level.

[whyzee]

put it another way, how many of you guys had a 200X when you were 7 ?
A 110 is the next logical step, but I would hold off until he is at least 10.
Nothing worse than seeing your child hurt from something you did. You are the adult here. A 185 is still waaay too much machine. Besides, why is he riding so aggressive ? Proper technique and control are key in learning to ride at any age, let alone a 7 year old. Riding is inherently a dangerous sport. There are currently 5 top motocross riders in the world out with broken necks and 2 broken backs, just since the start of the supercross season 10 weeks ago !!!. It is a miracle that they are not dead or paralyzed.

[jon jon]

well you could always put him in a 200x with a 85 motor? when i was around 11 my dads friend put a 110 motor in a 200x for his sun.. but my dad tought me how to ride a 350x when i was around 7 or 8. but that was because we didnt have any other trikes at the time..

[hillbilly 200x]

you could also put a smaller engine into the x frame. I belive all the xr and xl 80, 100, 125, 185, ect used the same mounting location as the 200x so that could always been an opinions for a bigger bike with a smaller engine.

[ezmoney1979]

Perhaps a YT125
I agree. And then in the future you can add a pipe etc, YT175 forks and possibly score a rear suspension kit for it. And they are very light weight for safety.

[3Queen]

When I was 5 years old my father got me a YT 125 and I did good on it. Did I wreck it, YES did I roll it, YES did I get hurt, NO. I was so little that I did not have strong enough thumbs for the throttle so my dad had to put a twist throttle on it so I could ride it. By age 10 I was on a Kaw 175 2 strock dirt bike. Just see what your son likes and go from there if it is to big he will be afraid of it and will not ride it, so you need to see what he is ready to ride. We can only say what we know. But really only you know how good of a rider your son is. And you never know maybe to your son a 125 would be to big you do not what to scare he. And then he will not what to ride. But then again on the other hand it may be to small and make him mad and disappointed and have him lose interest. So ask your son what he would like to have first.

[johnny's X]

Ok to solve a few issues. He has been riding since he was 3. Aggressive was probably the wrong word to use. He is a vry smart rider for his age. Might be onto something smaller than the auto x. My neighbor has a ktm 65 or a 60 not sure but he is looking to sell. Might be a conversion coming

[jon jon]

now that would be kool. friend of mine did a photo shop of his rm250 and put a swinger on it and 350x front end it looks legit... but that was just a computer tho

[hillbilly 200x]

Ok to solve a few issues. He has been riding since he was 3. Aggressive was probably the wrong word to use. He is a vry smart rider for his age. Might be onto something smaller than the auto x. My neighbor has a ktm 65 or a 60 not sure but he is looking to sell. Might be a conversion coming My boss's kids used to race the little 65ktms and he alwas told me that they where really bad for wareing out the auto clutch with just a rider of them in ever day riding let alone racing. I would think that adding another wheel and the wait of the swingarm would end up making it heaver and ware everthing out faster and by the time you geared it down enought to take off it would propbably not be much faster then the zinger. I am not saying it can't be done but I would look into it first, maybe stepping up to a ktm85 would be better.
Have you thought about putting a bigger engine into the zinger seeing how your son is used to how it handles.

[whyzee]

well you could always put him in a 200x with a 85 motor? when i was around 11 my dads friend put a 110 motor in a 200x for his sun.. but my dad tought me how to ride a 350x when i was around 7 or 8. but that was because we didnt have any other trikes at the time..
Your father let you ride a 350X when you were 7 years old? ??
By yourself? ??
Hmmm and this could be the reason 3 wheelers are no longer produced.

[Jon Boy]

IMO without knowing his riding level exactly, if he's coming off a zinger which is basicly a slow, single geared, single brake lever machine. i'd recommend either a 70 (shifting) or 90/110 (shifting, foot/front braking), to start getting down his shifting and braking technique. no more than a 125 at most and if you go honda then you get elec start as well. :beer

any 200x combo is a bit much for a 7yo, but that's my opinion.

[johnny's X]

The 200X chasis is to large and heavy. I am gonna put him on a 110 or 125

[whyzee]

The 200X chasis is to large and heavy. I am gonna put him on a 110 or 125
I bet your as excited to get it for him as he is to get it! Is it a present?

[4x4van]

The problem is that the zinger is a 2-stroke, so even though it's single speed, it will likely run right with (or even outrun) a 110 as far as power goes. Those Zingers are actually pretty potent little machines once they are up on the pipe, so to speak. So the only "step up" that the 110 gives is the shifting and the physical size. I would see if a 125 is a good fit, physically. That, to me, would be the logical step for him if he has mastered the Zinger, as long as his physical size will work. Of course you could go with a quad (Blasphemy!:)) which would give you alot more options.

[yamaha driver]

i started out on a 110 when i was 9 or 10. i loved it and my little cousin which was 8 loved it 2. its about perfect size for us back then so it would problay be perfect.. and they are almost bulletproof engines.

[Jon Boy]

The problem is that the zinger is a 2-stroke, so even though it's single speed, it will likely run right with (or even outrun) a 110 as far as power goes. Those Zingers are actually pretty potent little machines once they are up on the pipe, so to speak. So the only "step up" that the 110 gives is the shifting and the physical size.

i beg to differ. the zinger might get the 70 off the line and keep up for a little bit, but no way it'll out run a 70, let alone a 110.

[4x4van]

i beg to differ. the zinger might get the 70 off the line and keep up for a little bit, but no way it'll out run a 70, let alone a 110.
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. My kids learned to ride on a Tri-Zinger, as did my brother's kids. Now, my buddy's kids as well as my neice's kid are riding Tri-Zingers. And several friends have had the Quad-Zingers as well. Every zinger I've dealt with (especially Tri-) will definitely outrun a 70 (yes, we've had them in camp as well) under normal riding conditions and terrain, and at the very least keep up with a 110 untill you hit 4th gear in the 110, but by that time the zinger is way out in front. Now if you're talking a simple, long, top end race on mostly flat ground, sure, the 110 (and possibly even the 70) will catch and pass the Zinger. But in most riding conditions, the quickness of the 2-stroke Zinger will give it enough of a lead that the 110 will be hard pressed to make it up between corners or rough sections. That is unless the Zinger is suffering from a worn top end or centrifical clutch. The winner of any race is very seldom the fastest vehicle, rather it's the "quickest" vehicle. There's a big difference between the two.

Because of that, I think the OP's kid would definitely be disappointed in the 70, and possibly be disappointed in the 110 as well, depending on the kid's physical size. Since the kid is riding hard, and ready to move up from the Z, for most riding conditions, the 70 would likely be slower than his Zinger, and the 110 wouldn't be much better. Of course his physical size comes into play at that point as well, in trying to decide between the 110 and the 125. Just my opinion.

[Jon Boy]

point taken, true the zinger would win in a point and shoot, corner to corner, no argument there. just wasn't think about it that way and i know your point about hopping from the 2smoke to 4. i imagine he'd still want that instant pop that he's used to from the zinger.
johnny ask for ideas and i'm just considering overall size, vehicle weight and learning multiple controls. besides, sounds like in a few years he'll be ready for a bigger one for sure anyway. :lol:

[MIK6]

I still say build the autoX.. you know they take a little time to get all the parts and get it running and riding the way you want.. paint and shiny parts take time LOL
after a year or so on a 110 he will be ready for a lowered autoX, hell put it in 2nd and take the shifter off till he gets use to it.

MIK6 / Mike

[atctim]

Here is my opinion on a solution. It would be light weight, give him experience with a clutch, and he could "grow into it" with upgrades in the future. 200X chassis, 80cc MX bike powerplant (CR, RM, whatever you can find cheap). Now here is how to keep the weight down: 1st off the engine weight of a 200X motor vs a 80cc 2 stroke is huge. Roughly 30 pound savings. Next step is tires. Put some tiny rear tires on it. I have put ATC70 wheels and tires on the rear of a 200X before, the ATC70 hubs fit directly onto the 200X axle. You will save alot of weight there too, possibly another 15 - 20 pounds! also - with 1st generation 200Xs, the rear suspension has what is called a "dogbone". You can flip it and it lowers the rear about 2 inches. Slide the front forks up and viola - low machine that is light weight and has potential. As he grows - you could always swap for a bigger motor, maybe a 200X even someday, and larger tires for better off road abilities.

Here is the 200X with ATC70 rear tires.
143091

[CRAZY70MAN]

70 frame and throw a 110 or 125 Lifan in it. You could get semi auto clutch and still have a trike built for his size. Throttle can be governed. Plus it his his size and will be for 3 plus years. Cheap to build and will run circles around a big ole'110 if you want it to as he gets more comfortable. 7-800.00 to buld a good one from the ground up. Plus you could un govern the throttle and have some daddy time.....lol........

[atc350xer]

Here is my opinion on a solution. It would be light weight, give him experience with a clutch, and he could "grow into it" with upgrades in the future. 200X chassis, 80cc MX bike powerplant (CR, RM, whatever you can find cheap). Now here is how to keep the weight down: 1st off the engine weight of a 200X motor vs a 80cc 2 stroke is huge. Roughly 30 pound savings. Next step is tires. Put some tiny rear tires on it. I have put ATC70 wheels and tires on the rear of a 200X before, the ATC70 hubs fit directly onto the 200X axle. You will save alot of weight there too, possibly another 15 - 20 pounds! also - with 1st generation 200Xs, the rear suspension has what is called a "dogbone". You can flip it and it lowers the rear about 2 inches. Slide the front forks up and viola - low machine that is light weight and has potential. As he grows - you could always swap for a bigger motor, maybe a 200X even someday, and larger tires for better off road abilities.

Here is the 200X with ATC70 rear tires.
143091
A great idea.... the smaller diameter 70 wheels would slow it way down too

[johnny's X]

So many choices! I do have a cr80 motor on a shelf in my garage. I also just picked up an 84 200X last night for 65 bucks. Complete minus motor. The bigger motor in the 70 in also an option. To many choices.