I'm looking for an older 250 or something for my son who is only 6 years old.I'd love to get him a new little mini z or something but there not really practical for us.I'm thinking along the lines of an older Bravo or the mid 80s ski-doo citations something like that.What I'm wondering is which machine is the best fit for a barely 4 foot tall person.Need something with a nice high seat and handlebars not up too high so he can reach them.I'll also need a way to limit the throttle,maybe something on top of the slide in the carb or wrap something around the handlebar under the throttle?All opinions appreciated. :D

Depending on the sled you get him he may be rather safe on an old sled without any limiter, i know our Ski Whiz will only do around 40-45 maxed out, and it takes a good run for it to get there. Lots of people make throttle blocks behind the throttle lever that just doesn't allow him to go more than 1/2 throttle or so. I would try to stay away from anything with a cleated track, and anything much over a 300 is gonna be pretty quick, depending on the model. The biggest problem with going this route is the constant work you have to do to keep it running well, though i hardly ever run into this with the ski whiz, it is a common complaint. Either way good luck and hope to see him enjoyin the snow as much as the rest of us.
Wayne

Go for the Bravo - light and nimble with a great engine that's pretty much bullet proof.

Bravo or a tundra..both are excellent little runners

use a hose clamp on the handle bar to limit the throttle, the kids need a screw driver to mess with it.

I would go with the older citation with electric start,(and did ) it was an excellent choice. he bombed around the yards for hours every time he had the chance. Plus they are tippy little suckers so they learn how to ride and use body language at a early age.Good luck with your choice in what ever you get I am sure he will have a blast.

My first sled my Dad bought me was an Elan 250 (2 cylinder). I guess back then it was pretty fast for me? My dad installed a small wire lock (small block with allen bolt through it) he put it on the throttle cable before the carb, so I'd only have half throttle. My Dad did however every couple of weeks loosen the block and take her for a good run to clean her out :) Had that sled for so long, until my brother wrapped it around a tree :(
He than moved me up to a Yamaha Enticer 340, than to a Yamaha Exciter 440, than a Blizzard 9500. I than had to buy my own sled...
He stppoed putting the block after the 340 Enticer.
I'd have to agree with someone who said it's a great learning experience :)

I doubt you'll find one, but a friend had a Polaris TC 175 (think) that was a neat little sled. Lower cg than the Bravo or Citation.

What about something like an old Enticer? We're some of those 250's or were they 340's? Can't remember.

I think that an early 90's 340 puma or 340 jag would be a great sled to grow into. You can usually find them cheap and they are also easy to maintain. Another choice would be the mid 90's indy 340fan. These had a smaller chassis then the bigger indy's. SWRules

Thanks for the idea's guys.I already have an old 73 olympic(I think?)but these old sleds are just a pain in the butt to keep running.It has to be something new enough that the engine is down in the front and not sitting in your lap like the old elans and olympics(he's a little scared of that).An electric start citation/tundra or bravo would be good I think if I could just find one.The biggest thing is that he can see over the handlebars while sitting down. :)The enticer's handlebars look a little tall.Unfortunatly I'm just looking at pictures in the Trader and its hard to tell how big the sleds really are.

a tundra would be good..and the nice part is..with that longer track, he won't be walking back to get dad to "un-stuck" him :p

Any of the old sleds are alright..even those old Polaris Starlites ( I think that is what they were called). Little 1 cyl 250..lots of jam for the young ones and not heavy. Wish I knew what year this guy had to point you in the right direction..

That olympic of yours would do the trick. All the older sleds can be a bugger to keep running...but if you fix it properly it can run for a long time too. How about a mid 80's safari?

Yes the polaris star.My nieghbour use to have one.Thats a good choice but I haven't seen any for sale.They must be pretty rare.There are tons of mid 80s safari's out there but they aren't really that small.I know they're short looking but they still have a pretty big cockpit area.The older sleds with the tillotson carbs and no fuel pumps seem to need to much tinkering with the carbs every year.It wouldn't even be so bad if they were easy to get off but you have to use that funky, bent 13 millimeter wrench and be a contorsionist to get the damn nut off the one side(on most single cylinder models anyway).I have a 68 olympic and the 73 and they both have to have the carbs taken off and free up the needle valve every year because they won't suck up the gas,or they suck it up but it doesn't get into the engine.I need a mikuni. :D

:) Hello !!

I have 2 Ski-Doo ELAN 250 ( 1 cyl ) for my daughters.
( Very common Kidzz machine here in Sweden ! )

They are also very funny for my self to drive sometimes.... :hallo1: Back To Basic


A machine that I seen a cupple of familys have for their kidzz is the
Yamaha ET-250
This old ET's are bullet proof !!

SWRules

GET HIM A YAMAHA SNO-SCOOT.


THOSE ARE BLAST TO BOOT AROUND ON, EVEN FOR THE OLDER FOLKS.

91-95 Indy StarLite 250 would be my pick :)

Or 93 and up Tundra

Both have independant and have 244-268 single cylinders

There was a couple of Indy Starlight in the bargain hunter here over past few weeks

Don't need independant front end.Just looking for something fairly cheap to putt around the back yard and in the field.It won't be driven on trails because he is too young.

I do not want to cause any trouble but 6 years old seem too young for me to be riding a full size sled. You said that a Mini Z would not be practical for you. Are you trail riding?

If you are letting him ride it in your own yard or even on a frozen lake that is ok I guess, although I still think he is too young for that, but on the trail that is just dangerous, not only for him but also for everyone else. In my opinion, a child that age cannot react quickly enough if something happens.

I have been riding with my parents since I was a baby. I have been riding my own sled since I was 14. I am 20 now. While I do think that that I could have been riding a year or two younger, I really do not believe that anyone under that age of 12 should be riding their own sled. At six, is your kid even in school yet?

Sorry to rant but I am concerned for your son and for other people that might be on the trails with him.

Update:

Sorry, you replied while I was typing this post, Oldyeller. I am glade to hear that you are not letting him ride on the tails. They only reason I am leaving this post is that it is a general opinion of my view on riding age. Again, I am sorry if I offended you.

Id say a sno scoot for a kid that young. They are fun for anyone to zip around the yard. If you want a small machine that is capible of trails, a bravo. My bro has a bravo and I can do a mean weelie on that thing. Never had a problem with it, except the gas tank broke off the welds from a big boy riding it. It is good for him because it is very light and he can get it unstuck. :devil:

I have had many older sleds growing up . here is a list of the ones i would recammend.

12 Elan (single cyl)
Yamaha Bravo
Citation&Tundra
The late 70's & early 80's Citations are also good machines

These sleds are low matience and easy to fix, parts are also easy to come by
I would recommend staying away from the Polaris Star and starlites (two of my buddys had them and we spent more time fixing them then we did riding! and parts were not easy to find or cheap for that matter) also give the machine a compleat inspection like you would when you buy a used machine for yourself this will save time and money in the future and there is nothing worse for a kid then having a sled that is always being repaired.

I have an 89 Yamaha snoscoot that my folks bought for me for christmas. They bought it brand new. What an awesome christmas present. I am saving this sled if I ever have any kids. I think the mini sled are junk, to much $$$$$$$$$ for what you get. The snowscoots are still bringing the same $ that they sold for brand new.

The snoscoots were rare when they were new!They are almost impossible to find now.Voda 2000 thanks for your concern but my son will just be riding in the back yard and a field and I will be with him at all times.I started riding at age 5 on a snocruiser that must have wieghed a ton compared to the sleds we are talking about.Also my son has raced a 90 cc atv all this summer so he is pretty good at driving.The snowmobile will be new to him but I'm sure he will pick it up in no time.

that bravo 250 is a tank,,,,just runs and runs,,,, pop a throttle block on it and he will be a happy camper