My daughter just turned 11 and my son is 9. I got them a Z370 and it fits them perfect. I took it for a spin around the lake and it was a lot of fun. Light, easy to maneuver and I picked it up for $1200 from the original owner with only 1000 miles on it.

If you see one grab it. I looked for two years for one. Every time I called they were gone. I got lucky and found it in August.

 

My daughter just turned 11 and my son is 9. I got them a Z370 and it fits them perfect. I took it for a spin around the lake and it was a lot of fun. Light, easy to maneuver and I picked it up for $1200 from the original owner with only 1000 miles on it.

If you see one grab it. I looked for two years for one. Every time I called they were gone. I got lucky and found it in August.

You have a buyer for that thing when you're done with it..:bc:

 

Polaris 340. My kids love it.

 

X2 340 Indy Lite sounds like a good pick too.

 

I have 3 boys, all just about to turn 10...7 and 4. They all have less than 10hrs combined of snowmobile riding experience on a z120.

I'm thinking late 90s Jag 340/440 or a z370. Thoughts?? My wife might tool around on the sled a little bit, but it'll be for the boys only, so I don't even care if it'll go 60-70+(actually I don't want it to LOL). Looking for a light, fun sled they can ride and learn on when it's their time to ride. I'm still keeping the 120 for my 7 and 4 yr old.

My 6yr old son just finished up his first full season on his Z120. I can't see him riding it much longer than a couple years, due to the fact that he's tall for his age. He's loves riding, but I don't know how much longer he'd be comfortable on it. I'll definitley make it a bit faster for next year. Doesn't matter, my daughter will be ready for it, when he's ready for something bigger. For a 10yr old.. a Z370 would be my pick. :thumbsup:

 

I bought them the 120 towards the end of this season. It already had the clamp on the spring so it went about 15, but I'm going to put the aggressor kit in...crack open the motor to take the governor gear out and I already chopped the handle bars and put a 2" riser on.

Chopping the bars off and putting on the riser would help your little guy out for sure!

 

I think they make a throttle limiter for the sp 500

 

My son learned all his riding skills on his old Yamaha Bravo, couldn't kill that thing, excellent on gas, easy for him to start on his own, about 50 mph top end. The 10 yr. old can easily handle the bigger 340's and 370's , but your middle son will probably have a tougher time!:snack:

 

X2.
I have a 3, 6, & 8 year old. Bought a Bravo after Christmas and my oldest can't get enough of it. I get home from work and he waiting in the porch, "dad can I go on the sled?" lol
I bought an older Bravo because I wasn't sure if he was going to like sledding, plus if he breaks anything on it then no big deal, and I like XC800can said, can't kill it.

 

x3 on the bravo. If you can't find one even a 340 enticer would be good. Much lighter than the cat.

 

That's true I grew up on a Bravo 250 they are awesome...

 

Google: premier enforcer 300.

 

:laff: :roflmao: Let's not get too crazy here. 6k? My sled isn't worth that.

As far as the Bravo goes and if I find one that won't keep running, I can hear it from my wife now. "Why didn't you spend just a little bit more on something that's going to run!! The boys want to ride. How old is that thing anyway?!?" haha

 

here's my experience on the topic: my boy started out on a 2004 Polaris PRO X 120 when he was 6 and when he turned 10 I found him a low mileage 2002 Polaris 340 indy deluxe, what a great sled for him.

so any sled in that later model category should be fine.

Polaris indy lite 340

arctic cat Z 370

Ski-Doo 380

 

That was my thought as well.

Polaris indy lite 340

arctic cat Z 370, Jag 340/440

Ski-Doo 380

 

The above posters have chosen all the ones I would have picked - top marks to you guys and gals who are getting the kids involved!

 

My 12 year old grandson rode his first sled ever this year. We started him out on a 03 F5, riding between me and the rest of us. We rode alot up in Pittsburg and around the Newport area. We even rode from Canaan to Andover for pizza. Last weekend him and i did 130 miles from Groveton to the SDR trails to Errol back to Diamond Peaks motel down 7 back to the parking area. A 500, as long as they are behind you and you are setting the pace, works. Next year i'm moving him up too a 03 F7.

 

I bought an Indy 340 for my 12yo a couple years ago. I planned on taking my 9yo on my old touring sled with me. Unfortunately with my boys in sports all year long we didn't get to ride until this year when they both decided that basketball wasn't for them. They are now 14 and 11. We spent this year with me riding the old touring sled carrying one of the boys and the other riding the 340. I am currently looking for something bigger for my 14yo. Why aren't there any more smaller engine full size machines out there? I'm a little nervous putting him on a 500 with only 1yr riding experience.

 

sorry for the ramble..lol

my point was supposed to be that they LOVE the Indy 340. great lite sled. cheap to operate too..

Sent from Snowmobile.com Free App

 

my kid.
first 120 age 4-9
2nd 300 enticer age 9-11
3rd 488 fan age 11-12
4th 550 fan Edge age 12-15
5th 600 Edge-age 15
6th 600 Fusion age 16-date

The 300 enticer, and the 488 were beaters, so I didn't have a fit if they got scratched or crashed.
Easy to limit speed--I just taped a block of wood under the throttle!

Worked for me! :thumbsup:

I have a Indy 340 for sale!

 

No offence gun maker, but starting a 12 yr old on anything like an f5 is simply asking for trouble. Putting a 13 yr old on an f7 sounds even scarier. Starting on a low HP sled will only make a better rider of a young kid. Jm2 pennies

 

X2. 03 f5 is like 100 hp. The ZR body styled z370 and 570s are great.......but not cheap. What I'd suggest would be to look for a clean '90 ish jag 440 or lynx 340. I think 89 was the first year for them to have a-armed independent front suspension (pretty much like the newer 370 but with about 30 percent less travel) The earlier ones had leaf springs and were tippy. These sleds can be had for under a grand all day long, $600 maybe in the summer. I'd prefer them for young riders because they set lower to the ground than a 370....thinking fall offs or near tip overs here. It'll happen.
The delux models of each also had electric start and some had reverse. My skidoo and Yamaha buddies also use to have Elans, citations, bravos and enticers as mentioned above. Ooo, and the Polaris lites, sports, etc. all the same color for me though.

 

Isn't falling off and learning how to lean with throttle control all part of learning how to ride? My boys can fall off a few times, they'll be alright. Haha

 

True, I had daughters. My youngest is 10yrs and she's 52" tall and 50 lbs. Athlete. But I don't want here falling any further than she has too. Need to keep her safe and confident so that she's ready to run my sleds when she gets older.

 

freestyle 300 if u can find one. buy it keep it 4 or 5 and sell it for what u have in to it.
and as far as the 120 goes don't piss time and money away doing mods on the stock motor . get a brigs lo20 slap in in in a few hrs and jr will be doing 30 across the lake . They also have a lo20 racing class for the kids at ERX . bit harder for dads to cheat with the hologram locks on the case

 

My daughter and two sons would drive my 600's that I handed down when they turned 12 and got there snowmobile training certificate. The sleds would have around 6000 miles on them, we would ride trails with my wife following them she would let them know every mistake they did for the first year. I agree if they are riding by themselves around the yard or fields stay under 500cc. If you plan on them riding with you on trails then I wouldn't go to small its harder for them to keep up with to small of a motor.

 

That would be good friend.

 

Hope you brought your truck today because this one will likely go by the end of the day
94 Articat Puma 340

 

Hope you brought your truck today because this one will likely go by the end of the day
94 Articat Puma 340

Haha. That's about 1 of the cheapest that I've seen yet. :thumbsup:

 

I tried to get an xc120 for 750 but it was an hour away and the guy had promised it to someone else by the time I got there. I did a reverse lookup of his name and found his address and started the hour trek. Got there first and offered the guy 800 to which he said no.

The other guy got there and I told the seller I would offer him a grand and the guy turned it down because he gave his word to the other buyer.

 

Good on the seller for keeping his word to the original buyer!! It's getting tougher and tougher to find good people that stick to their word these days.

 

cat z440 fan if your wife will ride it too, great sled, wish I never sold my 02

 

A 500 for trail riding between 2 adults works great. The adult sets the pace and teaches that just because the sled will run 70, dosen't mean you have to run that fast. Also it gets them use to the higher sitting seat and how they turn. Our f5 has a Boss seat so he is getting use to that.How many of us started on the old Z style then moved to rider forward and found a new beast.

 

Everyone has to figure out what's good for their own kid. Mine? No way he could handle a 500 at almost 10. He doesn't know how to ride in my opinion and I'm guessing has 6-8hrs behind the handle bars of a 120. Someone else's kid who has a couple yrs behind a 340 or bigger at the same age, they might be ready for a 500. My point? My oldest is done with a 120, but needs a couple/few years at the next step up....not 2-3 steps up. He has to prove to me he can ride before he comes close to a trail.