Planet Minis

Billion81 · 02-08-2006, 08:57 PM

here are some pics of our trip to LEMXP last week. My son (6 y/o) got this '79 Z50 for XMAS and we just had Jeff @ minigunz to a total overhaul on the thing. Totally worth it. Don't even need to choke it.

Anyway- that's me on my little pit bike that I use to run the track with him. What fun!!!.

PS- great forum. Glad to see that others are stoked on these little Z bikes. This is what I learned to ride on back in '78-'79 so it has some personal relevance for me.

Hope you like the pics. I'll post some more when I get the bike cleaned up.

Billion81 · 02-08-2006, 08:58 PM

really liked this one. I like the way he is already looking into the next turn.

Live2surf111 · 02-08-2006, 09:00 PM

he must ask, "daddy, why do have the same size bikes?" haha

jigracing · 02-08-2006, 09:02 PM

way cool!!. My kids first bike was the '87 Z50. I now have it and raced it a few times in 49cc superstock. I got third overall in the Holiday series there at LEMP on it. Now we ride pit bikes together all the time!!

So cool that you can both go out and ride together. Nice pics!

Z50King · 02-08-2006, 09:07 PM

Saweet! That is cool, mines a 86. but i got it in 2000, but rode it from 96 til now. its complicated!

Z's are the best!!!!Q

Billion81 · 02-08-2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live2surf111

he must ask, "daddy, why do have the same size bikes?" haha

It's funny that you say that as it was his riding that compelled me to get a pit bike. I was up at racetown with Gray and I was on my 250R and he was on his bike. I rolled over to this guy who had a trick looking little china pit bike and he told me that his son's riding improved a ton by having him right there with him on the track to show him lines but that the big full size bikes were way to much and scared the little guys on the beginner tracks which was my problem.

The guy let me run around on his pit bike with my son and blam, his riding and confidence went up a trillion percent. I went home and started coming the ads for built up CRFs and found this one which is like an insanely modified Little pit bike. Funner than hell but I am a bit tall for the thing @ 6'2".

I was at Elsinore today and saw some people doing some pretty sick stuff on the little pit bikes. I ride mine for kind of a different purpose but still have a ton of fun on the thing. It is a modified 124CC honda/Kitaco kit with all the goodies.

Live2surf111 · 02-08-2006, 09:33 PM

thats cool, it makes sense tho..that riding with him helps congrats on the new rider

Billion81 · 02-08-2006, 09:39 PM

In the whoops.

RB Racing · 02-09-2006, 08:35 AM

He's styling in the Oakley googles.

racerx351 · 02-09-2006, 08:49 AM

very cool !!!! i need to get one for my son!!! very cool!!

~E · 02-09-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billion81

...It is a modified 124CC honda/Kitaco kit with all the goodies.

I think it is great that you have that bike to follow around your son and teach him to ride. Like taking a Mustang GT to driving lessons. LOL

Its great to see the little dudes out there. Nice work Dad. btw, I saw that bike at Minigunz on the bench I think.

mdkuder · 02-09-2006, 11:40 AM

Looks good! By the looks of it, you'll be building him a big bore soon. My son rode over okfifty's finish line jump last weekend and that caught me off guard, considering the size of it.

Billion81 · 02-09-2006, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdkuder

Looks good! By the looks of it, you'll be building him a big bore soon. My son rode over okfifty's finish line jump last weekend and that caught me off guard, considering the size of it.

He asked me this morning for a KTM. I love the Z50 but I wonder at which point he will be reaching "diminishing returns" as it is not total MX bike with the big tires and such.

My current thought is to let him ride this thing until he is obvioulsy getting held back by the design of the bike and really pushing it through the track. If there is ever a big bore kit in the future it will be for me and he can move on to a 50 SX senior, KTM bike. Were it not for the clutch (and raw power) I would just put him on the pit bike as that thing really rips around the track.

GOHARDorGOHOME · 02-09-2006, 11:52 AM

That is way cool, watch out he will give you a run for you money soon.

My son is only 5 months, I can't wait for the day I can go ride our track in the back together. Already have him a 05 PW50

Outlaw Powersports · 02-09-2006, 12:09 PM

That is so cool, I can't wait to ge my son riding. 3yrs old now, maybe it's time to get him on one with training wheels.

daddysmut · 02-09-2006, 12:10 PM

that's so great to see. i like how you're just sitting there patiently watching. admirable!!!

jdmp · 02-09-2006, 12:22 PM

thats way cool man that you do that with your son! Glad to see your letting him have fun too. I think too many parents take riding a bit serious.

Billion81 · 02-09-2006, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlaw Minis

That is so cool, I can't wait to ge my son riding. 3yrs old now, maybe it's time to get him on one with training wheels.

Yeah- The training wheels freak me out becuase when the kid wrecks the bike can run them over...Saw it first hand with a dad and his little girl on a little suzuki 50. She dove off and the thing proceeded to run her over. No real damage other than her crying for 45 minutes.

Saw another kid with the training wheels who was tearing it up but had gone so far as to ride the thing like a quad and was using the training wheels to slide. Looked rad but sort of defeated the purpose.

As someone who surfs-I have tried to push my son (the one on the z) to get out there but he is clearly not ready. Part of me feels the same way about bikes and motorcycles. I grew up in one of those non training wheel families and that was the lever that got me riding a bike and subsequently a motorcycle that much earlier.

It is all I can do to pull of the track and let him ride by himself as I (and most other dads) want to be in there rooting them on when all that is really happening is that we are pressuring them. Kind of like the soccer dad/nazi version on MX.

In a way I guess that to much stoke=nutty parent=unhappy kid.

Thanks for all the kind words everyone. It is truly a great thing to share this (and anything fun) with your kid. It also makes for a great motivator/carrot for the children. Clean up room, homework, take care of your stuff etc...

militaryjoe · 02-09-2006, 01:45 PM

I love to see young kids riding Hondas. It's what dreams are made of!
And you're right about the training wheels thing, I think if you can't ride a
bicycle w/o training wheels then maybe they're just not ready yet for gas power.

I too have seen motcho dads trying to live via their kids and pushing them so far
and the kid basically says...Nope, not gonna do it.

I use riding as boys time out. Of course my 5 y/o daughter will be starting to join in on her soon to buy mini quad. She rode my son's 50 (in a circle) unassisted w/o training before she turned 3, really. But now the 50 is a 124 GPX manual and she wants no part of the clutch! Quad it is.

Go ride!!!!!!!!!!!!

sanoman23 · 02-09-2006, 03:27 PM

Nice, you got him starting young! Jeff did a great job!

sanoman23

02-08-2006, 09:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
jigracing Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hesperia, Ca Posts: 3,265 My Mood:	way cool!!. My kids first bike was the '87 Z50. I now have it and raced it a few times in 49cc superstock. I got third overall in the Holiday series there at LEMP on it. Now we ride pit bikes together all the time!! So cool that you can both go out and ride together. Nice pics! __________________ Scott Last edited by jigracing; 02-08-2006 at 09:35 PM.

02-08-2006, 09:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Live2surf111 1st Gear Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Long island, NY Posts: 213	he must ask, "daddy, why do have the same size bikes?" haha

02-08-2006, 09:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
Z50King 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Upland, Ca, CPP Posts: 9,758 My Mood:	Saweet! That is cool, mines a 86. but i got it in 2000, but rode it from 96 til now. its complicated! Z's are the best!!!!Q

02-08-2006, 09:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
Live2surf111 1st Gear Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Long island, NY Posts: 213	thats cool, it makes sense tho..that riding with him helps congrats on the new rider

02-09-2006, 08:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
RB Racing 2nd Gear Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Winnipeg,Canada Posts: 446	He's styling in the Oakley googles.

02-09-2006, 08:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
racerx351 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2,774	very cool !!!! i need to get one for my son!!! very cool!!

02-09-2006, 11:40 AM	#12 (permalink)
mdkuder 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Infidel States of America, specifically Pryor, OK Posts: 1,651	Looks good! By the looks of it, you'll be building him a big bore soon. My son rode over okfifty's finish line jump last weekend and that caught me off guard, considering the size of it.

02-09-2006, 11:52 AM	#14 (permalink)
GOHARDorGOHOME 2nd Gear Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 273	That is way cool, watch out he will give you a run for you money soon. My son is only 5 months, I can't wait for the day I can go ride our track in the back together. Already have him a 05 PW50

02-09-2006, 12:09 PM	#15 (permalink)
Outlaw Powersports 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,786	That is so cool, I can't wait to ge my son riding. 3yrs old now, maybe it's time to get him on one with training wheels.

02-09-2006, 12:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
daddysmut 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: O-town florida Posts: 3,168	that's so great to see. i like how you're just sitting there patiently watching. admirable!!!

02-09-2006, 12:22 PM	#17 (permalink)
jdmp 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: pinellas FL Posts: 5,210	thats way cool man that you do that with your son! Glad to see your letting him have fun too. I think too many parents take riding a bit serious.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

02-09-2006, 01:45 PM	#19 (permalink)
militaryjoe 2nd Gear Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 316	I love to see young kids riding Hondas. It's what dreams are made of! And you're right about the training wheels thing, I think if you can't ride a bicycle w/o training wheels then maybe they're just not ready yet for gas power. I too have seen motcho dads trying to live via their kids and pushing them so far and the kid basically says...Nope, not gonna do it. I use riding as boys time out. Of course my 5 y/o daughter will be starting to join in on her soon to buy mini quad. She rode my son's 50 (in a circle) unassisted w/o training before she turned 3, really. But now the 50 is a 124 GPX manual and she wants no part of the clutch! Quad it is. Go ride!!!!!!!!!!!!

02-09-2006, 03:27 PM	#20 (permalink)
sanoman23 3rd Gear Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,966	Nice, you got him starting young! Jeff did a great job! sanoman23