Five things, before the first ride: a helmet that fits, goggles, gloves, boots that cover the ankle, and long sleeves with long pants. That is the whole list. Everything beyond it is useful but optional, and nothing on it is optional, including for a slow lap around your own yard.
The helmet
This is the one item not to economise on, and the one most people get wrong by buying it too big.
Fit, which matters more than brand
- Measure around the head, about an inch above the eyebrows, at the widest point. Use that number against the maker's size chart rather than guessing from age.
- Put it on. It should be snug enough that it takes a little effort to get over the ears and then sits without pressure points.
- Grab the helmet and move it side to side. The skin on their forehead should move with it. If the helmet slides over the skin, it is too big.
- Fasten the strap, then try to roll it forward off the back of the head. If it comes off, it is too big, and a helmet that comes off in a fall is doing nothing.
- Ask them to wear it for ten minutes indoors. Hot spots show up in ten minutes and ruin a ride an hour in.
Do not buy a helmet with room to grow. A loose helmet is closer to no helmet than it is to a correct one.
What the labels mean
In the United States, a helmet sold as motorcycle headgear is expected to meet the federal DOT standard, FMVSS 218. That is the baseline, not a mark of quality. Snell M2020 and the European ECE 22.06 are stricter voluntary standards, and a helmet carrying one of those has been tested harder than the minimum.
A bicycle helmet is not a substitute. Bicycle helmets are built for a single lower speed impact and leave the face and jaw exposed. A dirt bike helmet is full face for a reason.
When to replace it
After any impact where the helmet hit the ground, even if it looks fine. The liner crushes once and does not come back. Also replace it when they have outgrown it, or after roughly five years, because the liner hardens with age.
Goggles
Not sunglasses, not safety glasses. Goggles, worn over the helmet strap, sealed to the face.
Dirt, grit and insects at 20 mph all end a ride the same way: the rider shuts their eyes. Get goggles that fit the helmet opening, with a strap that grips the outside of the shell rather than sliding around on it. Tear off posts are useful on a muddy track and pointless everywhere else.
Clear lenses for evening and overcast, tinted for bright desert sun. If you only buy one, buy clear.
Gloves
Cheap and worth it. Hands go out first in every fall a person has ever had, and bare palms on gravel is the injury that stops a kid wanting to ride again.
Look for a full finger motocross glove with a light palm. Thin is fine and actually better, because a thick glove kills the feel of the throttle and makes a nervous rider grab it.
Boots
Over the ankle. That is the whole requirement, and it rules out trainers.
A proper motocross boot is the best answer if you will use it, because it stops the ankle rolling and protects the shin from the footpeg. A sturdy work boot or a hiking boot that laces above the ankle is a reasonable start for a first season on a mini.
What matters either way: a sole that grips, no laces long enough to catch a chain or sprocket, and enough height that the ankle cannot fold.
Long sleeves and long pants
Denim over shorts, every single time. Gravel rash on a thigh takes weeks to heal and hurts the whole time.
Purpose made riding pants and a jersey are better and cooler than jeans in summer, but the rule is simply that nothing bare touches the ground.
Worth adding, in this order
- Knee guards. The next thing to buy after the core five. Knees hit the ground and hit the handlebars.
- Chest or roost protector. Good value, comfortable, and it stops the stones the front wheel throws.
- Elbow guards. Cheap, and elbows land hard.
- Neck brace. Worth considering once they are jumping. Not necessary for a kid doing laps of a field, and it has to be fitted with the right helmet to work at all.
What you can skip
Anything that only looks like gear. Stickers, branded soft caps, and open face helmets sold for scooters have no place on a dirt bike. So does any helmet with no certification label inside it at all.
Gear is half of it, the speed limiter is the other half
The single most effective safety feature on a kids mini is not something you wear. It is the governor screw on the carburetor, which physically caps how fast the bike can go. Set it so the bike will not exceed a walking jog, let them ride at that speed for a month, then open it a quarter turn at a time as they earn it.
Full walkthrough: how to adjust the speed limiter on a 50cc dirt bike. Every 50cc and 60cc we sell has one already fitted.
A bike that fits matters just as much. A rider who cannot get their feet down at a stop will drop it, and that is where most first year injuries come from. There is a full guide to what size dirt bike fits a 6, 8 or 10 year old.
Common questions
Can my kid wear a bike helmet on a dirt bike?
No. A bicycle helmet leaves the face and jaw exposed and is designed for one lower speed impact. Use a full face motorcycle or motocross helmet.
Does the law require a helmet?
It depends on the state, and several set the rule at under 18 while others set it at all ages. Our 50 state guide has what we could verify. Put one on them regardless of what your state says.
How much should I spend on a kids helmet?
Enough to get a certified helmet that fits. Fit is what makes a helmet work, so the correct size in a mid priced helmet beats the wrong size in an expensive one every time.
What gear do they need for just the backyard?
All of it. The backyard is where most falls happen, because that is where most of the riding happens and where people get relaxed about gear.
Do you sell gear?
Not at the moment. We sell bikes. When someone asks us about gear we tell them what to look for, which is what this page is, rather than pushing them at something we have in stock.
Before the first ride
Gear on, bike checked over, flat open ground, an adult present and the limiter turned down. If you are setting up a brand new bike, the step by step setup guide covers the fastener and brake check that should happen before anyone sits on it.
Questions? Text 623 320 8984.
Plugged by 50CC is an independent retailer. We do not manufacture, assemble, modify or service the bikes we sell. Every bike ships sealed in its factory crate exactly as it reaches us, about 90% assembled from the factory, and final assembly and setup are completed by the buyer. Off-road use only. Riders under 18 should always be supervised by an adult.