Best ATV for beginners: how should small riders choose? There is no perfect first ATV for everyone, but for a small rider there is a clear starting range. Around 5 feet and 110 pounds, look at 250cc to 400cc. A 250cc machine is often enough. It is lighter, easier to recover from a tip-over, and less tiring over a full ride. Sport quads are fun but ask more from a beginner. If you go that route, the TRX250X is the best of the three common choices. The Raptor 350 is second. The 400EX is last. A 400-class automatic utility quad is often the better answer. The CVT removes clutch timing and hill restarts from the learning process. That matters on rocky trails and loose gravel. But fit comes first. If the machine feels top-heavy or the bars feel too wide, go smaller. A 300-class automatic utility ATV is often the smarter buy.