KX 60 not idleing and ticking noise

[Big Wheel]

Hi all,
I recently picked up a 1998 KX60 for my 6 year old son.  It is completely stock, and he has been riding it for about 1 month now.  He is doing great, starting, etc..   The only problem he does have is winding it out too long (way past the power).  He is either too early or too late on his shifting. 
Anyways, we were out today, and he was WOT in 4th gear.  I pulled up beside and and motioned for him to upshift.  He pulled the clutch in, and wasn't very quick about getting into  5th gear, so the bike dropped to an idle and died.  Fired right back up, but won't idle and has a ticking noise in the engine or trans.  Kinda hard to tell where it's coming from.

So we pushed it into the garage, and I put it on the stand.  It will start and run fine.  BUT, as soon as you put it in gear it dies, and it doesn't seem to want to idle.  Almost like there is something in the trans that is pulling the engine down.  If you give it a push and then put in gear and take off, it's fine.  Seems like something came apart in the clutch.
Any ideas? 

Thanks,
Mike

[Big Wheel]

Well,  I pulled the clutch out of it today on my lunchbreak and didn't see anything.  Pulled the basket off, all looked good.   So I cleaned it all up and put back togather.  Fired it up, and used the 'ol screwdriver to pinpoint the noise to the topend.  Was most prominant on the actual head.  So, pulled the body off and pipe, which did you know that the pipe is all one piece?  I didn't.

Pulled the jug off and found the piston scored bad on one side and the rings frozen, burned into the lands.  What a bummer.
Funny thing is, it was running great.  He does have a bad problem about not upshifting correctly.  Sometimes he does it great, other times he will just leave it in 3rd and hold it WOT.  It's almost like I need to put a shift light on it. 

I also thought about taping a walkie talkie to the front part of his helmet, then doing the same thing to mine, and taping the button down on mine.  That way I can talk to him while we are out riding. 

Well, that's it so far.

[Hillclimb#42]

He'll have out grown it before he blows it up again. Put a piston in it and let him rip. He will figure it out soon enough. Next he will be forgetting to touch the brake after 5th gear wheelies or somethin'. Lucky little guy to have a bike already in life. Good job Dad!!!!!

[hughes]

Pretty cool a 6 year old riding the kx60. My 7 year old rides a ttr90 Yamaha. I'm delaying the clutch action. Hope to get him out this bike within a year or two and get he into something with clutch.

[Big Wheel]

Well, I put a Wiseco in it, new bearing, and rings.  Runs awesome now.   I also repacked the muff .  Powerband seems to hit much harder now.  He is spinning the rear wheel in 3rd gear climing our test hill, get's a little squirrley on him.   I am trying to get him to powershift, he's doing pretty good at that, but he likes to slide back on the seat when he shifts.  Then the frontend comes up and he just lets off the throttle.  I've tried to get him to move his knee out, but he's just not getting it yet.  Oh well, takes time.