New to dirt biking, need help on which bike

[Rider117]

Ok i am 16 years old and have a budget of $5000.

I cant get anything above a 125 and i was wondering which brand/model would be best for a beginner but still be very fast and perform well.

Also when you suggest something can you say what the top speed it?

And do most bikes have a speedometer?

-Thanks

1) your physical size (both height and weight are important)
6 foot 125 pounds
2) How physical / aggressive are you ?
Medium on both
3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ?????
with friends, or off roading
4) Do you have any riding experience?
Nope
5) Do you think you will race ?
No, if I do it will be small racing.
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work?
Not really
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)?
Dont know
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry?
Not sure
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike?
up to $5000
10) Do you live in California?
Yes
11) Your age?
16

 

[2strokesrock]

First! dirt bikes do not have speedometers... nor do they need them. Second, it is really hard to tell the top speed of a bike bcause it can be DRASTICLY altered for 30$ and Ten minutes work.
ok.. now for bikes
you said that you are limited on size.. so im going to explain the differance between a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke.
A two stroke will have roughly twice the peak horsepower of a fourstroke that is the same CCs for example: you have a 125 two stroke and a 250 four stroke, the two stroke will have the roughly same peak horsepower.
but, the four stroke is alot easyer to ride and will speed up the learning curve slightly.
Now for bike sugestens.
all of the Japanese main four (honda yamaha suzuki and kawasaki) are excelent bikes.
I would look for a nice 125 two stroke from any of these brands.

 

[J-man]

Your 6 foot and 125 pounds? I would agree with the 125, Any of the four main Japanese bikes are great and KTM also has really nice bikes.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

The first thing you need to do is stop thinking about top speed when you are thinking dirt bikes, especially as a beginner. Any bike will have the capability of getting you going a lot faster than your skill can handle. You can always gear up to go faster but you trade off low end torque, which you are going to need for climbing hills.

Can you explain the 125cc limit a bit? Is that what your parents have said or did that come from some other source? If you are limited to 125cc then you definitely want a two stroke as you are way too big for any 125cc four stroke. You might want to go back to the source of that limit and see if it could be 125 two stroke or 250 four stroke.

As 2storkesrock said, dirt bikes don't typically have speedometers. There are models that are technically "dual sport" bikes that are capable of being street legal and therefore have a speedometer but I wouldn't recommend getting a dual sport as your first off road bike.

Since you live in California you need to become familiar with the "red" and "green" sticker issues. Unlike most other states, California requires all off road vehicles to be registered and they will get either a "red sticker" or "green sticker" based on their smog emission equipment, or lack there of. A red sticker bike is limited in the season that it can ride in the public OHV areas. Any two stroke, 2003 or newer will be a red sticker bike and many of the four stroke MX bikes are red sticker as well.

The good news is that a bike 2002 or older is grandfathered into a green sticker so if you decide on a two stroke you may want to look for a 2002 model. It is a real bummer when your friends all want to go to a state OHV park but you can't go because it isn't red sticker season.

Many people who ride in the desert get away with cheating the rule as the desert typically doesn't have much enforcement. As a result you will find a lot of bikes for sale that don't have any sticker / registration at all. I recommend that you buy a bike that is properly registered as it can save you a lot of trouble later down the road.

Here is a link to the California DMV website that will provide more information:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/ohvredgreen.htm

With your budget you should be able to buy a really nice bike and all the necessary gear to go with it. As a minimum you need:

Helmet
Boots
Googles

I also highly recommend:
Gloves
chest protector
knee pads

A good pair of riding pants will stand up to the falls you are likely to have a lot better than jeans will.


Rod

 

[jb_dallas]

With no riding experience, I wouldnt recommend getting a 2 stroke larger than a 125. To answer your question about the top speed of different bikes, the answer is faster than a beginner can go without breaking their neck. Like Rod said, its not all about top speed, especially for a beginner.

 

[Rider117]

my parents said 125 is the highest i can go but, i might be able to convince them to let me have a
2009 CRF230L.


I know id get a bunch of safety gear but would this bike be a green or red sticker?

Also what do you think of the bike?
Is 4 stroke bad or something?

 

[jb_dallas]

4 strokes arent bad at all. Personally, I prefer 4 strokes, although opinions vary. I think the CRF230 would be a good first bike and it will run for a long time. I would imagine that the 230 would be more "sticker friendly", but I dont live in CA, so Im no expert on that topic. Keep in mind that a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke are two different animals. A CR125 (2 stroke) will be quicker than a CRF230, its all about engine design, not necessarily displacement (cc - cubic centimeters). For example, think of an Indy car....those engines are very small, but they can run 220 mph.

 

[GoldDrum]

4 strokes are good beginner bikes because they have power all the way through. The 2 strokes get their power once the RPMs get up and can be a bit harder to ride. For trails and all a 4 stroke would probably suit your needs best. I am not sure about the 230, someone else on here would be better to tell you about which one.

 

[Rider117]

does anyone have AIM and would be willing to answer some questions?

 

[DieselNuts]

being 6' tall at 16yrs old, I don't think the CRF will have the suspension you need. If you can convince them to get the 230, you might as well go for an XR250. A little more power than the 230 but an all around better bike. The 230 also has that garbage drum rear brake.

You're folks really need to get off this "125cc max" thing. Show them some of these posts. We'll learns em somethin. A 125 4 stroke is built for 10yr olds. Just stand next to one... A 2 stroke 125 race bike will run laps around an XR250. The XRs are great learner bikes and the 250 has head and tail lights if you're feeling froggy at night.

 

[Rider117]

I was thinking about getting a CRF250X or CRF250R, is that a good bike for me?

 

[DieselNuts]

I think it would be based on what we have discussed. You don't necessarily have to buy new either. Will this be your first bike? Are you 100% sure you will love riding? If you aren't sure, I would buy a used bike first so there isn't a loss of money when it comes time to sell. That being said, my vote is the XR250.

I'm not familiar with the CRF250X. I see that the XR line has been 86'ed and the CRF250X looks like a MX bike with trail gear...If that's the case, you'll be dealing with a bike that is faster but less violent as a 2 stroke 125 but easier to ride like the XR.

 

[Rider117]

yeah ill be buying a used one. I will actually try to buy a 250R for $3500 or less.

 

[DieselNuts]

I'm pretty sure that's the best route. I haven't looked at prices, but I'm sure you can get an XR250 in damn near new condition for that much.

 

[GoldDrum]

Just note that the CRF250R is a race bike and will require more maintainence than the XR250. The XR models were made great and if you change the oil they will run pretty much forever with little or nothing else. The newer 4 stroke bikes require more work to keep them going from what I have read.

 

[jb_dallas]

A CRF250R/X is too much bike for a inexperienced 125 pound 16 year old. Period. Get a 2 stroke 125, CRF230, or an XR. If you outgrow that bike in a few years, upgrade.

 

[DieselNuts]

A CRF250R/X is too much bike for a inexperienced 125 pound 16 year old. Period. Get a 2 stroke 125, CRF230, or an XR. If you outgrow that bike in a few years, upgrade.

It doesn't make sense as to why he's not ready for a 250 4 stroke, but he can handle a 125 2 stroke? If anything, it's the opposite because of the power delivery.

 

[lucapachin]

I currently ride a ttr 125l and im 16 5' 8'' the 125 is a fun bike its a 4 stroke its going to be a small bike if you get one but its been really fun. The thing is though i'm currently getting rid of mine because Ive outgrown and it isn't nearly enough power for what i do (jump/ride very aggressive). Mine can go about 45 mph so its plenty fast. the thing is the height of the bike and suspension. For a beginner the suspension is fine but of you get into jumping or start riding aggressively it will not be nearly enough. the height will be very small on you although if you just go and buy a used ttr 125 you can get it for $1000-$1500 and when that gets boring you can go for a 250. You may want to try friends bikes and go to a good dealer and ask them what they think most of them are more knowledgeable than most on here. And for someone who has no experience a 250 is far too much bike
by the way for aim i'm Wtfallsntakenwtf so just im me if you want to know more.

 

[T_Bois]

Being 16 and not having owned a bike before, I wouldn't spend all that money on your first bike. I would buy a used 2 stroke, ride it for a year or so, then upgrade bigger/faster bike once you have a bit of experience.

You will no doubt fall a lot, take some bad landings off jumps; you may even hit something; so save a few bucks for repairs.

Do your parents have bikes and are they going to be riding with you? Who will be riding with you the most?

 

[jb_dallas]

Dieselnuts

Have you ridden a CRF250R/X? These are not your grandpa's 4 strokes, like the XR series. I own an XR400 and the power isnt even close to my high performance YZ400F....both 400 cc engines.

1) The CRF250/450R/X series are high performance engines that are very high maintenance. After reading this post, I doubt this kid can perform regular valve adjustments or a 4 stroke top end rebuild. Just about anybody can rebuild a 2t top end.

2) The 125 is lighter and easier to control than a CRF250R/X...epecially the 250X.

3) If the kid cant handle the peaky power delivery of a 125 2t, he should find a new hobby.

You will notice my thread suggests a 125 2 stroke, and more mild 4 strokes such as the CRF230 or XR.

 

[Rider117]

im pretty much going to get a crf250x used for 3200.

 

[jb_dallas]

You will be taking it into the shop every 30-40 hours for maintenance...unless you want catastrophic engine failure. Also, that bike is waaaay too heavy for someone your size. At the end of the day, it is a poor choice for you, but I realize, being 16 once myself, that you cant tell a 16 year old anything.

 

[voodoo-rider365]

jb dallas is being rediculous. My first bike is a crf450x and i have had it for two weeks and love it. EAT ME!! people told me the same thing, but i have experience with high performance engines and if they f**** up every 40 hours then your a f*** up. sorry, but thats the truth. I stopped asking people there opinions, cuz all i got was critisicm. I owned a kfx450r atv for three years and changed the oil as told and never did anything else. Don't tell me it wasn't a high performance motor, because the 450 atv engines are beefed up 450 dirtbike engines with a little less power. They beef them up to handle the extra traction that an atv has. and i rode it hard. and the bike is too heavy... what!!! my first quad was almost 500 pounds. Outlaw 500. not a 4x4 then i got the kfx. I assure that you will love it it is one of the few high performance bikes with a light. I am around 16 (won't tell my age on here, because that leads to a-holes like him^ telling me im young and stupid.) and my bro said get a 250 and i just blocked him out..lol. he helped me pick it up. haha. Hope u love it and have a good time riding.

Jarrett
(the around 16 year old with a crf450x) :)

 

[longtime coming]

There's a kid around here who got a crf450x when he was 15. Big bike, big kid too. I was skeptical, to say the least. He did/does alright on it. He had ridden quads before this tho... I don't know from first hand experience, but from what I've read, the crf250 "X" is a good bike. The "R" model, not so much due only to a rigorous engine maintenance schedule. And the R model Honda 250's are very powerful (not a great 1st bike choice). The "x" could be a good 1st bike in the right hands. Just get one in really good condition and do the maintenance. One thing that I have seen more than one teenager do with bikes is be sloppy with air filter installation. Airfilter maintenance is one of the most important things to do, and the Honda's don't have much room to work. Make sure the filter is sealed. Don't let dirt into your engine!!!! :yikes:

 

[longtime coming]

This is an old thread. I wonder if he got his bike? I've wondered that in other cases too. :)