New to dirt biking, what bike should I buy?

[ghaash]

I am new to dirt biking, I am 18 years old, 5'8" and 140lbs, and I live in Arizona. My experience with dirt bikes is zero, so I am a complete newbie.

What bike should I get?

New or used bike?

Should I take the MSF dirt bike course?

I think I am mostly going to be doing trail riding...

Is the Rolls OHV area still open?

And is it a good time to get a dirt bike, because many trail areas are being shut down due to the lack of rain and the chances of fires starting.

What gear should I get, and will goggles fit over my glasses? When I fall down I want to get back up!

Getting my dirt bike to trail, do I need a trailer or can I fit a bike in the back of my mom's Toyota Highlander? There is a bike rack on the top of the car, could I tie the dirt bike to that? Or should I bum a ride off somebody else?

It is a mouthful, but I figured it would be better to get all my questions in one post.

Daniel Silverman

 

[YZ Joust]

New or used bike?
New if you have the money.

Should I take the MSF dirt bike course?
You will learn pretty quick once you start riding. I wouldn't take a course unless you are planning on racing.

What gear should I get, and will goggles fit over my glasses? When I fall down I want to get back up!
Get the gear that you like best, your goggles should fit over your glasses. If not you can get prescription goggles

Getting my dirt bike to trail, do I need a trailer or can I fit a bike in the back of my mom's Toyota Highlander? Or should I bum a ride off somebody else?
Versa-Hauler makes a bike rack that will fit on the back of the Highlander. I have one for my Tahoe and it works great....

Hope this helps..... :cool:

 

[Glitch]

The gear that you should get should definitely be a dirtbike helmet and dirtibike boots to begin with. Then chest protector, and if you have the money, knee braces.
I personally would suggest that you get a good used bike to begin with. So then during the learning process your not beating up a brand new bike. Also to learn about how the engine and everything on the bike works.

 

[woods_rider1]

I would recommend a decent used bike, maybe an XR 250. Once you get used to it and get better in your riding skills, you can sell it and get something else if you want. Gear is VERY important unless you ride a quad :) I recommend at the very least, Helmet, Goggles, Gloves and Boots, you can get by with jeans and a longsleeve sweatshirt for now. I would either use a truck, trailer or a hitch lift rack, definitely do not try and tie it to the top of the car. Even if you and 4 of your friends could get it up there, I think the roof of the vehicle would cave in.

 

[gooby]

these guys r spot on .if u never rode one before a preowned bike like a xr250,klx,ttr would b as good a choice as any friendly,dependable ,u can trade up as needed.gear,same as above as much as poss.don't try the roof ,a hitch carrier or a trailer .good luck ride safe

 

[ghaash]

Thanks for help!

What's hitch trailer/hitch lift rack?

Daniel Silverman

 

[gooby]

i ment a bike carrier that attaches in ur hitch reciever (square hole ) or a regular old fationed trailer sorry

 

[mackay]

welcome to one of the most enjoyable and diversified sports on the go. As for your questions...if you are new to the sport, have minimal mechanical skills and want to enjoy your biking time riding as opposed to wrenching ...then go with a new machine. If you do elect to go used do some homework on what to look for and if you know any experienced riders drag them along to get a second opinion, some shops will probably do an inspection for you and give you a list of problems that need to be fixed. I would agree with whoever posted the comment on an XR250...it would serve you well for many years.
Just about any riding course would be benificial...you will always pick up something new.
As for gear, heres the bad news, that new bike and rider course that you picked up are not a guarantee that you will not crash, in fact the fact that you want to ride off road darn near guarantees the fact that you will crash, we all have and will again, so buy a good helmet and goggles (most manufacturers produce an over the glasses model) and boots and pads. I would only buy a new helmet PERIOD but for the rest of the gear there is a lot of good used stuff out there. And since you wear glasses dont forget to buy some type of anti fog.
have fun and let us know what bike you picked up

 

[flying W]

Here is a list of bikes that should work for you.

Honda XR 250 or XR 200
Yamaha TT-R 225 or TT-R 250
Suzuki DR-Z 250

It is my opinion that the Honda XR 200 is the best bike to learn to ride on.

 

[zio]

I'll second a used XR250, or even 400. Honda's are just too reliable to overlook. For your first bike, you don't want to be worrying about repairs/maintenance. You want to be worrying about when you're gonna get to ride next! Those bikes are legendary for their reliability. Plus, they're great trail bikes. Trust me, the bike will out-perform you for quite a while. I've seen really fast guys riding XR250's & 400's. My favorite thing about them is the plush suspension & seat, and the smooth motor. Change the oil and clean the air filter often & ride. That's about all there is to them!

For gear, get a good, new helmet that you've tried on (mail ordering a helmet isn't a good idea unless you've tried it on at a shop first). Dirtrider.net's Bikes/Parts/Gear For Sale forum is a great place to shop for other gear like pants, boots, chest protector, etc. You can also try finding closeout deals on last year's gear from places like MXSouth & Bob's Cycle Supply. When I started riding a few years ago I started with a new helmet & boots & gloves, and wore jeans & long-sleeve t-shirts. That's the minimum I'd recommend.

Otherwise, get out & get started! It's a great sport you'll never get tired of!

 

[shrtstff1710]

Tahoe Rack!!

What type of bike would be good for 12-16 year olds...?

 

[shrtstff1710]

What type of Tahoe rack do you have? Where do you think i could find one in North Carolina? Please Reply!!