My son is 8 years old and has been riding 2.5 years. He now rides a TTR-90 with a Big Gun pipe and modified air box. He does not race, nor has he expressed a desire to race, just ride with his friends and dad. He is not an aggressive rider, but he does like to go fast with caution. We ride on our own motocross track which has several small doubles, whoops, and 2 tabletops. He does not clear the doubles but does jump the tabletops and the backside of the doubles. We also have some fire lanes woods trails we ride. He is ready for a new bike. I don't want to get him a XR80 because it will be too small in a year. The XR100, DRZ125, KLX125, and TTR-125 are too big now and weigh a ton. This is my question. Is a 65cc 2-stroke too difficult a bike to learn the clutch process and is the high revving engine suitable for having fun? I have heard several opinions at the dealarship but if anyone in the forum has been down this road I would appreciate some info.
8 year old bike
- Thread starter dejackson
- Start date
My son is 6 and we just bought him the KX60. He only rides in the desert, but he thinks his new bike is the coolest thing around. The reason we went for the racebike is because of the suspension. He was riding an XR50 (which was small for him) and jumping it all over the place. I didn't want him hurting himself or the bike so we went for the better suspension.
Jeff Sexton
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- Sep 7, 2001
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My son started riding at 7 on an XR70. Within 5 months he was ready for something that was both faster, but more importantly, with better suspension. If your son isn't a very aggressive rider, he might be a little intimidated by the the hit of a two stroke. Also, the KX65 isn't very linear in its power delivery. It tends to run best on the the high side of the rpm range and isn't great for low end power. There are some things you can do though to move the powerband down a little. Here's what I've done to my son's:
1. Moose torque spacer between the reed block and crankcase $25
2. FMF Fatty pipe and Power Core 2 silencer $290
3. Boysen dual stage reeds $21.00
4. thicker base gasket on the cylinder to lower compression ratio (you'll need a new head gasket too) $20
5. replaced the 13Z countershaft sprocket with a 12 $13
These mods helped quite a bit. It develops power a little earlier and tames the hit quite a bit. It'll still run with my older son's 85 on tight stuff through the woods. My son is 9 now and he didn't have any trouble learning the clutch.
If you know somebody who has a little two stroke, see if they'll let your son ride it. I hate to see kids try to ride something they're half afraid of. My nephew has a KX60 and when we take him riding, he always leaves his bike in the trailer and asks Uncle Jeff if he can ride the XR70. Kids are the best judge when it comes to what they feel comfortable on.
1. Moose torque spacer between the reed block and crankcase $25
2. FMF Fatty pipe and Power Core 2 silencer $290
3. Boysen dual stage reeds $21.00
4. thicker base gasket on the cylinder to lower compression ratio (you'll need a new head gasket too) $20
5. replaced the 13Z countershaft sprocket with a 12 $13
These mods helped quite a bit. It develops power a little earlier and tames the hit quite a bit. It'll still run with my older son's 85 on tight stuff through the woods. My son is 9 now and he didn't have any trouble learning the clutch.
If you know somebody who has a little two stroke, see if they'll let your son ride it. I hate to see kids try to ride something they're half afraid of. My nephew has a KX60 and when we take him riding, he always leaves his bike in the trailer and asks Uncle Jeff if he can ride the XR70. Kids are the best judge when it comes to what they feel comfortable on.
My son got his kx65 when he was 9 and he's always been tall for his age. He rode it stock for a year and then I decided to have the cylinder ported by Eric Gore. After it was ported he didn't want to quit riding! I would highly recommend this porting. It lowers the powerband, smooths out the "hit" and makes the coordination of shifting gears with the clutch much easier. As a bonus, it's much cheaper than than replacing pipes, reeds, etc. and can be easily modified when your boy is ready for more.
Jeff Sexton
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- Sep 7, 2001
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I would have to agree with olddirt; porting is probably the best value mod mentioned. Unfortunately, I've heard Eric Gorr has a tremendous backlog and there isn't anyone else I'd trust to do it.
If you lived closer to NH I'd give you a deal on a very low hours DS80. It's a Suzuki 2 stroke with a 5 speed transmission. Oil injection and very forgiving. Nowadays Suzuki sells it w/o a head light and calls it a JR80. They are reasonably quiet and USFS spark arrested .....which may or may not be a big deal for you.
Around here it is a big deal.
A KX60 or KX65 might also be a good choice if he wanted to do more aggressive riding.
Number one goal...make him want to come back for more !
Around here it is a big deal.
A KX60 or KX65 might also be a good choice if he wanted to do more aggressive riding.
Number one goal...make him want to come back for more !
It is too bad that the factories cannot put decent suspension on the play bikes. Imagine the XR 70 engine in the KX 60 or 65 frame. What a neat bike that would be,
Until they build them, I think the motocross bikes are the way to go. Most kids destroy the XR and TTR's with jumping.
My buddy bought a brand new TTR 90 and PW 80. We knew he screwed up when the kids were doing "superman" jumps later that afternoon.
Within 6 months they had moved up to a KX 65 and a CR 80. I suppose he lost about 1500.00 on the switch.
The KX 65 is one heck of a good machine.
Until they build them, I think the motocross bikes are the way to go. Most kids destroy the XR and TTR's with jumping.
My buddy bought a brand new TTR 90 and PW 80. We knew he screwed up when the kids were doing "superman" jumps later that afternoon.
Within 6 months they had moved up to a KX 65 and a CR 80. I suppose he lost about 1500.00 on the switch.
The KX 65 is one heck of a good machine.
Red Rider 53
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- Jan 16, 2003
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I would go with the two-stroke. Great suspension, enough power, and just a really fun bike. I have heard good things about the KX but also I know the SX is really nice. If you go for the SX you had better start saving your pennies, they don't give those things away!
Jeff Sexton
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- Sep 7, 2001
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Amen to that last post. Unless your kid is a racer at the highest level, the KX65 is going to be more than enough machine. GO GREEN!
OLD-N-SLOW
Member
- Nov 21, 2000
- 168
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Dejackson,
I had to laugh when i read your post. Not a bad laugh more of a laugh with you.I had the same clutch worry when my then 6 yo wanted to ride.
The local track owner insisted that a kx60 or 65 was the way to go and not to worry about the clutch. Well as the story goes he was right. About 1/2 hr after
taking the bike of the trailer the clutch was already a non issue. Starts were no problem, Kids learn sooooooo fast when its something they want to do.
O, and if you are worrying about upshifts or down shifts, dont. If they cause him trouble, just tell him to shift without the clutch. Just blip the throttle and pull it. Wont hurt a thing. My kid still shifts that way 3 years later,same bike.
Good luck
Steve
I had to laugh when i read your post. Not a bad laugh more of a laugh with you.I had the same clutch worry when my then 6 yo wanted to ride.
The local track owner insisted that a kx60 or 65 was the way to go and not to worry about the clutch. Well as the story goes he was right. About 1/2 hr after
taking the bike of the trailer the clutch was already a non issue. Starts were no problem, Kids learn sooooooo fast when its something they want to do.
O, and if you are worrying about upshifts or down shifts, dont. If they cause him trouble, just tell him to shift without the clutch. Just blip the throttle and pull it. Wont hurt a thing. My kid still shifts that way 3 years later,same bike.
Good luck
Steve
Red Rider 53
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- Jan 16, 2003
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Isn't that really hard on the bike to not pull in the clutch when you shift?
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
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Not at all if you don't shift under power. I usualy just hold the gas on and speed shift with the clutch but when arm pump sets in it helps to not bother with the clutch. :whiner:
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
There is a method to teaching kids to use a clutch. It will take about 10 minutes for them to learn everything they need to know to take off, even if it's uphill, without stalling or looping out. When you're ready post and I'll type it up for ya.
Red Rider 53
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- Jan 16, 2003
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Does it matter what sized bike you have to shift without using the clutch? I have a CR80 could I shift that without pulling in the clutch?
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
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You can shift that 80 without the clutch, you'll develop a feel for it. To practice just start off as usual and just as you let off the gas click it up a gear then back on the gas. The more comfortable you get with it you can pop it into a gear without hardly letting off the gas. To down-shift, as you are slowing a bit sorta blip the throttle as you kick it down. It'll pop right in. It doesn't hurt it at all, in fact it'll be less wear on your clutch plates because the clutch will be fully engauged.
OLD-N-SLOW
Member
- Nov 21, 2000
- 168
- 0
Yup, Jeff is correct.
Do it with my bike for the same reason. I get tired, and have to make it to the truck before i die and just screw the clutch..no prob.
Steve
Do it with my bike for the same reason. I get tired, and have to make it to the truck before i die and just screw the clutch..no prob.
Steve
reepicheep
Member
- Apr 3, 2009
- 670
- 2
I got my 9 year old (found the limits of an XR-50 in his first year of riding, needs bigger wheels and better suspension) a KX-60. It is easy to work on, is light and powerful, and has a decent suspension. And also because I could afford it ;).
He is doing well, but boy is that bike stacked for top end. We just do trails, no MX, and we just ride for fun, so I am trying to do the same thing you did. We were in some pretty deep mud last weekend here in Ohio, and he couldn't even get the first to second shift... the mud was robbing too much power and it would fall out of the powerband.
The Moose Torque spacer is already on the way, the front sprocket was already down to a 13 and a 48 tooth rear is on the way also. The bike has some sort of odd "PSI" branded expansion chamber with what appears to be an FMF silencer. PSI apparently makes snowmobile exhausts, and this silencer took somebody doing a LOT of labor to build, lots of little sectioned and welded pieces.
His jetting is currently at 30, and the other jet said "012", but I am used to the Keihin's, this is my first Mikuni, so maybe I pulled the wrong jet. The needle seat is leaking so I need to pull it back apart anyway...
So any other advice to try and turn a KX-60 into a KDX-60? No motocross, so we don't need the big top end hit. Would advancing the timing give a little better grunt down low at the cost of a little power up top? Anybody know anything about those PSI expansion chambers? Are they a woods pipe, or a rev pipe?
Thanks for any help!
He is doing well, but boy is that bike stacked for top end. We just do trails, no MX, and we just ride for fun, so I am trying to do the same thing you did. We were in some pretty deep mud last weekend here in Ohio, and he couldn't even get the first to second shift... the mud was robbing too much power and it would fall out of the powerband.
The Moose Torque spacer is already on the way, the front sprocket was already down to a 13 and a 48 tooth rear is on the way also. The bike has some sort of odd "PSI" branded expansion chamber with what appears to be an FMF silencer. PSI apparently makes snowmobile exhausts, and this silencer took somebody doing a LOT of labor to build, lots of little sectioned and welded pieces.
His jetting is currently at 30, and the other jet said "012", but I am used to the Keihin's, this is my first Mikuni, so maybe I pulled the wrong jet. The needle seat is leaking so I need to pull it back apart anyway...
So any other advice to try and turn a KX-60 into a KDX-60? No motocross, so we don't need the big top end hit. Would advancing the timing give a little better grunt down low at the cost of a little power up top? Anybody know anything about those PSI expansion chambers? Are they a woods pipe, or a rev pipe?
Thanks for any help!
helio lucas
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- Jun 20, 2007
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repicheep,
eric gorr´s book "mini mx and pit bike" is a great book with most of the info you might need and costs very little.
have here the link to the free samples he provides in his website. on page 16 you have the tunning tips to your model.
http://www.eric-gorr.com/model tuning tips.pdf
eric gorr´s book "mini mx and pit bike" is a great book with most of the info you might need and costs very little.
have here the link to the free samples he provides in his website. on page 16 you have the tunning tips to your model.
http://www.eric-gorr.com/model tuning tips.pdf
reepicheep
Member
- Apr 3, 2009
- 670
- 2
Great info, thanks. Eric did a big bore and port on my KDX-200 (now a 225).
