A list of safety gear for the boys new dirt bikes

Good list but I would add knee and elbow protection. Just make sure they have sturdy pants (jeans are fine) and long sleeve shirts. When I was a kid we used to go to the local sporting good store for jerseys. They can even get them personalized too. Nice thing about riding pants is they have more built in protection like pads and room for knee pads. I get that they out grow them so you will have to make your own judgment call. BTW, the 7 year old can reuse the 9 year old's stuff when he outgrows it.

Make sure the helmet fits good. It's easy to think they will grow into it but fight those thoughts. A loose fitting expensive helmet will protect worse than a well fit cheaper helmet. Try to buy locally so you can try different sizes and brands to see what works best. Most of the reputable mail order places will let you try a different size for free but only once.

It's good you are thinking safety. Dress for the crash!

Yes it does. You have a good dealer! The pads will break in but not so much that you don't feel them. Personally I don't like that squeezing feeling on my cheeks but learn to live with it with it.

You don't want the helmet to be loose because it will create a second impact on your head during a crash. The first one is when the ground hits the outside of the helmet and the second would be when the slop is taken up and the inside of the helmet slams against your head. The cushion material in the helmet is designed to absorb the impact but there needs to be a fairly tight fit. BTW, if you take a hit hard enough to "see stars" it's time for a new helmet. The absorption of the impact will only happen once. It crushes and doesn't spring back.

Good stuff here @RM_guy . You can get away with boots that are a little too large with the hope of them lasting a couple of years, but like your dealer and RM_guy said, a snug fit is vital with helmets. It can be a tough pill to swallow (buying helmets) for sure. They can be expensive and they can be junk after a bad enough crash. But it comes down to the age-old question; "how much is your/their head worth?".

Do NOT buy a used helmet, if you have ANY other option.
1) You don't know what's it's been through.
2) It has broken-in to the previous owner's head.
3) Unless the liner is removeable/replaceable, it's nasty.
4) *** If you have no other option, a used one is better than nothing.

*** The hardcore attitude here is "if you can't afford the correct gear, you can't afford this sport". Or, maybe you just need to save up a little longer. Either way, the point is obvious, this is an expensive sport. Some of us will have to make sacrifices to get in the game. Maybe a less expensive/older bike? It will be a good amount of time before a new rider "needs" a bigger/faster/cooler bike, but he/she will always need to be properly protected.

Good luck on your new adventure. Keep us up to date on your progress!

DirtDiggler said:

I need to be sure to do this right. The first time!

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A LOT of us have been in the same boat and made more mistakes than we'll ever admit. We can sort of make-up for that by helping others avoid the same ones :)

DirtDiggler said:

Thor Sector looks like a nice helmet at a reasonable price

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That'll work. No fancy materials or paint, not too heavy and plenty of protection for new riders. The motocross / off-road helmet market has gotten a lot better in recent years, with many more affordable options available.

Looks good too!



Hopefully your shop will have them in stock in the sizes you need. There are several brands that will all do well for you if there's a stock issue.

The Fox V1 is also a good choice.



I also want to mention sizing between brands. Don't make the mistake of fitting one brand or model and think it applies to other brands / models. Lot's of variation here. Some models (usually higher-end versions) offer better fit for different size/shaped heads because they start with several (outer) shell sizes, where less expensive models make due with fewer.

Once you know they are going to stick with it, or maybe next time they need a new helmet, you may want to look into more expensive helmets. Yes, you do get what you pay for (to an extent). The biggie is weight. Lighter costs more. Next comes materials (also related to weight), better fabric inside, removable, washable, custom sizes of inserts, better and/or more ventilation. Last and least importantly, paint / coatings.

Good luck!

Buy a Chinese bike if you want to be a good mechanic