First bike

[Therealclint]

Hey hows it goin i am not sure what would be a good first bike my stats are : 15 years old 6foot2 and 180 pounds. i have had my eye on either the klx300 or the drz400. i will mainly be riding trails as i live in virginia. any info you give will be appreceated :nod:

 

[95xr250]

I would recomnd a XR 250 or 400. they are made for the trails. I own a 250, i dont know if i would get a 400 for a first bike though that is kind of big.

 

[Therealclint]

But i dont want the suspension to be too soft and bottom out all the time

 

[Brendan123]

Lol 180 pounds isnt that much for a 400. I dont think u would bottem thos out but i have like barly any experiiance so watever.

 

[skyhigh230]

i recomend the yz250 its fast and a great bike! but you need to make some changes if you do decide to buy one.
somethings everybody should know about them(yz250)
1. the yamaha stock seat is like a rock!! and hurts your butt :bang:
2 the bike is tall!! my dad(6'1) can barley put his feet down he cant even put them flat. :bang:
3. the stock pipe on it makes the bike vibrate combined with the stock seat equals aching all night.... :bang:

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Therealclint:

Don't confuse the suspension capabilities of the bike with the engine size, they are two totally different things.

In general, dirt bikes are sold in two major catagories: MX (racing) and "off road".

The MX bikes will have better suspension and high performance engines. The long suspension travel often means a tall bike (which wouldn't be a problem for you). The high performance engines can be harder to start, a bit more "finicky" and not as beginner friendly. They also cost a lot more.

The "off road" bikes are mostly all "detuned" four strokes. The lower compression ratios make starting easier and allow the bikes to run on regular gas. The engines are more forgiving to being "lugged" and will be much more beginner friendly. The seat heights are often lower to accomodate smaller riders.

If you expect to be hitting jumps or riding agressively through the rough stuff then you should consider a MX bike for the suspension. If you are just going to ride the trails at a more leisurally pace then the off road models might suit you a lot better, especially as a beginner.

As for the size of the engine: A 125 two stroke or 230 four stroke will have plenty of power, especially for a beginner. I would not recommend starting off on a big bore bike.

Rod