Kids!?!

Go to the local dealer and see what they have. Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki all make small bikes for well under 2k new. These bikes won't be competitive with the KTM, Cobra or other high end minis on the track. They don't run them with beginners, do they?

To start, just buy them reliable little bikes (eg Yamaha PW50, Honda CRF50) that they can have fun on. Almost anything will do. Buy something Japanese. As Joe said, you can get new ones for less than $2000 each. Auto clutches would probably be good. My kids started with clutches, but they were about 9 and 10 at the time. They should be able to comfortably touch the ground. The bikes need to start easily and run trouble free, or the kids, and you will get frustrated. When they have learned to ride a little bit, then buy them something of higher performance. Don't worry, they will grow out of everything really quickly(unfortunately). Make sure they have sturdy boots, gloves,goggles, long sleeve shirts and decent helmets. Hard to believe, but one of them might not even like riding (can't imagine that happening to both).My 14 year old is on his third bike and finally this year has conceded that a bike is more fun than a quad. I resisted buying him a quad because they are dangerous. My 15yr old has never wanted a quad, he "got it" right away. Lots of kids will be frightened if they can't touch the ground or if the bike is really powerful(and some of those little race bikes really are). Your budget is perfect for a couple of new starter bikes. They hold their value pretty good, so you won't lose much on them. Start saving for bigger bikes. It's a trap. You'll love it!

Start saving for bigger bikes. It's a trap. You'll love it!

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Truer words were never spoken, lol!

Having kids of my own, I can probably help you. For 6-8 yr olds i'd look at a Yamaha pw80 & pw50. Why? The 50 is an auto and the 80 a semi auto trans. Keep it easy for them to learn on IF they like it. They can be fast to by adjusting the throttle limiter. Its all about having fun and not having clutches or shifting(in my case). I live and breath motorcycles and my son could care less. :( I bought him a new XR50 when he was 2, rode it maybe 10-15 times before I sold it. He never like shifting.....had a moto4 quad and used it maybe 3 times? Right now he has a xr80(I like it too! hehehe) that I picked up a few months ago and when I brought it home he didn't even come outside to look at it!? :bang: BTW, he is 10 now and the xr is a little big for him. I also look for used models as they will grow out of them in a few years. Saw a pw80 by me for $450 and it was nice.

zrx rider.
Don't despair. I know a guy who started his boy when you did, bought him a second bike when you did, and then one day the boy just picked up a bike that was laying around, and now he is a pro 250 rider. And he never really enjoyed a bike until he was 15.

+1; all the Japanese small play bikes would work well for you. While I am a Yamaha guy, I really preferred the 'continuity' of the XR/CRF small bikes, up through the CRF150F. We did slot a TTR125L into the progression, and it has been very popular.

The early 2000's XR's are exactly the same as the current CRF's, and will not cost you much to own, once you sell them, if you find a good used one, which is easy to do. They are as reliable as a rock; especially if you make sure to run the carb. dry at the end of your ride.

You are in for some great family fun.

PS, do not buy bike that 'they will grow into.' One that fits them, or is even too small, inspires a gread deal of confidence!

I just bought my 9 year old an xr70 (Honda). He loves it. Seems to be a perfect beginners bike.

A crf 70 is what got me at 43 years old riding! :laugh: It is a excellent way to get a dult never riding before to become a crazy almost middle aged person to ride with a passion!!! I rode one with my 8 year old at a camp ground found that dirt bikes were cool and within 2 weeks had 2 dirt bikes and a month or so later bought my 8 year old a crf70. Now we are all riding dirt bikes and it has become a huge party of our family now! It has turned out to be a enormous part of many friends lives who never considered riding before only to see the passion of what it has done in my life to make them want to ride...so never say that a crf70 will not inspre a adult to learn to ride! Just wanted to share what a kids bike could do for a 43 year old mother of 4! :ohmy:
Life has NEVER been so GOOD!!!!!! :yikes:

Hands down

80cc 2-stroke

Im nearly 16 and still kick ass on a little KDX80(And its a 28 year old bike)

DO not get them a semi-auto Teach`em to use the clutch YOUNG.
The younger you are the faster you will learn it.
DO NOT get`em a 50 or smaller its just a WASTE

Get something that will "grow" with them and and 80 has enough power to hual around over 200LB at decent speeds
But if tuned right it will "slow down" for the lighter/smaller riders