New to Dirt biking

[TopGear888]

Hello everyone,
I would love to start riding dirtbikes. I am 15, 6'1 about 140 pounds. I have longer legs too. I don't want to race, and prefer trail riding. I have about 20 minutes of riding experience on a ttr-230. I can do my own work with my Dad and have a trailer. The bike would have to be about as cheap as possible, below $2000. I am open to any brands really, but I'd prefer to stay away from Chinese stuff. I live in London, Ontario but I don't know of any places to ride near me. So, any suggestions? :)

 

[_JOE_]

A 250/400 four stroke trail bike would suit your height better. Both are heavier than an mx bike and have smoother but less peak power. You can also find some KTM and kawasaki 2 stroke trail bikes. They're lighter and quicker revving. Look around and see whats out there. It's more a game of finding something worth buying than it is figuring out exactly what to look for, lol.....

 

[sharky243]

Welcome to the sport TopGear !! I have been involved with the sport for many years. I would recommend 250cc 4 stroke (yz240f, crf250r, kx250f, rmz250f, etc.) Another good bike would be an older air cooled Honda XR200. These bike are virtually bullet proof and are more suited for the trails. I am not far from you, down Windsor way actually. I did read that you don't plan on racing mx, but check out the Thames Valley Riders (www.tvrmx.com) They are a London based racing club. On their site you will find a list of venues (places to ride). One good place that I can think of off the top of my head is Gopher Dunes. They have a great trail system, and they are located in Courtland, down in the Tillsonburg area. If I remember correctly, The Pit in Thamesford also has a trail system. If you change your mind about racing, the Thames Valley Riders is a great family based club that is all about the "fun" of racing. I raced with them for over 10 years, and although "semi-retired" from competition, I enter the odd race still. Look me up on facebook if you want ([email protected]).

 

[TopGear888]

Thank you for the quick and friendly response! Motorcycling in general seems to have a very friendly and supportive community. At first I was thinking of a small displacement dual-sport, as I'd eventually want to ride on the street. But being young and male, The cost of insurance puts me off, making learning on a dual-sport pointless (unless online quotes have lied to me) Now I'm drawn to cheap 2 strokes. How cheap are they actually? Kx? Cr? Rm? Yz? Kdx? 125? 200? The low price and character of a 2 stroke appeals to me, but I'd be happy with a 4 stroke too. A quick kijiji search shows few xr200s near London but many older 2 strokes. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sharky243]

If you are thinking 2 stroke like a 125cc yz, cr, kx, rm, etc, If you stay within the early 2000's model years, you should be able to find something in your price range. Look closely at these bikes, because by this stage in life they will have some definite wear depending on how they were maintained and ridden. If you don't know what to look for, bring someone along that knows bikes really well. Make sure you do a compression test. Normal compression for a healthy engine should be around 150psi. Look at the chain and sprockets, put the bike up on a pit stand and check for play in the wheel bearings, suspension linkage, and swing arm bearings. Turn the bars side to side slowly and feel the head bearings. They should be smooth and have no play. Take the oil fill cap off and give the bottom of the plug a sniff, look for a burnt smell or a milky residue. A burnt smell maybe a sign of clutch problems, the milky residue maybe a sign of coolant in the trans oil. Check the fork seals for leakage, you may need to compress the forks a few times. Next fire it up and listen for any abnormal knocks or noises, as these may be a sign of major mechanical issues. Take it for a test ride and go through all the gears, make sure there is no skipping or grinding. Hope this helps, and good luck !!!

 

[TopGear888]

Thank you kindly, I'm sure that advice will come in handy when it comes to purchasing a bike. My concern right now is which bike to choose! Is there any difference between the four 125 2 stroke mx bikes? Or would a kdx or something else be better? Should I be afraid of an older bike, or could it work just fine? Thanks in advance to any help :)

 

[sharky243]

The 125 2 stroke mx bikes are all pretty comparable. In my opinion, I would say Yamaha to be the better overall choice because of its great handling and abundance of power. KTM makes a great 2 stroke bike as well. Honda has great reliability and they've had aluminum frames since 1997. Kawasaki and Suzuki were basically the same bike with different colour plastics. These bikes are also fairly reliable. You mentioned the Kawasaki KDX 125. This is a an enduro, or trail version of the KX 125. The engine is tuned differently, there are some differences in the suspension set up, and they used the 18" rear wheel instead of the popular 19" rear wheel found on the MX bikes. The KDX also has a lighting coil for a head light and tail light. That is a must if you want to ride at night. Don't be afraid of buying an older bike as long as you know what to look for in terms of condition. I wouldn't concern myself too much on the condition of the plastics, but focus more on the mechanical, and structural things. Minor issues can be repaired easily. Older bikes will have some definite wear and tear but don't be afraid of buying one.

 

[TopGear888]

Hmmmm, so for an older 2 stroke it seems like it'll be what ever good deal I can find if they are so alike. What about a 4 stroke? Is the extra cost of rebuilds outweighed by that ease of maintenance and time between rebuilds? I'd be happy with either engine. What models are good/cheap? Xr? Crf? ttr? :think: