RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 21, 2000
7,045
208
North East USA
That’s great that you want to get into dirt biking. And it’s great you’re asking questions. It’s kind of hard to guide you from a forum , especially since you’re 13. Do you know anybody else locally to you that has a bike already that you could ask for some help? Have you ridden at all in the past? Go to a local race and just walk around and talk to people. There’s lots of people that will be willing to help. If you have any specific questions you can always ask here but it’s always good to have somebody you can trust locally.

Good luck and welcome to dirt rider.net!
 

RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 21, 2000
7,045
208
North East USA
Great. So what got you interested in bikes? Have you ridden any bikes before? Do you have any mechanical skills? You’ll need that as you progress.

Make sure you get some gear too. At a minimum some sturdy boots, helmet, knee pads and gloves. A good pair of jeans are ok. I like to say dress for the crash.

Let us know how you make out buying a bike.
 

Jonno13

Member
May 30, 2021
12
2
Yes i have ridden a couple of 80cc bikes before and mechanical skills i have/learn as i go. Flipping bikes for profit, any thoughts on that? ;)
 

RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 21, 2000
7,045
208
North East USA
Well you are a lot farther along than a lot of 13 year olds!! As far as I knew you saw a dirt bike in a video game and thought it would cool to have one! :-) I like the learn as you go. Nothing like experience to teach you about all kinds of things. Too many people are afraid to just dive into things because they might fail. Failures have taught me much more and any success I've ever had.

The YZ125 is a good solid bike and hasn't changed much for the past 10 years or so. As you probably already know, the price is very much based on the condition. The good thing is that 2 strokes are fairly easy to fix. A brand new one is $6500. There have been a lot of people buying up 2 strokes so that will drive the price up if you can even find one.
 

Jonno13

Member
May 30, 2021
12
2
Thanks, how old of a model would you go or trust? Doing a top end of a of a two stroke is that very expensive? Or is it a round 50-200 bucks? Thanks
 

RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 21, 2000
7,045
208
North East USA
Closer to $200 if you need a piston. I usually swap out the piston once I’ve got the jug off.

The newer the bike the better. Just due to all the other parts are going to be wearing out. Besides the engine parts there’s all the bearings like linkage, wheel bearing, steering stem. They can run into some money too. If it’s an older one and the linkage is tight and the bearings don’t grind I would consider it. If it’s running that is. Another trick is to take a look at the air filter. If it hasn’t been serviced you probably want to avoid the bike altogether because that means nothing else has been serviced. That’s the easiest thing to keep clean.
 

Jonno13

Member
May 30, 2021
12
2
Thanks about protective gear do you need knee braces? How much would you spend on protective gear as a bigginer?
 

RM_guy

Moderator
Damn Yankees
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 21, 2000
7,045
208
North East USA
Knee braces are a high cost item and a lot of people don't wear them for recreational riding, including me. Just knee pads are good for a start.

All the brands are good. I only mentioned the Yamaha because they still make them and the are fairy cheap, even new, compared to the other brands!
 

bweighmaster

Member
Jul 15, 2021
12
4
Stick to Japanese brands .. parts are plentiful for most bikes , Exotics , Euro brands are pricy and parts are sometimes hard to find .. Riding gear is all over the Internet , I find some used gear can be a bargain , I have kids and grandkids , lots of gear ... Lots of bikes , mostly Yamaha , Honda , but have owned hundreds of all brands ..
 

Jonno13

Member
May 30, 2021
12
2
Hi,
I have bought this old xr125l for a $100 (Engine is still good) and it has been left in a shed for 3 years to rust.
I wanted to know the best method to remove surface rust.
And i wanted to know if i should keep it stock or if i should go all in and buy after market parts?
 

Okiewan

Admin
Dec 31, 1969
29,555
2,237
Texas
And i wanted to know if i should keep it stock or if i should go all in and buy after market parts?
Answered in your other thread on the same subject: Honda xr125l 2011

About rust ... I always used "Naval Jelly" Goofy name, but it works. For something you can find around the house, use white vinegar and aluminum foil.

 
Top Bottom