what size for a tall 14 year old

[Alex2]

1) your physical size 5'10 and 145 pounds
2) How physical / aggressive are you ? Moderately aggresive but not reckless
3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ????? Woods and fields with friends
4) Do you have any riding experience? I have rode a 2 stroke yz 80 and can somewhat use a clutch.
5) Do you think you will race ? probably not
6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work? I plan on doing the work myself
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)? I would prefer 4 stroke because I am new to this.
8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry? I plan on using a used bike from craiglist or something
9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike? Anything under 1000
10) Do you live in California? no
11) Your age 14

any advice is welcome. Thanks.

 

[cr125matt]

you might be able to buy a clunker for that price that is the right size but you need something like a 125 2 stroke or 250 4 stroke and to one thats beat to sh*t you need at least $1800.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

For your height you will want a full sized bike. Finding a four stroke in decent shape for under $1k will be tough. I would recommend a 125cc two stroke. You should be able to find a reasonable bike from the early to mid '90s in your price range.

Don't forget that you need at least the basic riding gear to go with it. Do not even get on the bike without a helmet, goggles, boots and gloves. To buy all that new will cost at least $300 and could be much more. I highly recommend a chest protector, knee and elbow pads. A good pair of riding pants will save you from tearing up your jeans. And don't forget that you will need a way to transport your bike to a place you can ride it.

If you don't mind wearing used gear you can pick up some good deals. Often times people are selling the bike because they are getting out of dirt bikes completely and are selling their riding gear along with the bike so if you happen to be the same size you can get a good deal. People who are selling the bike because their kid out grew it will often have a collection of cast off gear laying around. If you find a bike you like ask the seller if he has any gear he can throw into the deal.

You should also budget a few hundred dollars for upkeep on the bike. Things break, other things wear out.

Rod

 

[cr125matt]

yes deffinantly you need gear. when i bought my new gear it totaled $600. make sure you get a helmet thats not junk because they save your life. my 125 showed me who was boss about a month ago and i was rushed to the hospital with a major concusion and i was really banged up. i will never get on another bike without a helmet cause it saved my life. it will do the same for you and everything that Rod said was completely true

 

[jb_dallas]

Save your money..you need at least $1500 for a bike + gear. Even then, expect to work on it. Buy gear used on Ebay.

 

[Alex2]

thanks guys, my only 2 concerns are power and cost. I really am new to this whole thing and I'm afraid of buying a bike with an incredible amount of power that i wouldn't be able to control. The thing about money is that being 14 i can't exactly get a job and I don't want to ask my parents for some $1500 bike and another few hundred on a trailer and gear.

 

[cr125matt]

best bet would be to find a friend that rides and ride with him (if he has a trailer). you dont need all the gear i have just the basics like boots helmet and elbow pads. unless your riding behing people then you will need a chest protector

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

unless your riding behing people then you will need a chest protector

Let me rephrase that: If you are riding behind someone then you really need a chest protector.

As a beginner you are not likely to be leading a trail ride, so that means that you should have one.

A chest protector provides two forms of protection:

1) When you are following close behind another bike and they gas it on soft terrain the bike's tires will kick up dirt/rocks and throw it at you. This can hurt! The chest protector at least shields the bulk of your torso. Note that the most likely place to get "roosted" is at the track, especially when the guys on the 450s pass you in the corners.

2) A track is generally soft dirt and other than the roost from other bikes a chest protector isn't that important. On the trail, however, a fall can send you tumbling across uneven terrain / rocks. The most common fall is laying the bike down in a turn, which is generally not too bad. Failing to climb a hill, however, will often end with you and the bike tumbling back down the hill. In this scenario you are falling 5 or more feet onto your back and if there is a rock there you can be in for some serious pain. Then, sort of like the road runner cartoons, the bike tends to fall on top of you. The chest protector comes in really handy.

The worst falls are when you go over the handlebars. In the uphill fall you at least come to a stop for an instant before the fall. In the over the handlebar scenario you hit the ground going whatever speed you were going when you got into trouble. If this happened to be going downhill the fall distance can be quite long. The more pads, the better.

Rod

 

[cr125matt]

Let me rephrase that: If you are riding behind someone then you really need a chest protector.

As a beginner you are not likely to be leading a trail ride, so that means that you should have one.

A chest protector provides two forms of protection:

1) When you are following close behind another bike and they gas it on soft terrain the bike's tires will kick up dirt/rocks and throw it at you. This can hurt! The chest protector at least shields the bulk of your torso. Note that the most likely place to get "roosted" is at the track, especially when the guys on the 450s pass you in the corners.

2) A track is generally soft dirt and other than the roost from other bikes a chest protector isn't that important. On the trail, however, a fall can send you tumbling across uneven terrain / rocks. The most common fall is laying the bike down in a turn, which is generally not too bad. Failing to climb a hill, however, will often end with you and the bike tumbling back down the hill. In this scenario you are falling 5 or more feet onto your back and if there is a rock there you can be in for some serious pain. Then, sort of like the road runner cartoons, the bike tends to fall on top of you. The chest protector comes in really handy.

The worst falls are when you go over the handlebars. In the uphill fall you at least come to a stop for an instant before the fall. In the over the handlebar scenario you hit the ground going whatever speed you were going when you got into trouble. If this happened to be going downhill the fall distance can be quite long. The more pads, the better.

Rod

agreed

 

[Alex2]

thanks for the advice guys, would an rm 125 be a bad choice, i am extremely new to this and would hate to end up with something that would be too big or powerful for a newbie.

 

[cr125matt]

depends on the year of the rm 125. im 16 and 5 foot 7 and i run a 05 cr 125r. they like to go fast. if you havent really ridin i would suggest getting more ride time on a smaller bike until you feel capable of riding a much bigger bike

 

[Gage`s Dad]

When I trail ride I like to wear a couple bandanas tied around my neck. Keeps the neck slapping limbs and other things from causing too much damage.