Dirt Bike FAQ

A 125cc two-stroke or a 250cc four-stroke would be a good choice for your age and weight. Choosing between a two and four stroke is mostly based on personal preference. Each has their own advantage and disadvantage over the other. The most obvious difference is that two-strokes require you mix your oil with your gas. However Two-strokes are also lighter than four-strokes and have a much simpler design. It usually costs less to modify and repair a two-stroke engine than a four-stroke engine. But two-strokes can also be finicky and a lot less forgiving than a four-stroke if you don't know how to tune it properly. four-strokes also have a more user friendly powerband, they tend to make more power than two-strokes on lower RPM's so it's much easier to putt around and go as opposed to a two-stroke which tends to like being revved high. I personally prefer a two-stroke over a four. But you need to decide which would suit your needs better.

Choosing a brand of bike is the same also, whether it's Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki or KTM. All manufacturers have their advantages and disadvantages over the other. Just keep in mind there's nothing that will affect performance, handling and reliability more than how you set your bike up, and how good of a rider you are. I've had friends on modified 250's and 450's get spanked by 8 year olds on 80's for that same reason.

So do some research and see which bike would suit your needs better. Once you buy your bike be sure to also get a repair manual for it and learn how everything works and how to properly set it up. You'll end up being safer, faster, and a better rider.

Good luck with your purchase.