Dirt Bike FAQ

I think that for trail riding you would do better with a 4 stroke. The crf250r is a good bike and would suit your height and weight well.
You are wise to steer away from the chinese bikes as they are really only for riding once then they fall apart and you need to replace them. It works out a bit expensive that way.

Perhaps add a few more details about your height as that makes a difference as at 13 there is a great difference in how tall people are.

Just go along to a dealership and have a sit on a few different bikes to judge how big a bike you can manage. The crf150r is a really great bike and you would be able to race that for a couple more years. If you are really tall you could look at a 4 stroke 250cc.

4 stroke bikes these days have jsut as much power if not more than a 2 stroke, I suggest to get a 4 just because it'll be less matenance and great for a beginner. All the bike manufactures make good beginner bikes I like to lean more towards honda, and yamaha in the 4 stroke technology they are good. Anthing from 100-250cc 4 stroke will be a great beginner to intermediate bike or a 80-125 2 stroke. A 250 4 stroke can have to much power for a beginner especially if it's brand new, I have a new yamaha 250 and it's sick fast so I'd lean more towards a honda 150 4 stroke or something simular. I'm 6'3 and 185 so we're not much different in size and a 150 pulls me around pretty good.

Kawasaki cause they last along time and go very fast lol 4 stroke tho cause then u can barly ride it if its a 2 stroke cause of the red stickers but ya there great bikes lol i have one and race it and i get 1st,2nd,3rd every time lol

I have no experience whatsoever…jumping stuff but no more than 15 feet…Good luck

I really like KTM, but Yamaha is a good company.

Probably something along the lines of a small wheel 80 2stroke or CRF150R 4 stroke …

or if those are a tad short, then a large wheel / expert 85/100 2 stroke or CRF150R 4 stroke.

the 2 stroke will be much cheaper buying in the used market since the 150R is a relatively new model and will be considerably more expensive.

Actually there should be a plate on the gooseneck that will have the year printed right on it. Look below the handlebars and behind the headlight. And if it were an RM versus a DR one sure thing is an RM is a 2 stroke and DR's are 4 strokes. As for the Headlight and taillight, someone could have bought a baja kit and put all of that on there with the intent on turning it into a dual sport, or street legal bike.

Yep, alot would depend on his height and his riding experience…

if little to no experience, it would be best to start him off on a mild 4 stroke trail bike, like a Honda CRF80/100/150F (not R) or a Yamaha TTR90/110 or a Kawasaki KLX90/110 if those aren't too small for him. or if he is taller, CRF230 or TTR230 which are mid sized height wise but tend to be on the heavier side. these are all air cooled, older designed and bullet proof engines with moderate (at best) brakes & suspension but great bikes to learn how to ride on.

if he has some experience and is more agressive, something like a CR, KX, RM, YZ 80/85/100 or CRF 150R small wheel or expert (depending on his height) which will have all the performance upgrades including suspension & brakes.

if he is 5'6" or taller, he might be able to fit a full size bike…

again, little to no experience, XR, KLX, WR, CRFX 250

or if some experience and/or agressive, CRF, YZF, RMZ, KXF 250…

I would advise to start off used to save yourself some money as he might quickly outgrow or loose interest… then once he finds what really fits him, then you can always upgrade to newer…

With his height and age, if he wants to start racing then you should look at any of the 85cc 2 strokes and in particular the kx85 as it is slightly easier for a beginner to manage. Another option would be the crf150r which is also a mx race bike but a 4 stroke so would also be a bit easier for a beginner to manage.

Look up local tracks in your area. Two sites that have track info are www.wheretomx.com and www.dirtwerkz.com . Find out about joining up so then you can take your son along to practice days to get used to being on the track with other riders. The club secretary will also be able to give you information in regards to what licencing you need to be able to race and how to get a race number. Ask about the rules of racing and find out what all the flags mean so as your son knows what to do when one is waved at him. Also see if the club has a club coach so you can get some lessons for your son.

If you are buying second hand try and take someone along with you who knows about bikes so they can check the bike over as there is no point buying a bike and then finding out that it has major problems as you usually get what you pay for

In terms of maximum power they do, (given the same displacement) but the power is peakier and confined to a narrower RPM range. The reason 4 strokes are gaining popularity is that the power is available over a wider range of RPM's. You can control the bike, hook up and come off the corners better.