Dirt Bike FAQ

Electric start.

This is "bicycling" but I'll have a go at answering;
there's not very much difference between 80 and 85 cc.

I would guess 75 MPH, but it has a lot to do with how much you weigh, and if there is an uphill.

I hope you are going to take good care of the bike, and not blow the gaskets inside the first week you own it.

There are Electric Bikes, as an alternative,

http://www.greenspeed.us

I've seen people interested in buying bikes, who see the electric bikes, and aren't interested because the e-bike doesn't make noise and smoke.

As I said , this is bicycling, which is a completely silent way of traveling.

Don't get a yz125 if you are a beginner; I made that mistake and regretted it. Simply put it would beat the hell out of a noob trying to ride it in trails.
The reason behind it is that it is a 2 stroke and therefore has the power of about double that klx and twice the kick. The KLX is a non performance (non racing) trails bike designed more toward beginners.

I would highly suggest you stop off at a dealer to test drive both and compare them, you will see what I mean.
I had both a yz125 and a similar one (CRF150F) in the same situation. Dont make the same mistke I did.

The mx650 is taller than the 500 it holds a 220 pound rider where the 500 holds up to 175, the 650 is rated for 16+ years the 500 14+ years. the 500 is a scalled down bike where the 650 is like a regular bike about the size on an 80cc regular bike. They go no where near the speed of a gas engine bike they max out at 17mph which is rather slow. These are electric bikes and are only good for riding on hard ground.

If the bike has a battery, check that first. motorcyle batteries are fragile and one that has not been charged or maintained for a few years is most likely shot. remove the batt. from the bike and clean the + and – connections. make sure the water is up to the top line on the side of the batt. case. with the filler caps removed put it on a low amp charger, not more than 10 amps. if after 10 min. to a half an hour you don't see bubbles, replace the batt. sometimes a stone dead batt. will lose it's polarity and not take a charge. sometimes you can bring them back by running 2 heavy jumper wires from a good batt. connect the jumpers pos. to pos. and neg to neg from the good batt and the one you are trying to charge. put a charger on the good batt and again watch the batt to see if it starts to bubble/gas. if the batt will not take a charge or has been frozen at all throw it away and get a new one and put it in the bike. after you have a known good electrical source, or the bike doesn't have a batt, move to the next step.
pull the sparkplug and connect a known good plug to the plug wire. with all switches turned on ground the plug to the engine and kick it over a few times. it's a good idea to do this in a darkend or shaded area as it's easier to see the spark. to ground the plug, put the metal part, about were the wrench goes, against the bare metal of the engine. if you don't have any spark you have more problems than I can help you with here. you should see a blue spark between the electrode and the plug ground….little bent over piece at the tip of the plug.
now, turn the gas off. remove the gas line/hose from the carb and with some gas in the tank and the hose in a small clear container, to catch the gas, turn the gas on to reserve. gas should come out of the line and into the container. if it does not, the valve/petcock needs to be removed and the small screen and the valve needs to be cleaned….the gas tank also. after you get a small amount of gas in the container look to see if it is clear without anything floating in it. if this is ok replace the line on the carb, if not clean the gas tank. if there is an in line filter on the gas line make sure that is clear. the gas should be off at this time.
now remove the air box cover and/or air cleaner. this should be free of debris, you would be amazed at the things i have found in the air cleaner on bikes that have been sitting….acorns, nests all sorts of crap. if this is ok and the air cleaner is servicable, next step.
turn the gas on, with at least a gallon in the tank, and hit the float bowl area of the carb with the handle of a large screwdriver. don't hit it any harder than you could hit your upper arm without it hurting. watch the carb for a minute or two and check to make sure the carb is not flooding. if it's flooding you will see gas coming out and dripping off of it. if this happens turn the gas off and remove the carb for repair. if all is ok, next step.
with the spark plug still removed, pour about a pop bottle cap full of clean gas down the sparkplug hole. replace the plug and with all switches and the choke on, kick the bike over. if it has spark it should start, assuming the internal mechanical parts of the engine are sound. if it starts and dies, pull the plug and try another capfull of gas. if it starts and dies again try kicking it half a dozen times with the choke off and the throttle wide open. if it still won't run remove the carb for repair. if it starts and stays running check that it idles smooth and accelerates without popping or having flat/dead spots. if it runs ok throw 3 capfulls of a good fuel system cleaner into each full gas tank for about 4-5 tankfulls…..now go ride the bike. if the bike runs rough, won't idle or has flat/dead spots on acceleration, remove the carb for repair.
even these simple carbs can turn into a nightmare for someone that doesn't know what they are doing. if the carb needs repair and you don't know what you are doing, have someone that does take it apart.
be carefull, you are working with gas, and it can catch fire and burn you.

Replacing is the better idea. do it up the best you can for the moment.

Well I don't know of any kits out there for your kind of application, this is most likely going to be a do it your self complete fabrication, that being the case the sky is the limit to how much it could cost. I would try using a lawnmower electrical system if it will even work or maybe you could try to convert it to a kick starter. but if it was me I would sell it and by a Honda 50 I have one and I'm 6ft tall and I'm still able to ride it with no problems.

Stop sniffling.
Kick start the bike like most dirt bike riders.
You really should not wear loafers while riding.

Actually, you found the part. Almost any ignition switch like this will work.
Being a Chinese bike, you should not have to worry about it getting stolen.

Wow, This is a good question.

Solo machines have engines ranging in displacement size from 50cc to 650cc. In the early years of motocross, the 500cc class was considered the premier division. However, as technology progressed, the open class bikes became more powerful and fewer riders were able to ride them at their limits. The 250cc bikes also became faster with newer technology and were more manageable thus, they eventually superseded the 500cc bikes and became the premier class.

The most common distinction between motocross machines is whether they have two-stroke or four-stroke engines. Originally all bikes were four-stroke (in the Pre-65 era), but as the two-stroke engine improved they became more popular with their domination of the sport in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. The two-stroke engine produced more power than a four-stroke engine of the same capacity (cc), however oil must be introduced into the crankcase space for con-rod bearing lubrication, either with a pump or by mixing it with the petrol; this oil is burnt, giving the characteristic smell of a two-stroke engine. Four-stroke continued to be raced in specialist classes throughout this period, partially in the 500cc class. During the early 1980's another wave of technological advancement saw the typically two-stroke air cooled, twin shock rear suspension machines replaced by machines that were water cooled and fitted with monoshock rear suspension. This created even more powerful machines within the existing displacement categories (125,250 and 500cc).

The late 1990's saw an environmental crackdown on two-stroke engines particularly in the large American market. This spurred the development of environmentally friendlier four-stroke engines. While producing less power for the same displacement, four-strokes typically burn the fuel in a cleaner fashion. A major drawback of this is that four-strokes produce a deeper sound compared to two-stroke, which has led to a sharp rise in sound complaints across the world. To make the four-stroke competitive the world sanctioning body amended the displacement categories so that a 125cc two-stroke would compete against a 250cc four-stroke, and a 250cc two-stroke would compete against a 450cc four-stroke. By this point, the 500cc class had been dying out due to their immense power permitting fewer riders with enough talent to ride them at their limits. Yamaha introduced the first "modern" four-stroke with the YZ400F, which was soon succeeded by the YZ426F and then by the "standard" 450cc machine. Other manufacturers soon followed suit, downplaying their 250cc two-stroke bikes. As development progressed the power output of these bikes superseded their two-stroke equivalents, further sealing their fate. The four-stroke revolution continued with a wave of 250cc four-stroke machines to compete against the 125cc two-strokes. Once again manufacturers have been quick to promote these machines against their 125cc two-stroke equivalents. In the summer of 2006 Honda launched the CRF150R to compete in the 85cc class. This required sanctioning bodies to make further rule changes, which are very contentious with fans of two strokes.

For 2008 the MX2 class in amateur racing allowed 144cc two-stroke bikes to race against the 250 four-stroke bikes. This was to encourage more riders into the sport as two-stroke bikes are much more cost effective than four-stroke bikes. In AMA amateur racing two-stroke up to 153cc are allowed to race. But some countries like the UK only allow factory made or bored out 125's up to 144cc.

In professional racing 144cc machines are allowed but they have to be produced as 125's and then bored out to 144cc. This is to deter professionals riding from two-stroke bikes.

Youth racing included the MX2 class through to Autos, Adults ride MX2 through MX1 to MX3.

Motocross machines have extensive suspension to enable riders to tackle large jumps and ride at speed over the rough terrain. The advent of improved suspension transformed motocross from its scrambling origins with natural track to the current form today, with multiple jumps that would have previously been impossible.

To bring the weight down to an acceptable level (usually 200 to 250 lbs for full-size machines), items such as speedometers, lights, kickstands, electric starters, etc. are omitted. Lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium are commonly used as original equipment from the factory or sold in the after-market.

Because of the physical nature of motocross, riders spend much of their time standing to absorb shock with their knees. The long, flat seat is designed to allow riders to shift their weight quickly to provide more traction in corners, rather than for comfort.

Unusually for racing machines, motocross bikes can be purchased in a ready-to-race or nearly ready-to-race condition at moderate prices from major motorcycle manufacturers. Many riders, however, modify their machines further, both for outright performance and to have the bike's behavior more in tune with their own preferences or just for enjoyment

The National Sport Health Institute in Englewood, California tested several professional motocross racers in the early 1980s as part of a comparative study of the cardio-vascular fitness of athletes from various disciplines. Athletes from track, American football and soccer were tested, among others. The cardiac stress and strength test results compiled there revealed that the motocross subjects had higher fitness levels than any other discipline tested. Motocross racers now get their heart rate up to around 180 to 190 beats per minute and hold it there for about 35 minutes. Another thing to consider is that they do this twice per day (Original article appeared in DirtBike magazine in 1980). A subsequent study by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre's Sports Performance Complex in 2002 reconfirmed the result with more recent motocross racers. The intense physical demand of motocross derives from the fact that the racer of the bike must keep complete control of a 200+ pound bike, while also maintaining their top speed throughout the race

Freestyle motocross (Freestyle Motocross), a relatively new sport, does not involve racing and instead concentrates on performing acrobatic stunts while jumping motocross bikes. The winner is chosen by a group of judges. The riders are scored on style, level of trick difficulty, best use of the course, and frequently crowd reactions as well.

One stunt performed is the backflip, which was disputedly completed on a 250cc motorcycle by Greg Chrin using a specially designed dirt ramp. Soon after this, Mike Metzger completed this stunt using a standard freestyle ramp and dirt landing.[2] More recently Mike Metzger actually did a Backflip over the Caesar's Palace Fountains.[3] Some consider the body varial 360 as the most difficult stunt being performed at this time. This stunt, also called the Carolla, was first performed by Chuck Carothers at the 2004 X Games. Prior to this, the backflip 360, or off-axis backflip, was widely considered the most challenging stunt. Another rider taking freestyle to a new level is Travis Pastrana. At the 2006 X Games, Pastrana performed the world's first double backflip (in competition).[4] It earned him the 2006 Freestyle Gold Medal. The double backflip is currently considered the most difficult freestyle trick.

The latest craze is adult racing on miniature (50cc-125cc) motorcycles called minibikes or Pit-Bikes. The Pit-Bike concept was originally so that full size motocross riders could easily navigate the Pits, the area designated for parking, and setting up prior to an event. The craze grew from there. People began "hopping up" the bikes and racing them against each other. These inexpensive minibikes designed for small children are often transformed for adult use by adding taller handle bars, improving the suspension, exhaust, plastics. Other "hop ups" include larger, bored 75cc-192cc engines and reinforced frames. No standard definition of what constitutes a pit-bike by any major governing body exits, but the normal requirement is a 10"-14" front wheel, and a 10"-12" rear. None of the big 5 manufactures (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and KTM ) currently offer "race ready" pit-bikes, however some other companies are beginning to sell bikes designed solely for this purpose. These include Pitster Pro, OGM, Xtreme, the SDG, and Sikk MX. The minibike craze is predominately in Southern California, but has risen significantly in popularity in other areas of the US and the world. Pit-bike racing has taken a turn towards mini-moto (Supermoto) also, usually racing on go-kart and tight, small vehicle tracks. Riders usually wear a combination of motocross and street riding gear/leathers.

Supermoto got its start in the late 1970s as a fun side project for many road racers. Its first exposure to a wide audience came on the American television program ABC's Wide World of Sports in 1979. UK racing journalist Gavin Trippe envisioned a racing event that would prove who the best motorcycle racer was and from 1980 to 1985, he organized a yearly event called "The Superbikers," which pitted the top road racers and motocross racers against one another on specially modified bikes raced on special tracks on the television show.

What Kato said…

I think the reason why Honda didn’t put a kick start on the CRF230 is mainly due to reduced weight.

it’s sort of a pig even without the 10-15 lb kicker mechanism.