Dirt Bike FAQ

Yeah, a new 125 starts at around 5 grand so with 500 bucks you could maybe get an old used Honda or Kawi 125 that's been thrashed and beat. You'll be inheriting a decade of problems and abuse that the previous owner will be glad to unload, so plan on steadily spending cash in the future.

Your only other option is to hit auctions and estate sales and hope for a bike that somebody has had sitting around in their garage, full of 2 stroke gas that's been varnishing the innards for years. Then you'll get to know the inside of that engine pretty well as you clean all that crap out.

And what's with the 50mph? Are you racing this thing? I don't know if I've ever gotten up to 50mph on a dirt bike, but I'd guess that any mechanically sound 125cc can eventually get to 60 on a long, flat surface. Honda 125s claim a 60mph top speed.

Ebay has it.

Look in the classified section of your newspaper under vehicles for sale.

In the time it took you to boot up your PC, log on and write your question . You could of called your state DMV, Country Sheriffs Office, State or Local Police and by now would of had a proper professional answer.

If it's a newer bike and doesn't have a title, get the vin number and have the DMV check to be sure it's not stolen.

If it's a chinese or taiwanese off-brand NAPA special, most aren't titled, because they don't qualify as 'motor vehicles' and are not really sold as such. They're just cheap toys.

The downfall? If it's stolen, it can be taken away from you and you'll lose all your money.

If it's an off-brand, it may last you awhile, and be fun to ride, or it may break in a few months. If you're lucky, it'll last long enough to get your $$'s worth out of it. Resale is extremely poor on these off-brand 'toys' also.

I've been told that you should have 2 copies of the original title and a bill of sale from the previous owner. I don't know about the fees involved, but I would check with your dmv or similar before buying a bike.

This is the Cycling section, not motorcycles

That is a really good bike but I would not suggest getting a brand new bike for your first one. I have been riding for a while and have learned there are two kinds of riders, the ones that have crashed and the ones that are going to. I would suggest getting one that is a few years old just because you will go down at least once and most likely the first time it is on your first bike.

If your first qualification is used, that will depend on the bikes available for sale in your area. Couple of general points, though. At 5-11 you will need a bike with a full size frame. Tiny won't cut it, 125-250cc, but check it first, even at those displacements have seen 3/4 size frames .(kind for kids). Have you ever ridden before? If no, lightest bike you can find, you'll be picking it up a lot. Can't even tell you the number of times I've fallen! Check where you will be riding. Some sites have specific equipment rules. Don't spend everything you have, you will need some equipment. Minimum: Helmet, Gloves, Boots. Ever caught a lace in the foot peg in 5th gear so you could not shift? (not a lot of fun) Worry about weight, not displacement. You always have one piece of equipment that will keep you from getting in trouble by going too fast. (Hint, it's the place between your ears.) On Bike condition: does chain shift a lot side to side? Do tires show "age cracks"? Shake steering head, do top of forks rattle back and forth? On rear sprocket, are holes even or"dished" on side? All signs of wear, going to be medium to very expensive. If the bike won't start when you goto look at it, something is very(!) wrong. Get a mechanical friend to go with you to look at bikes to begin with. Ask what he is looking for, so you can do the same later. Best wishes, dirt down and sky up!

Place a for sale add on http://craigslist.org You will get more attention there.

HTH