Dirt Bike FAQ

Good old XR650 very dependable great all around bike with lots of aftrer market goodies available and priced well.

The KTM 525/530 also a great bike.

The DRZ 400 Suzuki works well if you want a little more nimble bike they also have a 250

The valves are only an issue on the crf250r. A lot of the subtle difference are just that. SUBTLE. But MotorcycleUSA has some great reviews on youtube. Also magazines and websites like TransworldMX and Dirt Rider have great reviews. Pick a color. (Stay Japanese)

KTM is known around here as Kan't Take Much

Apparently this is possible, (i asked my bf for you!) and can be done for about £200. You need, indicators, headlights, rear lights, on-road tyres, a speedometer and a number plate bracket. Then you have to register it for a first MOT at a special MOT centre (we only no of Ruislip, but dont no where you are lol) and get it to pass!
Hope this helps

I like, in order:

KTM has the best suspension, lightest weight, most options and the most power. It is the most expensive and parts can be hard to get. The suspension is great but fussy to adjust.

The Yamaha is great for both racing and trail riding. YZF is better for racing and the WR for trails.

The Suzuki and Kawasaki are about the same and are good for both and they have very tough motors.

The Honda has great suspension and is easy to ride fast but the motors wont last the longest.

BTW, Cycle News sucks and I wouldn't put much trust in what they say. They mostly do street bikes anyway.

A 110 is kind of small I agree you’ll want something that you can learn with and also grow wih being you’re already 12 years old I recomend a yamaha ttr 125, or a honda crf150. Both these are great beginner bikes and good for jumping or just riding around. My 13 year old nephew has a ttr 125 and loves it, he’s smaller in size and can handle it very well. Yamaha makes great everything, I love all their 4 stroke stuff and i’m mostly a suzuki fan, I would say yamaha is the leader in 4 strokes and makes the best around. The honda crf150 is a great bike also, a little more power than the ttr125 but not any heavier and will grow with you forever, i’m an adult rider and would be comfortable on a crf150 for just riding around. Take a look at these two bikes and ask dealers some questions even if you don’t buy from them it’s good to ask the pro’s they’ll be able to answer anything else that we can’t on here.

A yz250f, you can still ride it in the 125 class and it's a lot better. Well at least in Utah you can ride it in the 125 class still. My experience with 125 is bad, they blow up a lot.

A 125 to 150 is not really for a child. It will be tough to get something for 500.00 that is a major brand. Remember a Honda, Yamaha Kawaski, Suzuki will hold some value especially the entry level bikes. It is hard to tell you what to look for since you did not mention his size, age, and skill level.

I would recommend the CRF250X. It is a bit larger than the 230, much more powerful, and it is a bike that a beginner can ride comfortably and grow into. A WR250F is also a good choice, as is a KTM 250-F-XCW or KTM 400XCW. The Kawasaki KLX300R is also a good choice. You might be happy with the TTR230 or CRF230 for a short time, but I think your skills will grow out of them too fast. Another good choice is the Honda XR400. They don't make them any more, but they are extremely reliable and a used one will not drop much in value over the next few years.

For reliability get a four stroke. The brand doesn't make much difference. All of the major motorcycle companies make excellent bikes. I would consider what dealers are near you and which of them has a good reputation in their service department.