Find Your Bike (Part 2)

                                                        Find Your Bike (Part 2)

 

Hello again and welcome back to my blog on choosing the right dirt bike. Last time we talked about the sizing of different models and why it is important. We also got into the different types of dirt bikes, and their intended use. Today we will take a closer look at those types, listing some models for examples and going over their specifications.

We’ll also get into pricing these bikes, as that will always have a role in what you decide to purchase.

 

Engine Types

There are multiples factors that are going to determine what the engine of the bike is designed to do. Some of the main specifications you will be looking at will be the cc’s of an engine, Horsepower (HP), Torque, and if it is four-stroke or two-stroke.

 

CC stands for cubic centimeters and is used to show engine size. The more cc’s, the larger that engine. You’ll want to look at a bike’s HP and Torque output numbers to get an idea of its real power.

 

Think of Torque as how quickly the bike accelerates. When you pull back the throttle, how quickly that power is delivered.

Think of Horsepower as the limit of speed that the bike can reach, while also being able to maintain that speed.

 

Another identifier of how an engine will deliver its power is if it is two-stroke or four-stroke. While two-strokes have been gently phasing out since the early 2000’s (due to emission regulations), they’re still being sold by certain manufacturers, and you can still find them on the private market. These will be easy to spot by large header pipes coming from the engine. They also have a very distinct sound, often described as sounding like braaap-braaap.

 

 Two-Stroke

Four-Stroke

Power Delivery

Two-Stroke dirt bikes are going to have a narrower power band, which means they’ll deliver the most power in a certain rev range, usually at higher Revolutions Per Minute (RPM).

Four-Strokes bikes are going to have a more linear power delivery, which means usable power throughout the RPM range.

 

 

Power delivery is also going to look different based on what type of bike you ride. MX and Enduro race bikes are going to have higher HP and Torque numbers, with the goal of speed in mind. Trail bikes and Dual-Sports are going to have lower HP and Torque numbers, instead focusing on comfort and practicality.

 

	Average HP	Average Torque
MX 450cc	57	34 lb-ft
MX 250cc	40	19 lb-ft
Trail230-250cc	19	15 lb-ft
KLX 300r	33	19 lb-ft

(I added the Kawasaki 300r because I think it is a good mix of being comfortable while still having good power delivery.)

 

Power delivery is going to be important to think about when choosing your bike. If you’re going to spend your time at a racetrack, an MX bike will have the power you’re looking for. If you just want to get out in the woods and go at your own pace, then a trail bike is going to have a little less power but be more comfortable and provide a smoother ride.

 

Theres an old saying when it comes to motorcycles, “I’d rather ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow”. I think that saying rings true with dirt bikes as well. I grew up riding the fastest dirt bikes I could get my hands on, I rode them on racetracks, through the woods, and even on the roads. Now that I am a little older I have more fun squeezing the most power out of a bike with less power, because doing that on race bikes is much more dangerous.

 

 

Fuel Injection vs Carburetors

I just want to add a quick note about fuel injection vs carburetors. Most new bikes nowadays are going to be fuel injected, this supplies the fuel directly into the intake, eliminating the need for a carburetor.

 

Some trail bikes however will still come carbureted, like the 2024 Yamaha TTR 230. Carbureted bikes will get the job done no problem, but you will notice some differences from a fuel injected bike.

 

Carbureted bikes will have a slight delay between pulling the throttle and receiving power, the power delivery won’t be as quick as a fuel injected bike. Carburetors also require that you remove and clean the carburetor if you leave the bike sitting for more than a few weeks. They will still be very reliable, and this shouldn’t scare you, it just means a little more deliberation in the care of your bike.

 

 

Maintenance

Maintenance is another category that is going to vary depending on the type of bike you want. Typical bike maintenance is going to be small things like oil and oil filter changes, air filter cleaning, tire pressure checks, chain lubricating, and checking fluid levels like oil and coolant. These are some of the smaller maintenance checks that you can do without much mechanical experience.

 

MX bikes that are meant to race are going to require maintenance more often, as you’re putting more strain on the bike. Oil changes for MX bikes are going to need to be made around every 15 hours. And the engine itself is going to need a rebuild done around every 30 hours, depending on how often and how long you are racing it.

 

Trail bikes are going to be much easier to take care of. With oil change intervals being closer to around 30 hours.

 

Basically, shorter maintenance intervals are going to require more time and money dedicated to your bike. Which is why knowing this information will be important to your decision.

 

 

 

What Makes A Bike Easy?

You’ve probably heard me talk about some bikes being easier to ride, but what does that mean? When I speak about the difficulties that a certain bike can bring, I’m talking about multiple factors. Power delivery, clutch pull, suspension stiffness, these are all things that shape how a bike can be easy or hard to ride.

 

MX bikes make racing more fun, they’re faster, they corner better, and they’re louder. But on a trail those things can bring you pain. If you try and ride these bikes slow, they can stall out, which shuts the motor off. This can put you in a dangerous situation if you’re on a hill or have other riders behind you. You’ll also quickly realize that the seat is NOT built for comfort, and the power delivery can have you pulling too much of the throttle and crashing.

 

This is what I mean when I say a bike is forgiving for new riders. If you make a mistake and pull too much throttle on an MX bike, you could easily wipe out. But Trail bikes can provide a safer and more comfortable experience for you to learn and make the occasional mistake.

 

 

Pricing

Here’s a category that played a huge role in my last dirt bike purchase. Being new to this world, you will quickly find out that dirt bikes are not as cheap as you thought they were. New MX models like the Kawasaki KX450 start with an MSRP of $10,399, and an out the door price at a dealership will be closer to $11,500.

 

Some brands and models are going to be even more expensive than that. My advice is to try and find a used bike. Take a look at some pre-owned bikes at a dealership or even on Facebook Marketplace. It’s going to be worth it to look around and compare models and prices.

 

If you’re new to riding it’s very possible that you’re going to drop your bike at some point, and you’re going to feel a lot better about it being used than if it was brand new.

 

Class	Average MSRP	Private Seller Range
MX – 450cc	$9,500 - $11,000	$4,500 - $9,000
MX – 250cc	$7,500 - $9,600	$2,500 - $6,500
Trail 230-250cc	$4,400 - $5,100	$2,000 - $4,000
KLX 300r	$6,100	$3,800 – $5,500

Quick reminder that these ranges could vary depending on where you live. And if you don’t mind older bikes these used prices could drop a lot.

 

Plain and simple, MX or any bikes meant to race are going to cost more than Trail Bikes and Dual-Sports. As I mentioned earlier, this wasn’t the only factor in my own purchase, but it was an important one.  

 

 

Good Beginner Bikes

Before we leave, I’m going to leave you with some great beginner bikes and list a couple of their highlights. Keep in mind I’ll be comparing these bikes against each other, so I’ll try and pick what stands out for each.

 

Some of these bikes are really similar, but I want to give you an idea of what each bike could bring.

 

 Kawasaki KLX 140r

Pros Include...

·         Most affordable bike on the list

·         Lowest seat at 31”, better for shorter riders

·        Very Lightweight

Cons include...

·         Less power than the other bikes on this list

·         Carbureted

The next two bikes are going to be in a group together because they are very similar. The only key difference is that the KLX230r is fuel injected, so if that is a big deal for you, you’ll want to go with the Kawasaki.

 

Kawasaki KLX 230r

 Yamaha TTR 230

Pros of these bikes include...

·         More power than the 140 class

·         More suspension travel, so it handles bumps and jumps better

·         Higher seat and ground clearance

·         Fuel Injection for the Kawasaki (Green)

 

 Honda CRF 250F

(Not to be confused with the CRF250R)

Some of the pros include

·         Slightly larger engine size for power

·         Fuel Injection

·         Comfortable rider triangle

 

Kawasaki KLX 300R (My Choice)

Some of the pros include

·         Highest HP and Torque in the category

·         Fuel Injection

·         Largest frame, ground clearance, and suspension travel in the category

Some cons include

·         Highest price point of the group

·         The power output could be intimidating

·         Heaviest bike in the category

Honestly, all of these are great bikes, and you could have a ton of fun on any of them. It could really just come down to what color you like and which one you think looks the best. (I’ve always been a fan of the Kawasaki green). It’s going to be your bike, so try not to get too caught up in the numbers and brands and do what’s going to be best for you.

 

I hope these blogs have given you some valuable information as you enter the world of dirt bikes. I sincerely hope that I have helped you with your decision. This has been a passion of mine for a long time, and I could talk about these bikes until I’m blue in the face. Look at those options, do some research, and please contact me if you want more information or even just want to talk bikes.

 

Be safe out there and most importantly, have fun!

 

Cameron Elkins 

Prime Time Off-Road Company

celkins4@gmail.com

Find Your Bike (Part 1)

 Find Your Bike (Part 1)

Hello everyone and thank you for joining my blog, where we will be looking at the different types of dirt bikes and why you may want or not want to own them. To help you out I will be covering the various model types of dirt bikes, giving some of their specifications and talking about what that bike is meant to be used for. Hopefully this blog can clear up any questions or concerns that you may have, and I’ll be sure to leave some contact information if there’s anything I didn’t cover that you want to talk about.

 

To start I’d like to provide you with a little bit of my experience, (to prove I’m not some random guy researching dirt bikes with no history riding them). I got my first dirt bike at the young age of 7 years old. I got home from school one day to find a 90’s model Honda Z50 sitting beside my porch. I had no idea it was coming, but I couldn’t have been more excited to ride. My dad helped me ride it around the yard, I wiped out so much I don’t know how my mom ever let me back on it, but from then on, I was hooked.

For today’s blog were going to start on the sizing of different dirt bikes and what may be right for you. I don’t know about you but I’m already getting excited, so let’s get into it!

 

 Sizing

Searching for a bike doesn’t necessarily have to start with sizing, but as a beginner, it’s going to play a major factor in the bike you choose. I’ll go over the different sizes of dirt bikes, covering engine size, as well as physical size of the bike.

 

To start we’ll talk a little about engine sizes. Dirt bike engine sizes range all the way from 50cc up to 500cc, and even higher if you get into the Dual Sport category. The lower engine sizes you might see like 50cc, 65cc, 85cc, 110cc, are going to have less horsepower and be built for younger smaller riders who are just getting into riding. As the engine displacement gets larger so does the power output and the frame of the bike. Once you get to 250cc however, the height of the bike is going to cap out.

 

Most of the sizing for bikes is going to be recognized by Seat Height. When it comes to choosing the right sized bike, it’s going to come down to what’s comfortable for you. As you start your riding journey, you’ll probably be more comfortable on a bike with a lower seat height, which feels safer and easier to catch if you lose your balance. As you progress in your riding, however, you will gain confidence and lose the need for a smaller seat height.

 

Below I’ve listed some average seat heights for different bikes, now these are going to vary with different models, but it will at least give you an idea of their size. These measurements will be from the ground to the top of the seat, with no compression on the suspension.

 

Average for 50cc – 24.9”

Average for 65cc- 29.5”

Average for 85cc – 32”

Average for 110cc – 26.4”

Average for 125cc four stroke – 31”

Average for 125cc two stroke – 38”

Average for 250cc trail bike – 35”

Average for 250cc MX – 37.5”

Average for 450cc – 37.5”

(Try not to pay too much attention to two-stroke vs four stroke difference, we’ll get into that later)

 

Seat heights are going to vary, even if the bikes seem to be close in engine size. This is due to the type of the bike. Motocross, or MX, bikes are meant to race and are going to have a higher seat height than Trail Bikes. These bikes are going to be considered less beginner friendly, due to their higher engine performance and less forgiving features.

 

Different Types of Dirt Bikes?

Believe it or not there are multiple different types of dirt bikes, and while they tend to look similar, they can be very different in how they ride. MX, Trail, Enduro, Dual-Sport, all these bikes are meant to serve different purposes. Can you ride a trail bike on a racetrack? Absolutely, and you’ll have fun doing it. But you’re not going to be as fast and efficient as someone on an MX bike. Can you take an MX bike through the trails? Of course, you can, but you’re going to find out that its engine is meant to be screaming at high rpm’s and can be tricky to ride at lower speeds.

 

Enduro bikes are essentially trail bikes that are better equipped to race and explore through trails. These bikes could come equipped with things like headlights, bigger gas tanks, hand guards, and more. Dual-Sports are dirt bikes that can be ridden on-road as well as off-road. From the factory they will have headlights, taillights, mirrors, a license plate holder, tires that are better for the pavement, and even a horn. If you are looking for a bike that you can take to work and hit the trails afterwards, this may be the type for you.

 

As a new rider you will more than likely be more comfortable on bikes that are suited for riding the trails, not bikes that come from the factory ready to race. Trail Bikes are usually paired with a softer suspension, lower engine displacement, lower horsepower and torque numbers, and more comfortable ergonomics.

 

Ergonomics refers to the position of the handlebars, the seating positions, and footpegs, also known as the rider triangle. Trail Bikes are going to have the rider seated in a more upright position, which feels much easier to ride for longer periods of time. MX bikes are going to have you lean forward in an aggressive riding stance, ready to be on your toes for cornering and jumps.

Some examples of good beginner bikes are going to be bikes like the Kawasaki KLX 140, KLX 230, or the Yamaha TTR 230. If you are a taller person or just want something bigger that is still going to be a good beginner bike you could look at the Kawasaki KLX 300r or the Honda CRF 250L. I stand at 6’ 2” and I ride a KLX 300r, it pulls me around with all the power I need.

 

Another metric to think about when choosing a bike is going to its weight. When looking at bike specifications, most weight measurements are going to Wet Measurements, which means that is the weight of the bike when it is fully loaded with fluids and ready to ride.

 

Newer MX bikes will come standard with aluminum frames, with feels much lighter. Older MX bikes, most trail bikes, and certain European brands are going to come equipped with steel frames, which are going to be heavier. More weight can give you more stability when you’re riding at higher speeds, but it can also make it more difficult to ride at slower speeds and during technical riding, especially on hills. This may be something you want to consider if you’re a shorter rider with difficulty when the bike comes to a stop.

 

 

Get Out There!

At the end of the day, the best way to size up a bike is to get out there and see one for yourself. Any dealership I’ve ever been to has been open to me swinging a leg over a dirt bike and that’s the best way to get a feel for what size bike you want. I can also confidently say that the dirt bike community is an open one and it’s more than worth it to hit some online forums and get more firsthand accounts of a bike you’re looking at. Some people near you may even be open to letting you see or even ride their own bike.

 

That’s going to wrap it up for today, hopefully this has given you some insight into the various sizes of dirt bikes and helped you to begin to understand what may be best for you. Join me on my next post where we will take a deeper dive into these different types of bikes and highlight some specific mechanical details, pricing, and see how your goals for riding will align with the bike you want.

 

Stay tuned and ready to ride, you’ll be on a bike in no time!