Complete beginner looking for advice

[Xander87]

I have always wanted to get into dirt bikes but have never had the money until now. How would a complete newbie go about learning how to ride, what bike to get, where to go etc?

[B0000M]

how big are you, how old are you, what kind of riding do you think you are interested in, have you ridden anyone elses bike before? if so, how much riding have you done?

[tommorth]

if you are a complete beginer my suggestion would be a xr200 as they are indestructable light and cheap then find a large paddock to get used to the brakes ,changing gears , using the clutch etc

[slimjim]

have a look in www.silverbullet.co.nz..as it has all local events... go along to one of the motocross or trail events and ask around..cause the people there are ONLY to willing to help.......also look in local paper as some times its in there too..offering free rides to upandcoming riders to wish to find out if its their thing or not... all the best..

[Pierce]

if you are a complete beginer my suggestion would be a xr200 as they are indestructable light and cheap then find a large paddock to get used to the brakes ,changing gears , using the clutch etc

Best advice right there:2thumbsup plus there a honda :hug:

[crazyxr250rider]

XR200R or a Farm bike of some description is the best place to start for the younger beginer. If your a bit older and have some experience youd be heading towards a KDX200,XR250,DRZ250, KLX300 sort of bike.

[CRF119]

All my mates have started on CR125s we have had 1 start on a XR250 and 2 months later wants a CR125. Depends on your size and age. Also 125 parts are cheap and easy to maintain and you also get disk brakes front + rear and some nice suspension.

[Atomic]

Yep, depends on what you wanna do. TRAILS or Motocross.

If your a quick learner and dont plan on riding like a nana for long. Get something decent that you can grow into. Dont muck around with some boring sack with sloppy suspension, rancid brakes, no power and 200kg of steel framing to pick up.

I learnt to ride on an 07 RMZ450 MXer. I almost started on a KLX300...I thank god every day that i didnt make that mistake. Remember that you dont need to use all the power of a grunty bike but its there when you are ready and having good suspension/brakes are paramount, they are what keep the wheels on the ground and the bike out of the bush!

[Hemex]

I have always wanted to get into dirt bikes but have never had the money until now. How would a complete newbie go about learning how to ride, what bike to get, where to go etc?

Im an absolute newbie too... best thing I'd say is if you have friends who have bikes... ride a few different ones... I tried a KX125, 250 SX, KXF250 and finally felt most comfortable with my height and weight and the power on the KXF250...went and had a look at YZF250, RMZ250 and finally bought a KXF250.. I asked around here on KB and some extremely helpful souls... barty5, rupecopp and cheese have taken me on a couple of rides and are more than willing to help me and give me tips on what I should and shouldnt do...
Do the same...search for people around your area and ask..the most you'll get is a no..
Being a beginner... be prepared to fall and fall hard even...dont go with the pre conceived notion that if you ride careful its all good... :nono:

Ive never been happier starting anything else... you'll never regret this!
:2thumbsup

[B0000M]

Im an absolute newbie too... best thing I'd say is if you have friends who have bikes... ride a few different ones... I tried a KX125, 250 SX, KXF250 and finally felt most comfortable with my height and weight and the power on the KXF250...went and had a look at YZF250, RMZ250 and finally bought a KXF250.. I asked around here on KB and some extremely helpful souls... barty5, rupecopp and cheese have taken me on a couple of rides and are more than willing to help me and give me tips on what I should and shouldnt do...
Do the same...search for people around your area and ask..the most you'll get is a no..
Being a beginner... be prepared to fall and fall hard even...dont go with the pre conceived notion that if you ride careful its all good... :nono:

Ive never been happier starting anything else... you'll never regret this!
:2thumbsup

what he said. dont bother starting on a shitter.


if you buy an old shitter, youre likely to be put off bikes by the fact you will be constantly replacing broken / worn out parts. as well as your bike looking , feeling and performing like a shitta.

spend a bit of money - im not saying buy brand new, but somewhere around the 4-6k mark, get yourself something decent, youll feel good riding it, youll feel good cleaning it, and you wont feel too bad spending money on it as it wont feel like your tipping money into a hole in the ground.

the kxf, crf, yzf, rmz option seems to be really popular around here as a first bike as they are good for pretty much anything, you can nana them around, or you can race them, they are good on trails, nice an light and they have good suspension and brakes. if you find that a 250 isnt enough for you theres always the 450 option.

personally i wouldnt reccommend anyone attempted to learn on a 125.

i also wouldnt reccommend trail riding a 125 anywhere serious, unless you know you're going to have a clear run all day.

[Hemex]

So true what BOOOM says... buy yourself a bike which is going to last you well through your learning phase but not a piece of crap that's got you worried if its going to crumble under you everytime you go out...
If you've got the money then probably nothing like buying brand new I'd think...
Go to your local dealer or ask a friend on what to look for while buying a used bike...

[cheese]

And if it has a luxury exhaust, leave it alone!

[secondfield]

Depending on your budget, its not out of the question to find a used mid/early 80's enduro bike to learn on.

Get someone in the know to check it out, and then go thrash it without having to worry too much about expensive mistakes ...

Im thinking mid 80's IT175 - 200, PE175, XR200/250. Low maintenance, bulletproof machines.

If you ride these to start with, once you gain confidence you get to move up in the world and spend bigger bucks on better machinery, and the improved performance and handling that these bikes inspire. Youll feel the improvement as well.This will buzz you out and then youll get a feel for different types of machines as well.

If you start with a fine race machine, you wont progress as fast as you would on a 'lesser' machine (very few people out there can ride these things to their fullest capacity anyway.. we kid ourselves). Its fun too buying old bikes and doing them up, learning the ropes on an old two stroke first can make you a better rider (plus give you the impression your working the bike harder) when you move to a newer four smoker...

There is a psycholgical factor involved here to get the most enjoyment out of our sport.

Dont buy a 450 right off the button. Itll scare the shit out of you off road.
:laugh:

[Hemex]

Dont buy a 450 right off the button. Itll scare the shit out of you off road.
:laugh:

Completely agree with this!!!!

I had to go to a 'reserve' to test out the 250SX and it was during Winter... Bike almost left me behind while I thought I creamed myself with the power it threw out...
But make sure you do try out differnet ones... you might be fine with the power being thrown...

[B0000M]

i dont know if this is done throughout the country, but the honda dealer here is holding a CRF ride day at a local track, gives people to oppurtunity to come and have a go on the entire range of CRFs, and theres pretty much something in the CRF range to suit anybody of any size or ability

[clmintie]

I have always wanted to get into dirt bikes but have never had the money until now. How would a complete newbie go about learning how to ride, what bike to get, where to go etc?

Come up to the Power/Botany Honda family trail ride on the 19th at Woodhill, they have the range of Honda bikes available for test rides. They are usually able to spend a bit of time with beginners, teaching basics... Then, if you buy a new Honda, buy it from them, they will have earnt your custom.

[krad_nz]

I got given a 1983 XL250R that I've learned on.
You are most welcome to use it. I can put it on the trailer and you can take it out and have a hoon. I don't care if you drop it etc. :)

Its now designated the whore bike, ie: everyone gets a ride :P I think my brother is going to give it a blast at the family day ride thingy next weekend. He's never been on a bike before.

Low seat height, but still accommodating. I'm 6'2 and it was fine to learn on, probably looked a bit goofy on me though :P My gf is 5'2 and she has taken it for a ride also, so unless you're a midget it will be fine.

It has decent low down torque but is no power fiend by any stretch of the imagination. I've taken it on many rides now and it's got me the end of every one of the them.

Down sides.
- heavy compared to modern bikes.
- drum brakes. Meh, no biggy if you're a learner you won't be going too fast anyway.

Pic of it in my profile. Sexy huh? :laugh:

[CRF119]

i also wouldnt reccommend trail riding a 125 anywhere serious, unless you know you're going to have a clear run all day.


I spent alot of time on a CR125 and i have to disagree. The 125 teaches clutch/throttle control, those that find them to hard id just say have gotten lazy with the new 4 strokers.

You also dont have to speend 4-6k to get a good one 2002-2004 125 should cost no more then 4k and are very light, very easy to maintain and you should be able to go almost anywhere on it wth practise!

Also when it comes to rebuilding the top end its simple as there is no valves/cams etc so even a monkey can do it and not have to pay your local shop $60-$80 a hour to do the rebuild!

[Hemex]

Also when it comes to rebuilding the top end its simple as there is no valves/cams etc so even a monkey can do it and not have to pay your local shop $60-$80 a hour to do the rebuild!

Bloody good advice! Not being a very mechanical person :Oops: and now with a 4 stroke I am getting a little worried about what Im going to do once I have to do any fixes/reparis to the engine...:sweatdrop:bash::crazy:
Although enjoying my ride was more important and so I went with a 4 smoker promising myself that I would learn the ropes of how to handle my own engine...Getting there...SLOWLY though!:beer:
The 125 felt a little under powered for my size and the 250 2 smoker scared me..lol..

Like I said...go around test the different types and see what makes you stop and say 'Fark yeah....that was brilliant!!' :scooter:

[oldskool]

Hiya,

I've owned PE175's (C and X) XR250R's, the legendary TT500 and the good ole XR500RC thumper in the past and used to ride them on road off road and absolutely abuse them to death, no oil changes, rode buckled wheels, bent forks etc etc. But I have to say I love my ole 200R, easy to work on, reliable and in woodhill plenty enough low end power to remain respectable.

I'll be going to woodhill on the 19th you're quite welcome to tick around the beginners track on the ole '86 XR200R although the Honda Team may have their CRF150 there anyway.

Also will be taking up a little DS80 if you want to scream around on that.

[SpikedPunch]

I'm newbie as well. Before I got my bike I just made sure ask everyone I knew who rode bikes advice (my dad's boss is big into his bikes and would send dad home with his old kiwi riders with ads circled out for what I should get - very helpful), brought it up at every opportunity :p Went round to lots of shops, asked more questions, sat on bikes, went online and saw what people recommended for people of my height/(lack of)experience. Picked out four I liked, and then went for the best deal I could find on trademe.

My gf is 5'2 and she has taken it for a ride also, so unless you're a midget it will be fine.

*5'1" actually ;) 'The lump' is a mighty learning tool. Great for making you appreciate lighter newer bikes :eek:

[cheese]

There is the option of the new 150 4 stroke bikes like teh CRF150R and the other brands are all bringing them out now too - good for short people. I'd learn on something not as peppy though.

[theblacksmith]

And if it has a luxury exhaust, leave it alone!
Hahahaha! Crack up man!! But very true aye.

[BM-GS]

As another data point, I'm attacking the newbie thing from another angle: being dad to 2 bike-mad boys (ages 5 & 3) we're now at the point where mum & dad need a bike as the kids are about to launch off the pee-wee tracks & onto bigger trails - and we've got fed up with watching them have all the fun...

Both of us have ridden road bikes for years, but very little (me) to no (her) off-road. We're taking the gentle route, as we have to drive the littlies home afterwards and will spend a lot of time picking up and re-starting them & their bike(s).

We figure a CRF150 for us (having had a quick spin on Botany's loaner) as it's small enough for her to learn on & light and may even have a button starter, tho unsure how many starts it'll do. Big enough for me (1.8m, 90kg), and this is our first off-roader, not our last. Also unstressed, low maint, etc. Can go for the 450s later.

Now, to teach the kids about bike-washing, lubing, etc...

[oldskool]

Now, to teach the kids about bike-washing, lubing, etc...
I hear yah BM-GS. My kids are 10 and 12 and I've just got them a 1990 DS80 10hp ($550) to destroy. In my daughters case it's hopefully to swing her away from getting a pony. I've also just got myself an XR200R 20hp ($750) which I guess the CRF150 is a close enough equivalence in performance. I've had to suck it big listening to bigboy talk about 450's etc but having ridden dirt bikes since I was 15, and having totally thrashed the TT500 and XR500, I've learned it takes more skill to look good riding on a small barrel than a big barrel where 100% snotting it carves you outa trouble most of the times. What ever model you get, and what ever skill level you're at, I think you'll enjoy carving up the trails!

[FROSTY]

Hey BM- With my clan of bike nutters I had a KDX220 --great bike but totally wrong for following the kids around.
Instead Ive got a honda NXR125. and its bloody fantastic.
starts first kick. comfortable seat and enough power to outrun the kids on their 80's

[CRF119]

Originally Posted by cheese
And if it has a luxury exhaust, leave it alone!

Hahahaha! Crack up man!! But very true aye.


Whay is that........

Im just about to put a FMF setup on mine but ony because my other one is stuffed.

[dafydd roberts]

Whay is that........

Im just about to put a FMF setup on mine but ony because my other one is stuffed.

Someone tell the story. :laugh:

[mattwood]

Someone tell the story. :laugh:

haha, just take a look through this thread :jerry:


http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=77226&highlight=laugh

[dafydd roberts]

haha, just take a look through this thread :jerry:


http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=77226&highlight=laugh

Classic :jerry:

[Badger8]

Hey guys,
Another complete off-road noob here :D (Bought tommorth's KDX200 off him actually, heheh)
Just wondering some good places around to get my learn on off-road? Thinking of checkin out the beginners trails out at 'the sandpit' labour weekend. Suitable for a complete off-road and 2-stroke noob?
Would ideally just like some open paddocks or something for a kickoff, but dont really know where to find em round aucks.
any help and/or pointers appreciated! :D

[glice]

I spent alot of time on a CR125 and i have to disagree. The 125 teaches clutch/throttle control, those that find them to hard id just say have gotten lazy with the new 4 strokers.

You also dont have to speend 4-6k to get a good one 2002-2004 125 should cost no more then 4k and are very light, very easy to maintain and you should be able to go almost anywhere on it wth practise!

Also when it comes to rebuilding the top end its simple as there is no valves/cams etc so even a monkey can do it and not have to pay your local shop $60-$80 a hour to do the rebuild!

I'm thinking of gettint a 125 and will prob use it for everything. I'm not a full noob, did the wires track yesterday. but are they very hard to ride? how often do they need to have a re-build, and what is the cost in terms of parts?

[Taz]

I can highly recommend the KDX200. Excellent value for money and very very capable off road bikes for learners and experts alike. But most of you will end up getting a MX bike as they are cooler......

[honda_power]

seriously... reccomending a motocross bike to a newbie... lets alone a 450?! Are you crazy?

Forget even 250fs. I own 2, nothing but trouble, dont get one unless your going to race mx.

I think...

Late model Kawasaki KDX200. Bulletproof. Fast enough. Decent Suspension. Dirt Cheap. Water Cooled is a bonus.

Honda XR250. As Above, but 4 stroke. Air cooled.

Suzuki DR-Z250. 4 Stroke, Very good beginner bike.

Yammi TTR250. Same as Above, 4 Stroke.

All very good Novice - Int bikes. Personally i think KDX is the best option, as its a great beginner bike, but i have seen many with experts on them and winning, so it will take you further. This is all presuming you are big enough for a full sized bike.

[krad_nz]

I recently got a 2006 KDX200 and I love it. Not sure if I would recommend it as a good bike for a complete noob though?
It does have a pro-circuit pipe which is meant to make a huge difference and I've not experienced the bike with the factory exhaust.
Maybe its more noob friendly with the factory setup?

Another option is the KLX300. It has a slightly lower seat height too which may be important for some people. Cheap and reliable.

I've ridden both and the while the KDX200 is easily much quicker the KLX300 seems a more forgiving. Having a bike thats forgiving of mistakes can only be a good thing for a beginner.
Also, the KDX has an expansion chamber that is more vulnerable to damage when the bike is dropped. Don't have to worry about that on the KLX for obvious reasons :)

[B0000M]

I'm thinking of gettint a 125 and will prob use it for everything. I'm not a full noob, did the wires track yesterday. but are they very hard to ride? how often do they need to have a re-build, and what is the cost in terms of parts?

i probably wouldnt reccommend them as an all rounder. pretty much good as a race bike. high maintenance, youd want to be doing a top end rebuild at least every 30 hours or less, as well as all the other mx consumables- clutches, which you have to hammer on them to keep them reving etc.

as a noob allrounder, probably best with something like a kdx if you want low as maintenance, but i tend to disagreee with the previous comment about the CRFs etc, eg a crf250x is an awesome all rounder for a novice with low and easy maintenance, and with an abundance of easily obtained and replaced parts to make it faster as you improve.

as ive said so many times lately, got my mrs a 04 crf250x, shes 5'3 or something really short around there. lowered it down a bit with the forks inthe clamps, and wound the spring down, cut the seat foam a bit. she loves it! good amount of power, good suspension, good brakes, not too bad to work on.

however i got bored so decided to put a whole bunch of crf250R parts on it to make it faster
loves it more now

[glice]

yea a crf250 etc, would be good but then I need to spend a bit more money. I do like 2strokes, but a 250 will be too fast and I want something light cos I'm sick of picking up my whale (klr). Does a top end re-build cost much? in terms of parts because I could probly do it myself.

[Ktmboy]

yea a crf250 etc, would be good but then I need to spend a bit more money. I do like 2strokes, but a 250 will be too fast and I want something light cos I'm sick of picking up my whale (klr). Does a top end re-build cost much? in terms of parts because I could probly do it myself.

Top end on a KDX- Base Gasket(take off the bore and the head in one piece)
Piston set, H2O/Antifreeze and some new oil.

Couple of hundy max
Couple of hours
Couple of beers.

Good reason to get into the garage:niceone:

[B0000M]

as a general rule the newer the bike you buy the less things you will need to replace. older bikes it feels like one thing after the next you have to replace, and then you spend thousands on bits and pieces, knicks and knacks, and after all that you still have an old bike.

my suggestion to anyone trying to get into dirt bikes is dont try entering the sport unless you have at least 5k to spend on machine and safety equipment.

if you cant afford to cough that up to get started, then dirt biking isnt for you / your budget

its not a cheap sport. attempting to skimp on costs only makes it cost more in the long run.

on that note, somewhere around $200-250 should get you all you need for a 125 top end build.

250cc 2 strokes arent as scary as people make them out to be. i have a mate whos only 65kg with a cr250, he's just started riding and he loves it. - food for thought. they only go as fast as you twist the throttle

[glice]

Top end on a KDX- Base Gasket(take off the bore and the head in one piece)
Piston set, H2O/Antifreeze and some new oil.

Couple of hundy max
Couple of hours
Couple of beers.

Good reason to get into the garage:niceone:

Yea any time in the garage is good time. should be pretty easy.

[glice]

as a general rule the newer the bike you buy the less things you will need to replace. older bikes it feels like one thing after the next you have to replace, and then you spend thousands on bits and pieces, knicks and knacks, and after all that you still have an old bike.

my suggestion to anyone trying to get into dirt bikes is dont try entering the sport unless you have at least 5k to spend on machine and safety equipment.

if you cant afford to cough that up to get started, then dirt biking isnt for you / your budget

its not a cheap sport. attempting to skimp on costs only makes it cost more in the long run.

on that note, somewhere around $200-250 should get you all you need for a 125 top end build.

250cc 2 strokes arent as scary as people make them out to be. i have a mate whos only 65kg with a cr250, he's just started riding and he loves it. - food for thought. they only go as fast as you twist the throttle

I'm still leaning towards the 125. I know I could ride the 250, but I like to work my way up and learn how to punt small bikes before I get bigger ones. I'm a bit under 60kg so a 125 shouldnt be too slow with my weight on it.

how often do they need the bottom end done. that would cost a bit more would'nt it?

[B0000M]

bottom ends need doing when they have too much play. this time varies, but you should get at least 100 hours out of a bottom end. crank kits can be bought for not too much on ebay if its not an urgent repair (freight delays)

as long as you're keen to thrash and feather the clutch plenty youll be fine on a 125

[glice]

bottom ends need doing when they have too much play. this time varies, but you should get at least 100 hours out of a bottom end. crank kits can be bought for not too much on ebay if its not an urgent repair (freight delays)

as long as you're keen to thrash and feather the clutch plenty youll be fine on a 125

cheers, thanks for your advice. I'll see how I go with my finances. I'm trying to start road racing so things are pretty tight. but I love riding bikes in dirt too, so I'm sure I'll find a way.