what to look for in a used dirtbike

ifiddles

ifiddles

Well-known member
so I know nothing about dirt bikes except that they are a lot of fun to ride, especially in the dirt and mud :)

my ex-boyfriend had two Yamahas and I actually learned how to ride on his 125..I am thinking of buying three as Christmas presents (fiancé, his son and myself) and was wondering what to look for/inquire about when looking at ads on kijiji...I believe 4-stroke is better (from my snowmobiling days) and hopefully an electric start..I see most ads mention hours versus kilometers, so how many is too much?...I want to stay under $3000 for all three (prefer $2000-2500)...

any suggestions, comments..

P.S...what is a pit bike?...see a lot of those for sale...
 
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Where are you going to ride them? Do you have enough land to keep you busy or are you trailering to the Ganny or elsewhere?

Before I bought my DRZ, I was briefly considering getting a dirt-only bike and trailering it to the fun spots.

I was going to get something peppy, i.e. meant for motocross, as I owned a CR125 when I was younger and loved it. I also owned an old XR, and much preferred the higher strung 2-stroke when comparing the two -- but I was young and addicted to the power and the crazy things I could do with a CR vs an XR (like massive jumps, climbing steep hills, etc).

Now-adays though, the modern MX bikes are 4-strokes. For a time, I was considering getting a modern 4-stroke MX bike like a CRF250R. The problem with a high-strung 4-stroke is if you blow it up, you are looking at a lot of money to fix it. If you blow up a 2-stroke, it is a much more simple engine and is relatively cheap and easy to rebuild.

Now... if you don't need any pep and are just casually riding around a farm or something, then you don't need a 2-stroke or a MX 4-stroke. In that case I'd just pick up a few old XR 200s or 100 for the kid or TT-R, or similar.

I don't which of the 4-stroke offroad only bikes have electric start -- some of them do, like the CRF230F, but many of the old ones may not.
 
If you're just hacking around I'd look at CRF100. Small but adult capable. Light at 170lbs. You'd be surprised how much the generic 4 stroke play bikes weigh - 225lbs for CRF150F as example. They're all porkers. The XR/CRF100's are actually used by professionals at training camps.
 
Anything 4 stroke in your price range will be a ticking time bomb. Anything 2 stroke in your price range will be beat and need work. 3 bikes for $3000 will be a tough find unless you buy the Chinese tin cans.

Look at the tires, chain/sprockets, and fork seals. If these need replacing your into some money. Ask how often the oil/air filter/valve adjustments (4 stroke) have been done and how many times the bike has been rebuilt. Air filter should be changed every ride, oil every 3-4 rides, valves once a season, depending on hours.
 
OP you may wish to give some additional information to get useful suggestions on suitable bikes.

Will you be doing trail riding or going to a motocross track?
weight/height/experience of all 3 riders?
Age of the son?

Some things to consider:
Are you planning to trailer? Will have to add to cost.
Are you planning to ride in forests like Ganaraska or Simcoe County forest? Bikes will have to be green plated/insured and membership passes will have to be purchased, adding to your costs.
 
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we have a 6x10 enclosed trailer being built for us as we speak...I don't own any land, so we'd have to go somewhere where dirt biking is allowed, so I'm guessing places like Ganaraska or Simcoe County as suggested above...will look into insurance, plates and passes...fiancé is 5'9" and around 210 lbs...I'm 5'4" and 100 lbs...son is 16 in December, no riding experience and about 5'10" 130 lbs...hmmm, lots to think about...thanks for the info so far guys...
 
Pick up 3 Yamaha TTR 125's. You can likely get them within or at least close to your budget.

They're simply play bikes so it should be pretty easy to find lightly used stockers, and that's the key - STONE STOCK without any ham fisted attempts at performance mods.
 
xrljoel said:
Pick up 3 Yamaha TTR 125's. You can likely get them within or at least close to your budget.

They're simply play bikes so it should be pretty easy to find lightly used stockers, and that's the key - STONE STOCK without any ham fisted attempts at performance mods.
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Lol 5'9 210lbs on a ttr 125? Hopefully they ride on nothing but flat hard pack. For everyone else in the family it would be a good place to start though.
 
TTR's fit the budget and are full size. 5'9" isn't particularly tall and 210 isn't very heavy. She made no mention of experience or commitment to the idea. Obviously a larger bike would be better for some but not all give their circumstances. For a family playing around on trails it's probably good enough.
 
My buddy (against my advice) bought a honda 150F for his first bike and first dirt bike. Took him out to the trails and he HATED it. Not enough power, bottomed the suspension everywhere. He's like 5'6" 145.

Big boy needs more bike than a ttr125.
 
xrljoel said:
TTR's fit the budget and are full size. 5'9" isn't particularly tall and 210 isn't very heavy. She made no mention of experience or commitment to the idea. Obviously a larger bike would be better for some but not all give their circumstances. For a family playing around on trails it's probably good enough.
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A full size grown man is too big for a ttr. It fits the budget but not the rider. I've seen a few guys buy kids bikes and it's hilarious watching them ride, it's like a gorilla on a tricycle.
 
LOL...too funny about the gorilla on a tricycle image...update...fiancé is not too keen on dirt biking...so I think this idea is out the window...maybe just pick one up for his son and myself...but thanks for all the replies and info...
 
ifiddles said:
LOL...too funny about the gorilla on a tricycle image...update...fiancé is not too keen on dirt biking...so I think this idea is out the window...maybe just pick one up for his son and myself...but thanks for all the replies and info...
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Yes, would have thought a CRF230F for the fiance, given his height and weight.
Since the fiance isn't really keen on dirt biking, a couple of CRF150Fs would be a good start for you and the son. This would fit better into your 3K budget.
Here are some similar bikes... Kawasaki KLX 140, Yamaha TTR 125, Suzuki DRZ 125

The other thing you could do is bring the son to TrailTours or similar place to learn to ride and see if he is really into it before going all in (Bikes, gear, green plates, off-road bike insurance, trail passes).

http://trailtour.com/
http://www.smartadventures.ca/for-adults.html
 
hey thanks SLaP...that's exactly what I was looking for...for some reason, whenever I googled dirt biking, I came up empty handed...this is why GTAM is such a great place to ask questions! :)
 
Just be aware that there are 2 generations of CRF150F. Pre 2006 are very heavy. 2006 on have different motor, lighter.
 
I tried trail tours a few weeks back and it was a blast!! Great for someone who has never been on a dirt bike and also great for more experienced riders who have their own bike but want a guided tour of some awesome trails. I can't say enough good things about them!
 
well I got some insurance quotes and for my fiancé and me it's great, but for the son at 16, man oh man!!! $2600/yr for a TTR125...insane...anyways, I'm thinking i'll go the trail tours route instead as I'm thinking for the amount of use we'd get out them, the cost isn't justified...thanks again for all the input guys!!!
 
You did stress that it was green plated for offroad use only right? Call Kirk Norris in Peterbourgh, he's with State Farm and supports the ontario dual sport club, so he knows what he's doing when it comes to dirt bikes.
 
^ +1. When speaking to the insurance broker/agent you must specify that you are looking for off-road insurance.
With Statefarm I pay ~$160 for my sons crf70f ($300 deductible).
 
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