Decision has been made
Congratulations!!!! You have finally made
the decision to go through with your dream and buy a Dirt Bike. Now comes the
hard part, picking the bike you are going to buy.
So many Questions
Do I buy a Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, KTM, Beta, or Husqvarna? Should I go with a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke? What size
Dirt Bike do I need for my experience level and for the type riding I plan on
doing? Do I buy new or do I buy used?
What type of riding will I be doing?
All manufactures have competition
motocross dirt bikes, and they also have off road trail dirt bikes. These can
be as different as night and day. Probably the biggest difference is the
transmissions are geared differently. The competition motocross bike has a
closer ratio transmission, and the off road bikes have a wider ratio
transmission. There are other differences that you need to take into
consideration. The off road trail dirt bike will have a head light and usually
some type of odometer. The off road trial dirt bikes are not normally as
explosive with the power delivery as a competition motocross dirt bikes. The off
road tail dirt bikes will have a little smoother power delivery. This is much
better for trail riding.
Types of Dirt Bike
When it comes to types of dirt
bikes, I classify them into two basic types. One is for Motocross
racing/riding, and the other is for Off Road racing/trail riding. This may not
sound very important but I think it is the most critical decision to make. The
reason why this is important is because a wrong decision could lead you to buy
the wrong Dirt Bike. Buying a heavier off road dirt bike to race on motocross
tracks my not be the best choice. There are only a few manufactures that are
making 2 strokes any more. Most have moved over to the 4 stroke power. You can
still get good used 2 strokes from private sellers. Some people love the 2
stroke power, and some love the 4 stroke power. I have owned both and have liked
both. I do think the 4 stroke was better for my riding style. I always thought
the 2 stroke was too much extra work to ride. Especially through the off road
trails.
Manufactures. Do Your Homework
Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, KTM, Beta, or
Husqvarna are some of the leading manufactures in Dirt Bikes. My best advice is
to try and take the emotions out of the equation. Use all of your past
experiences, and friends advice as tools. Look at all of the Manufactures, and
what they have to offer. You may be surprised at what you find. Pool all of
your friends and ask them why they bought the bike they did. Also ask them what
they like and dislike about their bikes. There are also many of the shootout
videos posted on YouTube. Most of the leading Dirt Bike Magazines all have a
shootout each year. I have found these shotouts are some of the best sources
of information. You get a lot of great information that include rides opinions
and measurable results. Be careful not to buy because of color. Do not
discriminate based on bike color. Some riders will not buy a certain brand
because of the color. Most dirt bike riders are very loyal to their brand. I am
only saying; when you are doing your research keep an open mind. I would hate
to see someone pass up the best bike because they do not like a certain
manufacture when that may be the best bike.
New or Used
There are a few things to think
about when buying new or used Dirt Bikes. When buying a used Dirt Bike you are
relying on the seller to disclose all of the information about the bike. You
may be getting a great deal on the price, but you could be buying a worn out
bike. Look over used bikes very carefully. Check out all aspect of the bike.
Especially areas that get the highest degree of wear. I have bought used bikes
before and have had great luck with buying a good reliable bike. My best advice
is to be patient. Don't get too excited and buy the first thing that comes
along. There are plenty of great used bike for sale at really good prices.
If you do decide to buy new, you
know exactly what you are getting and there is no need to worry about past
riders abuse. You are getting the latest technology the manufacture has to
offer. Just remember that your bike will be down level when the next years
bikes come out. Buying new does gives you the privilege of putting the first
scratches on the bike.
What size bike do I buy?
I think this depends on your body
size, your experience riding, and what type riding you plan on doing. My first
advice is to be honest with yourself. If you are just starting out, buying the
hottest 450 on the market may be a bad idea. You should always ride within your
means. You want to be able to ride for many years to come, so don't blow it
right away. The pro 450 riders make it look easy. Believe me; it's not as easy
as they make it look. One of the biggest gripes I have is there is no way to
test drive new dirt bikes. You may be lucky, and have friend’s bikes you can
test. Although asking someone to ride their dirt bike is like asking to sleep
with a friend’s wife. You pay a lot for your bike, turning the bike over to
someone to test is not easy. Especially if this is a new rider.
Final advice
There are so many things to think
about. My fear is that I would buy a bike I was not happy with. Or even buy a
dirt bike that was too much of a bike for my level of experience. Or buy a bike
that was not powerful enough for my riding style. All you can do is to pull all
of the information together that you can before you make a purchase. I am
currently in the market to buy a dirt bike and I have been doing my research
for the last two months. If you decide to buy new, do not pay too much for the
bike. All dealers have a MSRP price posted on the dirt bike. This is a starting
point and they will negotiate with you. There may also be incentives from the
manufacture that will drop the price some.
Good luck with your decisions.
