anyone ever ride dirt bikes before

[shallow518]

so i have been racing quad c at the local tracks for about 2 seasons, this would have been season 3 but im gonna have a late start because of a broken ankle. i still go to the races every weekend and since last season i have debated on switching to bikes. now that i have become a spectator more i have really givin it some real thought. i was hopeing that someone on here has raced or even ridden bikes more and could give me some pros and cons of them. i have riddin quads most my life. i owned a bike when i was little but dont remember much. i have owned a street bike for a while and am used to that but i think that they are 2 completly diffrent machines. any imput would be appreciated.

thank you

[zwark]

it's harder to get use to, at least for me. i have a 400ex that i have had for over two years, before that i had an old suzuki 125 that i got really good at riding. recently i bought a cr-125 and it's really hard for me to corner but if i jump on my 400 i can fly through corners really fast. i think it's great having both though, it will just take some time getting used to the two wheeler.

[shallow518]

a big thing im woundering about is jumping, never really jumped a bike, but with my quad i know it tends to jump funny every once and a while. i hate it when it lands sideways or one side drops out on me, woundering if bikes were easier to correct then quads? also, do bikes turn faster times than quads?

[AbnMP13]

Yep, I had a CR250 before I got my quad, before the CR I had three wheelers.

I bought the CR when I was on Okinawa; it was fitting for there, narrow trails and out of the three years I was there I only seen a quad once.

Got to the states and Oklahoma tended to be VERY VERY sandy; I'm vertically challenged at 68" tall; sand = bad for me on dirtbike so I gladly changed to 4 wheels and have never regretted it.

I got a CBR streetbike for if/when the 2 wheel urge hits.

Each to his own but me and dirtbikes didn't get along well when I came back to the states.

Dirtbikes are fun to mess around on but I would probally be dead right now if I had one. They can go so much faster and jump further and higher. They are fun and its so much cheaper and easier to build them up to high class standards. Cant give up 4 wheels though theres a lot of fun things you can do on a quad that you cant on a dirtbike and most dirtbikers I see tend to be *** holes. Not all but a lot of them either ruin your jump, your line, pull out in front of you, or goon ride because they cant ride and you fear for your life when theres a bike coming at you with a guy hanging off the back

[shallow518]

i know a lot of dirtbikers are *** holes, but some are ok. i just dont want to end up being that guy who all the quad guys get mad at for riding like an idiot cause i dont know what im doing

[zwark]

Originally posted by shallow518
. i just dont want to end up being that guy who all the quad guys get mad at for riding like an idiot cause i dont know what im doing

well you have to start somewhere man. we people aren't born with professional abilities.

[400exrider69]

if it's dry you can do almost anything on a dirt bike
and i would buy a honda aluminum framed bike if your just wanting to play around
dirt bikes eat on dry dirt and i've climbed alot of hills on dirt bikes i wouldn't even look at on a quad
alot more fun to get a couple freinds racing around on dirt bikes
they crash easier and don't break as much like if you roll a dirt bike down a hill go down to the bike smack the back fender in place and ride you just can't do that on a quad most of the time
the main down side i've found on dirt bikes is that they suck in mud and wet grass
other than that they rip
always stand up on a dirt bike when your climbing hills and they do whip around half way easy once you know what your doing

[shallow518]

how are they for jumping compared to a quad?

[J-720]

Bikes are tons of fun, but honestly quads are 10x more fun to me.
Jumping bikes is pretty easy to get down, but like I say it's nothing like quads. I used to ride a Raptor 250 with suspension, and I loved it. I'm planning on getting 2 400's here soon to start back at the track. If you really want a bike, I say go my route
Get a Mod pitbike, and keep your quad, race BOTH.

Just my 2 cents...

[400exrider69]

it's diffent to get down at first just make sure you don't blimp the throttle to hard or you'll land flat on your back or right on your back tire

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=44332677

this was on my old 125 it was a 35 ft gap or something like that but if i didn't clear it all the way i would of smasehd into the dirt but i praticed at the jump about 20 times and after that i was doing tricks off it

can't find a camera man :(

but i agree this is the best combo
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=56573168

quad and bike you can buy a good 125 2 smoker for $1500 or less and if it were me i'd get a cr 125 i've owned so many bike it's unreal but cr 125's and 250's were about the best
if your getting your first bike i'd get a 125 for sure
a 250f even stock is enough to scare a person away from dirt bikes i had an 06 kx 250f :D great bike i let a freind who had a kx 250 take it across a feild and came back and said don't let me ride this again

[rinaldi]

I bought both last fall and both are my first; 400ex and CRF250r. I have had many street bikes up until a few years ago. I can jump both the quad and bike about equally. I really love the feel of the bike, but the quad is easier to handle. Dirtbikes take a little more getting used to and sand is tough on two wheels. I keep putting money into my quad, but if I can brush up my skills I may prefer the bike over the two.

[shallow518]

thanks guys, im looking for strictly racing porposes. do you guys think its to late to switch? im only 21 but quads is just about all i know.

[bergoff]

i just sold my crf450 and bought my first quad ever and i'm 30. i started riding when i was 8 on bikes only till know. i would still have my bike but the wife says only one toy at a time and my son is 5 and rides a crf50. its hard to ride a motocross bike with him. bikes are a blast. just the shear power and feel is totally different. i have rode the trx450 that was raced and my 450 was easier to jump. it just feels safer to me that is my thoughts. the only down fall is its harder to ride in the slop and snow. and kick start sucks. but it takes practice and you can do it. and not all dirt bikers and a-holes but that guy that cuts you off on the trail and is on a bike you want to catch him and run him over. i totally know that you guys mean by that.

[trailrider894]

atv people get a bad rep for being bad ***'s. i went to the track and was passing everyone and nobody would talk to me out there . i would stop and try to talk about the weather and crap with the other quad guys. and even try to give one kid a tip ( he would endo bad on every jump. i just didn't wanna see him get hurt) and he just looked at me like " are you stupid" we just all need to be more respectful of the people around us. i try to be a good example.

[rinaldi]

I have a son that has a 50cc bike as well and I know what you mean about it being tough to ride a motorcycle when your son is on one. I have been asking my son if I can take the bike when we ride and finally he said yes (instead of the quad) and it was not much fun.


Originally posted by bergoff
i just sold my crf450 and bought my first quad ever and i'm 30. i started riding when i was 8 on bikes only till know. i would still have my bike but the wife says only one toy at a time and my son is 5 and rides a crf50. its hard to ride a motocross bike with him. bikes are a blast. just the shear power and feel is totally different. i have rode the trx450 that was raced and my 450 was easier to jump. it just feels safer to me that is my thoughts. the only down fall is its harder to ride in the slop and snow. and kick start sucks. but it takes practice and you can do it. and not all dirt bikers and a-holes but that guy that cuts you off on the trail and is on a bike you want to catch him and run him over. i totally know that you guys mean by that.

[400exrider69]

I'd pratice alot before i did my first race
find someone local who is good on bike to show you all the tips and tricks

[Kalejime]

Dude... just try it... I own both, and to be honest with you I have more fun on my TRX 400 than I do on the CRF and even though is the 250 it is CRAZY fast... then again you need to have experience riding dirt bikes to maximize its performance... and YES most dirt bikers are @holes dont become own thinking you own the World because of it...

Corners are way different, your legs are part of the bike at all turns... acceleration is a whole different deal too... jumps will be higher on the bike and miss judging will more than likely get you in a lot more trouble than the quad... I've broken both my arms on the bike and not one fracture on the quad... you can falll goind down a hill on a trail a lot easier on a bike than a quad (if you know what you are doing)...

to me... just stay with the quad and if you can get a small dirt bike for fun more than to actually race...

just my two cents...


BE SAFE!

[shallow518]

thanks for the imput guys. i think im goign to go to practice at the local track some day and use my buddies for a few laps and see how i like it. he told me i can use it whenever. im hopeing that i dont hurt myself when i do tho. i kinda have a trend latly that every time i get on a track i get hurt. kinda another reason that i want to switch to bikes, they seem like they dont hurt people as much when they crash, but thats just from when iv seen at the races.

[dariusld]

Its one thing to switch to a bike for riding, but totally different for racing. Theres going to be 8 year olds on there 80s going higher and faster than you. It sucks on a track when everyone and their mother flies by you with the "get off the track" attitude. Maybe your track has a bunch of novices and it will be okay. The tracks I go to, even the practice sessions are intimidating.

[richards]

Originally posted by shallow518
thanks for the imput guys. i think im goign to go to practice at the local track some day and use my buddies for a few laps and see how i like it. he told me i can use it whenever.

That's a good idea - try it out on a borrowed bike for a while before committing a lot of cash on a bike.

I started on dirt bikes at 12 and still have one at 43, raced BMX when I was young, still ride mountain and road bicycles as well. Dirt bikes are a lot different than quads, lots of skills to learn. If you race just beware you will be racing against some guys who have been building bike skills since they were toddlers. So do not feel bad if it takes a couple of years to become competitive.

I bought the quad because I could not go slow enough on the bike to stick with my wife and kids. As said above, bikes are tough in sand and mud, especially at low speeds. You fall a lot.

Now that I have the quad I enjoy riding it with the family and also have started getting into riding it quick as well.

In my experience I disagree with bikes being safer... Way easier for me to twist a knee or have a pretty bad get off on a bike. If I am pushing it I will fall at least a few times a day on my bike. I've never fallen off the quad or flipped it. Part of that I imagine is I am new to quads and do not push as hard.

[Kalejime]

Im sorry guys but had to reply again...
Ive been reading about whos got a worse reputation or who thinks is toughest than who... its all BS! we have to keep in mind why we started riding to begin with... quads, bikes, carts... it really doesnt matter, we all do it for fun!

I know is a bit off-topic but we have to f@@@@ing start to get along with each other... at the end of the road, some have more tallent than others, I've been riding for a little over 12 years now... and still is not about that... it is about FUN...

Stop the hating!

:blah:

[3or4HONDA]

its funny you posted this shallow cause im doin the same thing right now. i wont be racing tho just play riding and trails. i started on a 250r trike and then a quad and today im going to look at a rm125 for 950.00. i think it i will be fine for me since the only bike i have ever ridden is my buddies yz250, and maybe a handful of times.

im excited tho to try something new, and see if i like it.

[shallow518]

well i wish you the best if luck, if you get it please keep me updated on how you adjust. thank you everyone for the imput i really appreciate it

[eprovenzano]

I am the opposite. I started on bikes (35 years ago), and I'm still on a bike. (currently a KTM 300 2 stroke) I prefer a bike, but my son prefers a quad, to each their own.... ride what puts a smile on your face. :)

[3or4HONDA]

I know a couple guys that run those KTM 300's in harescrambles in my area. They swear by them.

and actually i found a yz250f im gonna look at on sat instead of the rm125. so we'll see im sure ill be happy with either.

ill let ya know how it goes shallow...

[kilgoja]

i used to have a yz80 (yamaha) 2 stroke when i was 15....it was loads of fun...i also rode my friends RM125 and his brother's RM250 (suzuki) 2 stroke.....but in my experience motorcycles are alot more dangerous than atvs.....they go faster, jump farther, etc....i mean you can hurt yourself on either but i know over the years i had alot more wrecks or close calls on motorcycles than i ever had on atvs......as for the idiots on bikes thinking they are better than you....lol....just let them run into you...they will go fipping through the air and you will keep riding down the trail...jk...seriously just let the bikes pass you...they are faster than quads....no need to fight about it...most tracks i go to have seperate bike and quad tracks and trails...just a few are for both

[eprovenzano]

I was at a track over the past weekend. We all moved over for a quad. She, yes SHE was ripping up the track. My buddy said, he saw out of the corner of his eye a quad coming up on him, he moved over to make sure they had plenty of room, as she flew by him. When he saw the blonde pony tail flapping in the breeze he exited the track. We all stood and watched as she just tore the track up.

I was talking to her when she was taking a break... as it turns out, she was 36 yeas old, (looked 25) and was really easy on the eyes.... Boy could she ride that quad...

As my buddy put it, she kicked my arse on the track, and she could probably do it off the track too...

bikes dont need as much work to make em good for racin thats why a good chunk of people run basicaly stock bikes. But I hate em. I started out on bike then switched to quad. Im way faster on quad and have way more fun on it.