NEW TO ATV'S/Dirtbikes: need help! [Archive]

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 06:37 PM

Hello,

So,

My neighbor got the 2009 YFZ450r quad and I want to get a dirt bike or quad to go riding with him. my budget is 1000-1400 and I have been looking on the local classifieds for kx100's and yamaha warriors. I am 13 yrs old and 5'2 and growing. I am just wondering if I will be able to ride some of the trails he will be doing (he is a beginner too and that is his first quad) so technically it is am I going to get a dirt bike or quad? He won't be doing really tough trails either. Also I have been watching videos on how to work the clutch and everything so at first it will take some getting used to but I should be able to pick it up. Also, I need a bike I can grown into. I do a lot of downhill mountain biking so that may help with dirt biking and make me tip less but then it may just be a whole different story. I am just worried I will get a dirt bike and tip it over a lot and scratch it up or just be very uncapably off road (i know it will take practice) So what do you think I should do? I don't want to get a dirt bike if I won't be able to ride on the trails he does if it will be too rough for a dirt bike. He is just learning and so will I be if I get a dirt bike or quad any time soon so how much of an advantage will he have over me if I got a dirt bike like a Kawasaki KX100? He will be doing a lot of riding down in southern Utah this winter on his new quad and I need some thing I will be able to go with him on the trails he will be riding.

Also, here is something incase you need it:

1) your physical size (both height and weight are important)
95 lbs, 5'2, growing

2) How physical / aggressive are you ?
medium, I do a lot of
fast downhill biking a lot

3) what do you plan to ride- MX/SX tracks, woods, fields with friends or ?????
MX,friends,and trails, pretty much a little bit of everything but I am trying to get into MX

4) Do you have any riding experience?
Not with dirt bikes, but yes with quads

5) Do you think you will race ?
Maybe

6) Are you mechanically inclined and will you be doing your own bike work?
Possibly

7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)?
Don't really care, whatever gives more power but doesnt need tons of maintenance

8) Do you have a dealer close by your home that you might use and what brand(s) does he carry?
Yes, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki

9) How much ($) do you plan to spend on a bike?
900-1300

10) Do you live in California?
no

11) Your age?
13

12) anything else that you think would help form an opinion

I really would like a bike with a sporty look to it and have good suspension. I would like to do away with the rubber cover things that go over the stanchion of the front suspension.

hope you can help.
:)

derekhonda

10-25-2009, 07:12 PM

Welcome.

For starters, you have a ton of options open. You do basically need to decide if you are wanting a fourwheeler or a dirtbike though. Jump on his quad (what is it?) and decide if you like it or if you want a little extra challenge as a beginner on a dirtbike. I've owned both, started on dirtbikes, took a nasty spill and broke my shoulder. Been ridin quads ever since but still very much enjoy jumping on a friends dirtbike.

Now, onto choices. A kx100 is a great bike for a guy your size. Very smooth power for a 2 stroke, and is kinda in the inbetween size between the 80 (which would be to small) and the 125 (which might fit, but are very very fast and not great for a beginner). Now the downside, if you did want to race, you would be in the 125 class, and at a severe disadvantage.

The 150F's would also be a good bike for you, but are a little more pricey.

As for fouwheelers, a 300ex would probably fit you for now, but you will be ready to move up in a year. I would probably still push you towards one of these, they are great machines, and don't require much more than changing the oil, both the 300ex and the 400ex require very little maintenance.

Ultimately it's going to come down to you, you sound like you are comfortable on two wheels, have you ever ridden a dirtbike?

10-25-2009, 07:14 PM

He's new to quads and got a YFZ450R?? Spoiled much.. lol.

For you, I recomend a 400ex. They are very timid power-wise stock, handle great, and a really good learners/all around quad. They have a lot of torque down low which makes learning the clutch easier. And when you do get more experienced, there are TONS of upgrades. Even a simple exhaust system and such will wake it up nicely.

You can find older EX's for around 1500.

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 07:29 PM

on what derekhonda said. I wouldn't jump into a dirtbike before you have even rode one.

I started riding ATVs when I was barely 14. During the summer that I started riding, someone offered me the chance to hop on their 70cc Suzuki dirtbike, and I took a nasty spill! I've rode them once or twice since then, but not nearly as aggressively as I ride my LTR450.

I'd say get a used 400ex.... or get a job dude! Work for 1/2 a year! How much riding are you gonna be doing with school, homework, etc? If you could get a minimum wage job a few nights a week then you would be able to afford an ATV that would be able to keep up with your neighbors YFZ450R.

You could probably get a used Honda 450R with all of the money you'd earn. This would be much better on trails as well as on MX tracks.

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 07:42 PM

Ok I will probably not be able to spend over 1200 or 1300 dollars on a quad or dirt bike. I have never ridden a dirt bike or even a clutch for that matter. Its going to be pretty hard to find a decent condition quad like a warrior 350 or 300 or 400ex at that price. On the local classifieds I found a few kx 100s for 1000 dollars which will be possible. My neighbor, I will agree is pretty spoiled and he won't let me drive it because I haven't learned the clutch yet and it may be dangerous learning on that thing (what do you think?). So really it comes down to will I be able to ride with him on the stuff he will be riding like trails and such or whatever a somewhat beginner will ride down in southern utah or anywhere really around here because I live in Sandy, Utah. I know 4 wheels is more stable and I don't want to be left behind when they go riding because 2 wheels doesn't provide enough stability... I guess I will frequently check for any good deals that come up for under 1300 dollars on the local classifieds. Thanks for the help!

250x_kyle

10-25-2009, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by Canadian144
on what derekhonda said. I wouldn't jump into a dirtbike before you have even rode one.

I started riding ATVs when I was barely 14. During the summer that I started riding, someone offered me the chance to hop on their 70cc Suzuki dirtbike, and I took a nasty spill! I've rode them once or twice since then, but not nearly as aggressively as I ride my LTR450.

I'd say get a used 400ex.... or get a job dude! Work for 1/2 a year! How much riding are you gonna be doing with school, homework, etc? If you could get a minimum wage job a few nights a week then you would be able to afford an ATV that would be able to keep up with your neighbors YFZ450R.

You could probably get a used Honda 450R with all of the money you'd earn. This would be much better on trails as well as on MX tracks.

you make a few good points but the first bike i ever rode was my buddys race built rm80 and yeah it takes some time to get used to but no matter what your gunna wreck at one point or another.

the problem with him getting a job is with the way our economy is right now his parents are probably lucky to be working. let alone child labor laws would have him job less.

i would recomend a 400ex. they are a tame quad you would fit on it fairly decent at your size and have room to grow into it. and they are bullet proof.

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 07:51 PM

I think you're light enough that a 100cc ish bike would be fine.... I looked on the Salt Lake City craigslist and found these:

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/mcy/1437404513.html

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/mcy/1434292628.html

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/mcy/1432708581.html

http://saltlakecity.craigslist.org/mcy/1424930668.html

I'm sure the guy you buy it from would be more than happy to show you a basic overview of how you'd ride it.... just take it slow and I don't think you'd have any problems on a bike.... there really weren't any ATVs for sale in your area for your price range.

I think it's pretty dumb of your neighbor not to let you ride his YFZ450R... come one! It's not THAT dangerous just driving around slowly on it w/ a helmet! I jumped from an auto baja 90cc to my LTR450 after a year of riding and without having rode a manual bike (other than that 70cc Zuki) ... I still haven't had a spill on it. I ride like a mad man on it now.... but when I first got it I stalled several times, and it was annoying, but I just took it slow and eventually got it.

GL with everything dude!

10-25-2009, 07:56 PM

For starters... j/k lol dont hop on something too big if your just starting out. Progression is the key.

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 08:01 PM

OK thanks like I said my budget is 1300 dollars and I don't think I could get a 400ex for that price but I will look for one and if my budget increases I will for sure try for one. I think all I will be able to afford quad wise is a warrior 350 used from online which will work. I probably won't be able to get a job but I have 600 dollars and I could probably get the rest for chritmas if my parents are willing for me to have one because my dad said it would kind of be too big of a deal and he thinks we need to rent some quads and take them in the uinta mountains before we decide if we should get a quad or quads. I could just get one and put forth about 600 and get the rest for chritmas present and have it be my own thing but I know my mom would be much more confortable if I got a dirt bike than a quad because she is afriad it will roll over me. I do think that in the winter time I will have much more fun on a quad because I could slide around and learn to drift it in the culdisac (if no one calls the cops) and go riding down in southern utah with my neighbor. Where as wouldn't a dirt bike just slide around on a snowy rode with every slight turn made?

Thanks for all the help and advice.

EDIT: I also saw these:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8078068&cat=236&lpid=

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8422872&cat=236&lpid=0

and this warrior, I can wait for a better deal to go up though:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8136002&cat=&lpid=1

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8386258&cat=&lpid=0

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 08:01 PM

^^ LOL gotta love the ***gio!

And I say don't buy a Warrior until you've rode a rented quad with your dad. Maybe he will really like it and see how you really like it and will give you more than $650 for your quad!

10-25-2009, 08:06 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
OK thanks like I said my budget is 1300 dollars and I don't think I could get a 400ex for that price but I will look for one and if my budget increases I will for sure try for one. I think all I will be able to afford quad wise is a warrior 350 used from online which will work. I probably won't be able to get a job but I have 600 dollars and I could probably get the rest for chritmas if my parents are willing for me to have one because my dad said it would kind of be too big of a deal and he thinks we need to rent some quads and take them in the uinta mountains before we decide if we should get a quad or quads. I could just get one and put forth about 600 and get the rest for chritmas present and have it be my own thing but I know my mom would be much more confortable if I got a dirt bike than a quad because she is afriad it will roll over me. I do think that in the winter time I will have much more fun on a quad because I could slide around and learn to drift it in the culdisac (if no one calls the cops) and go riding down in southern utah with my neighbor. Where as wouldn't a dirt bike just slide around on a snowy rode with every slight turn made?

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Warriors handle like dog turd tanks. If you're going that route, look for an older stock banshee. (With stock pipes) They are still pretty fast, and the stock pipes make for a smooth refined broad power. They are similar handling to a warrior but MUCH more nimble and lighter feeling.

87-95 shee's can be found pretty cheap, and when 100% stock they're VERY reliable.

And when you get older/more experienced, you can build it to walk all over that YFZ-R.

I know im going to get bashed for this, but oh well let's hear it. I honestly think a completely stock one would work well for his needs. Better handling then the warrior he's looking at and tons of power potential.

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 08:09 PM

^ Totally agree with you..... the tricky part is finding a 100% stock one!

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 08:24 PM

Ok thanks look at my edit. ^^^^

I may just go with a dirt bike because that way I could get a decent used one reather than a wife beater warrior 350.

and I agree he should let me drive his yfz but he says I shouldnt drive it if I dont know the clutch yet.

I know it is gonna suck with the kx 100 unless I get some experience with dirt biking before I get it also (if I get it)

DOUG_LONGISLAND

10-25-2009, 08:30 PM

You obviously don't want the KX so don't get it. I paid 1300 for my worked 400ex. Be patient.

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 08:35 PM

also this: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8364282&cat=&lpid=

I may grow out of that too speedy

How did I show that I don't want the KX? I just want something that I will be able to ride with my neighbor. (also I have a couple other friends that dirt bike as well.

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 08:54 PM

So I guess I will just look around, talk to the dealer ship and a lot of other people and then whatever deal comes up around christmas time I guess will decide.

250x_kyle

10-25-2009, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney

I agree he should let me drive his yfz but he says I shouldnt drive it if I dont know the clutch yet.

i wouldnt let anyone ride my brand new $9,000 toy if they didnt know how to use a clutch either. unless she was really hot. the best thing to do is wait and get something worth while. dont buy something beat just so u can ride.

flyboy1294

10-25-2009, 09:18 PM

When I was 12 or 13 I bought a 2000 kx 100 for about $800. I fixed it up pretty nicely, but that's not the point. (This was only about 3 years ago.)

I was about 5' 6 and 100lbs. I had NEVER driven a clutch before, or ridden a dirtbike for any considerable time.

I rode it on trails, along with a trx250ex (utility quad) and 250 sport quad. It would go more places than the quads. I could get it over any obstacle by popping the clutch and doing a wheelie (probably took me 4 months of riding on the weekends to get to that point). Also, I could navigate up rocky hillsides much easier and quicker than they could because I only needed a 6" wide path. I would often ride and have to wait for 5 minutes for the quads to catch up.

I never really had a problem. Had one bad wreck right before I sold the bike, But I was going too fast into a turn and went air-born and overshot.

Are you planning on an adult riding with you? I would STRONGLY recommend it. A 2-stroke 100 has plenty enough power to really hurt you. And as for your buddy with the Yfz? I'm willing to bet he'll take a spill pretty soon. Especially if you're on technical trails. haha.

Case in point? I think a bike is perfectly fine for riding with sport quads. But:

1. I think that you need to test drive several bikes, learn a clutch, then see if you want a quad or bike.

2. I think you need to test drive a quad with a clutch and make sure you want to go manual at all. They give you alot more control on the trail, but they can be a pain for up-hill starts.

3. Do you have a responsible, knowledgeable adult to ride with, AND help you work on the bike? You'll find it to be a god-send.

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 09:26 PM

Originally posted by flyboy1294 1. I think that you need to test drive several bikes, learn a clutch, then see if you want a quad or bike.

2. I think you need to test drive a quad with a clutch and make sure you want to go manual at all. They give you alot more control on the trail, but they can be a pain for up-hill starts.

3. Do you have a responsible, knowledgeable adult to ride with, AND help you work on the bike? You'll find it to be a god-send. [/B]

These are all great points! LISTEN TO THIS MAN!

muney2muney

10-25-2009, 09:41 PM

Thank you much for your advice I will do exactly what you said. I really have to go test them somewhere. The kid with the yfz rides with his dad and has a friend who is also 15 who races a yfz450 with his dad. He probably won't be doing techy trails any time soon so that is good to know I will be able to ride with him this winter. I just don't know where I could test a manual clutch atv or motor cycle and make the final decision. My neighbor unfortanetly is very protective of his new quad and won't let me even try it around the circle once going really slow.

EDIT: also how did you do right the very first time you rode it if you can remember? did you tip it a lot? Crash it? what were you capable of when first started on it? Thanks again man.

Canadian144

10-25-2009, 09:55 PM

When you do go to test them, here are some tips my friend gave me when I was first learning to ride my LTR450 (about a year ago, early Novemberish 2008).

#1: clutch engagement. know when youre clutch 'grabs' do this by slowly releasing it Slowly being key! until you can feel it 'grab' or want to move. this is called the engagement point. make sure youre engagement point is not where youre engine is struggling to turn over. it should feel like a regular engine idle with a little bit of a push. #2: now that you know where it engages add a little throttle to the mix as it grabs. DON"T dump the clutch now because it grabbed or you'll flip over backwards. instead you want to gently add more throttle as you let out the clutch. remember to slip it and not drop it. #3: great youre moving. try to use the back brake more (foot) to stop. that way when theres a highspeed UH OH i need to stop! moment you dont endo youre self over the bars. when you reach for any brake grab the clutch too. (its embarrasing whenever you stop and have to restart the engine.) #4: Right time to shift. now i know what youre thinking ''Danm it quadboy! i already beat Need for speed on my X-Box i know when to shift!!!'' but on a quad its easy to forget. on a hi performance 4stroke when riding aggresivly keep youre engine revving high. not too high, just keep youre numbers up there. if you lug it while riding aggresivly you will stall. AAnd youre quad wont feel as spunky. when youre riding trails and all calm with dad just crusing you dont need to follow him going VROOM VROOM!!!! quadboy told me to keep my revs up!!! VROOM!!! just a quarter throttle will do nicely. also shift down when youre RPMs go low, before its too late you'll pick up on this easy. same as the up shift. when you feel just click. always use the clutch!!!! alright hope that helps! let me know how it was!!! Crap almost forgot! tranny goes 1 N 2 3 4 5, in other words one down four up, and to get back its four down half up!!!

Thank Quadboy-55 for this!

flyboy1294

10-26-2009, 04:57 AM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Thank you much for your advice I will do exactly what you said. I really have to go test them somewhere. The kid with the yfz rides with his dad and has a friend who is also 15 who races a yfz450 with his dad. He probably won't be doing techy trails any time soon so that is good to know I will be able to ride with him this winter. I just don't know where I could test a manual clutch atv or motor cycle and make the final decision. My neighbor unfortanetly is very protective of his new quad and won't let me even try it around the circle once going really slow.

EDIT: also how did you do right the very first time you rode it if you can remember? did you tip it a lot? Crash it? what were you capable of when first started on it? Thanks again man.

The first time I ever rode was on a one-lane gravel driveway. I rode for probably the first 30 minutes in 1st gear in straight lines only. Then I started working on going up to 2nd then 3rd in some fields my family owns.

I never tipped it while learning, and I was capable of riding in straight lines, with gentle swooping turns. It is basically like riding a bike, except that it is heavier. It's really not that hard.

The only time I ever tipped it was the first trail ride I was ever on. I started up a pretty good sized hill and didn't keep my momentum up, and I wound up coming to a stop, leaning the bike over, then walking to the other size and rolling it back down the hill. Made it up second try. :p

As for the test ride, I really don't have any ideas. If you had a friend with a bike in the 80-100cc range I'd try to hit them up for a little bit of seat-time.

derekhonda

10-26-2009, 07:07 AM

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
Warriors handle like dog turd tanks. If you're going that route, look for an older stock banshee. (With stock pipes) They are still pretty fast, and the stock pipes make for a smooth refined broad power. They are similar handling to a warrior but MUCH more nimble and lighter feeling.

87-95 shee's can be found pretty cheap, and when 100% stock they're VERY reliable.

And when you get older/more experienced, you can build it to walk all over that YFZ-R.

I know im going to get bashed for this, but oh well let's hear it. I honestly think a completely stock one would work well for his needs. Better handling then the warrior he's looking at and tons of power potential.

Do you also recommend hyabusa's for someone looking to just get into the world of street bikes?

A banshee + limited clutch experience and 0 ride time = nothing good.

ATVMX33

10-26-2009, 07:53 AM

theres always the good ol' blaster:D
or 300ex...those are the two you will want to look at if you are going to start racing

10-26-2009, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by derekhonda
Do you also recommend hyabusa's for someone looking to just get into the world of street bikes?

A banshee + limited clutch experience and 0 ride time = nothing good.

LOL, a couple people recomended 450's. Banshee's in 100% stock form actually are a little slower then 450's and feel like a very fast blaster as far as the power curve goes.

But I still recomend a 400ex over anything for him.

muney2muney

10-26-2009, 08:00 PM

Ok thanks everyone for the replies. I talked to a few people today during school and one of them said they think the kx100 would just have too much power for me to start out on and thinks I will crash, this kid is like 4'11 and has a yz85. I just would like a bike that will give me plenty of power and will work for me for a while so I will most likely go with it but I will for sure be looking around for any great deals that go up for a quad like a good condish warrior 350 or 300ex or 400ex. I will try to go to the dealer and look at some quads and dirt bikes and just see what feels better to me. My very first experience with atvs was up in sheridan wyoming out on my grandparents ranch my grandpa owns a 2004 arctic cat 4x4 400 utility atv and I would drive that for about 2 hours a day just around the dirt roads on the ranch and I just remember having so much fun because it was my first time I actually rode on something that I could drive. I would drive up the hills and try to see how fast I could get it to go and everything (all I got out of it was like 49 mph) my grandpa showed me how to check the oil and evrything too. It was quite a bit of fun too. So I will talk to the dealership hopefuly tommorow and see what they say about what I should get.

If anyone has anything else to tell me what to get or what to do say it please.

Thanks

muddy400EX

10-26-2009, 09:59 PM

if you plan on riding snow i would not get a bike, it will be a pain! and learning a clutch will take time, but youll get it. i was 14 when i got my first quad and it was a 400ex. i think a cheap 400 is what you need

muney2muney

10-27-2009, 07:32 AM

Ok thanks. I don't plan on riding a ton of snow but I may get a 400ex to ride snow. I will keep my eyes pealed for one but when I get something I will be very tempted to ride around n the circle and gas it up and try to wheelie and such. Would anything hapen if I rode it around in the culdisac for about 5 mins a day? I will be going to southern utah a few times this year to go riding with my neighbor down on some mild- medium trails down there. Because I need to practice so I can ride slightely more technical stuff. Could I maybe even look for like a yz85 or cr 85 or will I grow out of it too soon? I usually like having a lot of power btw.

derekhonda

10-27-2009, 10:28 AM

I would still say two things.

1. Althought the KX 100 does have more "engine" than say a yz85, the 85 still seems faster in my book. THe kx 100's power is very smooth and makes it a very rideable bike. But like with all things, you do have to pay attention and stay on top of it or it will get away from you.

2 Dont get a warrior you wont be happy.

2to4

10-27-2009, 01:52 PM

I had a kx85 and learned to use the clutch on it. that took about 30min. the 85's are awsome but mine just got a little small for me other than that it was still had enough speed. i think you would love the 85's i did and i was 5'1 when i got mine. you sound like you dont need to worry about stability. if you can ride amountain bike aggresively like it sounds like you can you will be fine on a bike. if your that worried about stability i say get a blaster. around here you can get a PERFECT one for 900-1200 dont know about your area but they are soooo cheap. the good part about 2strokes is they are super easy to learn how to fix. the engines are so simple. i think at your height and what you want you should get your favorite color 85 or a nice blaster. both of them rip and would do fine on any trails. i only rode my 85 on trails and it was great. a kx100 is realy just like a cr85 expert or a rm85 bigwheel. let us know what you end up getting but that was my 2cents :D

10-27-2009, 02:36 PM

FYI,

I'm a 6ft gorilla, and even I didn't feel too uncomfortable on my friends RM85 big wheel.

Just beware though, they're faster then you think. They have quite a powerband for a small motor, and he actually beat my 400ex in a race.

slightlybent47

10-27-2009, 02:46 PM

There is a lot of good advice that has been given here and you should consider it all.

In my opinion I would go with a quad for these reasons.
One you want to ride with your friends and they are ridding quads.
Second is stability, bikes are fun but they are a lot harder to ride when it is, wet, muddy, dry sand.
I can't say much about snow ridding as I from the south but I have ridden all kinds of two, three and four wheelers and I would get a 400ex.
There bullet proof reliable and have great performance and has reverse. As a new rider it will take you quite some time to hone your ridding skills and be able to out ride an ex.

As a first bike you want great performance and durability and easy maintenance and that is what an ex will give you. There is a reason Honda keeps making the ex, it simply is a great machine.

Very popular and lot of aftermarket parts and easy to up grade.

Take care and have fun!!!!!

10-27-2009, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by slightlybent47
There is a lot of good advice that has been given here and you should consider it all.

In my opinion I would go with a quad for these reasons.
One you want to ride with your friends and they are ridding quads.
Second is stability, bikes are fun but they are a lot harder to ride when it is, wet, muddy, dry sand.
I can't say much about snow ridding as I from the south but I have ridden all kinds of two, three and four wheelers and I would get a 400ex.
There bullet proof reliable and have great performance and has reverse. As a new rider it will take you quite some time to hone your ridding skills and be able to out ride an ex.

As a first bike you want great performance and durability and easy maintenance and that is what an ex will give you. There is a reason Honda keeps making the ex, it simply is a great machine.

Very popular and lot of aftermarket parts and easy to up grade.

Take care and have fun!!!!!

Actually, the 99-04 400ex's did not have reverse. Only the 05+ which he wouldn't be able to afford.

But none the less, reverse isn't necessary.

2to4

10-27-2009, 03:09 PM

i do agree that the ex's are bulletproof i love my 300ex and now that i think about it you might want to consider a 300ex my 02 has reverse and trust me it comes in handy. also its plenty fast and realy nice out on trails so take that into consideration too

yamaha_maniack

10-27-2009, 06:04 PM

i think that you should get a quad if you can, but not if you can get a nicer bike than you can a quad for the money.
Good luck!

muney2muney

10-27-2009, 06:14 PM

Ok I take every post into consideration and read every one of them. For now I will just be looking around for any 300ex's, 400ex's or even warrior 350's (if I go look at one in person and decide it won't be too bad. I will be looking in person at many diffferent quads and dirt bikes to see which I would do best with. My biggest concern with getting an 85 would be I would outgrow the bike too soon (like in 1-2 yrs) How long did you fit on the bike when you got your 85 when you were 5'1?

10-27-2009, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Ok I take every post into consideration and read every one of them. For now I will just be looking around for any 300ex's, 400ex's or even warrior 350's (if I go look at one in person and decide it won't be too bad. I will be looking in person at many diffferent quads and dirt bikes to see which I would do best with. My biggest concern with getting an 85 would be I would outgrow the bike too soon (like in 1-2 yrs) How long did you fit on the bike when you got your 85 when you were 5'1?

Well, like I mentioned, im 6 foot and over 200lbs, and I wasn't cramped on the rm85. I actually thought it was perfect because it was so flickable being that small.

Just make sure you get the big wheel or "L" version.

But i'd try to get a quad first.

250x_kyle

10-27-2009, 07:01 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Ok I take every post into consideration and read every one of them. For now I will just be looking around for any 300ex's, 400ex's or even warrior 350's (if I go look at one in person and decide it won't be too bad. I will be looking in person at many diffferent quads and dirt bikes to see which I would do best with. My biggest concern with getting an 85 would be I would outgrow the bike too soon (like in 1-2 yrs) How long did you fit on the bike when you got your 85 when you were 5'1?

my buddys 6' 3" and every bit of goon you could immagen. he had an 85 he had when he was fourteen that he used as a play bike. he sold it after he started hurting himself more on the 85 then his big bike wich is a 450f. them little 85s are ignorant.

2to4

10-27-2009, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Ok I take every post into consideration and read every one of them. For now I will just be looking around for any 300ex's, 400ex's or even warrior 350's (if I go look at one in person and decide it won't be too bad. I will be looking in person at many diffferent quads and dirt bikes to see which I would do best with. My biggest concern with getting an 85 would be I would outgrow the bike too soon (like in 1-2 yrs) How long did you fit on the bike when you got your 85 when you were 5'1? i felt good on it till i was like 5'5 or 5'6. you might feel fine on it like DMC but not for long rides or mx. i went to an MX track on it and loved it it had so much speed and it felt so light in the air. if your gonna ride more trails i say go for it plus there realy cheap

muney2muney

10-27-2009, 08:08 PM

Ok I guess i will just keep my eyes peeled for a quad or dirt bike. Just a question, when i first get a dirt bike (if I get one) being a decent mountain biker, what will I be capable of doing like on the trail or on an mx track?

2to4

10-28-2009, 10:42 AM

it takes a little getting used to but other than that you sound pretty comfeterable on two wheels so i think youll be fine on trails and mx is gonna take some getting used to. You'll find out soon enough what your abilities are but take it easy to start with and you'll progress and the key is have fun!!!!!

250x_kyle

10-28-2009, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Ok I guess i will just keep my eyes peeled for a quad or dirt bike. Just a question, when i first get a dirt bike (if I get one) being a decent mountain biker, what will I be capable of doing like on the trail or on an mx track?

as far as trail riding you will do fine once you get used to it. motocross is a completely differnt game. you gotta be smart or you will get hurt.

muney2muney

10-28-2009, 08:37 PM

Ok thanks I found these quads/dirtbikes. It would be nice of you if you could tell me which ones are good and which are just too beaten and will be too much of a project. (Iknow, you really have to see the bike in person to tell but please do your best to tell me) Thanks :)

Here:

QUADS:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8457283&lpid=0&cat=264

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8351584&cat=&lpid=0

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8411646&cat=&lpid=

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8444928&cat=&lpid=0

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8380578&lpid=3&cat=145

little 300ex: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8480565&lpid=&cat=145

NOW THE DIRT BIKES I FOUND.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8364282&cat=&lpid=

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8249634&cat=&lpid=0

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8422872&cat=&lpid=

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=8456580&cat=236&lpid=

Hope you can help thanks.

Canadian144

10-28-2009, 09:14 PM

I'd say go with the KX85 for a dirtbike... and out of the ATV's any of the Blaster's look good... I'd go take a look at all of them and make the guys aware that you are looking at other similar models... once you've seen all of them you will be able to haggle one of them down by saying that the other guy will give you a better price... haha

muney2muney

10-28-2009, 09:34 PM

Ok thanks I will for sure do that when it comes time to go buy one.

Any other opinions?

10-29-2009, 02:15 PM

Out of all the quads, I would say the 99 blaster for $900. I had a blaster, learned most of my riding on it. They're pretty snappy and very fun to ride. A little small, but they weigh almost nothing so they're very fun to jump and a great quad to learn jumps/wheelies on.

Out of the bikes, the kx100. All the other bikes you found are 85's, but small wheel 85's. They're pretty small. You want to find a big wheel or "L" model.

Honestly I would go with a quad. 2-stroke bikes can be a handful if you're new to riding. I consider myself very good on quads, and when I first jumped on my friends 85L, I gotta say I was all over the place. I still never got used to it before it broke.

Regular_Joe

10-29-2009, 02:28 PM

Those little 85 2-strokes are pretty gnarly machines. They really rip when you get on them. I would say they can probably keep up with a 400ex no problem ..... if you can get traction and keep the front end down.....

2to4

10-29-2009, 04:54 PM

okay dont let anyone scare you i had never touched anything when i got my 03 kx85 and i had no trouble with it as in i barley fell and it didnt scare me at all. dont take this as me being a cockey tough guy. i dont consider myself a "great" rider on either quads or bikes, im your average rider, mostly trails and mx a couple times. youll learn fine on and 85 and dont worry bout the wheels even tho there small you can throttle out of most situations. also there is NO way an 85 can stay with a 400ex.personaly i say go with your basic 85. i liked the cr85 you found and the first yz85 they were pretty clean. i liked most of the blasters exept the red one. somethin about getting a modded blaster from someone youve never met scares me, i dont know why but it does. your choice though

10-29-2009, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by 2to4
okay dont let anyone scare you i had never touched anything when i got my 03 kx85 and i had no trouble with it as in i barley fell and it didnt scare me at all. dont take this as me being a cockey tough guy. i dont consider myself a "great" rider on either quads or bikes, im your average rider, mostly trails and mx a couple times. youll learn fine on and 85 and dont worry bout the wheels even tho there small you can throttle out of most situations. also there is NO way an 85 can stay with a 400ex.personaly i say go with your basic 85. i liked the cr85 you found and the first yz85 they were pretty clean. i liked most of the blasters exept the red one. somethin about getting a modded blaster from someone youve never met scares me, i dont know why but it does. your choice though

Not wanting to fight, so don't take it that way, but I have to point out a few things.

One, as far as the wheels go, that's not the reason I want him to get a big wheel. Small wheel bikes are just as fine. But the reason I said big wheel is because of SIZE... not handling. He can't grow into a small wheel. They're much shorter and not quite as long.
Even on the big wheels, it just about feels ok with me on it. But I feel very cramped on the small wheel model because how much lower it is.

The big wheel has, of course, bigger tires, and usually a longer swingarm. This way he can be comfortable on it even as he gets older. And to convert a small-wheel to a big wheel, you're going to need to replace the swingarm too.

So look for a big wheel, or "L" model munney2munney. The honda big wheel is known as the "Expert" model.

Secondly, they ARE as fast as a 400ex. I didn't think so by riding it. It didn't feel faster. But when I hopped back on my 400ex, and raced him on my street, that little 85 ever so slightly crawled past my piped/timing key 400ex. I only weigh about 50lbs more then him.
On a side note his bike had a full FMF exhaust, reeds, and a stroker crank with spacer plate to make it 90cc. But he was running an aftermarket head cut for a 105 bore so his compression was a little down there.

LONG STORY SHORT, an 85 WILL keep up with a 400ex. But you should be fine. Get a big wheel model to grow into and keep it stock so it has a little more bottom end.

2to4

10-29-2009, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
Not wanting to fight, so don't take it that way, but I have to point out a few things.

One, as far as the wheels go, that's not the reason I want him to get a big wheel. Small wheel bikes are just as fine. But the reason I said big wheel is because of SIZE... not handling. He can't grow into a small wheel. They're much shorter and not quite as long.
Even on the big wheels, it just about feels ok with me on it. But I feel very cramped on the small wheel model because how much lower it is.

The big wheel has, of course, bigger tires, and usually a longer swingarm. This way he can be comfortable on it even as he gets older. And to convert a small-wheel to a big wheel, you're going to need to replace the swingarm too.

So look for a big wheel, or "L" model munney2munney. The honda big wheel is known as the "Expert" model.

Secondly, they ARE as fast as a 400ex. I didn't think so by riding it. It didn't feel faster. But when I hopped back on my 400ex, and raced him on my street, that little 85 ever so slightly crawled past my piped/timing key 400ex. I only weigh about 50lbs more then him.
On a side note his bike had a full FMF exhaust, reeds, and a stroker crank with spacer plate to make it 90cc. But he was running an aftermarket head cut for a 105 bore so his compression was a little down there.

LONG STORY SHORT, an 85 WILL keep up with a 400ex. But you should be fine. Get a big wheel model to grow into and keep it stock so it has a little more bottom end. i see where your coming from with the growing into it but its not saying much when you feel cramped on the small whell cause your 6' hes 5'1 and a whole lot less weight no offence lol. trust me i grew into the small whell and by the time i grew out of it it was time for a new bike (got a quad).basicly munney2munney get a big OR small wheel one whichever you get the better deal on youll feel fine on both. and DMC i was talking about a normal 85 not a race ready 85. mine had a FMF system and thats it and i dont think he'll get a race ready one AND hes a beginner i dont think he'll be staying with 400ex's. munney2munney, blaster/300ex/85/85L/kx100, i think you will be happy on all of them there all plenty fast but decent starter bikes/quads, find the best deal and get it its that simple were just putting our 2cents in, dont get one just cause we said so. none of us know you and were not god lol we dont know what will be PERFECT for you. make sure you test drive anything before you buy it just to make sure you feel good on it and if you dont say sorry and go home. take your time trust me i jumped at a '71 sl70 thats how exited i got. make a good choice thats all i can say

10-29-2009, 07:18 PM

Also, if somehow you find a CRF150R for that cheap, I would give it a look too. Liquid cooled high-powered bike Honda made to replace the 85. Pretty cool little bikes. (Remind me of a 250f but on a smaller scale)

2to4

10-29-2009, 07:25 PM

yes good point if you find a fantastic deal on one that runs good GET IT. those are awsome on trails and also haul on the track. make sure you get a crf 150 "R" not the crf 150 "F" the R is the race bike and the F is the trail bike which is not setup for mx AT ALL. good call DMC

10-29-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by 2to4
yes good point if you find a fantastic deal on one that runs good GET IT. those are awsome on trails and also haul on the track. make sure you get a crf 150 "R" not the crf 150 "F" the R is the race bike and the F is the trail bike which is not setup for mx AT ALL. good call DMC

Yup it just hit me now.

And thanks for mentioning the F. The 150"F" is only an air-cooled dog turd of a motor similar to an xr100.

So basically as he said before, all the 85's are pretty good, and 100's are good, and if you can find a cheap running 150r GET IT. Since it's a 4-stroke it will be easier to learn on also.

muney2muney

10-30-2009, 07:33 AM

Ok thanks for the advice I will look around.

Yesterday I convinced my neighbor to let me try the clutch on his 2009 yfz450 just going lke 20-30 feet and back and keep doing that. I have to say that machine has DANGEROUS power to it. I barely give it gas and it starts revving really high it seems like. I just pulled it around the circle a few times and I stalled it a couple times off that start but I think it will be very hard to learn a clutch on that thing just in our culdisac. It is almost scarry riding it for the first time because you just have to think you can't pop the clutch or give it to much throttle or your dead lol. I might go to a friends house and drive his 80cc 4 stroke dirt bike today.

250x_kyle

10-30-2009, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by muney2muney
Ok thanks for the advice I will look around.

Yesterday I convinced my neighbor to let me try the clutch on his 2009 yfz450 just going lke 20-30 feet and back and keep doing that. I have to say that machine has DANGEROUS power to it. I barely give it gas and it starts revving really high it seems like. I just pulled it around the circle a few times and I stalled it a couple times off that start but I think it will be very hard to learn a clutch on that thing just in our culdisac. It is almost scarry riding it for the first time because you just have to think you can't pop the clutch or give it to much throttle or your dead lol. I might go to a friends house and drive his 80cc 4 stroke dirt bike today.

and stock yfz450rs are not that violent. :D. clutch is not that hard you just want to be able to ride one when you go to look at it.

2to4

10-30-2009, 12:59 PM

dont think of it that way. your not gonna die if you pop the clutch it might hurt but dont be too scared. i was the same way your confidence will go up eventualy. it just takes practice. by the way that 80cc dirtbike your friend has is a kids bike. nothing compared to an 85

muney2muney

10-30-2009, 06:19 PM

Yes he owns an rm 80 2 stroke and another 80cc 4 stroke.

2to4

10-30-2009, 07:15 PM

oh well the rm will give you a good idea of how youll feel on an 85 its pretty much the same thing. the four stroke is no where close though

muney2muney

10-31-2009, 03:03 PM

I went to the dealer ship today just to check things out and they had both the yz85 and kx100 and kx85. I just think I should just jump right onto that kx100 without trying something smaller and a little less power because I think I would just crash riding that for the first tme. I don't know if I should rent a dirt bike for like a day to go riding or something and get the feel for it do you think I should? I sat on the kx100, the kx85, and the kx65 (very soft suspension)
I would get like an 85 but I wouldn't I need a lrger wheel eventually for bigger obstacles later on? is there a big wheel version of a kx 85 or yz 85?

Thanks