You could climb on a dirt bike, power it up, twist your wrist, and if it doesn’t throw you off, voila, dirt bike! In all sincerity, however, there is a slew of factors to consider while selecting a dirt bike. Dirt motorcycles are designed to be entertaining machines that can jump off a cliff and land safely, carve a mud path, and ride across, well, dirt. On the other hand, a dirt motorbike should be sturdy enough to survive a fall, a jump or a low side into some bushes while cutting that corner, and essential dirt bike parts should be available without much hassle. If you break it down into two simple steps, you’ll be on your way to riding a dirt bike in no time. Continue reading!
Riding Skills Level:
Dirt bikes are different monsters from street bikes in terms of experience and skill level. You may be able to ride a cruiser through city streets, but you will be shocked at how different a dirt bike rides and feels. You won’t be reading this post if you’ve been riding dirt motorcycles for as long as you can remember.
If you’re under 82 kgs, stick to the 125cc to 200cc range for your first dirt bike. At this point, stay away from motocross bikes. They may be “dirt motorcycles,” but they are built primarily to win races. Stick to trail bikes if you want to start entirely off-road, or a dual-sport if you want to have some legal on-road fun as well.
The sole exception to the above guideline is if you are 6 feet tall and weigh 115 kilogrammes. A 150cc motorcycle is fantastic for cruising down a path, but if you come to a slope with a grade of more than 15 degrees, the bike will have to churn out a lot of power to haul you up that hill. If you’re a bigger guy, a 250cc is roughly the same as a 150cc.
Choose The Right Size:
The issue here is not engine size but rather the size of the bike itself. “If you cannot flatfoot it, you generally really should not be riding it,” the riding adage goes.
Dirt motorcycles, on the other hand, have far more ground clearance than many street bikes. It’s too huge for you if your feet can’t touch the ground while mounting the saddle.
You should be able to plant the balls of your feet down at the very least in case you need to “tip-toe” your bike through a muck pit or relax a bit after riding up a long hill. Also, if you need to come to a sudden stop to avoid something harmful and are unable to touch the ground, prepare to get your leg stuck under a bike!
Summing Up:
Many bikes are very beginner-friendly, some with larger displacement but with a very friendly power curve. You might also want to explore a popular novice dual sports bike. When choosing your next dirt bike, don’t overlook the availability of dirt bike parts. Just keep in mind that whatever you bike, you must have all of your gear with you at all times. Trail bikes and dirt bikes require slightly different equipment, but at the very least, a suitable helmet, gloves, goggles, boots, and a chest protector.
