There are several factors that you should consider when buying your first dirt bike. It is sometimes difficult determining the best bike for any individual since the dirt bike manufacturers offer many choices. It is important to research the different types of dirt bikes available so you can purchase a bike that is well-suited for your skill level.
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Will your dirt bike be used for recreational purposes or do you plan on racing?
Some manufacturers offer bikes that are more specific for your choice of riding. If you plan on riding your dirt bike as a leisure activity, you should decide if you would like to ride trails, tracks or both.
Honda, for example, offers trail and motocross bikes. The CRF family of bikes offers R class, F class and X class motorbikes.
If you plan on racing, you might also attend some local races and ask riders why they prefer a particular dirt bike manufacturer over another.
Age, Size and Experience of the Rider
Age and size of the rider are other factors to consider and also the experience level of the rider should be taken into consideration. Don't be Superman and buy a bike beyond your skill level. Riding over your head can happen on the track as well as with choosing the size of your bike. It is better to ride well on a bike that fits your experience level than to look cool on a bigger bike that is too powerful for you.
New Bike vs. Used Bike
Which is better for you? If you are new to dirt bike riding you might consider buying a used dirt bike first because it is a significant investment to purchase a new dirt bike only to discover that it may not be your thing after trying it a time or two. A new dirt bike's resale value drops as soon as you leave the store with your new toy. If you decide that you don't like riding your dirt bike, it is more difficult to get a good return on your investment if you would like to sell it right away.
If you purchase a used dirt bike, you can typically sell it for around the same price that you paid for it if you decide after trying it once or twice that dirt bike riding is not for you. Also keep in mind that a used dirt bike is like a used car-- you just don't know what you are getting. It helps if you are a bit mechanically inclined so you would have the ability to troubleshoot and repair a used dirt bike if something should break soon after your purchase.
New dirt bikes are awesome as you should most likely get some kind of warranty and new bikes don't require as much maintenance early on. There's also something exciting about buying a used bike and making it new, if you like to work on your bike.
Whether you choose to buy new or used, your bike will eventually be taken apart and put back together, either by you or an experienced mechanic. When you maintain your bike yourself it is a lot easier to fix problems at the track or wherever you ride. No matter how well you maintain your bike, something will eventually break! Having some spare parts handy, such as spark plugs, and a toolbox filled with the appropriate tools is always helpful.
When purchasing a used dirt bike, your goal as a buyer is to appear knowledgeable and ask the seller several questions, such as:
Once again what are you planning to do? If you are just riding for fun a two-stroke is cheaper as far as maintenance. Four-strokes have valves and less time between tune-ups. Two strokes with the proper oil and gas mixture will last a long time. You may be thinking "They both have valves," and they do but two-strokes have reed valves and four-strokes have valves that work in unison with a camshaft and need to stay in time with the crank shaft and piston so they don't hit each other. If they are over-revved and they make contact, a valve will bend or break and that will be very costly.
If you've done all of the research and you are still not sure which is the best choice, you could just pick your favorite Supercross rider's manufacturer; or you could start with your favorite color and make a trip to your local motorsports store and have a salesperson share what they know on a particular bike.
The"Big Five" and Popular Supercross Racers include:
Needless to say that at the very beginning of the BMX racing / riding era there were no bikes constructed quite like the BMX Bike Exercise Bike Manufacturer . Usually, kids would simply modify their Schwinn Sting Ray bicycles by adding knobby tires and motocross handlebars. Additionally, they would modify the frames in order to gain performance, stability and strength. Later on, the first bicycles that where specifically pumped out of the factory for the purpose of BMX riding where first introduced.
Some of the very first BMX bicycle builders such as R&R racing products, Webco, RedLine and Mongoose focused on creating bicycles that would be specifically crafted for the sport. Out of the first BMX models, the one produced by Mongoose can be considered as the one that is most similar to the BMX bikes of today; it featured a straight tubed, gusseted frame as well as stronger, reinforced handlebars. Additionally, it had Motomag wheels and longer crank arms than the conventional bikes.
Initially, BMX bike construction was aimed at making a bike witch would be as resistant as possible. However, weight became a serious issue when racing gained popularity. Out of all BMX constructors, R&R Racing created the first 3 pound frame witch not only was lighter but it also was very resistant. Soon, BMX manufacturers would start to use lighter materials such as aluminum and chromium molybdenum for frames; additionally, rims made out of steel and mag wheels where replaced by rims made of aluminum with freewheels and caliper brakes.
Later on, when Freestyle BMX became more popular, BMX bikes went through various additions/changes. Although they originated from racing bikes, they where also equipped with extra places to put the feet on while performing stunts. Additionally, something very important that needed to be considered is that this new era of BMX bikes had to be a lot more resistant than racing bikes. And so, the new BMX bikes oriented at freestyle where a lot more resistant and stronger than those that had been made so far.
Finally, most BMX bikes where equipped with a feature known as 'Gyro'. This device enabled the steering bar to be rotated by 360 degrees for an unlimited number of revolutions without the brake cables getting tangled.
Nowadays, with the explosion of BMX riding there are many more companies that focus on constructing and improving them. Among others, GT, Haro, MBK, Hoffman bikes, Diamondback and Hutch have established a pretty good reputation in the BMX world.