Which dirt bike should you buy? First, we only ride enduro bikes, so we'll focus on that because
it's what we know. Sort of. And there will be some emphasis on slower harder riding because that's
our specialty. Chasing a motocross, adventure, dual sport or kid's bike? Sorry, look elsewhere.
Please don't ask us a specific bike recommendation. At the very least,
we would need to know the following,
then spend a day riding with you before giving any advice. And it would be crap advice anyway.
Next don't get so hung up on what you buy. The vast majority of dirt bikes are very
good nowadays, and will be more capable than 99% of us will ever be. We reckon it's 80% the rider
and 20% the bike, so worry less about which bike you buy, and actually just learn to ride better.
So. Should you buy new or secondhand? A good rider on a 20 year old clunker
will always whip the arse of an average rider on the latest Eurotrash wonder bike
with anodised billet grease nipples. But there are advantages to buying
brand new. We've done a whole video on this topic, here are the main points.
Next is whether to buy a two stroke or a four stroke. Generally,
four strokes will suit less experienced riders better. Experienced riders will be better at
handling a two stroke's power delivery, and they are pretty much the bike of choice for
extreme enduro riding. Again we've done a whole vid on this topic, here are the main points.
Shorter and taller riders often ask which bike will suit them better. We'll discuss this later,
but rest assured there are plenty of mods no matter which bike you
choose. Here's a summary, see our vids for more information.
Riders often debate which size engine they should get. Many want the most powerful
engine possible for roosting, powerslides and wheelies. Fine if that's your thing,
but if you are actually serious about developing your skills, and not hurting yourself, you will
be better off with a smaller or more docile engine while learning. If you do plan on learning fast,
consider a more powerful bike but tame it down at first with a G2 Throttle Tamer,
mapping switch or power valve adjustments on two strokes.
And this is a key point. All the world's top extreme enduro riders agree - if you want to
become a skilled fast dirt rider, you need to start at low speeds and develop your balance,
traction and throttle/clutch control. If you really want to become a talented dirt rider,
choose your dirt bike with this in mind.
A light bike is great for enduro riding, especially if you plan on some gnarly
snotty terrain. Let's start with the heavy bikes and work down to the feather weights.
FOUR-STROKE ENDURO BIKES The four strokes are getting quite light nowadays,
and only around five to 10 kg heavier than the two strokes. The extra weight can be an asset on
faster tracks as the front end feels more planted. The power delivery is good for beginner riders and
even experienced riders often love the traction the smoother power and more relaxed riding style
on more open flowing tracks. But as you get into slower and harder terrain, they become more likely
to overheat, stall and need more work to handle that weight. You really can't go wrong with your
choice of bike nowadays. The KTMs probably have the edge for racers or tall very experienced
riders, the Betas probably have the edge for everyday rider due to the lower seat height
and power delivery. The Yamahas are more dated and heavier design but will still do the job.
TWO-STROKE ENDURO BIKES Enter the two stroke enduro bikes,
the choice for anyone serious about extreme enduro. Hard to stall and they will plug away
at ridiculously low revs. Very light weight to throw them around and lift them out of tricky
spots. But the light front end and power delivery often means they take more energy to ride on open
flowing tracks. Again, all the bikes in this class are great and most reviews tend to favour the Beta
for everyday riders and the KTM or Husqvarna for racing or very fast experienced riders.
MOTOCROSS ENDURO CONVERSIONS I hesitate to include this
as even once you tame the engine an enduro conversion of a motocross bike usually takes
a very experienced rider to handle the power. If you go down this road, the Yamaha YZ250
is widely regarded as the best two stroke bike for coverting,
due to excellent suspension and the most suitable power delivery. We've done a
whole video series on this conversion, have a look to see if it might suit you.
HYBRIDS This is a relatively new
class of bikes that are somewhere between a trials bike and enduro bike, with very light weight, very
low seat heights, user friendly power, excellent turning circles and plush suspension more suited
for slow technical terrain. The Beta Xtrainer and KTM Freeride are the only widely available
bikes and both are great for short riders, and/or very slow tough terrain. The Freeride is about
halfway between an enduro bike and trials bike, the Xtrainer is much closer to the enduro end
of the spectrum. I've ridden both bikes a lot, this graph should help to explain the difference.
There you go guys, hopefully this will help you choose a suitable
bike and remember we have over 400 free enduro vids on these topics and more.