best bike for a 16 year old

[brandon29]

my friends looking for a bike it will be his first one. Hes 16 about 6 foot and 125 to 130 pounds. Never owned or ridin a dirtbike. Hes wants a race bike not a trail bike cause will be going to the track. I was think the best would be an 85 big wheel like a honda or suzuki. Any suggestions would be great.

thanks in advance.

[06rm125]

id say a 125 at least

[brandon29]

ok whats the best make and year. he only has like 1000 dollars.

[josmoloco]

XR250 or 200 hands down.

Cheap bike. Reliable and least maintenance out of any bike required. Easy to ride and fun!

[BustedassYZ]

You can get a late '90s early '00s 125cc for about that much on Craigslist. Color doesn't matter that much, just find one that's not all clapped out. Also plan on doing a little maintenance right away. A piston for good measure, and suspension oil change. Then just go over the bike and check everything, brakes, chain, sprockets, chain guides, wheel and linkage bearings etc....

[brandon29]

ok sounds good. I pretty good about the maintanace ive been working on bikes for a while so i can help him with that. Thanks alot guys.

[dylans503]

get like a 98 kx 125.

[rmzrider151]

XR250 or 200 hands down.

Cheap bike. Reliable and least maintenance out of any bike required. Easy to ride and fun!

But thats a trail bike..

[josmoloco]

But thats a trail bike..

he should learn on the trail bike first, build some real skills and save some more money, sell it and buy a nicer race bike. A person can't race on a $1000 budget. You can spend that much on tires brakes, fluids and maintenance alone...

[brandon29]

get like a 98 kx 125.

Ya i found a 99 kx125 the guy wants a 1000 but he can get it for less depending on the condition.

he should learn on the trail bike first, build some real skills and save some more money, sell it and buy a nicer race bike. A person can't race on a $1000 budget. You can spend that much on tires brakes, fluids and maintenance alone...

Well he only has a 1000 now hes got a job so he makes money so if anything happens he can pay for it and he plans on having this bike for awhile and not having to worry about buying another one in 6 to 8 months.

[cr 250]

at 6ft and 16 years old and wanting to race id recommend a 250f or 125, better go a 125 if on a low budget

but since hes had no riding experience, its hard to give a race bike that will be easy for a beginner to learn on but still be competive in races

get him a XR 250 or xr 400, these bikes are extremely reliable and low maintenance and easy to ride powerband unlike some 2 strokes

[dylans503]

no way man.

not an xr.

givem a 125, hell learn sooner or later, and he wont go brankrupt while in the process. besides, 125s build character

if he was riding woods, the xr would be primo, and a 125 would be...ignorant...but for learning how to ride mx?...i cant think of a better bike, while on a low budget, thats good at teaching the basics AND advanced fundamentals of riding, besides a 125.

[dylans503]

as far as i see it, there is NO OTHER OPTION!

....seriously! what the hell else is he gonna get?

[2strokezuke]

6'0 and 130 pounds? I'm 5'4 and a 140 pounds! See if you can find a used race bike, as a bike that's been raced. 2 reasons, first its already going to have some mods to it, Second people who race bikes, who aren't jackoffs, keep up with bike maintenance and such.

but i also agree on the trail bike idea... If he buys a 2poker there's a chance its going to fall apart within a month and he''ll be stuck with an old broken bike that he has no idea how to fix and unable to sell. If that happens he'll most likely give up cycling entirely. An air cooled trail bikes are funner to ride for beginners hands down. I guarantee there is some sort of race he'll been able to find for it.

[dylans503]

ya an xr would be cool for the first like 4 months.

theres a chance a xr will fall apart on him in a month to... and then he REALLY is gonna consider not riding.

he doesnt have to get a bike thats already been raced. and he doesnt need a bike with any mods at all.

get a stock 2 stroke, with as little hours you can.

alot of people get bikes and just...dont ride them..find one of them! the fewer owners, the better.

[140rider]

I agree with Josmoloco, get a trail bike. He needs to learn how to ride before he actually gets on a race bike. And I know blah blah blah 125's are just a weak azz race bike and blah blah blah but really I dont care what some people will say, 125's are actually pretty powerful and especially with a new rider, you stick them on a 125 and the hit powerband and the front wheel starts lifting and that will most likely scare the hell out of him

[140rider]

^which is not a good first ride experience

[josmoloco]

Most 125s under 1000 bucks will be completely clapped out also. They will need new bearings, top end and clutch work at the least, along with the usual tires, breaks and chains...

[cr 250]

your thinking the pure 4 stroke= high expensive maintenance

thats true but only to hi performance 4 strokes

a XR out of all bike will probably have one of the lowest maintenance schedules out of all bike

look dont tell us a 125 is a perfect beginner bike thats really easy to ride

he will enjoy a air cooled bike much more with low maintenance and a reliable bike

cheap 125's are often stuffed

whats wrong with keeping the bike for only 6 months, he can just sell it and get a 125 when he learnt things like

clutch

throttle control

gears

basic maintenance

and riding a dirt bike

a first timer will not be heading racing competitively until he got some experience on a bike.

[dylans503]

of course the xr isnt really gonna blow up!

lol.

i was just saying, its a possibility, alot less likely then a 125 blowing up, but its still possible.

i guess u can agree though. starting out on a xr, and then soon after get a 125.

quite soon, unless he rides trails equally as much as track

but 125s under a grand arent always clapped out.

125s are AWESOME beginner bikes...but not always the best starter bike.

let him decide for himself, evaryones different. he may be ready for a 125, a xr might just be a completely unnecessary stepping stone

i know a few people that rode 250 2 strokes (way to soon) at 13-14.

i mean its probably gonna go along the lines of this-

the first 4 months of slow learning on a 125 and then getting use to it for then next year

versus learning the first 5 rides on a xr, getting use to it. and then switching to a 125 down the road.

especially if he only rides track