Scrambler motor bike as a Christmas present

[Celt83]

My boy who is twelve has asked for a dirt bike for Christmas. We are complete novices with scramblers so I would appreciate any info on makes/models and what we should pay and avoid.

Any advise appreciated.

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Buy Japanese
Reliable
Easy to work on
Good residuals
Anything from the Honda CRF or Yamaha YZ stable
Euro stuff is more fussy and needs more fettling

 

[davidroberts30]

Buy a brand name
Be worth something when he out grows it

 

[Dave W]

@Grassman will supply a quality used trials bike

 

[Celt83]

Any ideas what cc would be good for his first bike?

 

[Bill Turtle]

My son is 14 now and does enduro racing. He started at around 10/11 on a Suzuki DRZ125. That is a four stroke and around 11hp if I remember correctly. A very flexible engine and easy to start on also reliable and didn’t need any special servicing.
He then got a KTM 85 (2stroke) because he couldn’t race the Suzuki at his age. That was probably twice the power. Last year he moved onto a Husqvarna 125. These are about 45 horsepower and both the two strokes are very peaky and will have an inexperienced rider off very easily. They also require oil changes almost every time they are used and frequent engine rebuilds.
Hope that is a little help. Feel free to ask more. He knows more about them than me to be honest!

 

[Celt83]

My son is 14 now and does enduro racing. He started at around 10/11 on a Suzuki DRZ125. That is a four stroke and around 11hp if I remember correctly. A very flexible engine and easy to start on also reliable and didn’t need any special servicing.
He then got a KTM 85 (2stroke) because he couldn’t race the Suzuki at his age. That was probably twice the power. Last year he moved onto a Husqvarna 125. These are about 45 horsepower and both the two strokes are very peaky and will have an inexperienced rider off very easily. They also require oil changes almost every time they are used and frequent engine rebuilds.
Hope that is a little help. Feel free to ask more. He knows more about them than me to be honest!

Cheers Bill!

I'll have a look on the old interwebs tomorrow. The suzuki sounds like just the job!

 

[Spencer]

Ooooo I remember my first bike..
Suzuki RM80, what a bike, loved it!

 

[Aircooled]

Yamaha ttr 90 good beginner bike.

 

[Robt]

So at 14 I had a Kawasaki kx125 . It was ex Neil prince so had one the British championship year before. When all my mates were trying to sneak into pubs I was stripping bike down abs rebuilding ready for racing Sunday. Get him an ACU licence. Get to a local club. It’s amazing.!
Edit, sorry as 12 key a kx or rm big wheel. Please join your local club! You too will then enjoy hobby as much as he does. Buy the best helmet money can buy, buy the best boots, kidney belt, body armour... ensue he wears it even to nip across the drive!

 

[Pistonbroke]

Yamaha ttr125/suzuki drz125/ very similar. 85 cc two strokes.aboit the same size but lighter and are pretty fiery for a learner but more fun when mastered.

 

[Tubbylew]

Here's a question, how can you tell the bike is the right size ie. too big, father in law has an pw80 in his shed but he reckons it's to big for the boy who'd be a smallish 8yr old, I wouldn't have a clue myself I'd be tempted to get in flat 10 acres and see how he goes but?...

 

[Celt83]

So at 14 I had a Kawasaki kx125 . It was ex Neil prince so had one the British championship year before. When all my mates were trying to sneak into pubs I was stripping bike down abs rebuilding ready for racing Sunday. Get him an ACU licence. Get to a local club. It’s amazing.!
Edit, sorry as 12 key a kx or rm big wheel. Please join your local club! You too will then enjoy hobby as much as he does. Buy the best helmet money can buy, buy the best boots, kidney belt, body armour... ensue he wears it even to nip across the drive!

Great advice Rob, cheers!

That's what I'm hoping, a good thing for a father and son outings. Something I yearned for from my old man. He plays rugby so I make time for taking him to practice /games, but I thought it would be good to tinker over engines, ferrings of an evening rather than him being glued on the xbox!

My wife has turned into a proper mama bear over the subject and isn't keen to say the least!

 

[Pistonbroke]

Here's a question, how can you tell the bike is the right size ie. too big, father in law has an lt80 in his shed but he reckons it's to big for the boy who'd be a smallish 8yr old, I wouldn't have a clue myself I'd be tempted to get in flat 10 acres and see how he goes but?...

Is that lt80 quad? There will be an adjustable throttle limiter so should be fine with some coaching. Got our lad a yamaha grizzly 125 when he was nine and slowed it down from the start. Neighbour got an lt50 for their kiddy and it's pathetic on anything other than dead flat

 

[Tubbylew]

Is that lt80 quad? There will be an adjustable throttle limiter so should be fine with some coaching. Got our lad a yamaha grizzly 125 when he was nine and slowed it down from the start. Neighbour got an lt50 for their kiddy and it's pathetic on anything other than dead flat

Sorry I meant pw80 i'll ammend my post tbh. he's more into quads so i'm trying to get hold of a 125 breeze/grizzly, and I can limit the throttle and he can grow into it.

 

[Grassman]

If the wife isn't too happy then go down the trials bike route., Slow, skillful sport. Far cheaper. And safer!

 

[ollie989898]

Ok, I'm sold. What is it gonna cost me to get a bike?

 

[Fendtbro]

Sorry I meant pw80 i'll ammend my post tbh. he's more into quads so i'm trying to get hold of a 125 breeze/grizzly, and I can limit the throttle and he can grow into it.

The grizzly 125 is a decent quad, make sure the rear chain drive stays reasonably tight or it comes off and wrecks the gearbox. The rear brakes are easy to modify to make them much more reliable.

 

[Pistonbroke]

The grizzly 125 is a decent quad, make sure the rear chain drive stays reasonably tight or it comes off and wrecks the gearbox. The rear brakes are easy to modify to make them much more reliable.

Just had that exact problem. Managed to get a complete gearbox off eBay

 

[Longneck]

A good crf 125 will be very hard to find this time of year second hand. If you can stretch to it a new one will be a better buy. (Can also get the vat back if your a bit creative)