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Best Dirt Bikes - Off RoadersFor those of use who spend our driving lives on the pavement, it is hard to imagine the thrill that comes with offroad racing and riding. Ripping though sand, mud, and water on a dirt bike is a rush -- once you get into it, there is no going back. Fortunately, dirt bike manufacturers make it easy to start, with small 50cc (cubic centimeters - that's the displacement of the engine) bikes for kids to learn on. From there, they go up in size, with larger bikes 450cc or more, for more advanced riders. One thing that never seems to change is the dominant position held by the Japanese motor manufacturers. Honda and Yamaha are the best selling dirt bikes and have been seemingly forever. Kawasaki and Suzuki are still in the game as well, but you will be hard pressed to find any American dirt bike makers.
Dirt Bikes and Motocross WebsitesIf you are a motocross fan, you can check out some of the online dirtbike and offroad websites that feature motorcycle reviews, pictures, and action shots from events. Off-road.com has everything from dirt bike wallpapers to the latest news from motocross events across the country. They also have a dirt bike buyers guide, with information on the leading models from the leading dirt bike manufacturers, including Kawasaki dirt bike reviews, Suzuki dirt bikes, and the KTM bikes. DirtBikeMagazine.com is another good site, based around the same-named print magazine. If you are a offroad fan, you'll love the large pictures they feature on this site. If you go to Dirt Bike news, it shows up to date event and race listings, with great photos of many of them, including action dirt bike pictures. They also have a section on riding tips for beginners and pros alike. If you are looking for motocross gear, check out Motosport.com. They have adult and youth dirt bike apparel, including racing pants and shirts, pads, helmets, gloves, and bike parts. You can get a pair of Alloy SX1 vented pants for $70 on sale. Or a youth Assault Armor chest protector for $40. MotoworldRacing.com is another good site with free shipping on all orders over $100. They carry motocross boots, gloves, helmets, goggles, knee guards, neck protectors, kidney belts, pants, chest protectors, etc. from all the most popular makers: Acerbis, AXO Racing, Berik, FLY, EVS, Fox, HJC, Gaerne, O'Neal, Oakley, Scott, Shoei, Smith, Thor, SPY, Dragon, Azonic, and more.Honda Dirt Bikes - Off Road BikesHonda has long been a leader in the market for dirt bikes. The 2007 Honda dirt bikes are no exception. You can go to Powersports.Honda.com to see the whole lineup. The low end starts with the CRF50F, which has an MSRP of $1349 and a 49cc single cylinder 4 stroke engine. The next step up is the CRF70F with 70cc engine and a $1649 price. It has the same 3 speed transmission as the 50, but a little more power and a larger frame for bigger riders. Both of these bikes are good for beginners to get started on. The CRF80 and CRF100F ($2369) are larger models still with engines up to 100cc. The CRF line goes right up through the 150F, 230F, 250F, and CRF450X, priced at $7299, this is the big daddy. It has an endurospec suspension, electric starter, and 450cc of power. The XR650R is the desert racing bike, with 650cc engine and rugged construction for the toughest of offroad trails. Not cheap at $6350, but if you are an offroad enthusiast, this might be the dirt bike for you. Honda has some good dirt bike pictures on their site.Yamaha Dirt BikesThe other big maker of offroad motorcycles is Yamaha. Yamaha-Motor.com is their website where you can check out the 2007 Yamaha dirt bikes and 2008 motorcycles soon. The Yamaha YZ450F is one of their most popular dirt bikes, cranking out 450cc of engine power, with a 5 speed gearbox, and titanium shock springs -- it retails for $6899. Yamaha's other motocross bikes are the YZ250, YZ250F, YZ125, and YZ85, made for younger riders with a 6 speed transmission, priced at $3099. The Yamaha offroad line includes the WR450F, WR250F, TT-R250, TT-R230, TT-R125, TT-R90, and the PW80 and PW50. The PW models are designed as kids learning dirt bikes, with smaller frames and smaller motors, but with the same Yamaha performance you expect from a dirt bike. The little PW80 runs $1299, similar in price to the equivalent Honda models.Buying a Dirt Bike - Used Dirt BikesYou can save a lot of money by buying a used dirt bike. You can check the bulletin board at your local motorcycle dealer, check on Ebay, or even Craigslist.com now has a lot of local listings for cars and motorcycles. While you will save money, you'll also want to make sure you are not getting into a bike that has been completely abused (ie, run without oil, not maintained is dusty environments, etc). Find out how often it has been run, where, and what the maintenance schedule has been. Sometimes you can luck out and find a fairly new bike that someone bought on a lark and decided it was not for them. For a new dirtbike, you need to spend some time at the showrooms of your local motorcycle dealers. They normally have models you can test drive and they will point out all the latest features on the newest bikes. If you can, ride the bikes in the real environment -- nothing like a friend who has the bike you want, letting you play with it on an offroad trip.
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