First dirt bike opinions

huie8383 · 07-21-2017, 08:54 AM

I've been looking for our first dirt bikes for my 11 year old son and I.I have years of street riding experience, my son has none. I started looking at used dirt bikes but they are pretty beat up for the price. That and Craigslist sellers aren't the greatest people to waste time with!

I have narrowed it down to the following for myself:

1) Apollo DB-x18 $899 shipped, I think this may be a bit small.
2) Apollo/Orion DB-36, $1499 shipped (anyone have a better price?). Seems like a great bike.
3) DB-30 X-Pro, $1300 shipped. http://www.powersportsmax.com/produc...ducts_id/21214
Not a whole lot of info out there on what this bike is, who makes it etc. Looks comparable to the APollo brand though.

As for my son, he is about 5'2" and 70 pounds. I'm thinking something like TaoTao DB-14, 110CC semi auto transmission. My only concern is that it will be too small for him. Do you think it would be better to step up into a 125CC with a clutch?

Really just looking to trail ride and have a good time putting around with him. Not looking for a motocross bike or anything like that.

Thanks for your opinions in advance!

culcune · 07-21-2017, 02:57 PM

The Apollo seems to be a good, standard all-around Chinese pure dirt bike for your needs, whereas the DB-30 might be a good alternative. Those are made by a lesser-known (lesser known than Apollo) company called Xmoto. RPS (the company that brings us the Hawk 250 distributes both the Apollo and XMoto bikes according to their site-- http://therps.net/ )

I have a feeling that the DB14 would be fine for your son, but he will grow, and then will probably want/need a larger bike--the DB17. There is a series of videos on the DB17 put out by a young, petite woman on youtube, who might be about the same height, but slightly heavier, than your son, who chronicles her ownership of her Taotao 17 in a series of videos. You might want to watch her videos and see if there are others (there should be by now).

huie8383 · 07-21-2017, 04:51 PM

Thanks for the info. I watched the videos and I actually just placed a order for the DB-30 and a TaoTao DB-17 for the kid. He's pretty lanky/tall and I think the DB-14 would of just been too small. He'll just have to learn to ride with a real clutch

I'll update the post with pic etc when they both arrive. I'm pretty interested what the DB-30 actually looks like quality wise. I found other sites selling the same bike under a different name for upwards of $500 more so it seems like a OK bike. Good enough to putz around with!

I didn't go with the DB-36 because it would have been another $500 which was out of my budget for this first round of bikes.

Adjuster · 07-21-2017, 05:52 PM

I like the looks of that X30 bike. Can't wait to see pics of you and your son with the new bikes.

/

BlackBike · 07-22-2017, 06:12 PM

X30 claimed HP is 17. Also notice is overhead cam engine.

this one may be buzz worthy. Will like to see top gps measured speed on this one (even though it's not street legal).

Are they selling this engine in a streetable enduro version?

huie8383 · 07-22-2017, 10:44 PM

I'd be happy to clock the top speed. It looks to be the same Zongshen engine that is in the Apollo DB-36 as well as others. I'm guessing in the low-mid 60's but I'll add that to my list of data to gather on it.

starsire79 · 07-25-2017, 09:38 PM

you should look at the pitster pro 110. $1400 but very similar to the klx 110 and very highly reviewed.

huie8383 · 07-26-2017, 08:33 AM

I did look at some Pitster models, but at 3 times the price I paid for the DB-17, I couldn't justify it. I'm a little worried the DB-17 may be a bit tall for him but only one way to find out. This is a surprise b-day present for him when he gets back from his biological dad's for summer break. I'm hoping he grew another few inches

Got a shipping notification last night, bikes are on the way!

Before ordering I read some horrible reviews on powersportsmax.com, but they have stuck to their shipping/processing times and even responded to a question I had the same day. So far so good.

I'll update with pics once the bikes arrive. Guessing from CA to MN will be a week or so.

Sport Rider · 07-26-2017, 09:08 AM

I'll be curious to see how it fits him. I just bought this one for my grandson who is turning 11. He's short for his age though, but weighs 110.

http://www.powersportsmax.com/produc...ducts_id/18054

I checked out some honda dirt bikes at the shop before buying and the 14/12 size honda seemed to be something he could get on and off. it may not last him as long, but since he'll be learning a clutch on this one too, I figured shorter would allow him better bike control while learning the clutch feel. once he outgrows it, I'll save it for the next grandson.

huie8383 · 07-26-2017, 12:25 PM

Sport Rider,

That sounds like good logic with your grandson. I watched some reviews on the 14/12 bikes because I originally was going to get him a DB-14, a 14/12 model, they just look so tiny! My step son is the opposite of your grandson, tall and lanky, 5'2 and 85 Lbs or so. Hoping the DB-17 works out. If not I'll either sell it locally or just keep it for the future and buy him a smaller bike for the time being. I have 2 other younger boys ( 11 and 4) so whatever I buy will get put to use at some point.

Another route I may try is lowering the 17 a few inches if it's too tall. We'll see when it gets here.

Sport Rider · 07-26-2017, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huie8383

Sport Rider,

That sounds like good logic with your grandson. I watched some reviews on the 14/12 bikes because I originally was going to get him a DB-14, a 14/12 model, they just look so tiny! My step son is the opposite of your grandson, tall and lanky, 5'2 and 85 Lbs or so. Hoping the DB-17 works out. If not I'll either sell it locally or just keep it for the future and buy him a smaller bike for the time being. I have 2 other younger boys ( 11 and 4) so whatever I buy will get put to use at some point.

Another route I may try is lowering the 17 a few inches if it's too tall. We'll see when it gets here.

that might work too. get a shorter shock for the back and lower the triple on the fork tubes.

huie8383 · 08-02-2017, 08:47 AM

The bikes arrived yesterday pretty unscathed. The db-30 looks to be old stock and moved around quite a bit. It's really just a x-moto x-31 that is re-badged as the x-pro brand.Same as the Gio x-31 etc. some of the metal crate's internal bracing was broken free and the bike bent the metal crate bottom down, it was resting on the skid plate which scratched it up some and gouged the aluminum shock mount up pretty good from rubbing on the metal crate. All cosmetic underneath, besides that, no other damage so i'm not going to complain. Quality looks pretty decent, can't expect too much from a $1K bike! LOL. A few screws that hold on the side trim pieces etc are not stripped but the threads are rounded. The rear tire was out of alignment so I fixed that. Those are the only issues I could find. Going to charge the battery and finish assembling it tonight, then fire it up. I changed the oil last night too.

I'll update with pics tomorrow.

huie8383 · 08-03-2017, 09:27 AM

Some initial pics as promised, lighting isn't great in my garage. Going to setup the DB-17 tonight and will have pics of that also.

huie8383 · 08-17-2017, 08:09 AM

Hey guys, just wanted to post a little update. We headed up to the cabin for the week to break the bikes in. Both have a few hours on them now and are doing great.

The kid on his db-17 is picking it up pretty quick. He can start off on his own and go through the gears now. The 17 is a little tall for him. I ended up taking the seat apart and shaving a few inches off the seat foam. The seat has a good 6" of foam and is pretty stiff. That really helped him feel comfortable reaching the ground. He can't kick start it on his own yet, it has some major compression! So far he loves it. We met a guy up here with a yamaha 110, no clutch. The kid rode that and said he likes his TaoTao much better, the 110 was too small.

The DB-30 is a pretty awesome bike, lots of fun. I had it running around a dirt track and it's plenty bike for my first dirt bike. I'm actually really surprised in what this 250 Zongshen motor can do. Even the track owner who owns a Yamaha 250 took it for a rip and was surprised. I have yet to clock it but I can believe the 17HP and 60 MPH claim, it's quick. I did order a Renthal chain for it because the stock one keeps stretching. The overall value for what you pay is great, I'm impressed.

So far, really happy with the purchases.

BlackBike · 08-18-2017, 07:16 PM

huie8383 and give it some time after break in. it will run better with time and then you can check out the top speed....

those are some big meats on those tires...pure dirt

07-21-2017, 08:54 AM	#1
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	First dirt bike opinions I've been looking for our first dirt bikes for my 11 year old son and I.I have years of street riding experience, my son has none. I started looking at used dirt bikes but they are pretty beat up for the price. That and Craigslist sellers aren't the greatest people to waste time with! I have narrowed it down to the following for myself: 1) Apollo DB-x18 $899 shipped, I think this may be a bit small. 2) Apollo/Orion DB-36, $1499 shipped (anyone have a better price?). Seems like a great bike. 3) DB-30 X-Pro, $1300 shipped. http://www.powersportsmax.com/produc...ducts_id/21214 Not a whole lot of info out there on what this bike is, who makes it etc. Looks comparable to the APollo brand though. As for my son, he is about 5'2" and 70 pounds. I'm thinking something like TaoTao DB-14, 110CC semi auto transmission. My only concern is that it will be too small for him. Do you think it would be better to step up into a 125CC with a clutch? Really just looking to trail ride and have a good time putting around with him. Not looking for a motocross bike or anything like that. Thanks for your opinions in advance!
	0

07-21-2017, 02:57 PM	#2
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,035	The Apollo seems to be a good, standard all-around Chinese pure dirt bike for your needs, whereas the DB-30 might be a good alternative. Those are made by a lesser-known (lesser known than Apollo) company called Xmoto. RPS (the company that brings us the Hawk 250 distributes both the Apollo and XMoto bikes according to their site-- http://therps.net/ ) I have a feeling that the DB14 would be fine for your son, but he will grow, and then will probably want/need a larger bike--the DB17. There is a series of videos on the DB17 put out by a young, petite woman on youtube, who might be about the same height, but slightly heavier, than your son, who chronicles her ownership of her Taotao 17 in a series of videos. You might want to watch her videos and see if there are others (there should be by now). __________________ "They say that life's a carousel, spinning fast you got to ride it well..." TGB Delivery Scooter 150 TMEC 200 Enduro--carcass is sadly rotting in the backyard
	0

07-22-2017, 06:12 PM	#5
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	X30 claimed HP is 17. Also notice is overhead cam engine. this one may be buzz worthy. Will like to see top gps measured speed on this one (even though it's not street legal). Are they selling this engine in a streetable enduro version? __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	1

08-03-2017, 09:27 AM	#13
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	DB-30 Pics Some initial pics as promised, lighting isn't great in my garage. Going to setup the DB-17 tonight and will have pics of that also.
	1

08-18-2017, 07:16 PM	#15
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	huie8383 and give it some time after break in. it will run better with time and then you can check out the top speed.... those are some big meats on those tires...pure dirt __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	0

07-21-2017, 04:51 PM	#3
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	Thanks for the info. I watched the videos and I actually just placed a order for the DB-30 and a TaoTao DB-17 for the kid. He's pretty lanky/tall and I think the DB-14 would of just been too small. He'll just have to learn to ride with a real clutch I'll update the post with pic etc when they both arrive. I'm pretty interested what the DB-30 actually looks like quality wise. I found other sites selling the same bike under a different name for upwards of $500 more so it seems like a OK bike. Good enough to putz around with! I didn't go with the DB-36 because it would have been another $500 which was out of my budget for this first round of bikes.
	1

07-21-2017, 05:52 PM	#4
Adjuster Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Deerfield Beach FL Posts: 1,410	I like the looks of that X30 bike. Can't wait to see pics of you and your son with the new bikes. /
	1

07-22-2017, 10:44 PM	#6
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	I'd be happy to clock the top speed. It looks to be the same Zongshen engine that is in the Apollo DB-36 as well as others. I'm guessing in the low-mid 60's but I'll add that to my list of data to gather on it.
	0

07-25-2017, 09:38 PM	#7
starsire79 Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 54	you should look at the pitster pro 110. $1400 but very similar to the klx 110 and very highly reviewed.
	0

07-26-2017, 08:33 AM	#8
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	I did look at some Pitster models, but at 3 times the price I paid for the DB-17, I couldn't justify it. I'm a little worried the DB-17 may be a bit tall for him but only one way to find out. This is a surprise b-day present for him when he gets back from his biological dad's for summer break. I'm hoping he grew another few inches Got a shipping notification last night, bikes are on the way! Before ordering I read some horrible reviews on powersportsmax.com, but they have stuck to their shipping/processing times and even responded to a question I had the same day. So far so good. I'll update with pics once the bikes arrive. Guessing from CA to MN will be a week or so.
	1

07-26-2017, 09:08 AM	#9
Sport Rider Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Mooresville NC Posts: 2,038	I'll be curious to see how it fits him. I just bought this one for my grandson who is turning 11. He's short for his age though, but weighs 110. http://www.powersportsmax.com/produc...ducts_id/18054 I checked out some honda dirt bikes at the shop before buying and the 14/12 size honda seemed to be something he could get on and off. it may not last him as long, but since he'll be learning a clutch on this one too, I figured shorter would allow him better bike control while learning the clutch feel. once he outgrows it, I'll save it for the next grandson.
	0

07-26-2017, 12:25 PM	#10
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	Sport Rider, That sounds like good logic with your grandson. I watched some reviews on the 14/12 bikes because I originally was going to get him a DB-14, a 14/12 model, they just look so tiny! My step son is the opposite of your grandson, tall and lanky, 5'2 and 85 Lbs or so. Hoping the DB-17 works out. If not I'll either sell it locally or just keep it for the future and buy him a smaller bike for the time being. I have 2 other younger boys ( 11 and 4) so whatever I buy will get put to use at some point. Another route I may try is lowering the 17 a few inches if it's too tall. We'll see when it gets here.
	0

08-02-2017, 08:47 AM	#12
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	The bikes arrived yesterday pretty unscathed. The db-30 looks to be old stock and moved around quite a bit. It's really just a x-moto x-31 that is re-badged as the x-pro brand.Same as the Gio x-31 etc. some of the metal crate's internal bracing was broken free and the bike bent the metal crate bottom down, it was resting on the skid plate which scratched it up some and gouged the aluminum shock mount up pretty good from rubbing on the metal crate. All cosmetic underneath, besides that, no other damage so i'm not going to complain. Quality looks pretty decent, can't expect too much from a $1K bike! LOL. A few screws that hold on the side trim pieces etc are not stripped but the threads are rounded. The rear tire was out of alignment so I fixed that. Those are the only issues I could find. Going to charge the battery and finish assembling it tonight, then fire it up. I changed the oil last night too. I'll update with pics tomorrow.
	1

08-17-2017, 08:09 AM	#14
huie8383 Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 10	Hey guys, just wanted to post a little update. We headed up to the cabin for the week to break the bikes in. Both have a few hours on them now and are doing great. The kid on his db-17 is picking it up pretty quick. He can start off on his own and go through the gears now. The 17 is a little tall for him. I ended up taking the seat apart and shaving a few inches off the seat foam. The seat has a good 6" of foam and is pretty stiff. That really helped him feel comfortable reaching the ground. He can't kick start it on his own yet, it has some major compression! So far he loves it. We met a guy up here with a yamaha 110, no clutch. The kid rode that and said he likes his TaoTao much better, the 110 was too small. The DB-30 is a pretty awesome bike, lots of fun. I had it running around a dirt track and it's plenty bike for my first dirt bike. I'm actually really surprised in what this 250 Zongshen motor can do. Even the track owner who owns a Yamaha 250 took it for a rip and was surprised. I have yet to clock it but I can believe the 17HP and 60 MPH claim, it's quick. I did order a Renthal chain for it because the stock one keeps stretching. The overall value for what you pay is great, I'm impressed. So far, really happy with the purchases.
	0