what to get? Entry level dirt bike

[rithac]

Hey guys, I'm new here! I've been reading through the forums and would appreciate some advice.

For the last year and half or so my 2 kids (boy- age 13 1/2 & girl age 16) have been riding the 3 acres field/partially wooded area around my house. They currently ride a couple fun little pit bikes running lawn mower engines and automatic clutch.

Well, they are ready to move up to something bigger, but as they are still newish riders I wanted to move them up to something midway between the pit bikes and something faster and more powerful and give them something they can learn to shift gears with.

I found the "rps hawk" and the "x-pro hawk dlx" and thought that they looked perfect. From what I've seen they appear to essentially be the same, or at least have the same engine, although while I like the idea of the fuel injection on the x-pro hawk dlx, I'm seeing that the rps hawk-x comes in a counter balanced frame (I'm assuming that's a good thing?).


I'm looking for advice on if this is a good option? My kids are about 5'8" & 5'10" tall currently. Would I be better off with one over the other? Or should I consider something else entirely? I plan to get one each for both kids, and figure that this will be something we keep a couple of years until they are ready to upgrade and will not likely invest heavily into mods.

In a perfect world, I'd like to spend no more than $2000 per bike and am open to buying used, but I haven't seen anything local for near my price point. I am located in Central Arkansas is that makes a difference. Thanks for any input!

[TominMO]

Given their height and presumed inseam, I would recommend a shorter and lighter bike than a 250cc. Like this 125cc with 33" seat height and 17" front/14" rear tires. $1300 delivered.

https://www.venommotorsportsusa.com/...39475048710246

[severely]

Why not get the 125 TominMO suggested for the 13yo son and the Hawk DLX for the 16yo daughter? that way when the son is older he has something to step up to. I predict your daughter will find "other interests" as she matures. Whatever you choose enjoy this time with the young ones, it's fleeting.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by severely

Why not get the 125 TominMO suggested for the 13yo son and the Hawk DLX for the 16yo daughter? that way when the son is older he has something to step up to. I predict your daughter will find "other interests" as she matures. Whatever you choose enjoy this time with the young ones, it's fleeting.

I like this plan.

[Hunnicutt]

Or splurge for the Lifan KPX250 so you can have some fun too! Tons of threads on the new bike that all point to positives.

[Thumper]

Maybe the younger kid would be able to handle a slightly larger frame with a 5 speed. Apollo RXF 200 (190cc engine). It has 19"/16" wheels, with a 35" seat height. The seat height will compress when he is on it, and probably reach the ground easily.

He is probably growing quickly. This would be more forward thinking. The extra gear will be useful.

[Magician16]

Personally I like the original plan better. If the 13 1/2 year old is 5'8", expect him to be taller than your daughter in another 6 to 8 months. I think I'd go with 2 identical bikes. If one kid gets a larger or more expensive bike, the other is going to feel cheated.

[Thumper]

The Hawk 250 and the Apollo 200 are significantly different in a few ways... The Hawk is more of a dual sport, actually lower seat height than the Apollo, and the Apollo is a little more enduro leaning. These are actually well suited for Hers and his bikes. But the Apollo 200 doesn't have lights. Both are 5 speed, and they cost about the same. If the older sister is a more aggressive rider, maybe she would want the Apollo, and the younger brother might prefer the Hawk.

Or they could share until they decide!

Frankly, a good choice for siblings of the opposite sex.

[rithac]

Thanks for all the suggestions I will research each of them. I was looking at the 250 as I was worried about the frame sizes of the others being too small. Also, ironically, my 13 year old son is taller (5'10") than my 16 year old daughter (5'8) he's a football player and probably weighs about 200lbs and at the rate he's growing will likely hit 6' by next spring. Both of my kids have the same amount of riding experience gained from riding the pitt bikes. Also a bit more information, my daughter is infatuated with sport bikes and has wanted one for years and was the reason behind getting the small pitt bikes in the first place. My guess is that she will want to move up from the intro dirt bike within a few years to something roadworthy but would likely keep the dirt bikes for them to have fun riding around my property. The idea getting an enduro or dual sport bike would serve to help bridge the gap between the pitt bike and something she would be able to take out on the road and let them learn to use a clutch and shift. I like the idea of having at least a headlight and tail light, but do not envision these bikes being licensed to take out on the road (although it might be nice to have that option later on). Thanks again for the recommendations! I have some homework to do!

[Sport Rider]

definitely the 250. I have a son who's 5'10". He manages the Hawk's size fine. He's older, but from a weight/height perspective, it will fit him.

[rithac]

Thanks for all the input! It's been helpful.

I'm really leaning toward getting matching bikes in different colors so (as magician16 pointed out) one doesn't feel cheated if one bike is perceived as better than the other. I don't think the size of the Hawk 250 will be an issue for my 13yr old 5'10" son, but should I have any concerns for the 16yr old 5'8" daughter? Are there any easy mods to lower the seat if necessary? Should I have any concerns about the weight of the bike being around 280lbs?

The Apollo RXF 200 looks like a strong contender, but for the same money I could get either the rps hawk or x-pro hawk with fuel injection and would have lights.

The more I think about it, the less it would need to be street legal so long as it has a headlight & taillight. In your opinion is the "rps hawk" and the "x-pro hawk" basically the exact same bike? Or is one better than the other? From the dealers I've looked at (all not in my state) it appears I could have one dropped shipped to my door pretty quickly.

I do like the price tag on the suggested VENOM THUNDER | 125CC suggested by TomInMo but worry about it looking and/or feeling small to a teenager that is wanting to move up to a 'full size' bike. Does anyone have experience with this bike and would the smaller engine have enough power with a 200+lbs rider?

And lastly, is their any dealer(s) you've had a great experience with in the US that I should check out before ordering? If I end up ordering, it will be a Christmas present, any chance of big sales before the end of the year such as Black Friday? Can I expect the prices to fall any further as the riding season ends and cooler weather sets in?

Thanks again for all the discussion, it's been very helpful!

[XLsior]

I would go down the route of getting 2 of the same bike...If the Daughter is keen to get on the road and not far off legal licensing age requirements then getting a street legal dual-sport might be the better long term choice...

the reasoning behind getting 2 of the same bike is parts interchangeability and 'spares'

I'm about 200pounds 5.9ft and the CG250 does not want to flip me over nor would it weigh much more than a 200c..

the basic hawk250 is the budget benchmark.

The Templar 250 X or M is hitting 6speed road leaning / 5 speed dirt leaning IMO hits the price sweetspot

The KPX250 is another step up across the price/features

after that your getting into used jap bikes...

If both teens already have riding experience I'd say they'd grow out of the 125/150cc range in a growth spurt and feel wanting...

[JerryHawk250]

To really add to the mix, you might want to check out the Lifan X-pect. Higher quality bike that EFI and has a 2 year part warranty. https://www.venommotorsportsusa.com/...bike-lf200gy-4

[Magician16]

Height will definitely not be a problem for your son; he'll probably be 6" by Christmas anyway. I have short legs for my height, 29" inseam. I have a hard time with the height of a Hawk which is the reason I have shorter bikes. If your daughter has a 32" or longer inseam, she shouldn't have any problem.


If the Hawk height is too high, a shorter shock in the back(from a Ninja 250 on ebay) and lowering the front by dropping the tubes in the front clamp by an inch or two.

[Texas Pete]

The new hawk 250 is:

RPS New Hawk 250 X DOT Street Legal Enduro Dirt Bike, Balance Shaft Engine hawk x 250
$1,719

Powersportsmax has an Autumn Sale on right now and the top of the line Templar X 250 is just
$1,749 !!!

Right now anyone would be crazy not to spend the just $30 extra and get a top of the line Templar X 250. Full size proper frame, a true 250cc engine versus the Hawk 250, and all those fully adjustable front suspension and fully adjustable rear suspension options and six speed gears and upside down forks, and so on and so on. The new Hawk finally comes with a counterbalanced engine and so does the Templar X 250 but the Hawk motor is smaller / less cc's.

Of course once the Autumn sale is over it will be up close to $1,999 or just under until the next sale whenever that happens in the future.

You can get two just different colors if you want, then the kids only get jealous over a sticker color. Thumper and others on here have already posted how you can lower these Templar X 250's if you need to and then when the kids get bigger you can put them back up to normal size so you have something they can grow into.

Maybe Thumper can post the height after his lowering modification after sitting on the bike and putting preload on the rear shock to see how much approximate leg length is needed to flat foot? I am 6' and 32" inseam and have no problems on the normal size Templar X 250 as it comes out of the box but kids will be shorter than I am. The way you get on these bikes is to step up on to the foot peg and then throw your leg over, plenty of room and when you are up on the seat the rear shock compresses and I easily touch the ground.

I miss the days of really cheap Hawk 250 prices but today it just makes zero sense with the higher prices.

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A manny store which will put some people here off




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