Motorcross Bike
Discussion
You say you have an interest in MX bikes but where will you ride?? And is it specifically MX bikes ror Offroad bikes in general?
if you will be on a proper MX track, as others have said, a 125 4T would be a good starting point. 125 2T's are fun but can bite, especially if you're new to riding. 125 4T's are far more forgiving although that's in the context of a true MX bike which is a fairly high strung machine.
If you will be riding anywhere else, I would actually recommend ANYTHING but a true MX bike. MX bikes have very small flywhheels and can be very revvy, not the best for a novice to get to grips with or build confidence. If it's for messing about in a field or general muddy place, maybe look at a trail bike like a Yamaha TTR or similar.
if you will be on a proper MX track, as others have said, a 125 4T would be a good starting point. 125 2T's are fun but can bite, especially if you're new to riding. 125 4T's are far more forgiving although that's in the context of a true MX bike which is a fairly high strung machine.
If you will be riding anywhere else, I would actually recommend ANYTHING but a true MX bike. MX bikes have very small flywhheels and can be very revvy, not the best for a novice to get to grips with or build confidence. If it's for messing about in a field or general muddy place, maybe look at a trail bike like a Yamaha TTR or similar.
I'm actually interested in this to some extent. Whilst I'm more than happy doing track days and road riding in the summer come the winter it would be nice to do some Mx-ing or whatever its called.
I done a taster day and loved it.
problem is I don't know anything about Mx-ing, I mean nothing. seriously nothing. the thing is right up the road from me is an open cast with various hills, drop offs, jumps and generally deserted. I used to bmx and mountain bike up there as a kid. it would be idea for a bit mx-ing. plus if I brake my arm again up there I can walk home this time now I live even closer.
so what kinda bike would people recommend
ideally one that can be used on the road and off road
how much would it cost to start off, gear bike and rest etc
maintenance what is required and how often
I done a taster day and loved it.
problem is I don't know anything about Mx-ing, I mean nothing. seriously nothing. the thing is right up the road from me is an open cast with various hills, drop offs, jumps and generally deserted. I used to bmx and mountain bike up there as a kid. it would be idea for a bit mx-ing. plus if I brake my arm again up there I can walk home this time now I live even closer.
so what kinda bike would people recommend
ideally one that can be used on the road and off road
how much would it cost to start off, gear bike and rest etc
maintenance what is required and how often
To put this in perspective. I had never ridden a motorbike until 10 years ago. I'm now fairly accomplished on Tarmac and even tried some racing with mixed results.
I went MXing last week on a 33bhp KXF250 MX bike, which I've had for three years and barely used. It scares the s
t out of me as a bike, I am absolutely useless at it, falling off at least twice every lap and was so exhausted by the 3rd lap that I had to come in and a couple of times found myself unable to kick start the bike.
I'm going Enduro riding in a few weeks at a more sedate track.
You need to remember that going from mX to Tarmac is easy, going the other way is virtually impossible. Oh amd everything you do on an MX bike is the opposite of a road bike just to really mess with your head.
I went MXing last week on a 33bhp KXF250 MX bike, which I've had for three years and barely used. It scares the s
t out of me as a bike, I am absolutely useless at it, falling off at least twice every lap and was so exhausted by the 3rd lap that I had to come in and a couple of times found myself unable to kick start the bike. I'm going Enduro riding in a few weeks at a more sedate track.
You need to remember that going from mX to Tarmac is easy, going the other way is virtually impossible. Oh amd everything you do on an MX bike is the opposite of a road bike just to really mess with your head.
Yazza54 said:
You'd probably fit fine on a bigger bike then. A 125 4 stroke probably best as they're a bit more linear in their power delivery and less maintenance for a novice... The mx'ers will be along soon to help I'm sure
This may sound silly but, does anyone make a full size 125 4T motocross bike? A 125 4T would be okay for about the 1st hour or riding, before you realised it is too underpowered. I also believe a 2T MX is less maintenance than a 4T MX, unless you mean a 125 4T is less maintenance than a 250/400 4T, but you are right a modern 4T is much easier for a novice to learn on.Edited by Yazza54 on Sunday 10th August 17:17
Have you ever done MX? Not Enduro or PO cing about in a field, but real MX? If you can do an hours riding the first time you try it then I'd be amazed. In fact it'll probably take you two full days before you even get near an hours riding or the bikes capability. Too slow my arse. Read my earlier post about how mental a 250 4T is.
LoonR1 said:
Have you ever done MX? Not Enduro or PO cing about in a field, but real MX? If you can do an hours riding the first time you try it then I'd be amazed. In fact it'll probably take you two full days before you even get near an hours riding or the bikes capability. Too slow my arse. Read my earlier post about how mental a 250 4T is.
I done a mornings mx, fk knows what I was on, it was easy as hell through the cones and on the kids track but after an hour of jumps (they were jumps but I was only getting a few inches in the air) and banks etc on the big track I was fked. my god its the most physical thing id done and id done insanity MX Blasting around a track with table tops etc.
Enduro - Longer track that includes technical "sections" you have to ride using throttle and brake control. Still At Speed.
Trials - Course laid out in sections. Keep your feet up in the slower twisty bits and ride over obsticles. As a beginner these are about 6 inches to a foot. Get better and they get 1) bigger and 2) closer together.
Bike wise MX and Enduro are similar in suspension layout but Enduros tend to be "torquier".
Trials are shorter wheelbase and have a dip where the seat should be. Torque is very high on the requirements list. They get unstable at speed as well. If you can ride one well you can ride anything.
If speed is your thing MX, Travelling then Enduro, developing a skill set then go Trials.
Enduro - Longer track that includes technical "sections" you have to ride using throttle and brake control. Still At Speed.
Trials - Course laid out in sections. Keep your feet up in the slower twisty bits and ride over obsticles. As a beginner these are about 6 inches to a foot. Get better and they get 1) bigger and 2) closer together.
Bike wise MX and Enduro are similar in suspension layout but Enduros tend to be "torquier".
Trials are shorter wheelbase and have a dip where the seat should be. Torque is very high on the requirements list. They get unstable at speed as well. If you can ride one well you can ride anything.
If speed is your thing MX, Travelling then Enduro, developing a skill set then go Trials.
LoonR1 said:
Have you ever done MX? Not Enduro or PO cing about in a field, but real MX? If you can do an hours riding the first time you try it then I'd be amazed. In fact it'll probably take you two full days before you even get near an hours riding or the bikes capability. Too slow my arse. Read my earlier post about how mental a 250 4T is.
Does anyone make a full size 125 4T MX bike?Can we have a sticky with the difference between MX, Enduro and Trials? This question gets (incorrectly) asked about once a week.
OP, your question is similar to asking whether to play football, tennis or golf. They all use balls but the similarity stops there.
You need to be clear on what you want to do and where you want to do it, then ask again.
eg
Use it on the road? MX = no, Enduro = yes, Trials = possible, if road registered but you just wouldn't
Use it on byways, green lanes etc? MX = no, Enduro = yes, Trials = yes if road registered but you won't enjoy it
etc etc
An MX bike will be the most mental to ride but you're VERY limited where you can ride it (basically, private land only, ever). A Trials bike is what you need if you want to ride up the side of a house and jump off the roof. An enduro bike will do a fair bit of what an MX bike will do, without biting your ass quite as savagely, and a [u]little[/u] bit of what a trials bike will do. I suspect that you, and the majority of others asking similar questions, want an enduro bike.
OP, your question is similar to asking whether to play football, tennis or golf. They all use balls but the similarity stops there.
You need to be clear on what you want to do and where you want to do it, then ask again.
eg
Use it on the road? MX = no, Enduro = yes, Trials = possible, if road registered but you just wouldn't
Use it on byways, green lanes etc? MX = no, Enduro = yes, Trials = yes if road registered but you won't enjoy it
etc etc
An MX bike will be the most mental to ride but you're VERY limited where you can ride it (basically, private land only, ever). A Trials bike is what you need if you want to ride up the side of a house and jump off the roof. An enduro bike will do a fair bit of what an MX bike will do, without biting your ass quite as savagely, and a [u]little[/u] bit of what a trials bike will do. I suspect that you, and the majority of others asking similar questions, want an enduro bike.
I think some of the confusion may come from the use (and spelling) of the word "trial" in the context of off-road bikes...
Trials bike = aforementioned low-slung, torquey, squashy-tyred thing that you see Dougie Lampkin and co. leaping from obstacle to obstacle. Yes, they can be road registered, but unless you like riding at less than 30mph on a road, I wouldn't bother - you'd be better off trailering it to wherever you will be dicking about on it.
Trail bike = basically another word for Enduro bike. Predominantly road registered, and used for general looning about around the woods (where permitted), green lanes (again, where permitted) and such like.
If you have zero motorcycling experience, starting out on either is a good introduction - a Trials bike will teach you balance, clutch and brake control, and an Enduro bike on not-too-technical terrain will teach you the general handling traits of a motorbike off-road.
As has been said, if you want to go balls-out fast around a track, then an MX bike is the way to go. Yes, you can use these on Enduro courses or for green laning too (if road registered), though they will generally be set up a bit harder in the suspension department and engines are more peaky meaning they are less forgiving to ride. For a beginner, this is less than ideal, unless you're going for the holeshot off the start or block-passing someone into a hairpin on an MX track before roosting them out of the corner (much fun). Arm pump is a bh though.
Trials bike = aforementioned low-slung, torquey, squashy-tyred thing that you see Dougie Lampkin and co. leaping from obstacle to obstacle. Yes, they can be road registered, but unless you like riding at less than 30mph on a road, I wouldn't bother - you'd be better off trailering it to wherever you will be dicking about on it.
Trail bike = basically another word for Enduro bike. Predominantly road registered, and used for general looning about around the woods (where permitted), green lanes (again, where permitted) and such like.
If you have zero motorcycling experience, starting out on either is a good introduction - a Trials bike will teach you balance, clutch and brake control, and an Enduro bike on not-too-technical terrain will teach you the general handling traits of a motorbike off-road.
As has been said, if you want to go balls-out fast around a track, then an MX bike is the way to go. Yes, you can use these on Enduro courses or for green laning too (if road registered), though they will generally be set up a bit harder in the suspension department and engines are more peaky meaning they are less forgiving to ride. For a beginner, this is less than ideal, unless you're going for the holeshot off the start or block-passing someone into a hairpin on an MX track before roosting them out of the corner (much fun). Arm pump is a b
h though. Edited by ccr32 on Monday 11th August 14:49
A 250 4-stroke MX bike will be perfect, so long as you have a car with a towbar (for a trailer) or a van. And a garage and a big lock.
Enough power to keep you amused long term, but easy enough to ride without using all of the power, unlike a 2-stroke which needs to be kept in the power band.
There are plenty of tracks around, they usually only cost £20-£30 per day, so dirt cheap compared to trackdays. Most of them are well maintained, so the ruts don't get too deep and the jumps stay in good shape. There are marshals and first aiders, and you're always close to your car, so if you get injured or break down it's not usually a big deal. The same doesn't apply to enduro. You'll only use £10 in fuel for the day, and probably about the same in Lucozade because it's pretty much the most exhausting thing in the world. And great fun!
Enough power to keep you amused long term, but easy enough to ride without using all of the power, unlike a 2-stroke which needs to be kept in the power band.
There are plenty of tracks around, they usually only cost £20-£30 per day, so dirt cheap compared to trackdays. Most of them are well maintained, so the ruts don't get too deep and the jumps stay in good shape. There are marshals and first aiders, and you're always close to your car, so if you get injured or break down it's not usually a big deal. The same doesn't apply to enduro. You'll only use £10 in fuel for the day, and probably about the same in Lucozade because it's pretty much the most exhausting thing in the world. And great fun!
grahamr88 said:
A 250 4-stroke MX bike will be perfect, so long as you have a car with a towbar (for a trailer) or a van. And a garage and a big lock.
Enough power to keep you amused long term, but easy enough to ride without using all of the power, unlike a 2-stroke which needs to be kept in the power band.
There are plenty of tracks around, they usually only cost £20-£30 per day, so dirt cheap compared to trackdays. Most of them are well maintained, so the ruts don't get too deep and the jumps stay in good shape. There are marshals and first aiders, and you're always close to your car, so if you get injured or break down it's not usually a big deal. The same doesn't apply to enduro. You'll only use £10 in fuel for the day, and probably about the same in Lucozade because it's pretty much the most exhausting thing in the world. And great fun!
Really looking to get into this, just had a look and there is hundreds of tracks for £15 a day!!!Enough power to keep you amused long term, but easy enough to ride without using all of the power, unlike a 2-stroke which needs to be kept in the power band.
There are plenty of tracks around, they usually only cost £20-£30 per day, so dirt cheap compared to trackdays. Most of them are well maintained, so the ruts don't get too deep and the jumps stay in good shape. There are marshals and first aiders, and you're always close to your car, so if you get injured or break down it's not usually a big deal. The same doesn't apply to enduro. You'll only use £10 in fuel for the day, and probably about the same in Lucozade because it's pretty much the most exhausting thing in the world. And great fun!
so how much for gear? quality top end
how much for the bike? used or new, I know nothing about them what are the 675's and r1's of the mx world
what needs done maintenance wise? ive heard rebuilds of engines are almost weekly is that just rubbish or fact, for a guy who covers the basics on road and track bikes is it much more hands on?
Yasbear3 said:
Hey sorry late reply,
My friends rent this area with a few acres, so I would practice there and there are fields,tracks etc etc
So a trials bike would be the best port of call?
No. Learn the difference between Motocross bikes (note spelling) Enduro or trail bikes and trials bikes before you go any further.My friends rent this area with a few acres, so I would practice there and there are fields,tracks etc etc
So a trials bike would be the best port of call?
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