Kids dirt bikes: A parent's guide to choosing the right bike

Have your kids asked for dirt bikes yet? Mine began asking when my eldest was about five years old. Like most parents, I put them off a little longer. I told them I would think about it as soon as they could ride their pushbikes really well without training wheels.

Well, low and behold, two hours later, I had both a five-year-old and a three-year-old who could do just fine without training wheels. I managed to delay them another year by telling them that the bike shop doesn’t have any little ones left. They had heaps, by the way.

Eventually, I got them a little Honda CRF50 and you know what? I wish I had bought it earlier!

Now that they’re teens and tweens, we’ve gone through a number of kids dirt bikes over the years. There’s a lot to consider before buying and it’s a big investment for most, so make sure you consider the following so that you choose the right one.

What size dirt bike does my child need?

Choosing the right size kids dirt bike isn’t as simple as matching your child’s age to an engine capacity. Their height, weight, riding experience and confidence all matter, as does the physical size and power delivery of the bike itself.

As a rough guide, younger beginners often start on a small 50cc dirt bike, while older or more experienced kids may be ready for something larger. However, two bikes with the same engine capacity can have very different seat heights, weights and power characteristics.

Age	Dirt bike size to consider	What to look for
3-6 years	50cc or small electric bike	Low seat height, manageable weight, simple controls and adjustable power
7-9 years	50cc-110cc	Match seat height and power to the child’s size and experience
10-12 years	65cc-110cc	Consider experience, height, transmission and intended riding
13+ years	110cc-125cc+	Physical size and riding ability become more important than age

These are only starting points, not hard-and-fast rules. A first-time 10-year-old may be much better suited to a mild four-stroke than a powerful competition-focused bike with a similar engine capacity.

More important than the number on the engine is whether your child can comfortably control the bike. They should be able to support it when stopped, reach the controls properly and operate the throttle and brakes confidently. A bike that’s too tall, heavy or powerful can make learning harder and less safe.

If possible, take your child to a motorcycle dealer and have them sit on several bikes before buying. That gives you a much better indication of the right fit than choosing solely from an age or engine-capacity chart.

How to choose the right dirt bike for your kids

Get the seat height right

You probably think I’m talking about engine size, but I’m actually talking about seat height. Unfortunately, bikes are not like shirts, and it’s really unsafe to buy one that’s two sizes too large, knowing they will grow into it. It’s also not always practical to go by their age as some kids are tall, and some kids are short.

As a general guide, beginner riders should be able to comfortably get both feet down when sitting on the bike. They don’t necessarily need to be completely flat-footed, but they should feel stable and confident supporting the bike when stopped. Keep in mind that proper riding boots can change how easily they reach the ground, so it’s a good idea to have your child try the bike while wearing the gear they’ll actually ride in.

Some people get training wheels for younger kids (usually under fives) thus avoiding the height problem. However, this makes me super uneasy. I feel that kids aren’t ready for dirt bikes if they can’t ride a pushbike without training wheels and balance properly.

If your child is tall, some dirt bikes for kids come in “big wheel” and “small wheel” options. For e.g. both the Yamaha TTR125 and Honda CRF125 have a larger wheel option for big little riders, giving you an extra seat height of around 5cm.

Choose the right engine size

For kids under the age of seven, a 50cc is a top choice and is generally the least powerful bike available. It’s the most popular choice for little kids to learn on. Kids dirt bikes range from 50cc to 125cc in engine size and anything bigger than that moves into adult or teenager territory. As a parent, I would go for the least powerful engine size possible for their height unless they are experienced riders.

As a rough guide, consider this as a starting point when looking at bikes:

3 – 7 years of age: 50cc
7 – 12 years of age: 50cc to 110cc
12 – 14 years of age: 125cc
14 – 16 years of age: 125cc to 250cc

Generally, you will move up in engine size when your kid grows too tall for their smaller bike, they get serious about it and want to do motocross, or they’ve just gotten really confident and are ready to learn how to use a clutch.

Automatic vs manual transmission

Expecting a beginner to master a clutch on the first go is a bit much, and the smaller dirt bikes for kids nearly always have an automatic clutch. They can still change gears as per normal, but they don’t have to worry about coordinating their hand at the same time.

Younger riders will most likely struggle with a manual transmission, and many just putt around in the same gear for a while till they get the hang of being upright on the bike.

Two-stroke vs four-stroke

It’s important to ask this question when looking at first dirt bikes for kids as beginner riders are more suited to four-stroke engines. This is because they are easier to control at low speeds, have smoother acceleration and less kick when they are revving it. Two strokes on the other hand, are usually the preferred choice for motocross as they have more acceleration.

Sometimes rather than getting a larger engine, trading your four-stroke for a two-stroke can be just as fun.

With a two-stroke, you will usually have to pre-mix oil and petrol when filling up. It’s not a big deal but it’s kind of another step. However, I do suspect that all of this will be null and void as more and more EV options come on the market.

Throttle limiters

This is by far my favourite feature when it comes to kids dirt bikes. It allows you to easily control how much the throttle can be pulled, effectively stopping younger kids from going too fast before they are ready. When they have a bit more self-control and experience, you can wind it back out allowing them to pull the throttle on fully.

Electric vs kick start

An electric start is a really nice bonus if the bike has it but it’s not really a selling point and is actually fairly frustrating when it doesn’t work for whatever reason. The reason I don’t see this being an important factor is that you won’t be letting the kids ride their dirt bikes unsupervised anyway, so it’s not too big a deal to kickstart it for them until they are old enough to manage it themselves.

Don’t forget to budget for safety gear

The expense of getting kids dirt bikes doesn’t stop with the bike itself. Getting safety gear is obviously really important and not something you can skimp on. Falling off is not a matter of if, but when. You’re going to need the following at a bare minimum when riding around the yard:

Full-faced motorcycle helmet (one that fits, not an adult one that you’ve lent your kid)
Riding boots
Gloves
Goggles

If you’re planning on doing motocross or anything more than slowly putting around the yard, you will need:

All of the above
Chest and back protector
Knee and elbow guards (may come in-built with their riding jerseys and pants)

You can also get neck protectors and kidney protectors.

kids dirt bikes — Photo by **cottonbro** from **Pexels**

Should you buy a new or second-hand kids dirt bike?

Buying new has the benefit of it having zero Ks and being in tip-top shape. The downside is that you will pay top dollar for it. I bought my kid’s first dirt bike brand new, as the bikes going second-hand were not that much cheaper.

Much like dance and horse riding, dirt bikes are not a particularly cheap activity for your kids to get into. And since your little cherubs keep eating and growing, you will most likely go through a few bikes over the years. Buying second hand is obviously the way to go if you’re trying to save a few dollars and/or aren’t sure that the kids will stick with it. The downside is that the bike may have some issues, but this won’t be a problem if you usually spend your weekends tinkering anyway.

Where can kids legally ride dirt bikes?

For most kids, the simplest option is riding on private property with the landowner’s permission or at a designated motorcycle park or riding facility that allows junior riders.

Don’t assume kids can ride an unregistered dirt bike on public roads, state forests, national parks or 4WD tracks. Registration, licensing and age requirements vary between states and territories, and many public areas prohibit unregistered motorcycles altogether.

Before heading out, check the rules for your state and the particular property or riding area. A local motocross or motorcycle club can also be a good place for kids to learn and ride in a more controlled environment.

In conclusion

Buying dirt bikes for the kids is an exciting time in their lives and is a great opportunity to get them outdoors and watch them grow in leaps and bounds. Remember, bike riding is a family affair so don’t forget about mum and dad!

Psst: Now that you’ve got this great new hobby, have you thought about how you’re going to take them adventuring. Check out this toy hauler!