These reviews of the best dirt bike for beginners are specifically for machines that are friendly to people who have only started riding off-road. That shouldn’t be taken to mean that they’re off-road bikes for children, as a lot of them can still get you in trouble if you’re at all haphazard in your driving. It just means that most of them are suitable for teens still learning the off-road-biking experience (how-to guide here) as well as adults who’ve done it before.
This enduro 250cc bike is a good option for beginners. It is powerful enough and at the same time easy to control. When you buy it you get Gloves, Sunglasses and a Handgrip. An exhaust pipe of excellent quality is also included when you buy one. It has a neat design and its traction is considerable because it comes with 2 fat tires prepared for the mud.
It brings fat tires both on the front and rear to gain traction for the mud. Its seat is low for the rider’s comfort and to be able to move Requires assembling it, which is something you can do easily with the instructions that come with the bike.
This great dirt bike from Apollo (125cc) has a 4-stroke single-cylinder engine with a maximum horsepower of 6.0kW/8.2HP. It has dual hydraulic brakes, front and rear suspension, and a maximum load of 220lbs.
This $960 dirt bike is a pretty good beginner’s machine for a lot of teen riders—and it’s not too shabby as adults’ powerful off-roader bikes, too. It gets up to some nice speeds and feels nicely balanced. At $960, though, don’t expect a super-heavy-duty build. It’s nicely constructed, but probably not capable of going without a part replacement or careful maintenance in the first years. Fortunately, parts for it also run cheap. Treated right, this dirt bike can go a pretty good distance.
Designed specifically for younger riders, this compact electric bike can support up to 220lbs. The 650-watt engine powers it up to speeds of 17 mph and the 36V battery allows a riding time of about 40 minutes. It has steel construction, variable speed control, and hand-operated dual disc brakes.
If you’re on the hunt for a model for your kid, here’s our review of the top-rated electric dirt bikes for children.
This is a beginner’s dirt bike you can feel good about letting young kids ride—a lot of people actually let their 10 and 12-year-olds ride it despite the manufacturer-recommended minimum age of 16. Considering the bike only weighs 98 lbs. and a fair number of 12-year-olds actually do begin to approach the 70s, it doesn’t seem outrageous at all that many owners would ignore that recommendation. It’s a pretty good starter dirt bike for kids at $480.
This is a compact, 110 lb. dirt bike with a 70cc 4-stroke semi-automatic engine. The air-cooled motor puts out as much as 4.0kW of power and supplies enough juice for it to go as fast as 55km/h. It has a semi-automatic clutch transmission, a maximum load of 50 kg, and a wheelbase of 925mm.
This $500 bike is among the best dirt bike for beginners that is nice for younger users, as the first dirt bike in this lineup, although it’s more powerful given that it’s a proper gas bike. As such, it’s probably better suited for older kids than the other youngster’s bike on the list. It’s not badly constructed at all despite the cheap price, but you may want to ensure that all parts are as should be before letting your kid have a spin. A bolt or two might need tightening and it is always better safe than sorry.
This dirt bike has a 4-stroke 115cc engine and a manual clutch on its steel frame. Comes with 14″/12” Wheels, Seat Height of 28″ while the rear ones are conventional ones. Max Speed is 40 mph but depending on the type of route where it is ridden.
This is a great bike at just $1,044, and it will take even big guys on a swift and sweet ride without a groan. It handles trails quite beautifully, too, and jumps nicely for a beginner’s bike, so you know it can be a good machine for practicing. If you plan to use this to teach a younger user, though, you may want to modify it a bit. It can take off like a shot from a standing position, so a throttle limiter would be a good idea; you don’t want your 10-year-old flying off it because of a careless handgrip, after all. Overall, it’s a rather lean and attractive machine, with some nice muscle on it and a very well-balanced feel.
This full-body-size bike can handle up to 440 lbs. and sports a wheelbase of 55.9in. The 250cc engine is a 4-stroke, single-cylinder capable of putting out 15.64HP with huge torque. It has an electric start. Check out other Top Apollo Dirt Bikes on the market.
This is a fantastic buy at $1,395, especially considering it’s a 250cc bike. It’s definitely for bigger (and older) beginners, especially those who’ve tried weaker dirt bikes already and now want to move up. Other than the minor issues noted above, it’s also well-made and a pleasure to ride, so it’s definitely a bargain. It’s a great vehicle for the streets if you are willing to make an effort to make it street legal (discussed here).
Conclusion
There you have the options for the best beginner dirt bikes today. You can also start with top mini dirt bikes for the money, but this list already has some great options. Want a bike that can go the distance after you’ve made it past the beginner’s phase? The 250cc bike from Apollo is a pretty good choice on this list, then. It’s the most expensive, yes, but considering what you get, it’s actually a great bargain.
If you really can’t shell out that much, though, you may want to try the 125cc from SSR Motorsports instead. It may be slightly less powerful, but it’s also about $400 cheaper—and still delivers some speedy performance at that price. It’s also modifiable so that you can use it to help younger riders learn how to use dirt bikes, which isn’t really something you can do easily with the large and beefy Apollo.
Looking for a dirt bike for your kid? See our Top Options for Cheap Dirt Bikes for Kids.
