Unless you have a lot of money to be burning on dirt bikes chances are very good you have a complex strategy to keep yourself on the newest, most reliable bike you can afford. Not only that but I'm sure your strategy is ever evolving and you were planning your next bike almost as soon as you picked up the one you are on now. So for someone just starting out what do you look for? New bikes have always been expensive but in my opinion the last two years or so prices have just gone crazy. Depending on where you are in the world a new 450 is going to cost you somewhere between $9500 and $12000, ouch! Then, if you believe the magazines and websites, you have to lay out more cash for a pipe (because 450's don't make enough power?!?!) and to have your suspension valved. That isn't my opinion but whatever works for each individual rider.
For riders entering the sport prices of of new bike must seem a little overwhelming but there are a lot of good used bikes out there. I think we are very lucky to be in the situation we are today as bikes are built better than they used to be I know a lot of people would argue against that but think about, the 2004 KX250F has to be one of the worst bikes ever made but in 2017 the current version of that bike in stock form is pretty bullet proof. So picking up a bike 3 or 4 years old with just a handful of hours on it for a little more than half the original price is usually a very good option.
Of course I couldn't discuss this topic without mentioning the 2 stroke versus 4 stroke debate. I am not going to take sides here, I own both and think they are both great bikes. I see an even split at my local tracks even among the fast guys. I say ride whatever you feel comfortable on and enjoy it many will mention the added cost of owning a 4 stroke but I think their reliability is getting better and the cost gap is closing. I would love to see some opinions on when to do a top end rebuild on a 450 4 stroke, on average I would say most of the guys I know on 450's are getting 100 hours before a rebuild but I have read a wide range of views on that.
The other option is to rebuild an older bike which is just fine, there are a lot bike build project videos out there and it has been proven many times that you can be competitive on an older bike if you don't believe me look up "Jerry Robin CR250" its a great example. I know a lot of people love to work on their bikes so this is great way to keep costs down if you have the time and know how. Since the whole 2 stroke trend has come back in the last few years it seems some people selling older 2 strokes have gone a little crazy with prices but if you're patient you can still pick up a reasonable deal. Online part stores have made getting parts not only easier but prices have come down too but I will go into that more on my next post.
I know this is a topic that could go on forever and I just wanted to give a quick overview on some of my thoughts, in part 2 I'll get into how I think people getting into the sport can get started in the most cost effective way including mini bikes as that is part of my reality now! Can't wait until he gets onto 65's the 50's drive me crazy lol.
Thanks for reading.
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