What kind of dirt bikes are there

This perseverance has paid off, with the Yamaha Racing company dominating across many extreme sports. As well as championship titles in MotoGP, powerboating and Road racing, Yamaha has also made its mark in the world of dirt bikes. In fact, the numbers may surprise you. Although we prefer the Yellow and Black dirt bike design from past decades, this probably caused confusion with Suzuki Racing. Kawasaki is yet another story of drive and determination. The Kawasaki Heavy Machinery company was formed in the late s after shipping company owner Shozo Kawasaki lost his only cargo ship!

Having relied on western boats for many decades, Shozo decided the best way forward was to build his own ships. Fair play Shozo. Kawasaki Motorcycles was formed in the early sixties as a partnership with Meguro, and the first bike built was a cc four-stroke model. In Kawasaki produced its first dirt bike, the cc B8M. By the s the KX racing brand was becoming a winning combination.

As a point of interest, the KXF was a partnership between Suzuki and Kawasaki, and both versions ran identical running gear. The Kawasaki won the hearts of riders and fans alike. Kawasaki has always been the bad boy of the big Japanese manufacturers. On the road, the world-famous Ninja was the hooligan. With Insane power bands, ridiculously aggressive performance, and with a host of wins to its name, the KX Racing brand got stuck in and held on tight. Ironically, the perfect riders manual footnote for any Kawasaki dirt bike.

Besides, Any bike that Ricky Carmichael can take to the finish line consistently deserves a place. Company slogan: Let the good times roll not really fitting for such a lunatic machine. The Green was explicitly chosen to divide! We love that. The final brand to make our top five battle of the dirt bike brands shoot-out used to make rifles. So how do they fare against the big guns of the dirt bike world? Husqvarna has a fascinating back story. First, the Swedish company built rifles.

Then they switched to sewing machines as the demand for guns slowed. It would appear that some of the machinery and techniques for each industry are similar. By , the company had diversified further, with motorcycles making an appearance.

Having strong links to the Swedish armed forces drove development also, and Husqvarna became involved in cross country races. Although the new Husqvarna range is made in the same factory as KTM motorcycles, there are fundamental differences between the two bikes.

The air-box and other components such as handlebars and brakes are completely different. These subtle changes do make some variation in ride and handling. These legends of off-road riding hold a special place in motocross and our collective history. Company slogan: Ready to race which was actually adopted by KTM after the takeover. This is really a wild card section for us to share with you the dirt bike brands that may make our Battle of the Brands list. There are some seriously competitive bikes in our top five.

We have left out Suzuki, which may be a controversial decision for many riders. We touch on right 4 stroke trail bike for beginners and pros looking to ride all sorts of terrain.

Enduro dirt bikes share many similarities with both Motocross and Trail dirt bikes. An enduro dirt bike is essentially a blend of the two. Enduro dirt bikes are trail bikes designed to be operated at higher performance levels. Enduro dirt bikes are designed for racing with better acceleration, faster speeds, improved handling, and upgraded suspension.

Enduro dirt bikes are built to be ridden in tough terrain through rocky trails and river beds. Enduro dirt bikes have more bottom end power for climbing steep hills. Due to the number of dangerous obstacles, enduro dirt bike boots often have additional heel and toe protection.

Enduro dirt bikes typically cost more than a trail bike as they are equipped with much more technology and high performance parts.

Notice they are all cc 2 Stroke dirt bikes. A dual sport dirt bike is ideal for anyone looking for a two wheeled adventure without the intention of clearing a table top jump or climbing a mountain of rocs. Dual sport bikes offer a wide range of riding options but are limited when it comes to pushing the bike and rider to the edge of the comfort zone.

The name dual sport implies two parts. The dual nature comes in the form of being part off-road trail bike and part street legal dirt bike. This makes a dual sport dirt bike ideal for hopping on and off the beaten path and back onto paved roads. This is made possible thanks to the dual sport tires which are multifunctional — although not the best at either off roading or street racing.

Dual sport riders often ride with a dual sport helmet or an adventure bike helmet. Dual sport motorcycles are relatively easy to identify. Dual sport bikes are intended to be ridden over long distances like cross country touring. Some noticeable difference include. Check out these popular dual sport bikes for short riders. Trials dirt bikes are the most unique looking dirt bikes in the list.

This is a special class of dirt bike used to test a riders technical ability and skill — not speed. Basic mode has a speedometer, clock and trip meter. Race mode has a timer and a distance-compensating trip meter. Comfort factors include a thick seat, tapered aluminum handlebars and extra-wide footpegs. With reduced weight, the Suzuki RM-Z is designed for performance and handling. The frame provides greater cornering and straight-line performance.

The bike features an oil level window, electric ignition and A-mode or B-mode options to account for traction and slippery conditions. This is helpful for eliminating wheel slip and increasing acceleration. Our first non-Japanese brand made the number eight spot, with a strong engine and performance factors make the sporty KTM SX-F a favorite among amateur and professional riders.

This one-cylinder, four-stroke bike is the lightest in its class. The SX-F engine has a flexible frame for less vibration, improved torque, a shorter wheelbase for better handling, and an improved combustion chamber in the cylinder head. It offers an inch rear wheel, a kickstand, great traction control and softer compression for a smoother ride.

Fun and easy to manage, the YZX has a lightweight feel and great KYB suspension, making it an excellent choice for a variety of skill levels. One of the last 2-stroke engine factories bikes available anymore these days. The single overhead camshaft engine delivers maximum and controllable power to win races and stomp the competition.

A flexible frame delivers better energy absorption for the wheels. While it originates from a off-road bike, a supermoto has full street wheels and tires and is street legal to ride on the road.

I bought a Yamaha YZF and turned it into a plated and street legal supermoto. It was a sweet bike. So light and nimble compared to any other motorcycle on the street.

I ended up selling it and converting a WRF into a supermoto because it already has lights, electric start, and a wide-ratio transmission. Every time I leave a stop sign the front wheel begs to be lifted off the ground. This can be a hazard for numerous reasons. To learn how to make a dirt bike street legal or convert it into a Supermoto check out this article here. Getting towards the end of the list, these types of dirt bikes are very specific in their designed riding purpose.

A hill-climb bike is simply a dirt bike that is modified to be able to ride up a hill more easily. Hill climb competitions are set-up at locations with extremely steep hills with little to no run-up.

Hill climbs are notoriously dangerous for a couple of reasons. Take a highly modified dirt bike with way more power than the average rider can handle. Start at the bottom of a hill that looks more like a wall.

Now hold the throttle wide open and dump the clutch while in gear. Hold on tight and hope that the bike stays straight and underneath you. Flat tracks are built for one thing: racing on a flat course. This can be an oval track or a TT flat track course. Flat track bikes are completely custom bikes or highly modified dirt bikes. With lowered suspension and flat-track specific tires, you can comfortably drift around an oval track at extremely high speeds for a dirt bike. There are plenty of guys still riding into their 70s, and some even older than that!

Learning to properly ride your dirt bike is going to give you the confidence and control you need to stay on the bike and prevent bad crashes, and I want to help you get started.