How Old Does a Kid Need to Be to Ride a Dirt Bike?

Kids can start riding dirt bikes at the young age of 3 or 4 years old with the proper setup and guidance. By 5 or 6 they can ride around without training wheels and even hit smaller jumps. 

These Are The Things Every Kid Should Do When Learning To Ride A Dirt Bike:

1. The most important thing all riders need is the proper riding gear
2. Put motorcycle training wheels on the bike so they can’t fall over (easily)
3. Adjust the governor to control the throttle power output.
4. Teach the kids where the controls on a dirt bike are located and when to use them. The throttle, rear and front brake and kill switch.
5. Let them learn in an open area with minimal trees or structures they could accidentally run into.

How I Learned To Ride:

I began riding dirt bikes at the ripe age of 3 years old on a 1990 Yamaha PW50. I had no training wheels and I was within the confinements of a fairly small privacy fenced in back yard. My very first attempt at twisting the throttle and taking off on my own led to me whiskey throttling straight into the fence. I felt like I was in slow motion up until my body impacted the fence. I was free from injury and my dad quickly helped me up. My dad had realized that I had too much power in the throttle and the beautiful thing about most 50cc dirt bikes is that it is adjustable. There is a governor screw you can adjust to minimize the power output of the throttle. Once we adjusted the throttle power I picked it up really quickly.

How My Brother Learned To Ride:

My brother Casey was the lucky one (parents learn from mistakes) and had training wheels from day one on his Honda CRF50F. I was quite envious of them but also proud of the way I had to learn! He was taken to a field by our house where there was nothing for him to hit. The main things he learned; throttle control, braking and turning. Once those skills had been mastered and a few teasing remarks from his older brother (me) later he was ready to take the training wheels off. No matter how much a kid says they don’t want the training wheels I do feel that they are very necessary before turning a kid loose on a motorcycle. Having them start on a bicycle with training wheels is a must and I would assure confidence in them on a bicycle without training wheels before ever taking the training wheels off of the dirt bike. Don’t let teasing from an older sibling cause you to remove the training wheels prematurely.

Should I Get My Kid A Dirt Bike?

Yes you should, it will give them a task to overcome, it will teach them; balance, coordination, reflexes and may lead to a life long hobby or passion. I may have a biased opinion on the subject but also a very valid one. It is proven to be safe for kids to ride motorcycles at a young age as long as the parents provide the proper safety gear and environment. Most injuries that lead to a hospital visit, over half actually, occur when riders are on an official dirt bike track. This is a good stat to go off of because a very small percentage of riders participate in racing or track days. Basically if the kids aren’t jumping and being competitively pushed beyond their capabilities then they should be fine. Most crashes at a young age on minibikes are comparable to a bicycle crash. 

Establish rules with your kid, do not allow them to ride without ALL of their safety gear. Print them off a check list that they need to follow before every ride. This will teach discipline and routine so that you don’t have to worry when they get older.

Check List For Kids Before Every Ride:

1. All Gear is on and secured properly: Helmet, Goggles, Gloves, Boots, Pants, Jersey, Knee Pads, Elbow pads, Kidney Belt, Neck Brace.
2. Stretch just like an adult before activity, this can help prevent injuries.
3. Test your brakes and look at the tires to make sure they aren’t deflated.
4. The Bike has been started by an adult and warmed up for a few minutes.
5. A parent or responsible adult is watching you ride.
6. Ride and have fun – braap braaaaap