Playbike Buyer's Guide

"Which bike is best for me?" is probably the number-one inquiry we get from just about every classification of rider—be he eager beginner or seasoned vet. Naturally, this makes perfect sense. For novices or people trying to pick a bike for their young tyro, the variety of sub-250cc, easy-to-ride, easy-to-learn-on four-strokes can make it amazingly confusing to select a bike upon which to begin the dirt journey.

This class may not be endowed with horsepower or revolutionary technology, but playbikes represent the biggest market share in the industry and are a natural magnet for the growing number of female riders. Traditionally, beginners are the intended aim of manufacturers, yet many an average trail rider never moves out of the class. Why not? For the occasional jaunt down the trail or leading a pack of novices, it's a waste of energy, money and horsepower to manage a big thumper or a high-strung two-stroke. Brown Brothers Racing (BBR), which began by shoehorning XR100 engines into CR80 frames, has become one of the most-successful companies using this formula and is a great resource for women and short riders seeking performance in a smaller package.

This same ease of use enables these models to be thoroughly enjoyed by people of all skill levels; the bikes are versatile enough that they can handle neophyte and trail junkie with equal aplomb. Sometimes it's just fun to ride a slow bike with the throttle buried wide open, especially when against others mounted on similar hardware. This is part of the fuel behind the growing pit-bike phenomenon, which is usually focused on CRF/XR50s but includes practically anything under 150cc. Today there are more aftermarket companies hopping up the venerable 50 than you can shake a stick at—it would require a catalog to list all the builders of these hot toys.

So which is the right bike for you? With the range of sizes, performance and pricing, we believe there's something out there for everyone. To help you wade through the sales brochures, commercials and assorted fertilizer, we brought together the bikes, dug up the useful numbers and threw it all together in one handy shopping guide. If you have ever thought about getting your significant other to learn and enjoy your passion with you, there has never been a better time to get one of these playbikes. The market is ripe.

THE BIKES

KTM
The Austrian company now has all the displacement gaps filled in its race line, but it hasn't concentrated too much on the sub-250cc beginner or trail arena. Its 50cc SX models are split into the Junior and Senior, which are indicative of the experience level required to handle these little motocrossers. We included the Junior in our roundup since it is KTM's "beginner" bike and good for a young moto tyro to get his or her feet wet in motocross.

50 SX Pro Junior LC
MSRP: $2698
Seat height: 23.0-24.0 in. (adjustable)
Weight (minus fuel): 83 lb
Fuel capacity: 0.46 gal.
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: No

On the trail: Our sole two-stroke entry, the Junior LC is a big step for a half-pint motocross rookie. It may be a more-beginner-friendly version of the bulletlike Senior, but it really isn't a learning bike. It needs more care and feeding than all the rest put together. It is intended for churning out laps on a motocross track, so it doesn't come with a spark arrestor. However, it has a kickstand that works well. The KTM has the best suspension of the group—maybe even better than the BBR-modified bike. It's that plush. How fast is it? Fast enough to scare our five-year-old tester to tears, the same five-year-old who has been wringing the neck of his CRF50F. This bike does require throttle and coordination skills. Things happen quickly on it; it accelerates hard. On the plus side for the kids, it's so small you won't have to worry that your dad will go out riding around on it.

Honda
Long a dominant force anywhere on the trail thanks to its extensive history of XRs, Honda has revamped and updated its CRF line to carry the red force into the future.

CRF50F
MSRP: $1199
Seat height: 21.6 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 104 lb
Fuel capacity: 0.8 gal., including 0.2-gal. reserve
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: It is the best-selling motorcycle ever, due in part to its having been in production since 1969, albeit under different names. With a powerplant nearly unchanged in some 30 years, the smallest thumper in the pool certainly has silenced any reliability questions. In the beginning, Honda claimed it produced 1.9 horsepower. Regardless of how much power's on tap, it has plenty for big fun. As it is a little taller and heavier than the kids-only bikes—Yamaha's PW50 and Suzuki's DR50—shifting and starting the CRF may be challenging for the little ones. However, it is fine for adults, so kids may also have to struggle to keep mom and dad off their bikes. And it takes straight gas. Which is perhaps the reason it is leading the pit-bike craze; the 50 is almost everywhere and probably has more adults aboard than eager young riders.

CRF150F
MSRP: $2899
Seat height: 32.5 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 216 lb
Fuel capacity: 2.2 gal., including 0.4-gal. reserve
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: This is the choice for riders who'll grow past this class. The 150 is surprisingly hard to start; however, it's comfortable and has the suspension to handle the majority of beginner-level terrain. This bike is robust. It has the biggest frame tubes and is the only one in this group with a full engine cradle. The engine is not a stressed frame member, which translates into the frame not stretching with abuse (i.e., hard riding). The CRF150F also has the biggest fork tubes and hubs of the small bikes. In fact, the front hub looks as if it came right out of the XR250R's parts bin, while the rest of the bunch use minibike hubs.

The CRF150F started out as a Brazilian dual-sport model, so it has weight and maintenance issues. Only the 230F outweighs it, and the 150F requires two wrenches to remove the seat and has some hard-to-access bolts. It has the biggest gas tank, which means longer journeys from the truck or more time doing circles around the pits.

CRF230F
MSRP: $3399
Seat height: 34.1 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 238 lb
Fuel capacity: 2.2 gal., including 0.4-gal. reserve
Electric starter: Yes
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: For tall novices or advanced beginners, this is the best choice. The E-button is icing on the cake. It is essentially the same bike as the CRF150F, but with a longer swingarm, bigger wheels and slightly larger forks. The wheel travel and ergonomics are identical to the 150F's, so it can be scrunchy for tall pilots. As with its smaller stablemate, the bike's pounds are the downside here. It outweighs the old 224-pound XR200 that it replaced by 20 pounds.

Opinions

When it comes to playbikes, I am not overly concerned about how much power they have or how great the suspension is; it all comes down to how much fun I have on them. Sure, I don't want the things to bog everywhere I go, nor do I want the fenders rubbing the tires every time I hit a bump. I am looking for something on which I can't notice what it is doing because I am having too much fun. That bike is the DR-Z/KLX125. For my size and weight, these bikes (differing only in name and color) had enough power to lug me wherever I wanted to go, and their suspension never bottomed. I even climbed some pretty challenging hills on them. Close runners-up are the Yamaha TT-R125 and the Honda CRF150F. The TT-R125 was just as fun as the DR-Z/KLX125, except that the forks seemed to be a bit soft and would bottom out occasionally. The CRF150F was another fun bike but in this case felt a little heavier than the others, though it made up for it in power. I couldn't throw it around as much as I could the other bikes.
Joe McKimmy/5'8"/148 lb/Novice trail rider

The BBR CRF175 was fast and had fantastic suspension compared with the others, but it's not really a beginner bike—it's more of a serious playbike. If I were spending my own money, I'd go for the BBR kit with the electric-start CRF230F engine inside. It claims roughly the same power as the built 175 we tested out of a bone-stock 230. The BBR-modified 150 engine had surprising throttle response. It felt a little heavier but otherwise still performed like a race minicycle. I could go fast when I twisted the throttle, but it was smooth enough to trail ride. I had some trouble kickstarting the modified motor, though. That's the main reason I'd opt for the E-button model.

I had the most fun on the small-wheeled TT-R. It is super-nimble and feels extremely light. Unfortunately, the suspension is too soft for serious-paced riding. The CRF150F and 230F felt heavier, but they handled whoops and G-outs much better. If I had to ride one of these bikes stock, it would be the CRF150F. The CRF230F has the most room to grow into, but at my height it is best suited for more-open riding than I normally do. The DR-Z/KLX125 steered really nicely, but the performance and feel isn't that much different from the TT-R. So why not have electric start?
Wendy Jo Carswell/5'3"/118 lb/Expert trail rider

I ride a KX125, and I usually ride desert and trail. I liked the Yamaha TT-R125 a lot. It climbed hills well, and I liked that it had an electric start. It accelerated better from the bottom-end than the other two bikes. It had good suspension and handled big rocks well. It was also good on soft sand and handled the whoops well. When I was riding, I hit a big rock with a flat face, and the impact wasn't as big as it would have been on other bikes. It was easy to accidentally shift into neutral. I preferred this bike to the CRF150F and CRF230F.
Tori Wolf/5'61/2"/120 lb/Novice trail rider

I ride an RM85 on track, trail and desert. For me, it was the Honda CRF150F. It had good top-end speed. It was hard to start on the trail when it was warm. I liked it on the whoops; I was able to go straight through them and do a couple at a time, while my sister went around them. It climbed hills better than the TT-R125. I liked this bike better than the TT-R125.
Stratton Wolf/4'10"/102 lb/Novice trail rider

Kawasaki and Suzuki
The recent model sharing between Kawasaki and Suzuki primarily means the consumer gets two color choices and more options for where to purchase bikes and parts.

KLX/DR-Z110
MSRP: $1599/$1699
Seat height: 25.6 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 141 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.0 gal.
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: The bike is roughly the same physical size as a PW80, a TT-R90 or an XR70, but 110cc simply equals more horsepower. The Honda has good suspension action but less travel, and the TT-R has good power on the high end but not on the bottom. The KLX, meanwhile, is easy to start and has more room to grow into than the previous three and more potential—if you want to get stupid with money, you can have the 110 turning moto lap times equal to those of a KX65. Note: There are two versions of the KLX110—one designed to meet California standards for the customers/dealers in that state and one for the rest of the country.

DR-Z/KLX125
MSRP: $2299
Seat height: 30.5 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 176 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.7 gal.
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: For a kickstart engine, it starts reliably and is easy to kick. No tricks, and it's not as technical as the CRF150F. The power difference between this and the TT-R125 isn't huge; the DR-Z makes more on top, while the Yamaha has more on the bottom. Both the Yamaha and the Suzuki are plush in the soft stuff but will clank when you push them. The Suzuki/Kawasaki has the most-accurate turning of the 125/150 mix.

The drum front brakes of these 125s are not great, but a side benefit is that you can adjust the brake lever closer to the bar with a zip-tie for smaller hands. All of the 125s (blue, green or yellow) have stressed-member engines, which means if you start jumping them (and we're not talking about little trail bumps here), the bike will grow longer.

KLX/DR-Z125L
MSRP: $2499
Seat height: 32.0 in./31.7 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 178 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.7 gal.
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: A big-wheel version of Kawazuki's 125, it has the same weight yet more rear-wheel travel and a slightly taller seat; it's also more terrain-able. It gains a disc brake up front, so its stopping prowess is also improved.

Yamaha
A crowd favorite, the TT-R moto is often seen wrapped in a BBR frame. Both TT-Rs are comparable to both DR-Z/KLX125s. The differences are noted below.

TT-R125E
MSRP: $2399
Seat height: 30.5 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 179 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.7 gal.
Electric starter: Yes
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: It has good roll-on power, the E-button is magic and the choke button is mounted on the handlebar, making it a no-brainer to find and use. The bike's compact size and electric start made it a favorite of some of our inseam-challenged testers, especially in the tighter, technical areas. Compared with the DR-Z/KLX, the Yamaha's front is raked out more, so it is more stable at speed but exhibits a tillerlike steering.

TT-R125LE
MSRP: $2699
Seat height: 31.7 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 179 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.7 gal.
Electric starter: Yes
Green sticker: Yes

On the trail: Same bike, but bigger wheels with more terrain abilities. It, too, fires up with the push of a button. The larger-diameter meats gave the LE more ability to tackle Western terrain compared with its plain-E sibling.

WHAT FITS YOU?

Perhaps the number-one factor in picking out one of these bikes is seat height. Fortunately, with a range from 22 to 34 inches, the options are good. Weight is another issue many female riders have; being able to pick up your bike after the inevitable spill can make or break the fun factor. Only the 50s can be confused with light weight; however, just the CRF230F can be considered truly heavy and, basically, if you are big enough to ride it, the weight problem isn't much of a dilemma until you have to pick it up four or five times. Electric starting makes life bearable, is downright easy and is probably the best addition to the bikes of this genre, as starting is often an intimidating part of learning to ride. It's another feature that should be a factor in your decision making. More of a confidence-building thing than an outright must on a beginner bike, the one-button starting method is a crowd-pleaser and perhaps the only hitch preventing the wife from joining you.

BBR
OK, so you're not satisfied with a heavy, slow bike and have some extra cash burning a hole in your pants. Well, the guys at Brown Brothers Racing have just the answer. They can supply you with the basic kits to build your own pocket racer—or they will build it for you—in whatever bling level you desire.

CRF175
MSRP: $10,826.20 (base price $7999)
Seat height: 34.5 in.
Weight (minus fuel): 190 lb
Fuel capacity: 1.4 gal.
Electric starter: No
Green sticker: No (as tested)

On the trail: This bike started out life as a Honda CRF150F motor mated to a BBR Perimeter Frame Kit with stock CR85 chassis components. A bare-bones bike will set you back $7999. Suppose you already have a motor and CR85 chassis components (plastic and suspension). Then you can simply buy the kit and build your own. These kits start at $2999 for the XR100/TT-R125/ XR200/CRF150F. Frame kits include a BBR perimeter frame, motor mounts, a brake pedal, footpeg mounts, a plastic gas tank, an airboot, an exhaust system, radiator shrouds, a graphics kit and seat cover and a BBR gas cap.

However, we weren't interested in run-of-the-mill normal. We wanted to show the extreme upper-level option available. So we got BBR to ship us a fully hopped CRF150F model with a 175 high-compression kit and all the trimmings that it built for the White Brothers Four-Stroke Nationals. The end cost for the rolling artwork with all the bells and whistles is a whopping $10,826.20. To drop this kind of coin, you have to be serious about your riding—this is not a bike on which to learn. Its high-compression engine requires a deft kickstarter leg and a bit of inseam to manage. Normal BBR clients are short riders, women who want a lightweight trailbike or racers who have no qualms about paying this kind of money to get a bike that is the perfect match. However, BBR does say the electric-start CRF230F mill, instead of the 175 kit, is better suited for shorter riders or women. As the power output is close to the same, the real nod for the 230 is simply the E-button and the resultant higher fun factor. When you consider the cost of the mods to convert the 150 motor to a 175, the additional price of the 230 engine and frame kit still extracts less from your wallet.

So what do you get for 11 grand? Practically everything except the kitchen sink—and we would not be surprised if the enterprising team in Kent, Washington, couldn't graft one on the bike somehow, somewhere.