Tools For The Job To be a dirt bike rider, you need, among other things, a dirt bike. These models represent different sizes of beginner-friendly options. If your son or daughter shows the interest and skill for a more a more aggressive or specialized machine, competition-oriented minibikes are available from these manufacturers and others (such as Cobra in motocross, Sherco in trials and KTM in motocross and off-road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amaha’s two-stroke PW50 has been starting motorcycling careers for more than three decades. It’s easy to ride, easy to work on, reliable as a claw hammer and offers the right performance for young riders. It has a throttle limiter, oil injection (no mixing fuel) one speed and an automatic clutch. It’s also relatively inexpensive, going for $1,440.* Other models: KTM’s 50 Mini is comparable in size, but offers liquid cooling, disc brakes, updated suspension and a more contemporary design. Modern looks and performance come at a price, however. Its MSRP is $3,299. Although it is no longer listed as a current model on Suzuki’s website, the JR50 is Suzuki’s answer to the PW50. Used ones are readily available. *Prices are the most current model MSRP reported on the manufacturers’ websites at presstime. Additional destination, setup and registration charges may apply. TIME TO SHIFT Susan says that all of the kids, regardless of background, benefit from the emotional lift and self-confidence provided by riding dirt bikes. “For these kids, to say, ‘I actually rode a dirt bike,’ is a big boost,” she says. Susan says that the kids helped make a scrapbook for Neil to thank him for giving them the opportunity to learn to ride. One girl, Kelly, who Susan describes as “very academically smart,” wrote an especially touching letter that addressed how riding filled an athletic void that otherwise existed in her life. “All the kids feel like they’re a part of the group when they’re here,” Susan says. “We don’t leave out anybody.” Susan says that positive attitude is a Continued on page 40 The $1,399 Honda CRF50F (and its various permutations) has been the go-to four-stroke beginner bike since 1968. It oozes fun, simplicity, and the broad power delivery of the proven four-stroke engine is versatile enough to put a smile on the faces of kids young and old. Equipped with a three-speed transmission, it has an automatic clutch, ideal for beginners. Other models: Although technically replaced by the CRF110 in 2013, the CRF70 is a slightly larger, slightly more powerful version of the CRF50. MORE POWER Kawasaki’s $2,299 KLX110 owns the sweet spot of easy-to-ride and performance, with enough power to keep kids coming back for years. It’s also worth noting that while no selfrespecting parent would thrash their kid’s minibike around a motocross CLUTCH PERFORMER Suzuki DR-Z125 ($3,099) offers smooth performance, a five-speed transmission, ground clearance to get over trail obstacles and a manual clutch. For $100 more, you get the DR-Z125L, which comes with a disc front brake and 2-inch larger diameter wheels in the front and rear. Other models: Honda’s CRF80F, CRF100F and CRF125F; Yamaha’s TTR125 and TTR125L; and Kawasaki’s KLX140 and KLX140L all feature a manual clutch and similar styling. track, this bike size is popular among the pit-bike racing crowd. Other models: Honda’s CRF110F and Yamaha’s TTR110 are comparable to the KLX110 in many ways but brand and graphics. Pick your favorite color and ride. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < < < < < < < <<<<<<<<<<< << <<<<< Benefits UPSIZE ME The size is larger, but the idea is the same. The $3,640 Honda CRF150F is intended to give larger riders a safe, predictable, reliable and capable off-roading experience. It has electric start and, like all of Honda’s off-highway bikes, meets California Air Resources Board and EPA off-road emissions standards. Note that a similarly named model, the CRF150R is a highperformance, closed-course motocross race bike and is not designed for a beginner. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <<<<<<< <<< <<<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< << <<<<<<< <<< <<<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< <<< <<<<< << <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< < < < < < < << girls got from riding, I realized just how beneficial it could be.” Susan says that GiGi (also known as Georgia Hankins) was pretty nervous when she first tried riding. For Susan, that apprehension was a familiar feeling. “What was fun for me is I had never ridden either, so I learned to ride with these kids,” Susan says. Everyone has gotten over the first-ride jitters pretty quickly, though. That’s when the fun really begins. “A feeling of accomplishment sets in,” Susan says. “For the kids, and me too, it was a feeling like, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually doing this!’” It wasn’t long before the Bouchillons started welcoming more young riders into the mix. They recruited a lot of new dirt bikers at Grace’s ballet class. “The parents would bring the girls over to ride, and the neighborhood would come out and watch because it’s not common to see six or eight girls riding around with their pony tails sticking out under their helmets,” Neil says. “For some of the boys in the neighborhood, it was something to see because these are feminine girls. They are the ballet types, which I think actually complemented their ability to ride because of the coordination and flexibility they’ve developed.” By this point, there was no turning back. Other kids, including friends of Jesse, joined the fun, learning to ride dirt bikes responsibly under the watchful eyes of Neil, Susan and the kids’ parents. Neil says that over the past five years they’ve probably taught “about 50” kids how to ride, and have taken several of them on day trips to nearby public riding areas. “The first time that we ventured out of our yard and to some real trails was really exciting,” Susan says. “It was at Hanging Rock [part of the Wayne National Forest trail system] in Southern Ohio. We now go there pretty regularly, and it’s one of our favorite places to ride.”