Pit bikes?

[jbuck88]

Is building pit bikes still a thing?

My kid is physically too large for the 50cc bikes, but how we ride we don't necessarily need more power. The next size up is a CRF110 but the weight jumps from ~100lbs to 170lbs. I'm thinking that would suck trying to ride as a 75lb kid on the trails.

So looked at the KTM 65, but I don't think he is ready to ride a clutch. A recluse makes it an option though.

However the most reasonable option is picking up a crf50 roller and throwing some money at suspension and motor. My thought is a few hundred for a roller and a 2k budget for 12" wheels and suspension.

He has a TTR50 now, but there is next to zero after market support.

So my question: any reccomendations on where to get parts and what to look for or what to stay away from?

 

[MK3XXX]

How old is he? Most will go from a 50 straight to 110 if the child handles the 50 well enough. CRF110 are great or get a cheapo SSR110 for him to beat up and learn on. TTR50 has aftermarket support if you look into the stunt market as they are popular for that, will find big bar kits heavy duty wheels and etc

 

[jbuck88]

He is 9, but newer to bikes. We put a deposit on a crf110 that is supposed to be in next week. I also have a 5yo that might get into it again. He crashed and got discouraged pretty bad. We ride trails and roller tracks. I was more concerned about taking the fun out of it for my 9yo.

So for me I've always had more fun pushing a slow bike fast and would think that would be the same for kids as well.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Kawasaki makes a 110, and a 110L.

The L version has a clutch and is slightly taller.

The regular 110 would be where I would start.

With current prices on used bikes, you’d be better off putting your name on a list for a new one if you can get it in a reasonable amount of time.

I’ve been looking for a 110L since last summer and everybody wants new prices for a used bike. And they’re getting them because demand has driven up the price.

The list for a new one here in MN was over 50 people long. And that was at the local dealer.

The CRF110 is a nice bike. My buddy has one and it goes pretty good for what it is.

There’s a website, faster minis, or something like that, and they have a pile of parts available for pit bikes.

 

[jbuck88]

Have a cousin that has a few built 110's. He has a crf110, klx110 and ktm 50, 65, and 85. His 110's all extended travel though so hard to get an idea of stock size. The dealer had a couple 110L's during the fall but that was definitely too large.

 

[Basher]

I learned to ride a proper bike at 9, so don’t discount his ability to learn. I was on a YSR50 (still have the very bike I learned on, though it needs a complete rebuild), so it wasn’t immensely powerful, but a 50mph capable street bike was an awesome thing to have at age 9, LOL.

And yes, pit/pocket bikes are still hella cool!

 

[Jefe's Dope]

KTM and Rekluse.

 

[chevy_man]

Just go for the 110. My 12 yr old is learning to ride a kx 100, although I haven't bothered fixing the power valve so it's very flat up top.

Most adults are riding bikes heavier than them. I leaned to ride big bikes on a 360 2t that weighed 236lb and I was 140lb.

Slow bikes suck. It's always more fun riding a better bike with better suspension. The TTR suffers from garbage suspension. It's what you buy to realize you need a yzf, not to trail ride. They're uncomfortable on anything more than a gravel road.

 

[Desert_Racer]

BBR might still make an 88cc kit for the crf50. You could also look around for an XR80. They can be hard to find though.

 

[jbuck88]

I'm a huge believer in suspension. I had planned on grabbing the KTM SX-e for him, but he just had a growth spurt and is at the borderline of flat footing it now. It's hard to find a kids bike that has a decent suspension. Pretty much limited to the race bikes.

He already ended up in the ER once from riding a bike, so trying to slow him down a little.

Thats where I was thinking building a pit bike for him. Something he can ride hard but still not wind out.

 

[mrtoyz]

Skip the 2 stroke if he’s newer to riding. Ask me how I know.
Any 110’ish bike should be ok. If he fits on a small wheel 125 4stroke that would work well and last longer.
Resist the erg to do any hopped up bike for the time being. Money wasted. Live in BBR land, been there done that, can write a book. Great stuff… for later.

 

[chevy_man]

Skip the 2 stroke if he’s newer to riding. Ask me how I know.
Any 110’ish bike should be ok. If he fits on a small wheel 125 4stroke that would work well and last longer.
Resist the erg to do any hopped up bike for the time being. Money wasted. Live in BBR land, been there done that, can write a book. Great stuff… for later.

That's just lazy. Learn to ride a 2t, and the 4t just feels heavy and lazy. Just need clutch and throttle control.

 

[jbuck88]

The ER trip was a result of the 2stroke powerband. I looked and some people are using washers in the exhaust of the head to limit power on the KTM 65's.

So right now the plan was to pick up a crf50 roller for a decent price and rebuilding the engine and possibly build it as a pit bike. Figure my yougest can use it down the road and for the $ invested shouldn't be too hard to break even if I get rid of it.

I cannot tell you how much I dislike his ttr50. I bought one back in the day for my oldest boy and swore never again but covid hit and I couldn't find a Honda. So the dealer is going give me my money back on it as a trade for something else. He sells Honda and KTM so I put my name on a crf110. But still would like to built the 50 as the project.

 

[mrtoyz]

re: 2 stroke
Not arguing it’s how most of us learned, but there are better ways these days…

KTM 65 has a higher horsepower to weight ratio and a lot of full sized bikes.

 

[jbuck88]

re: 2 stroke
Not arguing it’s how most of us learned, but there are better ways these days…

Guess your local to W. Wa. The dealer has some crf 125, both big wheel and standard. He is a while from being able to fit either. So I was guessing he could probably fit the 110. I was just concerned about the 170 pound weight.

We ride trails and logging roads. Although he has been to the track a couple of times, however that is more the exception not the norm.

 

[Sieg]

You do not want a relatively inexperienced kid riding a KTM 65 or 85. The power is explosive for timid riders or those with minimal racetrack time. They are not casual recreational bikes by any means.

 

[Scrubsr1]

Pick up the new 110 and be done with it...electric start, low maintenance, aftermarket accessories, and the highest resale value of any bike on the market.

My son has been on a 110 for the past three years and is small for his age(11). It's been an excellent bike for the trails and passable for motorcross(two blown fork seals). Last winter I even threw on a timbersled kit...couldn't keep him off it!

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

Pick up the new 110 and be done with it...electric start, low maintenance, aftermarket accessories, and the highest resale value of any bike on the market.

My son has been on a 110 for the past three years and is small for his age(11). It's been an excellent bike for the trails and passable for motorcross(two blown fork seals). Last winter I even threw on a timbersled kit...couldn't keep him off it!
View attachment 7801188

That’s bad ass! I didn’t know they made a Timbersled for the 110s.

Does the stock bike have the power to move it pretty well?

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

OP, how tall is your boy?

 

[eflyguy]

My daughter's first bike was the smaller (almost pit-bike sized) TTR125. I think she was 12. Out-grew it in a year.

I bought her and a friend the dirt-bike class for her birthday at the Honda-sponsored MSF place here in town. Then a second time with her mom, then a more advanced class for us all. We rode for many years. She rides my WR250 around the property for fun now, and has taught many of her friends to ride. She also got her street license after classes at MSF.

I solidly believe years of dirt bike riding contributed to her being a great driver. She's 23 now, never an issue on the road.

 

[LuvDog]

What about finding a used CRF70?

As for building pit bikes from 50’s… I think that has died down a bit. it seems like eBikes are starting to take over

 

[mrtoyz]

Guess your local to W. Wa. The dealer has some crf 125, both big wheel and standard. He is a while from being able to fit either. So I was guessing he could probably fit the 110. I was just concerned about the 170 pound weight.

We ride trails and logging roads. Although he has been to the track a couple of times, however that is more the exception not the norm.

Yep i am in W Wa. One of the Brown Brothers lives down the road in fact.
If he fits a 110 on the balls or his feet or flat footed he should be fine despite the weight. Balance usually come quick. IMO giving them every opportunity to succeed is the key.
LovDog’s suggestion of a used CRF70 is a good one. As I recall, they are lighter than the 110’s as well.

 

[jbuck88]

OP, how tall is your boy?

He is about 4'3"

What about finding a used CRF70?

As for building pit bikes from 50’s… I think that has died down a bit. it seems like eBikes are starting to take over

Trying to find something is pretty hard right now. I came across a roller crf50 and that's what made me wonder about building a pitbike.

 

[LuvDog]

Yea... the market for 50/70s went crazy the past few years. I sold both my 50 and 70 for more than I bought them for when my son was young.

 

[Scrubsr1]

That’s bad ass! I didn’t know they made a Timbersled for the 110s.

Does the stock bike have the power to move it pretty well?

With over a foot of fresh powder on a packed base, he had no issues holding 3rd gear on level ground. I could dig up some video but I don't want to derail the OP's thread... there should be some footage on YouTube. I just wanted to point out some of the perks of owning a modern 110.

 

[jbuck88]

Well got a call from the dealer and went in to pick this up. He had 5 more on this shipment he said.