Best 50cc Dirt Bikes for Kids

Youngsters getting into the dirt bike sport need to have the right setup and gear. Different bikes are designed for different size kids and skilled riders. Let me guide you through the decision of which 50cc dirt bike would best suit your kid

Your youngster’s shown interest in dirt biking. And your wife is okay with the idea of them hitting the motocross tracks and some trails? Life’s pretty sweet. However, your biggest headaches are just beginning: which is the best 50 cc dirt bike for kids?

As with picking a dirt bike for adults, there are a number of considerations to make. Those are apart from the guessing game in the back of your mind of how much do you spend if you’re not sure they’ll actually like riding bikes and does your kid really need a college fund?

In this article we’ll walk you through the key aspects of a kids 50 cc dirt bike, help you choose the best 50 cc racing dirt bike, answer your burning questions, and whittle down your shopping list of bikes to the best 6 on the market today.

6 Best 50cc Dirt Bikes for Kids:

#6: 2021 KTM 50 SX Mini and 2021 Husqvarna TC 50 Mini:

KTM bought the Husqvarna company a handful of years ago from BMW Motorrad. Their motocross and off-road products are identical in specification, price, and performance. The only differences are in colors and decals. These Mini 50 cc dirt bikes have a seat height of 21.9” and weigh a slender 88 lbs., are equipped with a kickstarter and a single-speed automatic transmission.

Twist the grip and go. KTM and Husqvarna’s models lean towards the race end of the spectrum, and even though these are “Mini” 50 cc dirt bikes for 4-7 year olds, they do have increased performance over their other mini-sized 50 cc dirt bike rivals. That’s not to say that they are more intimidating to ride: they’re as easy to learn and to ride, just with a bit more oomph. Don’t tell your wife. These new bikes retail for $3,849. An older year model varies between $2,900 and $3,300.

#5: 2021 KTM 50 SX and 2021 Husqvarna TC 50:

We’ve grouped the KTM and Husqvarna models together here again. These are the best 50 cc race dirt bikes for kids 4-7 years old. Their seat height is 26.7” and they tip the scales at only 91 lbs., they are also equipped with a single-speed automatic transmission and a kickstarter. Their suspension travel and ground clearance are nearly double that of the other models in this review This offers riders more performance, greater handling traits, and real off-roading prowess no matter the terrain or track. These are the go-to 50 cc dirt bikes for kids with a competitive streak. Priced new, these models are $4,349. A slightly older year model of these bikes sells for $3,500 to $3,800.

#4: 2021 Yamaha TT-R50E:

The Yamaha TT-R50E is like Honda’s CRF50F in many ways: it has been around for a number of decades and known to be one of the most reliable 50 cc dirt bikes on the market. With a seat height of 21.9” and a weight of 126 lbs., it is ideally suited for riders 4-7 years old (and for shorter, older riders too). What makes it easier to ride is that this little bike is equipped with an electric push-button starter, a 4-stroke motor, and a 3-speed automatic clutch transmission to teach youngsters the fundamentals of motorcycling.

Parents can select a gear for their child and they can ride it as a single-speed transmission thanks to a constant-mesh 3-speed, and when the kids have gotten used to the concept, they can change gears themselves (for more speed or less). A new Yamaha TT-R50E is priced at $1,699, while a used bike is priced around $1,500.

#3: 2021 Suzuki DR-Z50:

The Suzuki DR-Z50 is equipped with an electric push-button starter, a fantastic four-stroke motor with a gentle torque curve, and a 3-speed automatic clutch transmission that’s easy to use. The seat height is 22.0” and the bike weighs 119 lbs.. This little dirt bike is incredibly reliable, offers performance mid-way between a “mini” 50 cc and the likes of the 50 cc race dirt bikes from KTM and Husqvarna to make it ideal for youngsters aged 4-7 years old. The DR-Z50 has a new sticker price of $1,749. A used model can be had form $1,300 to $1,600 for a 2 to 5 year old example.

#2: 2021 Honda CRF50F:

The Honda CRF50F, like the rest of their products, is fantastic. This model has been in existence for a few decades now, so you can imagine that Honda’s ironed out all the kinks over the years to hone this into a reliable, lightweight, and easy-to-ride 50 cc dirt bike for kids. With a 21.6” seat height and weighing just 110 lbs., the CRF50F is suited to riders 4 to 6-years-old. The Honda is a thumping little four-stroker with a kickstarter and a 3-speed automatic clutch transmission that’s easy to learn. The CRF50F has a MSRP of $1,599. A used model a few years old is priced from $1,200 to $1,400.

#1: 2021 Yamaha PW50:

Yamaha’s PW50 is the dirt bike that most riders got hooked onto two wheels. It has been a mainstay of Yamaha’s model line-up for 40 or so years, perfected over time to make it the ultimate beginner dirt bike. It has a lower seat height than the TT-R50E at 18.7” and weighs just 90 lbs., for easy-to-learn dirt biking. A single-speed automatic transmission, a tame 2-stroke engine, and kickstarter make for low maintenance fun too. It is the ideal 50cc dirt bike for youth aged 4- and 5-years-old, as well as for shorter 6- and 7-year-olds. These have an MSRP of $1,649. On the used market, expect to pay around $1,500 for a year or two older model with the price dropping by about $100 for a 3 or 4 year old example.

Buying Guide:

There are several brands from manufacturers around the world that produce exceptional 50 cc dirt bikes for kids. Each brand offers its approach to dirt biking and getting it right in the 50 cc category is a big challenge: manufacturers must not only makes the bikes easy to ride and tough to take the many falls, but they must also allow the little rider to grow in confidence and speed to gain a firm grip on the sport and fun of dirt biking. A lot rests on those little saddles and foot pegs.

Rider Age:

50cc dirt bikes are designed and developed for riders 4-7 years old. If they’re 4 years old, you can start them off with training wheels to learn balance and develop their core muscles to be able to maneuver the bike properly and safely. Once they’re more familiar with bike balancing basics, you can remove the training wheels.

Bike Size:

As with picking out the best beginner dirt bikes for adults, the rider’s height and the bike size are critical to get right. At the ages of 4-10 years, your kid grows taller every few months. You’re going to need to buy a bike that he’ll grow into, in a way. However, it must be comfortable for him or her as a 4-year-old to ride or they’ll climb off and never touch the bike again.

The best advice to picking the right sized dirt bike for your child is to start by measuring their leg inseam. You can expect inseam lengths of between 16.5 and 20”. Then, take them off to your local bike shops to sit on as many different 50 cc racing dirt bikes as you can to see which ones suit their height the best. 

Both feet must be able to touch the ground when they’re sitting on the dirt bike. Bear in that MX boots will add another 1 to 1.5” to their height and that in 6 months’ time they’ll likely be an inch or more taller, too. Check out this review if you’re looking to get your kid a pair dirt bike boots. Kids 50 cc dirt bikes start with a seat height of 18” and range to 27”. Depending on the height of your youngster, if they’re 4 years old, it would be wiser to shop for a bike with an 18 to 22” seat height. For 6 and 7-year-olds and older, you could buy a bike with a seat height taller than 22”.

Rider Size:

As with adult dirt bikes, not all riders are the same height, with some youngsters with longer arms than other or longer legs, or longer torsos.

For the younger riders in this age category, there are “mini” 50 cc dirt bikes available. KTM, for example, offers two versions of its 50 cc model: the KTM 50 SX Mini has a seat height 21.9” and the KTM 50 SX boasts a seat height of 26.7.” They’re largely the same dirt bike, but the Mini version has a ground clearance of 7.2” and the 50 SX has 9.9” thanks to front and rear suspension travel that’s nearly doubled in range of movement.

This makes for confusing reading, we’re sure. Hang in there, it gets easier. The rule of thumb is: if your kid can flat-foot a “Mini” 50 cc dirt bike, while standing over the saddle and there is room between their crotch and the saddle, they should rather be on a larger 50 cc racing dirt bike or potentially look at a 65cc.

Type of Engine:

There are two engine types: four-strokers and smoking two-strokes. For newbies, the four-stroke provides a smoother acceleration curve than a two-stroke’s narrow power band feature. The two-stroke does deliver more power and the power is delivered at high revs, and this makes the two-stroke engines more difficult to learn. However, for those with aspirations of racing, the two-stroke engines found in the KTM, Husqvarna, and Yamaha make for faster riders.

Starters:

Kids 50 cc dirt bikes are further differentiated by brand by their starting systems. Some use an electric push-button system, while others use a kickstarter. Both have their merits and disadvantages, but for the little rider, the easiest to use is an electric push-button starter.

Transmissions:

You can pick kids 50 cc dirt bikes with single-speed automatic transmissions or with 3-speed automatic clutch transmissions. In our line-up of 50 cc dirt bikes, the raciest of them feature single-speed automatic transmissions while the “Mini” 50 cc bikes are equipped with 3-speed automatic clutch transmissions. Having 3-speed automatic clutch transmissions teaches kids about power delivery and gear selection from a young age so that the transition onto geared bikes is far simpler.

FAQ:

Last Checkpoint:

Choosing the best 50 cc dirt bike for your kid isn’t as easy as picking out a pair of shoes for them. These dirt bikes are pricey and they need to last for a good few years. In saying that, all the bikes in this line-up are excellent in terms of quality, reliability, and performance. It is in choosing a dirt bike to suit your kids abilities and height that will determine which of these little bikes they’ll get to take home. The allure of the racing pedigree of KTM is hard to ignore and offers the best performance for 50 cc racing dirt bikes. The best “mini” kids 50 cc dirt bike is the Suzuki DR-Z50 with its 3-speed automatic clutch, low seat height, four-stroke motor, and unquestionable engineering quality.

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