When buying a dirt bike, one of the first modifications you’ll make is fitting a set of barkbusters to the handlebars.
It makes sense. Protect your hands from stray branches on the technical trails and from nasty crashes. They can even stop your brake and clutch levers from snapping off.
But then again…are they really *that* good? After all, they are quite expensive and there are some cheaper Barkbuster alternatives on the market.
In our experience: Barkbusters represent excellent value for money. They are more expensive but also hold up much better you crash compared to cheap Chinese alternatives. The reviews and user experiences show that Barkbusters
Barkbusters Review
Fitting a set of Barkbusters to your dirt bike or adventure motorcycle certain transforms it from a showroom pony to a trail warrior. The type that will actually push themselves so much further.
Here at Frontaer, we’ve used Barkbusters in the past to protect our hands and wouldn’t live without a pair. They certainly live up to expectations when you crash, with the inserts preventing them from rotating when you crash.
In addition, we’ve found plenty of space in the cockpit still for cables and brake lines. For the adventure rider, this is helpful with the volume of electronics mounted these days on the handlebars. Let’s not forget that they stop wind chill quite well!
Given the universal fit of Barkbusters, they do fit on almost every modern dirt bike. You see – handlebars themselves are a universal fit these days and you’ll find them quite easily on the bar ends. Yes – you will need some basic tools from the toolbox.
Suggested Improvements
We can recommend some good improvements particularly around color matching. Some of them don’t match perfectly the main manufacturers and we believe this may be due to Pantone color patents. In laymans terms, this means that the main manufacturers may already have a patent on exactly one specific color and so Barkbusters can’t make them a picture-perfect match.
Another improvement would be better airflow for summer riding. They do have some designs which are more minimalistic yet these also leave you more exposed to tree branches and the like, while reducing the structural integrity.
Then again – these are merely 1st world issues that their design team is certainly working on. Barkbusters have built an excellent product that we’ll continue using for years.
Riding a dirt bike to school…sounds great in theory, but is it actually possible? Well, the rules are quite clear:
If your dirt bike is registered, you have insurance and you hold a licence – then yes, you can ride a dirt bike to school. Some schools discourage students riding a motorcycle of any kind to school, but legally there isn’t much stopping you as long as you park off school grounds.
The school principals don’t like dirt bikes because of the anti-social behavior they bring. There have been instances of teenagers riding on school ovals which rips up the grass and you risk striking a child.
Riding a Dirt Bike to School
It probably isn’t the wisest idea to bring your dirt bike to high school or even college/university. Some reasons we would discourage it include:
What if someone pushes over your dirt bike while you’re in class?
What if it gets stolen? Do you have insurance to cover a replacement?
What do you do when it’s raining? Riding wet clothes to school isn’t fun.
How will the teachers and principal accept it? Usually it’s banned.
In fact, riding any sort of motorcycle to school isn’t a good idea and isn’t worth the risks involved as we’ve outlined above.
Alternative Options
What are some good alternative options that will still give you a thrill? Well – you could get an electric mountain bike with a 1,000+ Watt motor which will be a fun ride. Simply disconnect the battery and keep it in your schoolbag.
Another option is to simply leave dirt bike riding for the weekend rides only. It can be too much trouble trying to bring a dirt bike to school. You’ll be spending too much time worrying about it being damaged or stolen rather than the school work.
In Summary
While a novel idea, we wouldn’t recommend it. Leave it for the Instagram or Snapchat feed for weekend riding and after school muck-arounds. School is a place for learning and inspiration.
So you’re looking to buy a new or used dirt bike? Your dealer could be a great talker and thus, here are some things you should ask them.
Because when you’re spending your hard-earned money, you’ll want to ensure you’re simply asking the right questions.
We recently published a guide for used ADV motorcycles and now let’s get into dirt bikes which are slightly different. Be sure to ask any dirt bike dealership these questions:
1. Is this the right offroad motorcycle for me?
Not all dirt bikes are created equal and you should be asking specific questions on whether this particular dirt bike will fit your needs as a rider. Are you riding tight technical tracks or wide-open savannah? Are you racing or simply going recreational? Do you need to have road-legal registration? There is a clear difference in throttle responses, bike weights and engine capacities.
2. Do they have a wide range of dirt bikes?
We generally discourage people from simply using a one-stop dealership unless they have their heart set on a particular color or manufacturer like KTM. Within each manufacturer, they have specific dirt bikes that may better suit you as a rider, though some have very strong similarities such as Yamaha and Honda’s dirt bike range.
3. What mechanical checks do they do on used bikes?
You can buy used dirt bikes at dealerships and so you should be asking about their comprehensive range of checks that they’ll do before selling you the bike. In some cases, it will actually come with a warranty though this will be limited and won’t cover accidental damage. Most dirt bikes today are actually very reliable and most problems are quick and cheap fixes anyway.
4. Do they also stock gear?
Chances are that this is your 1st dirt bike purchase. If so – congratulations and welcome to the world of offroad fun! Ask your dealership if they stock gear because you’ll need protection gear out there on the tracks. It isn’t just a helmet but boots, clothing, gloves and protection plates such as a neck brace. Expect this to cost you between $700 and $1,500 depending on the quality of workmanship you require from your gear.
5. Can you test-ride the dirt bikes?
Some motorcycle dealerships run test-ride days where you can try out some various dirt bikes and find that one that suits you the best. Others might actually have a short yet simple test track located behind their premises for potential customers to use. This is one of the best ways to pick a dirt bike yet most dealerships sadly don’t offer this, especially for riders who haven’t touched a clutch level for a while.
In Summary
Dirt bike riding is a heck of a lot of fun. If this is your first purchase, then we can highly recommend using a motorbike dealership over a private sale for peace of mind. Then again – you’ll want to throw them these questions either over the phone or simply when going in.
Also ask them for great local riding spots in the neighborhood which are legal. You should expect a dirt bike dealer of all people to know this bit of information…if they are indeed enthusiasts.
If you live in a cold climate, you can still ride your dirt bike during the colder winter months. There ain’t no excuse to store your bike away.
Sure – it’s demanding and you’re going to have to outlay some dollars on gear and modifications, but let’s us allow you in on some secrets.
You can certainly ride a dirt bike in the snow and cold weather conditions as long as you are prepared in advance. This includes layering up and making some potential modifications to your dirt bike so you’re equipped for the colder conditions. Unless you’re below freezing, then most dirt bike engines will still perform relatively well.
Altitude does have some effect on performance. In other words, the higher you go, the less your motorcycle can breathe but for most riders, then will be just fine.
Winter Dirt Bike Riding Tips
The challenges are certainly worth the risks. You’ll find the trails and tracks to be much quieter and you’ll be building up skills when it’s otherwise the off-season for other riders.
You really have no excuse with our tips to help you get through the colder months with your dirt bike.
Here’s what we can share:
1. Invest in some cold-weather riding gear
Get yourself a good jacket and riding pants. You may wish to wear thermals under each which will help to block the wind chill quite considerably. Also get yourself some cold weather ADV riding gloves instead of your typical MX gloves.
2. Be mindful that cold dirt bike tyres offer less grip
Just like racing motorcycles or street cruisers, you’ll need to warm your tyres up before each ride. This will enhance the grip quite considerably. If you can (and if you’ve got a registered dirt bike), then find a quiet bitumen road in which to pre-heat your tyres by swaying side to side.
3. Install some hand guards
If you haven’t already fitted a set, then dirt bike handguards are massively helpful to block a considerable amount of wind from chilling your knuckles and affecting your grip strength. You can buy either the wide square-style guards or a full wrap-around handlebar guard.
4. Watch for windburnt skin
It’s actually true that you can develop windburnt skin from riding a dirt bike in winter, especially on your hands and face. Keep this in mind and aim to layer up where possible. This is an effect of continuous wind being struck against the skin causing intense dryness among other issues.
5. Invest in a heated winter riding jacket
Did you know that you can get 12v heated winter jackets? These are one of the best investments money can buy. Adventure riders commonly use these when covering large stretches in colder months and these are certainly helpful to keep you riding for long out there on the trails. The only downside is that they’re heavier and yes, you’ll need a 12v outlet installed.
6. Buy some dirt bike winter tyres
Not all dirt bike tyres are created the same, with some offering more channel and grip for winter riding though these same tyres will wear out faster in the warmer months. Consider having 2 sets of tyres – one for winter and one for summer. For snow riding, we can recommend studded tyres which are easily sourced online for most dirt bike makes and models.
7. Be mindful of internal sweating
While you are layering up with clothes to stay warm when riding your dirt bike, you can inadvertently take things too far. If you start mildly sweating under your clothes, then this moisture could lead to you becoming colder and unable to retain heat so easily. Essentially, take off layers as you need.
8. Invest in some heated grips
Again, we’re using the word ‘investment’ here. These are relatively cheap and can make a real difference in your enjoyment when riding offroad in the colder months. They’ll allow your grip to stop being so tight and slow to respond and the power comes from the engine, though much less than a heated vest or jacket.
9. Consider a better helmet or goggles
Just like having winter and summer riding tyres, you should consider a seperate helmet just for winter riding which has less front-end ventilation. A pair of goggles that perfectly fits and minimizes air inflow will be very helpful. Some riders also wear a neck guard between their jersey/jacket and the helmet.
10. Consider an adventure fairing
Now we’re moving slightly into adventure-riding territory, but an adventure fairing will help deflect a lot of wind when riding at higher speeds. Think of the Dakar Rally, only those large fairings help riders to reduce fatigue over many hours of riding at higher speeds. You’ll be more away from the low-budget essence of dirt bike riding but will help reduce the wind effects as well as opening up the way for riding on highways.
11. Monitor the weather
There’s winter and then there’s harsh winter. By monitoring the weather with many of the riding apps available, you can look for opportunistic windows where rain is unlikely and where you can make the most of a good day. Then again – don’t just rely on technology but learn to read the weather including cloud directions and wind speeds.
12. Keep the boots dry
We’ve left one of the best until last on this list of dirt bike riding tips for winter riders. Keeping those boots dry will help you ride for longer, so do try to avoid those creek/river crossings and use goretex where possible. This also includes replacing your boots when they get too worn out since boot technology has risen quite considerably over these recent years, with both summer and winter versions available for some makes and models.
In Summary
If winter is coming, then don’t let snow or simply cold whether discourage you from heading out on your dirt bike. You can certainly have a lot of fun out there if you come prepared for the battle!
When others are at home relaxing on the couch, you can be improving your skills and generally having much more fun. This time without the crowds or the harsh heat of the summer months.
So there’s Frontaer’s top 12 tips, so it’s time to make it happen!
So you’re curious about riding a dirt bike at home in the backyard. It’s exciting and could be possible.
You’re legally permitted to ride your dirt bike in your backyard or anywhere on your private property, provided it doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of your neighbours. Avoid having a loud dirt bike and be mindful of smells and roosting on the side fences. The most common reason why you can’t ride is complaints to local authorities.
The main focus is on being respectful to those next to you. You won’t have too much fun riding in a backyard anyway and should focus on finding open country in which to ride, either government land or private land.
Riding Dirt Bikes in Backyards
Your backyard typically isn’t the best place to ride a dirt bike. Most areas are just too small to get up to a decent speed. Typically it’s best for children under 12 to learn how to ride dirt bikes as beyond that age, you’ll often just grow tired of it pretty quickly.
It’s certainly a great place to learn slow-speed riding as well as doing small jumps. These skills are helpful to hone in. You’ll develop better brake and clutch control which will help on the tight technical tracks, so clearly some benefits here.
Keeping the Neighbors Happy
Probably the biggest hinderance is your neighbours as riding dirt bikes in backyards is just so loud. You can alleviate this by:
Only riding between daylight hours, preferably 9am to 3pm.
Not upsetting their dogs in the process
Put a very good muffler on your dirt bike
Avoid creating dust for your neighbors
Supervise the kids so they aren’t too ambitious
Wear your riding gear including a helmet
One of the best ways, however, is to get an electric dirt bike. These are near-silent and are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, Australia and Europe.
By having an electric dirt bike, you have almost no smells, sounds and the maintenance is much less. Calls from authorities will become much less likely which is a win for everyone!
In Summary
Riding a dirt bike in a backyard is a novel idea for kids. As for adults, you’ll get bored pretty quickly unless you have a lot of land to work with.
Seek out some local riding spots for genuine fun where you can open the throttle. Yet if you still want to ride your dirt bike at home – keep the neighbors and noise issues in mind!
