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While a rare question, it’s certainly worth knowing if you are able to wear jeans when riding your dirt bike.

In short, it’s not recommended to wear everyday household jeans when riding a dirt bike. These will readily tear if you fall off your motorcycle and could leave you with substantial grazes and skin injuries. Instead, most motorcycle journalists recommend jeans created specifically for motorcyclists.

That said – these jeans are best for those riding on the road where they are less likely to get dirty. It’s so easy to get these stained when riding on dirt tracks which are another reason why they aren’t recommended.

Jeans and Dirt Bikes: A Bad Mix?

It’s quite uncommon to see dirt bike riders wearing jeans. Given the flexibility that one needs to step their feet out on gnarly tracks and stay nimble on fast-flowing gravel tracks, it’s simply much better to wear normal riding trousers that MX riders wear or the thicker pants that adventure riders typically choose.

If you do choose to wear jeans when riding your dirt bike, it’s best to avoid riding in the rain since jeans will get soaked through very quickly. Also – spend up on some quality riding jeans instead of cheap versions that you might find on Amazon and eBay.

Certainly, we would say for most instances, jeans just are a bad mix. They aren’t that comfortable or ergonomic and don’t provide the stretch that we really need as riders who prefer the offroad terrain. Essentially, unless you’re riding on roads….jeans just kinda suck.

MX Pants vs Jeans

MX Pants wins easily this battle. They breathe very well for us sweaty riders who actually push the limits, while also insulating your legs if you’re riding in colder weather. Let’s not forget how much they will be frustrating if they get wet.

If you wear jeans on a hot day, then you probably won’t want to head out riding ever again. It’s almost as though you’re wearing thick yoga pants that just won’t flex when you need them to.

Let’s not forget that jeans aren’t wide at the base. Even bootcut jeans just aren’t suitably wide enough to fit over boots….yet they’re too thick to fit INSIDE boots comfortably too. It’s simply challenging.

But can you still wear jeans? Absolutely…for the time being. Once you get into a set of MX pants, then you’ll never look back. A good set of pants is only $50 to $100 but absolutely worth the investment over the long term.

In Summary

There is a rare breed of people who don’t like the neon look of modern-day dirt bike pants while riding a turbo-charged chainsaw. For this reason, they’ll either choose adventure riding pants or simply get some jeans from the on-road department of any motorcycling store.

For the rest of us sane souls, we’ll take the pants anytime. The ability to move around comfortable in the saddle yet not get too hot is ideal. Plus their just so much easier to clean in the wash basin, while jeans just stain so easily.

If you’re new to dirt bikes, you’ll soon realize that they are quite expensive and you’ll have to save up quite a few bucks first.

Most people are quite surprised at the upfront capital required, as they are for the extras that they’ll need. Why is this so? Well it’s quite straight forward.

Dirt Bikes cost so much money because of the materials required to build them, as well as the cost to import them from Japan and Europe. In addition, the marketing expenditure, operating costs of dealerships including staff and leasing, as well as constant progress in technology adds up to the cost…with dirt bikes often costing between $5,000 and $17,000 brand new.

It’s for this reason that China has become the #1 supplier of more affordable dirt bikes that serve the budget-conscious riders of the world. These bikes typically aren’t the most reliable nor the most technologically advanced, but can still help you get out there on the trails.

Why Dirt Bikes Are Expensive

Dirt bikes aren’t made with inferior materials. The frame, tyres and engine certainly adds up to the cost. However, it’s the marketing of these bikes including rider sponsorships, dealership branding and constant Research and Development that adds up massively.

We can attribute less than half the cost of a dirt bike to be attributed to the actual physical materials. The rest of overheads are at a corporate level which can’t be avoided to bring machines like this to the marketplace.

How to Afford a Dirt Bike

Once you get over the upfront price for a new dirt bike, you’re then left paying an additional amount for registration and insurance. We recommend that you factor in an additional $2,000 and this is assuming you have riding gear and a trailer to cart your dirt bike around.

Here’s how you might make dirt bike ownership more affordable:

1. Look on Craigslist, Gumtree or eBay

In your local area there are likely people selling used dirt bikes all the time. You can expect to pay just 30% of the new value of a dirt bike, even if it’s only a few years old. Be warned, however, that these are sometimes stolen so you’ll need to pay close attention and run checks prior to the sale.

2. Ask your dealership if they have used bikes

Often dealerships have some used bikes out the back which have just been traded in and need to be re-sold. If this is the case, you’ll be able to get a bargain pretty easily and sometimes these include warranties too. You won’t have to worry about these being stolen either as dealers do comprehensive checks before listing them for sale.

3. Go halves with a dirt bike share or syndicate

You can create a 50/50 split between a friend where you each go in a share of a dirt bike. Similar to boat ownership which is split between several owners, this allows you to enjoy the fun of a dirt bike without having to front up for the full ongoing expediture. You’ll need to get some legal paperwork and still get your own riding gear, but you’ll still save a ton of money.

4. Look for end of year sales

Generally at the end of year, dealerships become more willing to move stock on and get ready for the newer models. For that reason, keep an eye out for these sales as you can save $500 to $1,000 off the cost of your dirt bike if you play your cards right. They simply need the space for next year’s models so you’ll be helping them out.

5. Buy in a group syndicate

If you can get a bunch of friends together to buy at once, dealerships generally provide a discount or saving off the price of dirt bikes. This way you’ll all benefit as well as having a bunch of friends that you can ride with often. Neat!

6. Go for a Chinese bike instead

That slick looking KTM or Yamaha on the showroom floor looks amazing, but your budget may not allow it for now. If you’re still keen to get out there on the trails, then consider some of the newest Chinese bikes which are coming to the market at half the price of their competitors. Build quality on these bikes still isn’t up to Japanese or European spec, but they are increasing each and every day.

In Summary

Dirt bikes, like cars, boats and planes, simply have a lot of moving parts. This isn’t just the mechanic nature of the physical machine, but also at the corporate business to.

This increase on price has created a barrier to entry, especially for the younger riders. However, the prices have been trending down year-on-year while reliability has been increasing. Either way – you gotta get out there as soon as you can! The trails are ready and waiting!

So you’re riding out there on the trails and are curious if your dirt bike requires mirrors? Aren’t you breaking the law without them?

Fortunately, you’re safe! Rules and regulations vary from states and juristrictions, but generally speaking:

You don’t need mirrors to ride a dirt bike offroad and on private property. You will legally require having dirt bike mirrors fitted if riding on government or council land, however, in offroad areas, most police take a blind eye to the issue. For the MX rider who rides on closed circuits, mirrors are never needed.

Some dirt bikes don’t actually have the mounts for mirrors so you’ll need to buy these seperately.

Legally Riding without Dirt Bike Mirrors

Most riders actually don’t ride with mirrors despite having a legal obligation. On dirt roads and forest tracks, mirrors can actually pose a danger to riders. Imagine going past a tree and getting ‘clipped’ by a branch that throws off your balance. It’s quite real, as is the risk of crashing and breaking the mirrors all together.

Luckily, you can stop breaking dirt bike mirrors by taking them off completely and stowing them in your backpack or fender bag.

As for adventure motorcycles, you’ll definitely need to be fitted with mirrors when riding on the highways. However, the lonely stretches of dirt roads will find many riders taking these off.

When Racing Dirt Bikes

In some enduro racing environments, it’s sometimes mandated that you need to have mirrors. This is to stop accidents from happening as you’ll see dirt bike riders coming up from behind you and can overtake.

That said – this is quite rare and scrutineers generally don’t expect you to have mirrors attached. This is certainly the case in motocross where it’s almost laughable to have mirrors fitted.

Generally speaking, you will hear other dirt bikes coming up behind you so it’s unnessary to have mirrors fitted. You’ll get used to the sound of your own engine and the sound of other engines approaching at speed. A quick toot of the horn generally helps riders pass each other on the track or trails.

Keep in mind that at racing speeds, mirrors do become almost worthless as the constant bouncing means that you aren’t likely to clearly see anyone behind you. You’ll probably be more focused on the track ahead of you too and getting safely to the finish line.

Legal Consequences

While it’s a legal requirement to have mirrors fitted to dirt bikes when ridden at any time off private property, most dirt bike police won’t enforce these rules as they have more things to worry about. Even if you do get fined, the tickets you get are very low.

Such leniency is given since it’s not really practical to use dirt bike mirrors. However, you’ll still need to be registered and licenced for riding. If the police do pull you over, it generally won’t be for not using mirrors but rather for a licence and registration check.

If you’re touring the world, it’s recommended that you do use mirrors at all times. The fines and beaurocracy in these foreign countries can frustrate even the most seasoned ADV rider, especially when there are often bribes involved. It’s often not worth the headaches, though we do recommend fold-in mirrors and a spare set in the panniers.

In Summary

We wouldn’t fret about being caught without mirrors fitted to your dirt bike. The police often don’t care though so of the more zealous ones will. If in doubt – have them fitted but look for those that can easily bend.

There are simply more things to worry about out there on the tracks! Stay safe and keep it twisted!

Buying a dirt bike Made in America is something that we would all welcome in the offroad motorcycling community. After all, some countries in Europe produce their own bikes.

The reason why you won’t find dirt bikes or just about any motorcycle manufactured in America very straight forward:

Making dirt bikes locally is expensive due to high labor costs and upfront capital in order to bring a new line of motorcycles to the marketplace. Expense R&D plus compliance testing also must be done in order to be permitted to sell dirt bikes locally. In most cases, it’s simply cheaper to have dirt bikes manufactured overseas and shipped to America via cargo ship.

It’s this unprofitability at least for the first 5 to 7 years that really stops local companies from starting up. We’re too used to the big brands that newer brands aren’t trusted and aren’t proven for reliability, nor do they have massive parts availability.

Made in America dirt bikes

You’ll find the odd pit bike which is made locally and we’ve even found some YouTubers creating one-off models in their garages through parts they have sourced from eBay, but this is a rarity. To have a dirt bike manufactured at scale locally will require large factories, established supply chains, hundreds of staff and extensive marketing across trade shows and dealerships.

It wouldn’t surprise us if it took more than 50 million US dollars to bring a dirt bike to the marketplace that was manufactured locally. We also need to consider that Americans don’t mind buying dirt bikes which are manufactured in Japan or Europe, and even now – they don’t mind China either.

You’ll also have to consider the massive market-share that Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Husqvarna and KTM have in the market. This share is extensive and hard to penetrate for many years to come, as they have proven themselves as rock-solid dirt bikes for the race track and weekend warrior.

Local vs Overseas Manufactured

When we consider the cost of imported dirt bikes which are between $5,000 and $16,000, it’s considered quite normal. If dirt bikes were Made in America, you can expect them to cost between $15,000 and $27,000 due to increased labor costs and marketing spend required to bring them to the marketplace.

Given the budget-conscious nature of most dirt bike riders, it’s understandable that this isn’t financially sustainable. Such high prices would last for a few years until the economies of scale take over and hard costs can be reduced while producing an excellent unit.

The low-cost nature of importing is one thing that keeps dirt bikes coming to North America by boat. It’s only about $150 to ship a dirt bike in a container when double-stacked from Europe, so this cost is very low and with established manufacturing plants in Europe and logistics in place, there isn’t much of a cost saving in this regard.

In Summary

American-Made dirt bikes don’t exist today though some manufacturers did attempt to come into the market in years gone by. Given the high setup costs, it’s just not financially sustainable unless someone has a large pool of investment behind them, and even so, the risks and payback period are too high.

Europe produces the very best motocross, adventure motorcycles and dirt bikes in the market and will continue to do so for many years to come. That said – China is coming out with some affordable yet high quality units that have attracted the attention of budget-conscious North American riders.

Should you want to support local manufacturers, spend your money in local dealerships for bikes, apparel, parts and servicing. This will help keep others in jobs and local economies flowing.

Can you ride a dirt bike legally on the road in Australia? This depends on a myriad of factors, but generally speaking:

You can ride dirt bikes on Australian roadways provided you have full registration, a licence and are ADR-compliant and the particular roadway allows motorcycle traffic. Those holding recreational registration in such states as Victoria simply cannot ride on the bitumen legally, as those form of registration is designed for offroad riding use only.

If you own a motocross bike, then it’s unlikely to be able to be registered in the first place. Unfortunately, the same is true for pit bikes which aren’t road legal on Australian roads. This is due to ADR-compliance issues.

Riding Dirt Bikes on Australian Roads

Essentially, it boils down to 2 things:

1. Your licence. You’ll need to have your Provisional licence at the very least which limits you to 250cc motorcycles.
2. Your registration. You’ll need proper motorcycle registration as recreational registration doesn’t count for riding on the highway or residential streets in Australia.

Even when you do have these boxes ticked off, you’re still restricted. You won’t be able to ride in National Parks which are closed to all vehicle traffic (with the exception of main thoroughfares and carparks) nor can you ride on footpaths and the like.

Getting Registered

To get your dirt bike registered in Australia, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Fix a working headlight that remains permanently on when the engine is running.
2. Attach mirrors, turn indicators, a numberplate and brake lights including turn-signal switches.
3. Keep your dirt bike stock and remove any questionable performance modifications.

This process is relatively easy and will cost you about $400. However – before you start – it’s important to consider that some dirt bikes, especially MX bikes, simply cannot be registered at all. They don’t meet the Australian Design Rules and you’ll be wasting your money.

How do you know if your dirt bike can be registered? Easy. Simply phone your local dealer who will know all the details.

Things to Consider

There are some things you may wish to think about. These include:

1. Mounting a toll-tag. If you ride your dirt bike on the highway, you’ll still need to pay toll fees like any other motorcycle.
2. Increased tyre wear. Dirt bike tyres are designed for gnarly tracks and not the hot or slippery bitumen.
3. A new sprocket. You should modify your gearing so you can ride comfortably at 110km/h.
4. You’ll feel ‘naked’ out on the roads. It’s sketchy to ride a dirt bike at such high speeds and around heavy trucks which create a huge wind draft when overtaking, so be really mindful.

It’s often not so fun to ride dirt bikes on any road so keep this to the occasional trip, unless you’re a motard rider.

Alternative Options

There are 2 great options if this doesn’t work out for you:

1. Trade your dirt bike in for one that can actually be registered. Some bikes like Yamaha’s WR250R are still excellent performers where you can ride to and from the local riding trails.
2. Stick to riding parks and MX tracks. These are popular across Australia and we’ve written numerous regional riding guides here which help you find great places to ride.

Some riders actually have 2 bikes – one for the track and one for riding the trails on weekends. Likewise, some have an adventure motorcycle for long-distance cruising and a lighter performance dirt bike for ripping up the trails.

Going Forward

It’s clear that you can certainly ride a dirt bike on any Australian road. If it’s open for regular traffic, then it’s open for you. That is – as long as you are fully registered, licenced and your bike is capable for the job.

Get yourself a good insurance policy as well as some riding gear for the trip. Plan your route so you can avoid riding in the rain or during the busier school holiday season, and you’ll do just fine.

Next up: Read this helpful guide below! 😃

Dirt Bike Tracks Around Australia: State-By-State Guide