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My kid went 85 to 105 to 125 between 12 and 15. He's about your age, but a good bit lighter. He's already quick on the 125 with only 25 hours on it so far. In another 50-75 hours he will rip and then can take that to a 250. He can ride a 250 pretty well now, but like the guy above said, he's too light to really control it when things go wrong. Don't be in a rush. If you can find a good used 125 I'd go that route until you are at least 16. How many...

Went through the 85-125-250f path with the kid. Rode the 125 for 3 months, struggled with it, wasn’t interested in going riding. Tried a 250f, immediately smoother, faster, looked more in control and loves riding again. Depends on the individual and riding style if you ask me. Don’t agree with the whole 125 will make you a better rider either, practice and working on technique will have the same results on a 250f or even a 450.

All of the advice above is excellent input and all worth your consideration! Ultimately it just comes down to what your long-term goals are and what your budget will allow!? If you are an aggressive amateur racer with racing aspirations I agree that a 125 is an excellent next step! But… I will also tell you that my son, (who rode and raced from 50’s on!) was ALWAYS too big for the bikes before he was too old for them! He rode his 50’s as long as possible, then moved to 65’s and really struggled with the extra power but...

Totally valid. I don’t believe you could make a valid argument against the 125 being a great (I’d say necessary) stepping stone and skill builder on your way up. Or even a good refresher for someone that’s gotten lazy after being on 4 strokes for a while. But, all that goes out the window unless you’re actively working at improving your skill set.

I'm a little older than you and just started riding within the last year and started on a 125. I had never rode before, but they are great bikes to learn on and I think you would do just fine on either. If a 4 stroke grenades, it will cost you an arm and a leg. But if maintain a 4 stroke, they can be just as cheap as a 2 stroke, I have never owned a 4 stroke, but I put almost 100 hours on a 125 this season. It never blew up on me, but I had about...

125 or even a 150

I raced a 450 for the first time when i was 13 straight from my 150r, moved up to a 250 the month after, i dont get the 125cc hype

You raced a 450 then moved up to a 250 the month after? Completely makes sense you don’t get the 125 hype. Stay in school kids.

Yeah my 250 was late and i wanted to ride a big bike until i got it, a 450 was what we had

Yea I would just save up and buy a nice used 250f. Sure they are a bit heavier but it’s easier to ride and I don’t think the maintenance cost is that much different. Plus it sounds like you really want a 250f. If you buy the 125 you may be looking to sell it in a few months to jump to a 250f. Just get the 250 and save yourself the time and money of buying multiple bikes.

I’d skip a 125 and get a 250f. Don’t see the need to “ride” a 125 unless your serious and trying for some of 125 Loretta classes. My 14 year old is on a 21 crf250. Loves it a lot more than the ktm 125 we did for a few months

I think I would just go straight to the 250F tbh. Most of the things you can learn on a 125 you can learn on a 250f. But there are some things that you can ONLY learn on a 4 stroke.

Youre a light guy, pretty green on a big bike and thats totally fine. Heres a few good reasons to go with a 125: 1: You’ll learn to handle the transition much easier. 2: You’ll carry over many of the techniques you use on the 85 and get much better at using them. 3: Maintenance is cheaper on a 2 stroke. No cams, valves or fancy parts. 4: You’ll get a easier transition from the 85, but you will still feel the difference in size and displacement. 5. If youre fast on a 125 you will basically be fast on...

Everyone saying a 125 will teach you good technique, has some validity but only if you actually try to improve your technique which you can do on any bike regardless of size.

A 125 is one of the best skill building bikes out there. Want to go fast on a 125? better get your technique on point. If you aren't racing at a high level, no reason to go straight to the 250f. My son went 85, 100, 125, 150, then at 16 got his first 250f. Guess what? He absolutely rips on the 250, he'd still be fast without the 125's, but, those bikes taught him more than the 250 ever will. He is light, and started on the 125 at 13, and 110 lbs. he had no problems hanging with...

I wouldn’t buy a used 250f unless it was under about 50 hours. A full rebuild could be upwards of 2000 bucks. If a 2 stroke grenades on you you are looking at about 250-750 bucks. I would spend a few more bucks on a lightly used 125. Much more cost effective and less risk all said and done Not to mention you could take the 125 to the 125 dream race this September at washougal 😎😎