65’s?

wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen
Edited Date/Time 10/19/2021 5:29am
My 9year old son just started riding a klx110
my friend abandoned in my garage..he picked it up real quick and is ready to move up to a real mx bike. He’s been riding standup jetskis in the surf with me for about a year so he’s got good throttle control and he’s definitely not scared

I got him a manual clutch to help get him by for now..Was thinking I could find him a cheap kx60 for now but there is nothing to be found..Unfortunately used 65’s are selling for almost new prices and there arnt any new bikes to choose from at least around here. Thinking I’ll have to put a deposit down on 2022. Thinking yz65..for guys who have done the mini dad thing which 65 do you recommend? Local dealer carries all the brands. Kx and yz are a bit cheaper although I was thinking hydro clutch would be nice for little hands.

Thanks for the input
2
|
slipdog
Profile picture for user slipdog
Posts
10044
Joined
7/25/2009
Location
Nor Cal, CA US
slipdog 5/6/2021 6:55am
5/6/2021 6:55am
I've had all 3 since last January. I reccomend to skip the KX65, it was decent 20yrs ago but does not compare in the chassis/suspension/motor department to the others. My son was immediately better on the KTM we picked up last May mostly because of how much easier the power was to control with the broader powervalved motor. He struggled to corner well as a beginner with the KX as it would bog and hit really hard.

We switched to a YZ this January mainly because os price and availability. I saved almost $2k from the cheapest KTM I could find at the time. The YZ is a little faster but more of a mid/top motor so for him there was a bit of a learning curve from the switch to be better about corner speed and downshifting. The KTM will pull 3rd through a lot of corners and the YZ will not. It's a damn rocket once on the power though.

Surprisingly, the YZ cable clutch is easier than the KTMs hydro but both are light on the pull. From advice of another member here I purchased a late model YZ125 powervalve governer spring to replace the stock one which is supposed to help the roll on/bottom power but haven't installed that yet. I don't think you can go wrong with either bike.
8
ShredGraphic 5/6/2021 7:11am
5/6/2021 7:11am
Maybe not what you’re looking for, but I got my daughter a husky EE5 and it’s been fantastic. Adjustable height, different power levels, and no maintenance for mini dad. Bike rips too, honestly can’t wait til they make one my size.
7
526
Profile picture for user 526
Posts
1684
Joined
5/4/2009
Location
Colgate, WI US
526 5/6/2021 7:22am
5/6/2021 7:22am
I bought 2021 KX65 for about 1500 cheaper than any other 65, my daughter is 12 and pretty small so it fits her good. I wanted her to be able to touch the ground while she learns the clutch so she can build confidence. The technology obviously isn't there compared to the other bikes but she is a 12yr old kid so........

On a side note we have a local kid here who races one and he smokes everybody every weekend so it's more rider than bike IMO.
3
Skerby
Profile picture for user Skerby
Posts
1254
Joined
4/9/2013
Location
Mayes County, OK US
Skerby 5/6/2021 7:42am
5/6/2021 7:42am Edited Date/Time 5/6/2021 7:47am
Let's see these standups.

Also, manual clutch kits are garbage unless you spend a ton of money. The 110 has two clutches stock, not a simple conversion to get a manual clutch in there that will feel anything like a big bike.
1

The Shop

See All »
Zeke27G
Profile picture for user Zeke27G
Posts
1239
Joined
11/8/2011
Location
Ascot Park, CA US
Zeke27G 5/6/2021 7:56am
5/6/2021 7:56am
Moved my son up from a TC50 to a YZ65 because I was done with dealing with all of the issues that the Austrian mini bikes suffer from. The YZ65 has been great, it's a little taller and a little bit heavier, but the reliability has been just what you'd expect from Yamaha. As far as the manual cable clutch goes, we have the tension backed off as much as possible and he doesn't ever complain of his clutch hand being tired or anything. Overall, we're more than happy with the YZ65, especially the blue rims! I mean, does it get any cooler?!
6
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 5/6/2021 7:56am
5/6/2021 7:56am Edited Date/Time 5/6/2021 7:58am
Skerby wrote:
Let's see these standups. Also, manual clutch kits are garbage unless you spend a ton of money. The 110 has two clutches stock, not a simple...
Let's see these standups.

Also, manual clutch kits are garbage unless you spend a ton of money. The 110 has two clutches stock, not a simple conversion to get a manual clutch in there that will feel anything like a big bike.
He's riding an 02 klx so you can't go full manual...I figured at least he'd be able to get the rpm's up coming out of corners..he said he always feels like he's in between gears..

my new superjet and my sons fx-1 I just finished..here's a vid of me on my old ski (the light blue one) and a vid of my son testing his new ski..he's really ripping on it now that he has some time on it




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66DdbIHhAqw&t=95s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnKQwPgsS44



5
mx510
Profile picture for user mx510
Posts
1974
Joined
2/26/2011
Location
Gig Harbor, WA US
Fantasy
1707th
mx510 5/6/2021 8:03am
5/6/2021 8:03am
My boy rides a 2019 KTM that has roughly 80 hours on it. Been a great bike so far that is pretty easy for him to ride. He is a 65cc beginner when he races. All we have done to the bike is change the oil, clean the filter and a top end. Been a great little bike once I got the jetting and oil mixture figured out.
2
motodad805
Profile picture for user motodad805
Posts
266
Joined
4/8/2021
Location
Reno, NV US
motodad805 5/6/2021 8:40am
5/6/2021 8:40am
Yz65 or Kx65 to get started with, when you’re kid starts getting faster then you can use the money saved from not buying an Austrian bike to upgrade suspension and motor.
2
1
motodad805
Profile picture for user motodad805
Posts
266
Joined
4/8/2021
Location
Reno, NV US
motodad805 5/6/2021 8:41am
5/6/2021 8:41am
And it’s been my experience that the kids will literally be on 65s for a very short time.
1
mx510
Profile picture for user mx510
Posts
1974
Joined
2/26/2011
Location
Gig Harbor, WA US
Fantasy
1707th
mx510 5/6/2021 8:42am
5/6/2021 8:42am
motodad805 wrote:
And it’s been my experience that the kids will literally be on 65s for a very short time.
Yup, my boy barely fit the 65 for a year and a half.
Hammer 663s
Profile picture for user Hammer 663s
Posts
2321
Joined
6/2/2016
Location
Forest Grove, OR US
Hammer 663s 5/6/2021 8:51am
5/6/2021 8:51am
How big is the boy? Mine was on a 65 for 2 years cause he was (and still is) very small for his age. At almost 15 he is still not 100 lbs, but on his KX105 he absolutely rips with the power/weight ratio. If your boy is a big 9 year old, a small wheel kx85 with a heavy flywheel weight might be the ticket.

We had a KTM 65 then went to the KX for the 85s, and are still on that frame converted to a big wheel supermini. Saved a lot of $$$ doing it that way. And his KX will keep up with any KTM. It's the rider not the bikes at this age.

Hammer
2
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 5/6/2021 9:00am
5/6/2021 9:00am
Hammer 663s wrote:
How big is the boy? Mine was on a 65 for 2 years cause he was (and still is) very small for his age. At almost...
How big is the boy? Mine was on a 65 for 2 years cause he was (and still is) very small for his age. At almost 15 he is still not 100 lbs, but on his KX105 he absolutely rips with the power/weight ratio. If your boy is a big 9 year old, a small wheel kx85 with a heavy flywheel weight might be the ticket.

We had a KTM 65 then went to the KX for the 85s, and are still on that frame converted to a big wheel supermini. Saved a lot of $$$ doing it that way. And his KX will keep up with any KTM. It's the rider not the bikes at this age.

Hammer
He’s average. Prob 4’2” and 70ish lbs. I was worried about that too. My dad had me on an 80 when I was 10 or so but it was definitely big for me..I do have a 5year old
Daughter who is starting on a Pw50 so she could ride it eventually and with used prices lately it looks like I could get almost what I paid for it if I decide to sell
Skerby
Profile picture for user Skerby
Posts
1254
Joined
4/9/2013
Location
Mayes County, OK US
Skerby 5/6/2021 9:02am
5/6/2021 9:02am



Fuck yea! Mines stuck in the middle of my parents garage while they finish kitchen remodel, got some decent pics last year though.
2
TeamGreen
Profile picture for user TeamGreen
Posts
29097
Joined
11/25/2008
Location
Thru-out, CA US
TeamGreen 5/6/2021 9:17am
5/6/2021 9:17am
slipdog wrote:
I've had all 3 since last January. I reccomend to skip the KX65, it was decent 20yrs ago but does not compare in the chassis/suspension/motor department...
I've had all 3 since last January. I reccomend to skip the KX65, it was decent 20yrs ago but does not compare in the chassis/suspension/motor department to the others. My son was immediately better on the KTM we picked up last May mostly because of how much easier the power was to control with the broader powervalved motor. He struggled to corner well as a beginner with the KX as it would bog and hit really hard.

We switched to a YZ this January mainly because os price and availability. I saved almost $2k from the cheapest KTM I could find at the time. The YZ is a little faster but more of a mid/top motor so for him there was a bit of a learning curve from the switch to be better about corner speed and downshifting. The KTM will pull 3rd through a lot of corners and the YZ will not. It's a damn rocket once on the power though.

Surprisingly, the YZ cable clutch is easier than the KTMs hydro but both are light on the pull. From advice of another member here I purchased a late model YZ125 powervalve governer spring to replace the stock one which is supposed to help the roll on/bottom power but haven't installed that yet. I don't think you can go wrong with either bike.
This guy is a “just go have fun and do the best you can” race dad. He was an a accomplished pro and has even been behind the scenes working on bikes at the pro level. I’ve watched him go thru this entire process of building and developing bikes for his son and daughter. He’s got it figured out.
Btw, he’s kinda Neurotic/OCD about the details; so, he gets into “the internals” on these bikes right away and figures stuff out QUICKLY.

The Yamaha appears to be a competitive racer and cheaper to keep. Period. I know this because I’ve turned a few dads on to it due to Slip’s experiences.

If costs is a non-issue and you’re “Full-Tilt Racing”? I’d probably get the GasGas and just “jump in the deep end” of the race sad experience.
Grinning
The Austrian scooters ARE FAST! But, the Yamaha seems to be a bulletproof little racer with excellent wear and tear characteristics & parts seem to last and cost less to replace.

Slip, did I get that right?
5
LungButter
Profile picture for user LungButter
Posts
5708
Joined
1/9/2016
Location
Yellow Pine, ID US
LungButter 5/6/2021 9:53am
5/6/2021 9:53am
My buddy has 2 boys that race a ton. His older boy was on KTMs all the way through to big bikes, with the younger boy they switched to Yamaha 65s instead of KTMs. He said his wrenching time and parts bill are half on the Yamaha as they were on the KTM.

Second hand experience I know, but take it for what its worth.
4
xrmark
Profile picture for user xrmark
Posts
1123
Joined
9/9/2019
Location
Lake Elsinore, CA US
xrmark 5/6/2021 10:13am
5/6/2021 10:13am
If the kid can handle a ski he’ll rip a 65. We ride skis on Elsinore after moto in the am. Riding those is more of a work out then doin 20’s!
1
B Lenny
Profile picture for user B Lenny
Posts
889
Joined
9/20/2020
Location
Inglewood, CA US
B Lenny 5/6/2021 10:24am
5/6/2021 10:24am
motodad805 wrote:
And it’s been my experience that the kids will literally be on 65s for a very short time.
Yep...
5
B Lenny
Profile picture for user B Lenny
Posts
889
Joined
9/20/2020
Location
Inglewood, CA US
B Lenny 5/6/2021 10:35am
5/6/2021 10:35am
Hammer 663s wrote:
How big is the boy? Mine was on a 65 for 2 years cause he was (and still is) very small for his age. At almost...
How big is the boy? Mine was on a 65 for 2 years cause he was (and still is) very small for his age. At almost 15 he is still not 100 lbs, but on his KX105 he absolutely rips with the power/weight ratio. If your boy is a big 9 year old, a small wheel kx85 with a heavy flywheel weight might be the ticket.

We had a KTM 65 then went to the KX for the 85s, and are still on that frame converted to a big wheel supermini. Saved a lot of $$$ doing it that way. And his KX will keep up with any KTM. It's the rider not the bikes at this age.

Hammer
I've got a 16 year old 5'-2" 100lbs on a lowered YZ 144..I feel ya'...Blush


5
2

Pit Row

See All »
Hammer 663s
Profile picture for user Hammer 663s
Posts
2321
Joined
6/2/2016
Location
Forest Grove, OR US
Hammer 663s 5/6/2021 12:01pm
5/6/2021 12:01pm
wydopen wrote:
He’s average. Prob 4’2” and 70ish lbs. I was worried about that too. My dad had me on an 80 when I was 10 or so...
He’s average. Prob 4’2” and 70ish lbs. I was worried about that too. My dad had me on an 80 when I was 10 or so but it was definitely big for me..I do have a 5year old
Daughter who is starting on a Pw50 so she could ride it eventually and with used prices lately it looks like I could get almost what I paid for it if I decide to sell
Here ya go.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1648252938767561/permalink/282635165095…

65 for sure at that size.

Hammer
1
FGR01
Profile picture for user FGR01
Posts
5115
Joined
10/1/2006
Location
AZ US
Fantasy
1327th
FGR01 5/6/2021 12:29pm
5/6/2021 12:29pm
I've laid this out in other threads before. For those saying that "it's the rider not the bike", yes, that is true. But if the riders are equal, the 10 less pounds of the KTM is a huge deal if you are racing.

Repost from another thread:

All in all, the KTM65 is "THE" bike the kid has to be on if you are serious about racing at a fast pace. 10 lbs lighter than the YZ65 is a huge deal at that level. But there are reliability, tuning, and maintenance issues to contend with. If your kid is not all about very serious racing.. I'd say the YZ is the way to go. Much improved reliability and ease of maintenance.

My buddy's son is fast and has been on KTM65's for about 4 years. He's gone through 5-6 of them and I've done the majority of the work on the bikes so I'm really familiar with them. Rule #1, if you're going to race seriously with a KTM65... you better have 2 of them ! A fast kid will break things on them and wear things out that will have you scratching your head.

What probs does the KTM 65 have:

The wheel bearings are small and wear out.. and the spacers are pressed into them which makes them a pain to change. You have to stay after the spokes. I just rebuilt a rear wheel that the kid broke 7 spokes out of.. just practicing.

The Mikuni carb is temperamental to temp and elevation changes. This is not a big deal on most 2-strokes, but KTM went full stupid and made it impossible to adjust literally anything on the carb without removing the shock or entire subframe. They even put the air screw on the right side behind the shock for some crazy reason. Nihilo sells an extended air screw to somewhat deal with this nonsense. The YZ has a Keihin carb that is easy to access like any other 2-stroke.

The countershaft sprockets seem to leak frequently.

Hydraulic clutch is cool but of course more complex maintenance.

Many of the fasteners and such are kind of dinky and fall apart or wear out. The seat has a special fastener that strips, bends, or pulls out of the plastic.

The powervalve is known to break and then it is stuck in the closed position. Nihilo sells a stronger replacement.

The brake calipers are very small and non-floating. They almost look like mountain bike brakes. You have to be careful with pedal adjustment and fluid level or it's very easy to make the brake drag and slow the bike or overheat. The YZ65, by comparison, has brakes that look like a full size bike.

Some bikes have excess slop between the frame and swingarm. This can create vibration or even handling issues when the pivot bolt is tightened down and squeezes the frame. I've seen 2 or 3 pivot bolts break, I assume from the tension and vibration. Some people insert shims to take up the excess clearance.

There is a known issue with the crank journals wearing and losing their press fit to the main bearings which, of course, causes bottom end engine vibration. A new crank is over $400.

On the bright side, we do top ends at 50 hrs and the bikes have no perceptible loss of performance and everything looks good. That's pretty incredible for such a fast little engine.
6
BikePilot
Profile picture for user BikePilot
Posts
313
Joined
9/27/2014
Location
Golden, CO US
BikePilot 5/6/2021 4:09pm
5/6/2021 4:09pm
I wouldn’t count the Cobra 65 out either. Can’t go wrong with the yz, Austrian models, or cobra.
kevinr
Profile picture for user kevinr
Posts
96
Joined
12/11/2017
Location
North Royalton, OH US
kevinr 5/6/2021 5:46pm
5/6/2021 5:46pm
We loved our KTM 65. We had a subset of the problems FGR01 laid out above but not the major ones. I will add that there was an issue with the fork tubes bending in 2015 but they were warrantied. If you are racing the KTM has to be your choice. Practice then no issue with the Yamaha since they have more low end grunt and are easier to lug around IMO.
jbrown15
Profile picture for user jbrown15
Posts
570
Joined
1/19/2017
Location
CA
jbrown15 5/6/2021 10:50pm
5/6/2021 10:50pm Edited Date/Time 5/6/2021 10:53pm
B Lenny wrote:
I've got a 16 year old 5'-2" 100lbs on a lowered YZ 144..I feel ya'...:blush: [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2021/05/06/491494/s1200_A03.jpg[/img]
I've got a 16 year old 5'-2" 100lbs on a lowered YZ 144..I feel ya'...Blush


I have the exact opposite problem, my 12 year is 5’7” 150lbs and had to get him on a 125 because he was just too big for his 85/supermini.




When he was on 65's he actually had a really nice Cobra 65 and we had great luck with it and it was an awesome 65 for us.
6
1
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 5/7/2021 12:54pm
5/7/2021 12:54pm
Thanks for the input. Sounds like the Yamaha is the way to go. Unfortunately there isn’t any racing or public tracks for that matter around here anymore and I have another kid on the way so traveling to race won’t be very feasible for the next couple years at least. Luckily there’s a ranch in town we can ride that that’s half moto track half off-road loop and a few sand tracks within an hour and a half..will try to put a deposit down for a ‘22.
2
B Lenny
Profile picture for user B Lenny
Posts
889
Joined
9/20/2020
Location
Inglewood, CA US
B Lenny 5/8/2021 2:52pm
5/8/2021 2:52pm
jbrown15 wrote:
I have the exact opposite problem, my 12 year is 5’7” 150lbs and had to get him on a 125 because he was just too big...
I have the exact opposite problem, my 12 year is 5’7” 150lbs and had to get him on a 125 because he was just too big for his 85/supermini.




When he was on 65's he actually had a really nice Cobra 65 and we had great luck with it and it was an awesome 65 for us.
Right on...Wink
1
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 6/5/2021 6:10am
6/5/2021 6:10am
slipdog wrote:
I've had all 3 since last January. I reccomend to skip the KX65, it was decent 20yrs ago but does not compare in the chassis/suspension/motor department...
I've had all 3 since last January. I reccomend to skip the KX65, it was decent 20yrs ago but does not compare in the chassis/suspension/motor department to the others. My son was immediately better on the KTM we picked up last May mostly because of how much easier the power was to control with the broader powervalved motor. He struggled to corner well as a beginner with the KX as it would bog and hit really hard.

We switched to a YZ this January mainly because os price and availability. I saved almost $2k from the cheapest KTM I could find at the time. The YZ is a little faster but more of a mid/top motor so for him there was a bit of a learning curve from the switch to be better about corner speed and downshifting. The KTM will pull 3rd through a lot of corners and the YZ will not. It's a damn rocket once on the power though.

Surprisingly, the YZ cable clutch is easier than the KTMs hydro but both are light on the pull. From advice of another member here I purchased a late model YZ125 powervalve governer spring to replace the stock one which is supposed to help the roll on/bottom power but haven't installed that yet. I don't think you can go wrong with either bike.
So after searching for a reasonable deal for the last few months I’ve found nothing…wasn’t going to pay 200$ less than msrp for a yz or ktm with 40hrs on it..

I picked up an 03 rm65 that needs a top end for a price I can stomach..had to drive 6hrs each way to get it but it’s home now..plan is to rebuild it, ride if for a couple months and then hopefully sell it while used prices are ridiculous and use it towards a new YZ65

Anything you’d recommend to make it more competitive for the time being? It’s stock with a PC silencer..my buddy is a suspension guy but don’t think he does allot of 65’s. Don’t want to put too much $ into it but want to get it working well for him..plus I figure if he learns to ride something without a power valve he will be that much faster when he gets on a Yz. He has really good throttle control for a little
kid..I’m sure he will be able to make it sing..
xrmark
Profile picture for user xrmark
Posts
1123
Joined
9/9/2019
Location
Lake Elsinore, CA US
xrmark 6/5/2021 8:08am
6/5/2021 8:08am
I find it hard to believe you couldn’t find an rm or Kx65 for a decent price anywhere around here. Assuming you’re from the IE. I see those things everywhere on offerup from 800-1700 bucks all day long and running with parts. I think some of you overthink the shit out of buying a bike. That’s gnarly you drove 6 hours both ways to pick up a 65.
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 6/5/2021 11:31am
6/5/2021 11:31am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2021 5:38pm
xrmark wrote:
I find it hard to believe you couldn’t find an rm or Kx65 for a decent price anywhere around here. Assuming you’re from the IE. I...
I find it hard to believe you couldn’t find an rm or Kx65 for a decent price anywhere around here. Assuming you’re from the IE. I see those things everywhere on offerup from 800-1700 bucks all day long and running with parts. I think some of you overthink the shit out of buying a bike. That’s gnarly you drove 6 hours both ways to pick up a 65.
In the last few months? I’m up north..I found a few on offer up/FB Market place for 1400-1600 for a clapped out kx and the ads on offer up were old and they never got back...this things fairly clean..Ktm’s were 3800$+ for a used one..at that price I’ll buy new
This thing had new plastic/tires/chain and sprockets and was the cheapest one I found by about half
wydopen
Profile picture for user wydopen
Posts
1291
Joined
8/17/2011
Location
805, CA US
wydopen 10/19/2021 5:29am
10/19/2021 5:29am
So we went from “we are just going to ride casually” to racing every weekend real quick. Actually have the RM65 I built working really well. He has no problem handling the power valveless engine, he’s been beating plenty of ktm’s and yamahas..put in race tech emulators in the fork and that looks like it’s working really well also. The problem is the terrible peg to seat distance and the banana seat. He always looks like he’s stuck up in the front even though the bikes too tall for him if anything. Can finally find a used 65 for a decent deal but am still having a hard time deciding. Anybody regretting their Yamaha 65 purchase? I’m leaning that way. He’s riding 65 beginner and 65 open, there are some really fast sand baggers in there at the big races but he’s not going to be trying to qualify for lorettas or anything anytime soon..Kids only been riding since last April and only been on the 65 since July but he’s riding it really well and doing good enough he doesn’t deserve to be at a handicap before he leaves the gate. I always had an old bike when I was on 80’s and I told myself I wouldn’t do that to my kid.
4

Post a reply to: 65’s?