Which 85 is the best?

Joshua Knight
Edited Date/Time 3/30/2021 7:51am
Im looking to buy myself a 85, but i dont really know too much about them. Any info on which is the best? Used or new?
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Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 3/25/2021 2:27pm
3/25/2021 2:27pm
How big are you, how much experience, and what type of riding are you planning?
Joshua Knight 3/25/2021 2:32pm
3/25/2021 2:32pm
Hammer 663s wrote:
How big are you, how much experience, and what type of riding are you planning?
I am 5 ft 4, 100 pounds. 2 years of riding experience. I ride a mix of trails and motocross
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-MAVERICK-
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-MAVERICK- 3/25/2021 2:36pm
3/25/2021 2:36pm
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
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Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 3/25/2021 2:38pm
3/25/2021 2:38pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2021 2:40pm
KX100 then. It'll do fine for trail and moto and is way less expensive to buy and maintain than anything orange/white/red from Austria. Lots of aftermarket parts (recommend a Steahly 8 oz flywheel weight right away) available. With the 100 you'll have a little room to grow. Might find one used if you are lucky. There's not a single 85 or 100 listed in my area at all. Used bikes in high demand.

My 14 year old is 5'4", 90 lbs, 10 years seat time, all moto, and rides a KX85 converted to a 105 supermini big wheel. It's been very reliable and is plenty fast (as 85 or 105 now) for him. We are not a high-budget operation and the Kawi allows us to have fun at a decent price. New was under $4k OTD.



Mike
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Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 3/25/2021 2:49pm
3/25/2021 2:49pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2021 2:50pm
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought my first dirt bike (MX175). There are still ways to make $$$ as a young man. Maybe he's a Tik Tok star. Wink

With my kids, they know that whatever they earn towards their first car I will match. Some damn near broke me with that promise. Some didn't earn a dime and that's what they got.

M
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imoto34
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imoto34 3/25/2021 2:51pm
3/25/2021 2:51pm
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
Put your cloths in the hamper - here is $50.
Didnt back talk for 3 hours. - another 25.

The struggle is real for some lol
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Joshua Knight 3/25/2021 3:11pm
3/25/2021 3:11pm
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
imoto34 wrote:
Put your cloths in the hamper - here is $50.
Didnt back talk for 3 hours. - another 25.

The struggle is real for some lol
i dont get paid shit in my house hold.

Vacuum the living room: ...

Clean the living room: ...

Rake the yard: ...

Fill up my mums wine: ...

Unload the dish washer: ...

The list can go on and on...
i dont get paid zip.
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JWACK
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JWACK 3/25/2021 3:17pm
3/25/2021 3:17pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2021 3:18pm
I would look 125 if I were you. It will last you longer and is a better bike.
You’re tall enough.
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Spudnut
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Spudnut 3/25/2021 6:12pm
3/25/2021 6:12pm
Get a 125 2 stroke. An 85 at your age and size would be a 1 year investment where a 125 you can ride for atleast 3 years (or even longer if you so choose)
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wreckitrandy
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wreckitrandy 3/25/2021 10:36pm
3/25/2021 10:36pm
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
imoto34 wrote:
Put your cloths in the hamper - here is $50.
Didnt back talk for 3 hours. - another 25.

The struggle is real for some lol
Joshua Knight wrote:
i dont get paid shit in my house hold. Vacuum the living room: ... Clean the living room: ... Rake the yard: ... Fill up my...
i dont get paid shit in my house hold.

Vacuum the living room: ...

Clean the living room: ...

Rake the yard: ...

Fill up my mums wine: ...

Unload the dish washer: ...

The list can go on and on...
i dont get paid zip.
Seems reasonable since mum feeds, clothes and houses you.
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JMX82
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JMX82 3/25/2021 10:51pm
3/25/2021 10:51pm Edited Date/Time 3/26/2021 3:02am
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chump6784
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chump6784 3/25/2021 11:43pm
3/25/2021 11:43pm
2006 onwards YZ125 and either cut the seat down or get the suspension lowered if you can't touch the ground properly. Plenty of aftermarket support and you won't outgrow it in a year or so
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kiwifan
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kiwifan 3/26/2021 2:26am
3/26/2021 2:26am
My dealer told me the new CR85 was the best
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crusher773
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crusher773 3/26/2021 8:00am
3/26/2021 8:00am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2021 10:41am
Yeah I was going to say supermini. But honestly if I were you. Wait 6 months and buy a 125. Anything you buy right now you are just wasting money on.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 3/26/2021 8:35am
3/26/2021 8:35am
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
Hammer 663s wrote:
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought...
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought my first dirt bike (MX175). There are still ways to make $$$ as a young man. Maybe he's a Tik Tok star. Wink

With my kids, they know that whatever they earn towards their first car I will match. Some damn near broke me with that promise. Some didn't earn a dime and that's what they got.

M
That takes me back...
Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own money at that age. I used my own money to fix up an MX100 “hand me down”. Got my 1st legit “New Bike” at 16: a ‘79 YZ125. Bought a 1980 CR125 and started racing.
Disclaimer: my mom & dad made me put all my “work” money in the bank and would only let me have my allowance that I earned doing chores around the house. That worked out nicely when it was time to go buy a bike.

I hope this kid looking for an 85/100 gets what he’s looking for and has a blast.
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 3/26/2021 8:54am
3/26/2021 8:54am
Joshua Knight wrote:
Im looking to buy myself a 85, but i dont really know too much about them. Any info on which is the best? Used or new?
To answer the original question: from what I’m seeing at the races, the KTM/Husky/GasGas is certainly the fastest and even appears to have better suspension than rest, too. The YZ & KX seem to be pretty good bikes...but, from what I’m hearing and seeing...they aren’t a whole lot cheaper than the Austrian bikes...especially the GasGas.

But! My friends that have kids on 80s tell me the Japanese bikes are cheaper to maintain and parts are cheaper...they are it sounds like they’re waaaay cheaper...?
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miketherider 3/26/2021 8:56am
3/26/2021 8:56am
KX100 is a great stepping stone. Room to grow with the larger wheels and makes plenty of power. We have a 19 we've been using to race hare scrambles and it's been reliable, cheap to keep running and has handled anything we've thrown at it.

Any big wheel 85 could suit you well, but finding used ones is difficult right now.
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Ted722
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Ted722 3/26/2021 9:43am
3/26/2021 9:43am
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
Hammer 663s wrote:
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought...
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought my first dirt bike (MX175). There are still ways to make $$$ as a young man. Maybe he's a Tik Tok star. Wink

With my kids, they know that whatever they earn towards their first car I will match. Some damn near broke me with that promise. Some didn't earn a dime and that's what they got.

M
TeamGreen wrote:
That takes me back... Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own...
That takes me back...
Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own money at that age. I used my own money to fix up an MX100 “hand me down”. Got my 1st legit “New Bike” at 16: a ‘79 YZ125. Bought a 1980 CR125 and started racing.
Disclaimer: my mom & dad made me put all my “work” money in the bank and would only let me have my allowance that I earned doing chores around the house. That worked out nicely when it was time to go buy a bike.

I hope this kid looking for an 85/100 gets what he’s looking for and has a blast.
Didn't realize it, but maybe I got hazard pay. Would go out to the Haystack with my moto boots on and feed the horses. The sound a rattler makes is burned into my noggin to this day. When old enough (16) drove the F250 to a local ranch for a load of 15-20 bails (as I remember). The heavy shit (alfalfa) too. Then, unload and stack by myself. Good training!

Laying under the car holding a flashlight (for what seemed like hours on end) while my dad was doing whatever (exhaust, wiring, transmission, etc.), cleaning up dog shit, cleaning out the chicken coop (30 of those buggers can really do a number), clearing out a large area of waist high weeds with nasty hay-fever in the summer. Man, the first job I got at 16 was easy!

Hang in there Joshua, it'll pay off, but it might take 20 years to look back fondly...about when you have your own kids. Smile

Oh yeah, I like the KX100 idea. Building confidence at this age is crucial, even if only for a year.
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beamer
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beamer 3/26/2021 9:50am
3/26/2021 9:50am
KX100 for sure. My 14yo is 5'9 and 160lbs on a 125 already. You hit a growth spurt and youll be out of the Mini bikes pretty quick.
Hammer 663s
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Hammer 663s 3/26/2021 9:59am
3/26/2021 9:59am
-MAVERICK- wrote:
What kind of job does a 13 year old have to buy his own bike?

Don't know many kids that buy their own stuff.
Hammer 663s wrote:
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought...
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought my first dirt bike (MX175). There are still ways to make $$$ as a young man. Maybe he's a Tik Tok star. Wink

With my kids, they know that whatever they earn towards their first car I will match. Some damn near broke me with that promise. Some didn't earn a dime and that's what they got.

M
TeamGreen wrote:
That takes me back... Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own...
That takes me back...
Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own money at that age. I used my own money to fix up an MX100 “hand me down”. Got my 1st legit “New Bike” at 16: a ‘79 YZ125. Bought a 1980 CR125 and started racing.
Disclaimer: my mom & dad made me put all my “work” money in the bank and would only let me have my allowance that I earned doing chores around the house. That worked out nicely when it was time to go buy a bike.

I hope this kid looking for an 85/100 gets what he’s looking for and has a blast.
Yup, we are old school. My first on-the-books job was at a major truck stop, washing dishes. Talk about bust your @ss work - Sunday we've have 500+ locals come in for the Amish ladies who'd cook up schnitz and knepp, and chicken corn soup with dumplings, by the 100s of gallons. Then strawberry shortcake, all hand-made. I'd have to scrub 20-30 huge alu pots at the end of the day. All caked up with dried food. Brutal. Then ride my bicycle the 4 miles home at 11 PM. Bought an RD250 at 16 so I didn't have to ride a bicycle to work anymore, and rode it all year round in PA. Young and dumb. Smile But I learned to work, and can still outwork a lot of people way younger than me. Not sure that's a good thing.

Hammer 663s
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TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 3/26/2021 10:01am
3/26/2021 10:01am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2021 10:02am
Hammer 663s wrote:
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought...
Back in the day I shovelled dog $hit at a kennel, and ran a trap line in the winter. It's how I earned cash and bought my first dirt bike (MX175). There are still ways to make $$$ as a young man. Maybe he's a Tik Tok star. Wink

With my kids, they know that whatever they earn towards their first car I will match. Some damn near broke me with that promise. Some didn't earn a dime and that's what they got.

M
TeamGreen wrote:
That takes me back... Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own...
That takes me back...
Worked at the family’s 7-11 store at age 12. Worked some paper routes before that. It was very cool having my own money at that age. I used my own money to fix up an MX100 “hand me down”. Got my 1st legit “New Bike” at 16: a ‘79 YZ125. Bought a 1980 CR125 and started racing.
Disclaimer: my mom & dad made me put all my “work” money in the bank and would only let me have my allowance that I earned doing chores around the house. That worked out nicely when it was time to go buy a bike.

I hope this kid looking for an 85/100 gets what he’s looking for and has a blast.
Ted722 wrote:
Didn't realize it, but maybe I got hazard pay. Would go out to the Haystack with my moto boots on and feed the horses. The sound...
Didn't realize it, but maybe I got hazard pay. Would go out to the Haystack with my moto boots on and feed the horses. The sound a rattler makes is burned into my noggin to this day. When old enough (16) drove the F250 to a local ranch for a load of 15-20 bails (as I remember). The heavy shit (alfalfa) too. Then, unload and stack by myself. Good training!

Laying under the car holding a flashlight (for what seemed like hours on end) while my dad was doing whatever (exhaust, wiring, transmission, etc.), cleaning up dog shit, cleaning out the chicken coop (30 of those buggers can really do a number), clearing out a large area of waist high weeds with nasty hay-fever in the summer. Man, the first job I got at 16 was easy!

Hang in there Joshua, it'll pay off, but it might take 20 years to look back fondly...about when you have your own kids. Smile

Oh yeah, I like the KX100 idea. Building confidence at this age is crucial, even if only for a year.
Hay Hooks will keep your moto calluses from going away and stacking hay is a way better workout than any “cross training” or “training camp”. I remember stacking hay and then wondering “How the hell am I gonna get down?!” I was around 13y/o...

My grandpa showed me what the pulley-block was really for! Grinning

Summers on the ranch in Merced, CA

The Best of Times
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JT Moto
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JT Moto 3/26/2021 10:26am
3/26/2021 10:26am
kiwifan wrote:
My dealer told me the new CR85 was the best
x2
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Ted722
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Ted722 3/26/2021 10:40am
3/26/2021 10:40am Edited Date/Time 3/26/2021 10:40am
TeamGreen wrote:
Hay Hooks will keep your moto calluses from going away and stacking hay is a way better workout than any “cross training” or “training camp”. I...
Hay Hooks will keep your moto calluses from going away and stacking hay is a way better workout than any “cross training” or “training camp”. I remember stacking hay and then wondering “How the hell am I gonna get down?!” I was around 13y/o...

My grandpa showed me what the pulley-block was really for! Grinning

Summers on the ranch in Merced, CA

The Best of Times
It netted a '75 KX125 for this 5' 7" 12 year old at the time (1980). Could sit flat footed on that thing! As I remember, good low-mid, but flattened out early on top. Perfect for me. Still, though, used to drool over some of my friends current YZ80's. Wink
Joshua Knight 3/26/2021 10:43am
3/26/2021 10:43am
kiwifan wrote:
My dealer told me the new CR85 was the best
Theres a new one? or are you talking about their 150R
4
Joshua Knight 3/26/2021 10:47am
3/26/2021 10:47am
beamer wrote:
KX100 for sure. My 14yo is 5'9 and 160lbs on a 125 already. You hit a growth spurt and youll be out of the Mini bikes...
KX100 for sure. My 14yo is 5'9 and 160lbs on a 125 already. You hit a growth spurt and youll be out of the Mini bikes pretty quick.
but here is the funny thing. my ads 5 ft 5, and im already an inch shorter than him. my mums 5 ft 7. Ive grown a foot in the past 2 years tho. a quarter inch in a month
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STLSharky
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STLSharky 3/26/2021 2:32pm
3/26/2021 2:32pm Edited Date/Time 3/26/2021 2:38pm
Joshua Knight wrote:
Im looking to buy myself a 85, but i dont really know too much about them. Any info on which is the best? Used or new?
Depends on a few things, what's your rider comfortable on and look the best on position wise?

What are riders strength and weaknesses, The Yamaha handles like a race bike, had great top end,
was slow in corners unless rider carries speed well,

Kawasaki fucking pig/couch, soft comfortable handling, good low to mid and now better top supposedly with 14' and up revisions,

Suzuki obviously outdated but super modded ones still bad ass, ever heard a R&D modded 105 ? Boom

Honda CRF150 gimme a break, outrun by every bike available.

Ktm Group fast, efficient, stylish but more expensive to fix than rest.

Note I'm going back to 14, not much has changed besides Yamaha and Kaw got some revisions.

Final things: Contingency money are you attending races that pay?

If so pick the bike that pays the most, Kawasaki was always king, we got paid 50-500 a weekend at times
at some races.

One more crazy thing that was mentioned on another thread here, nothing like a new bike, nothing
if you can trade a few in every three or so months I found worth it. Sounds crazy but.

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