Slow down little fella!
Put your up-and-comer on a 50cc dirt bike and you might grit your teeth more than you kid. Your child has to start somewhere and other than a pedal bike or a STACYC the 50cc dirt bike offers the smallest bore engine available.
As a parent, watching your child skate along on a 50cc dirt bike probably looks closer to a 100 mph top speed - but hardly - and to your adventure seeking kid, it likely doesn't go fast enough. And yet, this gateway to Motocross and trail riding, the 50cc dirt bike looks almost like a toy. Adults can't really ride it and with its petite size comes a petite engine that should help relax even the most nervous parents.
Yes, it still goes pretty quick but with some modifications both for and against speed, your child will probably outgrow a 50cc dirt bike before ever hitting the top speed only to move on to a bigger and more powerful bike.
GasGas MC50 in the middle
What is a 50cc Dirt Bike?
In basic terms, the 50cc refers to the size of the engine. More technically, it refers to cubic centimeters, a unit of volume describing the engine displacement or combustion chamber where the fuel and air mixture combust to produce power. Compared to a 450cc engine, the 50cc ranks quite small in both actual size and amount of power produced.
A 50cc engine provides the best entry level gas-fueled dirt bike for riders as young as three. Available as a 4-stroke or 2-stroke, these little machine ride fast enough to produce a thrill and help develop skills maneuvering around a Motocross track or tackling some trails but not so fast the bike becomes unmanageable or scary for an early rider. The Honda CRF50, Yamaha TTR50 and KTM50cc make up some of the more popular 50cc dirt bikes.
Factors Influencing the Speed of a 50cc Dirt Bike
Parents should take note of ways to slow down their little rider or help speed them up when the time comes.
A stock bike, or one fresh off the showroom floor, generally weighs more and produces less power than one outfitted with aftermarket parts. A lighter bike equals a faster bike. But, not a lot of aftermarket parts exist for a 50cc bike, so good or bad news, depending on your perspective. Some options to give a boost in performance and help lighten the load include exhaust, handlebars and sprockets though changing the sprocket size (bigger in the front, smaller in the rear) for higher top speed proves difficult because of the unavailability of varying sprocket sizes for small dirt bikes.
Dressing your child with all the appropriate safety gear not only adds weight, but at least initially, offers enough distraction to keep your child from pinning it hard. So, in terms of significantly adding or reducing the weight of the bike, not a lot to go on other than all the available youth riding gear.
Even if your son or daughter figures out dirt bike riding quickly, terrain plays a big role in how fast a 50cc dirt bike goes. A rough MX track littered with obstacles slows their roll but on lengthy hard pack with little twists and turns expect to hit top speeds. Of course, a paved road delivers the best in top speed performance so outside the goal of seeing just how fast your young one can fly, don't worry about this.
All told, at the 50cc size, the biggest factor probably comes from the make, model and year of the dirt bike. Manufacturers follow their own design and guidelines when making 50cc engines so one brand may have a speed advantage over another. Plus, new bikes of course have less wear and tear and generally hit a higher top speed than one five years old.
50cc Dirt Bike Top Speed
So, what's the top speed of a 50cc dirt bike? Thanks for hanging in there. Most 50cc dirt bikes top out around 25 mph, maybe 30 on a good day, though in all the right conditions, like a paved straightway, some can race along as fast as 40 mph. Remember, the 25 or 30 mph top speed refers to general dirt bike riding conditions, meaning pinned on hard pack track or trails with little in the way. Once soil loosens, twists and turns come into play or other obstacles factor in, that top speed slows dramatically.
When starting out, your child probably won't ride much faster than 10 or 15 mph until he or she builds confidence in riding on a gas-powered two-wheeled dirt bike while navigating the lay of the land and figuring out the throttle, clutch and brake. Once achieved, the terrain plays a bigger role in adjusting top speed but eventually expect your youngster to hit 25 mph and thirst for more.
Remember, accidents happen - expect it - so ensure your child wears the appropriate gear.
