I got a dirt bike for Christmas!

Said no one, ever.

Well, at least around here anyway. Buying a dirt bike is not like grabbing a bicycle off the rack at Walmart. It's more like buying a car and the price tag on some is like buying a car. This explains why most people don't have a Christmas story plot involving a dirt bike. So let's change it.

It's tempting to make this the most memorable Christmas ever, especially if your child rides or wants to ride a dirt bike. So give in! Every parent loves making their kid(s) happy and what better way than the latest model KTM, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Husqvarna or Honda (just did some of your homework) sitting in front of the Christmas tree. Believe you me, plenty of videos on YouTube show the reaction of some kid getting a dirt bike for Christmas. People (for some reason) love watching! Add yours to the mix. Yes, most of those look rehearsed, but after viewing just two or three of these faux-gobsmacked Tweens performing for the camera you'll not only buy the dirt bike but a state-of-the-art camera to capture all the thrills.

Therefore, if you sit on the fence and wonder whether junior can turn a profit racing or finally behave then stop thinking and start doing. Buying a dirt bike for Christmas is a noble (fir) idea. Thus, we present some common misconceptions on why parents don't buy dirt bikes for Christmas and how to get around them:

Costs Too Much

$5000 into your Roth IRA or $5000 towards a new dirt bike? OK, what offers a better ROI? The Roth IRA or your child's future riding dirt bikes?

Ask Troy Dungey.

Can't Buy Me Love

Long before McDreamy stirred some passion on Grey's Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey starred in the movie Can't Buy Me Love. What's this have to do with giving a dirt bike for Christmas? Absolutely nothing, uh huh. Here's the thing, you actually can buy love (mail order bride anyone?) and what better way to tell your kid(s) you love them, than with a brand new dirt bike. Do it!

Too Many Injuries

Kids get hurt. It's a rite of passage. Remember when lead-filled paint colored our walls and we laughed at seat belts (and those who wore them) as we crawled over the front seat while mom drove? Somehow, someway kids still get broken arms, skinned knees and sprained ligaments all without ever sitting on a dirt bike. Do you want to keep your son or daughter from having dirt bike riding war stories to share with your grandkids?

Here's a fun idea: Wrap helmet, boots, gloves and goggles (see all of the available protection) in separate boxes and have your kid open one by "mistake." "Oh, that's not for you. We hid that for Mr. Jones and must have wrapped it by mistake. Your present is (wink wink) in the garage. By the freezer."

Even better, let them open the helmet or boots first, then the real presents like socks and a new shirt for school, and watch them squirm for the hour or so it takes as others open presents before the big reveal. This serves a dual purpose. Either patience rewarded or temper tantrum corrected.

With Friends Like These...

Some past riders gave MX a bad name, though admittedly it was lots of fun to watch. But the Bad Boyz always prove fleeting and the sport does a pretty good job of extracting them out. Besides you're still the parent and have say over who your child hangs out with, at least you should. Remember, you can give the dirt bike, but also take it away. You feel me? Speaking of fleeting...

It's Just a Passing Fad

If you think dirt bike riding is short-lived because soccer lasted two seasons, baseball fizzled after three and that skateboard you bought a year ago sits untouched in the garage let us tell you something: None of that compares to riding dirt bikes. Besides, no one said your son or daughter has to race. Fact is most who ride dirt bikes spend time on the trails not the track. If you don't have a dirt bike, then get one. Nothing like a family outing in the backcountry. We even wrote about it! Check out Fall Off-Road and Trail Riding With Kids.

Who Has Time for That?

Who has time for anything nowadays? It's called Time Management. Dump Facebook and delete Instagram. Someday we'll post an article about how to manage your time with dirt bikes but until then dirt bike riding is mostly a weekend warrior business and no one says every weekend. Take a day once a month to ride and perform maintenance. And, if your backyard offers an acre or two of land and/or has access to trails, you have no excuse. Get out and ride!

It's a Bit Much (not just money)

The overly generous parent or the BPF isn't working so well in America these days, is it? Kids used to getting everything they want grow up and expect the government to give them everything they want. To be fair, you balked at buying last year's Playstation 4 but now... a dirt bike? It's called leverage. Like the TV show starring another actor who got his start in the 80s. Grades high? Chores done? Curfews kept? Attitude adjusted? If the answer is "No" to any one of these just dangle Craigslist over their head. So long dirt bike.

Well, where do you ride?

We wrote about this too! Here is the short version:

  • Private land
  • Forest Trails/Desert Trails/Mountain Roads/Dunes
  • Hare Scrambles and Off-Road Races
  • Logging Roads
  • Far Off Rural Areas

Here is the long version: Places To Ride Dirt Bikes - It's Not All Just Riding a Track.

What About Parts and Riding Gear?

MotoSport.

You have no more excuses for not buying your kid a dirt bike for Christmas.