Looking for the best 110cc dirt bike but not sure where to begin? Whether you’re a beginner looking for your first dirt bike or are an adult that wants the best pit bike, you’ve found the right article!
In this post, I’ll show you who a 110 dirt bike is for, why they’re popular for kids and adults, and how to choose the right one based on your specific needs.
What size rider is a 110cc dirt bike good for?
All but the KLX 110L have a seat height of about 26 inches. This makes them a good size dirt bike if you’re about 4’4″-4’10”, although your inseam has an effect as well.
110s are built for kids that want a trail bike for beginners, but maybe you’re an adult that wants a pit bike to play on. Even if you’re 6 feet tall, you can still ride one. It will feel cramped, but there are mods you can do to make it feel bigger.
What age is a 110cc dirt bike for?
It’s built for kids in the 7-12 year old age range. Yes, that’s a pretty wide range, but to help make it easier, you or your kid should sit on the 110 dirt bike to see if it fits them well.
You just need to be able to put one foot on the ground while sitting on the seat. This gives you the confidence needed when you come to a stop so that you don’t fall down easily – starting on a dirt bike that’s too tall is intimidating because it requires good balance if you have short legs.
Another factor is if you want a manual clutch or semi-automatic transmission dirt bike.
How much weight can a 110 dirt bike hold?
The suspension is made for 60-100 lb riders, but there are more factors involved. It depends on where you ride, how you ride, and with some aftermarket parts, you can increase the weight limit without breaking parts.
The faster you ride and the more you jump it, the less weight a 110 can handle because the suspension is getting compressed more easily and will bottom out. Installing stiffer springs and bracing the frame are ways to increase the structural weight limit.
Who makes the fastest 110cc dirt bike?
When it comes to overall speed and performance, the Kawasaki KLX110 is the fastest stock 110cc dirt bike, but speed doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Just because a bike is fast, doesn’t mean it’s the best, especially if you’re a newer rider or have poor throttle control.
How to choose the right 110cc dirt bike for you
While there aren’t many big differences between the top 110cc dirt bikes, you might have a personal preference for certain features. Look at each model from the best dirt bike brands selling a 110 motorbike.
Kawasaki KLX110 – 2 options
Kawasaki started the 110cc dirt bike era and is the standard for its class, even though it may not have all of the features that its competitors have. The KLX110 has been around since 2002, so it’s not too hard to find a used one if you’re looking for a cheaper option without all of the newer updates.
KLX 110 vs 110L
In 2010, Kawasaki changed their lineup and added the KLX110L, which has the same basic engine, but it comes with a manual clutch, a 4th gear, and better suspension if you’re an adult or a bigger kid.
Even though it doesn’t have fuel injection, the KLX 110 runs just fine with a carburetor if it’s tuned properly and you don’t let it sit for long periods of time. Gas will go bad quicker in a carb, causing it to not start.
Honda CRF110F
Honda came out with their 110 last in the game, but they caught on fairly quickly. It doesn’t have quite as much power as the KLX, but the updated 2019 with fuel injection is an advantage if you’re tired of dealing with a carburetor.
The CRF110 is a great step up from a 50cc 4 stroke if you’re not ready to ride with a manual clutch yet. It’s the only 110 with an aluminum main frame.
Is that good? In my opinion, no. Maybe it looks a little nicer, but it also makes it a little harder to work on because there’s less space. It’s certainly not lighter in comparison…
Yamaha TTR110E
Yamaha came out with their TTR 110 in 2008 and has made pretty much the same bike since, which isn’t necessarily bad. It comes standard with an electric start, and the horsepower number is somewhere between the Kawasaki and Honda.
Compared to the Honda, The Yamaha TTR has just a little bit more of everything: power, suspension, height, length, as well as less weight by over 10 pounds.
The only drawback is that it still has a carburetor, but maybe that’s not a deal breaker for you. The carburetor works just fine as long as you use fresh gas and don’t let it sit for months at a time without riding it. Gas goes bad quickly these days and will cause your dirt bike to not start.
DRZ110
Suzuki doesn’t sell a 110cc anymore, but when they did, it was a solid pit bike. The DRZ110 was actually the same thing as the KLX110, just with different colored plastics and the name “Suzuki” on it.
It’s built just as well and will handle any size kid, whether you’re looking for your first dirt bike or are an adult that wants a play bike – stiffer suspension may be necessary.
It was only made for 3 years (02-04), so finding one may be difficult, but they’re definitely a reliable choice for the top 110cc dirt bike category.
Best 110cc dirt bike for beginners
When it comes to riding a dirt bike for your first time, it’s nice to have something that’s going to be the easiest to ride and take care of. With that in mind, I would choose the Honda CRF110F as the best 110cc dirt bike for beginners for a couple of reasons.
It has the smoothest engine, which makes it easier and more predictable to ride. It’s also slightly smaller, so touching the ground with your foot will be easier when you need to come to a stop and balance.
The fuel injection on the CRF 110 is also an advantage in my opinion because you don’t have to deal with clean carb jets, and when you ride in a different climate or elevation it will run the same.
Even though jetting is fairly easy, it’s annoying to have to change jets when you go out to the mountains for some trail riding, or else your bike will run awful and be difficult to ride.
Best 110cc dirt bike for adults
When it comes to riding a pit bike or small dirt bike as an adult, you want the most performance because you can actually take advantage of it all, as opposed to most people riding a 450F.
With that in mind, I would choose the Kawasaki KLX110 or KLX110L as the best 110cc dirt bike for adults, depending on your preference of manual clutch or not.
You get the best engine, suspension, and strongest frame out of the group, and there are plenty of mods to make your KLX faster and stronger. It’s been around for years, and the second generation is better than the first with more power and a 4th gear (just like the TTR and CRF 110 have).
It’s also easier to find a highly modified KLX 110 for sale in the used market on craigslist or FB marketplace because they’ve been around for so long and are the most popular name brand pit bike.
Best used 110 for cheap
Maybe you just want a reliable dirt bike that’s inexpensive because your finances are tight. In that case, I honestly recommend you buy the one that’s the most affordable in good condition.
The best cheap 110cc dirt bike is going to be any of these name brand models (KLX, TTR, CRF, DRZ 110). They’re all reliable, it’s just finding one that has been well maintained is the hard part, which I’ll help you with in just a minute.
110cc dirt bike Amazon
I personally don’t like the cheap Chinese dirt bikes that you can buy online because they’re of lesser quality, but I do have some experience with them and will say that they can work.
What they’re good at is just getting you started if you’re buying your first dirt bike and don’t want to spend much more than 1000-1200 dollars on a new bike. They work (every once in a while there’s a shipping or missing part problem) and can provide you with a lot of fun as a beginner.
The biggest problems are the overall quality and performance, as well as the durability. They just don’t compare to a name brand dirt bike, but you may not care or be able to tell the difference at first.
So, with that said, after doing my own research, these are the cheap 110cc dirt bikes I would recommend online:
- X-PRO X12 110cc 12/10″ wheels (Amazon)
- X-PRO 110cc 14/12″ wheels (Amazon)
- MotoTec X2 110cc 14/12″ wheels (Amazon)
How to prevent buying a used 110 that’s a pile of junk
So, you’ve decided that you’re going to buy a used dirt bike to save some money, but you don’t want to end up with a bike that needs a lot of work. You never know for sure what you’re going to get when buying used, especially if the seller is trying to hide a problem.
But I want show you how to tell the difference between a good bike and a good “looking” bike that needs a lot of work. I put together a simple pdf guide so that you don’t end up with a pile of junk. Click here to download it.