2020 Best Beginner Dirt Bikes

There's no easy answer to the 'which is the best beginner dirt bike' question because people come in all shapes, sizes, and riding abilities. The good news is, there are more beginner trail bikes available in 2020 than in years past, so here's a list of the best beginner dirt bikes on the market in 2020 broken down into three categories.

For smaller riders

These two beginner dirt bikes are best for shorter riders and/or those with no riding experience:

  • Honda CRF125FB
  • Kawasaki KLX140L

For larger riders

These three beginner dirt bikes are best for larger riders and/or those with some riding experience:

  • Honda CRF250F
  • Kawasaki KLX140G
  • Kawasaki KLX300R

For adult riders with riding experience

These four dirt bikes are best for riders that have a fair amount of riding experience:

  • Honda CRF250R
  • KTM XC-W250 TPI
  • Husqvarna FE250
  • Yamaha WR250F or YZ250F

Best Beginner Dirt Bike Summary: The bikes in the first category are great beginner dirt bikes, but be sure to check the seat height because they'll probably be too small for most adults. The second category of beginner dirt bikes will fit a wide range of adult riders and also have more than enough power to be challenging for beginner riders without being intimidating. This category would be the best adult beginner dirt bikes to research.

The third category is more for intermediate beginner riders, not total beginners. These bikes are also fairly expensive when compared to the other beginner dirt bikes, with their MSRPs ranging from $7999 to $9899.

Suzuki wasn't included in our list because although they make great bikes, their beginner dirt bike lineup really only consists of the DR-Z125L which hasn't been updated for several years, so it couldn't compare with the updated fuel-injected Honda CRF125FB or the updated (but not fuel-injected) Kawasaki 140L. Yamaha still makes the TT-R230 beginner dirt bike, but it's also outdated when compared to the brand new Honda CRF250F so although the TT-R230 a good dependable bike, it didn't make the cut on our best beginner dirt bike list.