On Top of the World with Dirtbikes

Dirtbiking is a way for a lot of young guys like me to have fun and for us to feel free. My dad and uncles have been riding dirtbikes my whole life. Why it started for me was getting my first bike at 4 years old and growing up riding dirtbikes. I love the way I feel when I’m on my bike; I feel like I’m the king of the world. 

Dirtbiking started in the United Kingdom around the early 1900s. Siegfried Bettmann is often credited for creating early specialized off road bikes.

The group known as the 12 O'Clock Boyz emerged at illegal street rides at the start of the 21st century. Two members videotaped the stunts in 2001 and 2003. In the documentary 12 O'Clock Boyz, the main character Pug, was filmed over several years, starting when he was 11, using a high-speed Phantom camera, whose footage was slowed, as well as a Canon 7G, with the crew strapped into the bed of a truck. The group served as a hub for learning complex mechanical skills with riders. They mastered bike repair to keep their dirtbikes working.

One stunt that dirtbikers do is a wheelie. It’s a famous maneuver where a vehicle's front wheel lifts off the ground due to torque, acceleration, and rider weight transfer. It requires balancing on the rear axle, using power to raise the front end and the rear brake to control the angle, often aimed at achieving a "balance point" to hover. 

Honda CRF 250

The models of bikes that are best for dirtbiking vary depending on your size but the best brands and models generally are the Honda CRF 250, Kawasaki KX450f, Kawasaki DRZ 650, and Honda CRF450F. 

People in New York City dirtbike everywhere, sometimes in their local neighborhoods or they will ride all over the city.

My father used to say, “Hold the clutch, downshift to first gear. To go to second gear, you upshift third, fourth, fifth. The clutch is on the left, the back brake is on the right, the front brake is front right.” 

Certain bikes have kill switches or electric starts, and some have key ignitions. I like the older bikes with the key ignitions because I’m used to them.  

If people are into dirtbikes, they should follow Braap vlogs. He makes dirtbike content and he’s from Philly, one of the homes of dirtbiking.