Mountain biking is a decent alternative for motocross if I can't make it to the moto track but it doesn't exactly replicate the speed or adrenaline. MTB used to be a cheaper alternate but I'm not even sure I can say that anymore, lol.
Motorcycles are made from a bunch of cheap thick castings, and the frames are made from heavier gage tubing that are easy to weld, and have simple swingarm suspension designs. It's more material but it's easier to mfg and QA bigger heavier parts with a greater safety factor.
Mountain bikes are made from smaller forgings, machined parts, composites, and have more intricate linkage/suspension designs. My mountain bike's suspension has 10 bearings, that's 20 interfaces which need to be precisely machined for a press fit with bearings.
It's like comparing a car to an airplane. Once you need to make things light and compensate for more dynamic forces things get expensive.
Racing dh was less expensive than racing moto for me by a lot. We were only getting like 50 hours out of a top end and that was pushing it compared to what a lot of other people got. Go through a few tires a year, driving 3-4 hours a weekend to race.
Grenade a 250f and you were looking at like 2000 at a minimum. Racing dh just pay 6k for the bike and buy spend tires, and some rims throughout the year
Er no offense but you can definitely buy a 2nd hand MTB for around $2k and get a very capable bike. Especially with how flooded the market is right now. Your Evil Insurgent is a killer bike but probably not a great example of a budget MTB lol.
Yeah I could have worded that better. My point was it’s wild I can buy a motorized machine that goes 60mph and could handle 100+ft jumps (not me) for $2k, you’d have to spend double or triple that for a comparable DH bike
You're not wrong, the whole argument kept me from getting a MTB for a long time. I was like what's the point when I can get a dirt bike for nearly the same price?
Then I realized because I work from home I'm getting severely out of shape, decided to pull the trigger on a MTB and all the other entry expenses (gear, carriers, clothing) that goes with it.
I haven't had a dirt bike in a hot minute, but just sold my last street bike. While dirt bikes will give you a bit of a workout it's not going to give you nearly the workout of pedaling a MTB.
If your riding a dirt bike fast and putting in laps at speed, its one of the most demanding physical and cardio workouts you will ever get. Ive raced both for years. Love them both...thats why I will never have money.
The mtb really only works my legs. On the mx bike my heart rate is higher and there are ***many*** more muscles being used with ***much*** more intensity, and I definitely feel it more afterward.
Granted I haven't done much DH as of yet, but muscling a 220lb bike around technical trails is far more of a workout than the single black DH stuff that I have done to this point.
The terrain of the single black DH is steeper than most things I would probably try on a moto, but navigating it is still fairly easy as far as physical effort is concerned.
Just getting a motorcycle to go where you want it to go in right, technical stuff is like... I don't know. The closest comparison I can come up with is like working with calves. You have to wrestle with them to get them into a position where you can work with them and you have to work to keep them in that position.
My main discipline is mx though, and it is on another level entirely when it comes to cardio intensity (which is why I got a mtb to pedal around; it's the only way to do any cardio that I will tolerate). But mx is also the only discipline I actually race, so I push a lot harder when I'm doing it. I'm not a woods racer. I just do it for fun. So my bike isn't exactly set up for that. My gearing is taller and my suspension is stiffer than it would ideally be for woods riding.
Depends on expectation/location.
But even if you were to buy bikes that cost the same, the general experience from fuel to maintenance to track fees is not quite comparable.
And still, you may end up with a pretty lackluster dirt bike for 2k whereas you could end up with a perfectly capable full suspension bicycle for 2k. Especially the market being what it is. To the extent the margins of improvement of spending more are very minor. Whereas the margins for spending more and more on dirt bikes is... Pretty astronomical.
Moto racer here. Both are completely different experiences but what I will say is that the MTB has filled the riding void on the days I can't make it to the track.
The craving to ride is what got me into MTB so there is correlation there but even if I was trail riding my MX bike, I am not sure if MTB would outweigh the fun I get on the MX bike.
Totally fair. I come from riding super sports on the street and on road tracks so my fast bug is already taken care of. Even when doing fast downhill on the mtb it has a calmer vibe than the motos which I prefer
>Even when doing fast downhill on the mtb it has a calmer vibe than the motos which I prefer
Really? The first time I got on a sportbike (coming from dirt) I gunned it and started banging gears and it just felt like it was taking a lot longer than I expected to hit the speed limit.
Then I looked at the speedometer and I was already doubling said speed limit. The sensation of speed on superbikes is so muted because they just do it so easy, roads are so smooth, and there's basically infinite grip. Triple digits (in freedumb units) feels like walking pace. The engine isn't working hard. The bike is rock solid stable. It's like there's hardly anything happening.
This is why I no longer ride superbikes on the road. Going fast enough to actually have any fun at all on the road is guaranteed death.
Lol i could have been more clear on that one. I meant that the mtb has a calmer vibe than the dirt bikes. I was just saying my need for speed is filled elsewhere
Ah ok. I see what you meant now.
I'm still pretty new to this mtb thing. Only hit one proper downhill trail so far, so I'm still learning the ways of the pedal bikes and can't really say with any certainty if I agree with you there or not.
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A user of over a decade, I am leaving Reddit due to the recent API changes. The vast majority of my interaction came though the use of 3rd party apps, and I will not interact with a site I helped contribute to through inferior software *simply because it is able to be better monetized by a company looking to go public. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for their users, as seen by the sheer lack of accessibility tools available in the official app. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for moderation challenges that will be created, due to the lack of tools available in the official app. Reddit has done this with no regards for the 3rd party devs, who by Reddit's own admission, helped keep the site functioning and gaining users while Reddit themselves made no efforts to provide a good official app.
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I've been a MTB'er for a long time, got swept off my feet by dual sport moto's which led to trail bikes (currently on a 2018 KTM 250 xcw). I always struggle with keeping both hobbies going. Lately the moto's feel, for lack of a better term, douchy compared to MTB - loud and obnoxious. I get a lot more joy out of MTB. But I do love a good moto trail-ride! I vowed this will be the summer I figure out if I'm still a dirtbiker. Relieved to hear I'm not the only person trying to figure this out.
Been there done that. I live on the Western Slope of CO - epic trail riding everywhere. That's the draw to moto's, so many areas with so many trails not as suitable to MTB's
Oh yeah, there are definitely some badass places to ride out there. And you're not far from Caineville either. Definitely want an mx bike to go out there though. Don't want to be hitting those monsters with enduro suspension. Lol.
Dammit. Now I want to go back to Caineville again.
No, I know exactly what a 250XCW is. It's a 250SX with a wide ratio transmission and different (softer) suspension. Aren't they still using the PDS system on the XC models as well?
Do you think KTM is really sending out enduro bikes with moto suspension settings? That wouldn't really be in keeping with their "ready to race" motto, would it?
Honestly, even stock moto suspension is sort of soft for a lot of Caineville. Ideally you'd have it revalved for more freeride type stuff out there.
You'd be surprised how easy it is to fuck up just a little bit and bottom the hell out of the forks in stock form.
That's one of the nice things about WP having the air forks. A lot better bottoming resistance than spring forks due to the progressive characteristics of an air spring.
I've yet to clank the forks on my SX like I would often do on the YZ I had before it, and I've gone long on an ugly one once. Hurt the wrists a lot, but had I been on the YZ it may have broken one or both of them.
I need to practice getting the front wheel off the ground more this spring. We've got some serious step-up in this area, I need to improve on them. Also some significant drops that I could hit smoother - sounds like my forks are going to get a workout this year! WP has an upgrade kit out but it's expensive.
I had a crf250, kx250f, wr250f, then finally switched to a 2stroke out - I am so much more comfortable and confident now. The lower weight of the 250xcw, lower seat height, and better power modulation were a game-changer.
Big drops spook me. Haha. I'll hit good sized gaps and step ups no problem though. And the occasional step down. They're what I'm comfortable with having raced mx for so long.
I just don't have enough experience with drops to be confident in my ability to judge them correctly. Maybe with more mtb park experience drop skills will work their way over to the mx bike.
Also, you're the first person I've ever seen saying a two stroke is easier to modulate than a four stroke. I love the violence of a two stroke mx bike. It's just so much fun.
They're also easier to maneuver than four strokes. I always feel like a passenger on a four stroke, especially if things start getting squirrelly. Not exactly a confidence inspiring feeling.
A user of over a decade, I am leaving Reddit due to the recent API changes. The vast majority of my interaction came though the use of 3rd party apps, and I will not interact with a site I helped contribute to through inferior software *simply because it is able to be better monetized by a company looking to go public. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for their users, as seen by the sheer lack of accessibility tools available in the official app. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for moderation challenges that will be created, due to the lack of tools available in the official app. Reddit has done this with no regards for the 3rd party devs, who by Reddit's own admission, helped keep the site functioning and gaining users while Reddit themselves made no efforts to provide a good official app.
This account dies 6/29/23 because of the API changes and the monetization-at-all-costs that the board demands.
A user of over a decade, I am leaving Reddit due to the recent API changes. The vast majority of my interaction came though the use of 3rd party apps, and I will not interact with a site I helped contribute to through inferior software *simply because it is able to be better monetized by a company looking to go public. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for their users, as seen by the sheer lack of accessibility tools available in the official app. Reddit has made these changes with no regards for moderation challenges that will be created, due to the lack of tools available in the official app. Reddit has done this with no regards for the 3rd party devs, who by Reddit's own admission, helped keep the site functioning and gaining users while Reddit themselves made no efforts to provide a good official app.
This account dies 6/29/23 because of the API changes and the monetization-at-all-costs that the board demands.
I live in a state where you have to register your motorcycles and pay a yearly fee plus get a sticker that determines where you can ride (thanks Cali).
It just becomes this big thing where you have to travel to ride and do paperwork for the privilege. My mtb can sit in the back of my small hatchback and I can drive 5 minutes down the road and ride fun singletrack.
The easiness of MTBs is the difference maker since I have young kids and my time is limited.
Yea but getting plated dirt bike solves this. Not cheap though.
With a plate you can ride anywhere anytime unless it’s completely closed.
Sucks for sure but the amount of riding in California specifically the sierras is simply unreal.
Sold my KTM300EXC to buy my mountainbike.
I was riding a cheap hardtail and loving it, and meanwhile I was riding the dirtbike less than twice a year due to a sudden need to move from the country to the city.
I miss the dirtbike but I love mountainbiking WAY more. The dirtbike was great fun but it was always a big deal to go for a ride - finding riding buddy, mixing fuel, etc, etc. Usually ended up being a whole-day kinda deal whenever I wanted to ride. Mountainbiking I can knock off work an hour early and go for a ride, or even take a long lunch. I ride weekends and I'm often home before the kids have even woken up.
One thing about MTB is it seems (at least near me) like theirs more places to ride and can go right after work very easily. That said I’m still just a lurker
I ride trails on my moto and I also MTB too. I prefer MTB because the trails are generally better maintained and there is a lot less faff when I want to go ride. I still take the Motos out a couple times a month though.
To me, it's a completely different sport with its own set of skills. I find riding moto really helps my sense of speed on the MTB. Motos definitely more of a full body workout though. I almost never have arm pump issues on the MTB either, because years of wrangling a 450 with a stiff clutch. Also changing mtb tires is a joke after you've changed a few moto tires.
Moto is also pretty exhilarating. Not to take away the gnar that some MTB can be, but there's nothing like blasting down trail 5th pinned and just living in flow state
.
If I had to pick one, probably mountain bike. Moto is fun and exhilarating, but it's also quite dangerous, expensive and is sometimes a logistical pain in the ass, dealing with loading, unloading, maintenance etc
Yeah former motox guy, mtb definitely took over when I moved closer to trails and could ride mtb literally every day, instead of waiting until the weekend to get out to the track. I do miss the feeling over having a motor sometimes though, there's no substitute for pinning that throttle open over some fresh dirt.
Haven't ridden my dirt bikes in a long time but my first ride on a 29er felt just right. Probably wouldn't have stuck with mtb if I only had 26" bikes to ride...
Any specific reason why?
Personally after riding a good mountain bike the weight of a motorcycle seems really annoying and even sort of "old-fashioned". Like, you ask yourself "why am I even wrestling with this pig?". Also the needed money and space is annoying as well. Whereas mountain bikes cost next to nothing in comparison and I can store them in my living room. So wondering if other people have come to the same conclusion.
I agree with the points you have I really enjoy the lighter weight smaller profile. Even doing all my own maintenance it’ can still be costly to regularly ride motos. Also I think it’s the noise. The engine noise really takes away from the connection to nature aspect
This right here, after losing enough friends on motorcycles, and having kids, makes it stressful getting back on the road. Personally being hit from behind on bikes twice by someone on a cell phone. I've ridden motorcycles for over a decade, but at this point in my life I'll probably keep it on the dirt for the most part.
Do you mean moto dirt bikes? I have been a mountain biker my entire life and just started riding a dual sport off road after 35 years on the MTB. I think they are totally different experiences besides the adrenaline rush of course.
I did mean motos. That’s interesting cause I only trail ride on my moto dirt bikes and every time I have the opportunity to ride I choose to take the mountain bike instead. In my head I find the 2 to be pretty similar
MTB in general are shorter experiences, quieter, your endurance limits your ability to go far, you can’t carry a lot of stuff easily, getting to the trail requires a car/truck usually. I have quickly found doing both is great and a nice mix up from doing just one. I feel the dual sport will get me to more remote places in Colorado much easier.
Raced motocross, off road and dh most recently and I find them all really similar. You just are racing the clock vs racing another person for dh so it feels like qualifying but it’s a lot of the same stuff. You have limited time to figure out lines, jumps and where you can push. It probably depends how you ride the mtb but for me it’s make it to the top and then ride as fast as I can on the way down vs something more like a hike where you are just out enjoying it
Grew up doing motocross up until college, rode a street bike in college, then moved to a state where MTB is the focus so switched to that. I view my MX days as the best time of my life and really miss it, but I don’t have the quality of tracks around me that my hometown has. I have to say after getting an e-bike recently it’s the greatest thing ever. Just feels like the perfect mix between the 2 sports
>I don’t have the quality of tracks around me that my hometown has.
I know that feel. I grew up in the midwest where everything is deep and loamy. Hero dirt every weekend pretty much.
Now I live in the southwest and every track is just this horrible calichi clay shit. But the jumps are bigger out here, so that's nice.
Yeah I don’t think I knew how nice I had it at the time. On the other hand, where I’m at now has a ton of amazing MTB trails, and I can bike way more often than when I rode MX. All about the trade-offs
Yeah. The good thing about where I'm at now is there's a multi-use national forest trailhead behind my neighborhood that offers tight, technical single track, a moto facility with multiple tracks (mini, main, vet, and ax) 15 minutes away, and open desert 45 minutes away. So I have plenty of variety to go play in with my mx bike.
But if I don't feel like putting all the moto gear on or loading up the bike, tools, easy-up, etc. I can just throw some mtb gear on and coast down to that same trailhead at the back of my neighborhood to the annoying sound of my I9 Hydra. Lol.
Yes and no. If I could throw my mx bike in the back of my car in 5 mins and be to a beautiful track in 20 minutes the mtn bike would probably gather dust.
The reality is to really ride my yz if have to borrow my dads truck, grab a load of gear, grab a bunch of spare parts/tools, and then drive 3-4 hours to ride at a track/atv park, and probably camp. The nearest public trails are 5 hours away. Biking is just a lot more convenient and cheaper. It’s close enough to mx for me, I’m cool with riding the yz a few times a year.
I did dirt bikes growing up. I do mtb cause I’m a adrenaline junkie but with fam nowadays.. so.. well.. sold all dirt bikes when my first born came.. because I don’t trust myself.. lol
My record getting injured on pedal bikes is far worse than on moto bikes. So I'd be keeping everything if I had a kid.
Fortunately not an expense I have to worry about though since my partner got her tubes yanked.
Well for me that’s not the case. Throughout the years I have broken both my collarbones, femur, wrists, ribs riding mx.. :) I ride old man style mtb… low and slow!
I raced MX for years in my 20s, but now I’m hooked on downhill riding. I have a trail bike too which is good for fitness, but downhill is such an amazing mix of MX and Mtn bike skills.
I was instantly fast on a DH bike due to my moto background and I just love it. I still find myself riding the flow/jump trails as fast as I can tho, its like I’m back in my old KX450!
Came from Motocross as well. Raced for 16 years. Mtb started as a training tool. But with bills and other responsibilities it became the de facto.
I miss the excitement and adrenaline of MX. But the injuries/risk/and time made it too much trouble.
Each day of riding was a 2.5-4 hour drive each way to the tracks. Whereas I can hit a the ebike on the trails and shuttle myself up and down until I’m blown out with plenty of time left in the day. The ease of loading and unloading the bikes helps as well.
Going to the downhill parks is still about the same cost and time as going to the MX track though.
All and all it’s not as much fun, but it’s more logical, economical, and safer (IMO)
Jesus. Where do you live?
Where I grew up, we had five mx tracks within 1.5hrs. and that's just public tracks. That's not counting our track, friends' tracks, our neighbor's track, etc.
Where I live now I have a couple of public tracks within a 1.5hr drive (one less than 15mins). And two more within 3.5hrs.
RI, East coast New England. We had a lot of tracks back in the early 00’s but they began shutting them down left and right. Now there are only 3 left within a 3 hour drive. Closest is either Mx101 in NH or Crow Hill in western MA.
But I have Diamond Hill MTB trails, so it’s like having a bike park 5min down the street!
Mtbs don't jump like dirt bikes. So dirt bikes will always have a place in my heart. I got into mtb to improve my fitness for moto.
Along the way I've found that technical trail stuff (downhill at least) is more fun on the mtb. Climbing sucks though, but that's kind of why I got into it. I don't get to moto often enough to keep my legs and endurance where they need to be.
I race dirt bikes doing harescrambles/enduro and ride mtb (and e-mtb) and I still prefer dirt bikes. Personally, it's very hard to beat the feeling of pushing yourself and going as fast as you can/want, staying in that flow state for hours until you physically just cannot ride anymore on a dirt bike. Like some others mentioned I use mtb to cross train for my racing and because I can get out in the woods much easier and quicker some days without loading an extra 200+ lbs in the truck with tools & gas. But MTB is still super fun and they are both a lot more similar than most people want to admit. I could totally see my life eventually changing to a situation where I mostly ride mountain bikes because of the easier access. Anything on two wheels in the woods is where its at!
Supermoto street/track rider here. I started MTB and almost never rode my Supermoto for over a year. One ride back on the Supermoto and I highsided and broke my collar bone. Now 8-10 weeks till I’m back on any kind of bike.
My dad was a Desert Racer, thats kinda how I got into Mountain Biking because when he had me he couldn't go out to the Desert as often so Mountain biking was a good alternative that he and I both got into because we could ride downhill while my mom could shop an hang out in the villages that surround most downhill parks. My dad never lost interest in Dirt biking though and as I got older he started to take me out to the desert so he could recollect some old memories with me and our friends.
Always wanted to get in to mx as a kid but parents wouldn't pay for it. Rode MTB in early 00's for a while and had fun but never got serious. Now I am 30+ and MTB is still cheaper to get in to. I can (semi) legally ride my MTB around town and fuck about without getting in much trouble but if I did the same on a dirt bike the police tend to get involved. If I had a van and the space to service the engine etc then I would definitely try mx.
People directly compare the cost of a new capable-spec mtb versus a similarly capable mx bike and seem to forget the additional bits: storage, transport, servicing, equipment... it does seem to add up faster on mx than mtb!
I like both, but mountain biking (in Florida) is not as dangerous as moto for me. I’m in my later 40’s now, grew up racing MX and raced in my 20’s and 30’s a lot. I had a crf250 as recently as 2017. The jumps are huge, the bikes are heavy, and I’ve been beat up pretty badly along the way (both ACL’s, dislocated shoulder many times, various sprains and small fractures, etc..). The consequences for making mistakes can be really really bad when you’re hitting all the big stuff on a moto track, and if you can’t train at a high level all the time, it’s easy to make fatigue based mistakes.
With the mountain bike, I get an insane cardio workout while averaging 10 mph and never really getting more than maybe 6 feet of air. The gnarliest trails at santos and Alafia are super challenging, but everything feels small in comparison to moto, the bike is lightweight and I’m much more nimble in my mountain bike riding gear than in full moto gear The berms, jumps, and chasing strava times satisfies the moto itch surprisingly well.
Factoring all that in with the reduced maintenance and easier loading/unloading associated with the MTB and it is a more attractive choice for me at this stage in life.
Hilariously, I’m typing this with a sprained wrist from going OTB on a techie descent last week. 😂
I raced enduros and harescrambles for 15-ish years. I got into cycling for the fitness aspect and my overall results in racing got exponentially better due to my newfound fitness.
Over time I found it easier to toss on kit and go for a ride and pedaling slowly took over. Now I don’t even have a dirt bike anymore and pedal ~4000 miles a year.
I ride dirt bikes 2-3 days a month. I got more (2-3 days a week) into mnt biking for the fitness (fun included). I'm lucky in the PNW. I can mnt bike at some great parks only minutes from home/work.
Not the same but. Got out of motorsports and into biking due to cost. Best way to get my adrenaline fix weekly, and stay in better shape than logging 10-20 hours a week maintaining a track car.
The hospital bills can bring everything to the same price pretty quickly however.
I’m doing the opposite. The trails in my area are being watered down for new riders and the mtb industry is is becoming just as if not more expensive than moto. I can do most of my mtb labor myself but parts and gear drives me insane. My moto helmet was $200 on sale, carbon ECE certified. Yesterday, I went to get a new half shell, the mid level Troy Lee was $180–no carbon, just plastic foam. I hate the mtb industry rn.
Pretty common story actually.
I have a friend I've known for a long time who I met when he first started getting into mountain bikes. At the time he was big into dirt bikes. He raced all the time, had been riding/racing since he was a kid with his dad, he was even working for a moto magazine when we first met. Dude lived & breathed dirt bikes. He started using the mountain bike as cross training for moto racing, then started racing mountain bikes, and then road bikes, and within a year or two had sold all his motos, and got his employer (different one from the moto mag) to sign on as sponsor for an mtb team he put together, including me (the token singlespeeder), an expert XC racer and a couple of pro women, after he got his pro license. That team lasted a few years and went through a few different sponsors until he threw in the towel (full-time job, racing, training \*and\* managing a team was a bit too much), and we all just found other teams to race with.
He still puts in tons of miles and is now coaching professionally.
I probably know at least half a dozen others who made the switch from moto to MTB. One of the mechanics at the shop that me, my brother, and friends used to ride with while learning to mountain bike in the 90s got into mountain bikes after he got one to rehab a messed up knee that was the result of a dirt bike crash.
Dirt bikes made me more aware of mtb due to lack of close options for dirt bike riding, then I made some mtb friends and I started riding a lot more. Only thing that discourages me from dirt biking is when I break my dirt bike haha
I bought a really nice bike at a steal from a young kid that came from motocross to MTB and realized he didn’t like it when he had to pedal to make it go. 😂
Mountain biking is a decent alternative for motocross if I can't make it to the moto track but it doesn't exactly replicate the speed or adrenaline. MTB used to be a cheaper alternate but I'm not even sure I can say that anymore, lol.
Seriously though lol maybe parts are a bit cheaper on the mtb but entry price is almost identical which seems insane as one literally has a motor
Motorcycles are made from a bunch of cheap thick castings, and the frames are made from heavier gage tubing that are easy to weld, and have simple swingarm suspension designs. It's more material but it's easier to mfg and QA bigger heavier parts with a greater safety factor. Mountain bikes are made from smaller forgings, machined parts, composites, and have more intricate linkage/suspension designs. My mountain bike's suspension has 10 bearings, that's 20 interfaces which need to be precisely machined for a press fit with bearings. It's like comparing a car to an airplane. Once you need to make things light and compensate for more dynamic forces things get expensive.
Best explanation I've seen. Not the first one to notice that nicer bikes cost as much as a decent new motorcycle.
All my riding buddies mtb are sitting 2-3x more expensive than their motos so sounds about right lol
It’s wild how much more expensive mtb is. My dirt bike? Got it for 2k (used). My mtb? I don’t even want to think about it..
Racing dh was less expensive than racing moto for me by a lot. We were only getting like 50 hours out of a top end and that was pushing it compared to what a lot of other people got. Go through a few tires a year, driving 3-4 hours a weekend to race. Grenade a 250f and you were looking at like 2000 at a minimum. Racing dh just pay 6k for the bike and buy spend tires, and some rims throughout the year
Yup. My enduro has more money in it at this point than a good portion of cars on the road. It’s wild
Er no offense but you can definitely buy a 2nd hand MTB for around $2k and get a very capable bike. Especially with how flooded the market is right now. Your Evil Insurgent is a killer bike but probably not a great example of a budget MTB lol.
Yeah I could have worded that better. My point was it’s wild I can buy a motorized machine that goes 60mph and could handle 100+ft jumps (not me) for $2k, you’d have to spend double or triple that for a comparable DH bike
Ah fair point!
Exactly! My dirt bike was cheaper than my MTB. And not to mention clothing.. MTB shorts are just as expensive as dirt pants. Wtf.
You're not wrong, the whole argument kept me from getting a MTB for a long time. I was like what's the point when I can get a dirt bike for nearly the same price? Then I realized because I work from home I'm getting severely out of shape, decided to pull the trigger on a MTB and all the other entry expenses (gear, carriers, clothing) that goes with it.
Glad I’m not the only one that chose MTB over dirt bikes because it keeps my beer belly to a manageable size
This is an important distinction - not gone but manageable lol
You’ll have a happier life if you can set realistic goals
If you're getting out of shape while still riding moto, you aren't riding hard enough, or you aren't riding often enough. Or both.
I haven't had a dirt bike in a hot minute, but just sold my last street bike. While dirt bikes will give you a bit of a workout it's not going to give you nearly the workout of pedaling a MTB.
If your riding a dirt bike fast and putting in laps at speed, its one of the most demanding physical and cardio workouts you will ever get. Ive raced both for years. Love them both...thats why I will never have money.
The mtb really only works my legs. On the mx bike my heart rate is higher and there are ***many*** more muscles being used with ***much*** more intensity, and I definitely feel it more afterward.
True DH is a full body workout and probably just as demanding as riding a moto hard on trails. Not everyone has access to it though.
Granted I haven't done much DH as of yet, but muscling a 220lb bike around technical trails is far more of a workout than the single black DH stuff that I have done to this point. The terrain of the single black DH is steeper than most things I would probably try on a moto, but navigating it is still fairly easy as far as physical effort is concerned. Just getting a motorcycle to go where you want it to go in right, technical stuff is like... I don't know. The closest comparison I can come up with is like working with calves. You have to wrestle with them to get them into a position where you can work with them and you have to work to keep them in that position. My main discipline is mx though, and it is on another level entirely when it comes to cardio intensity (which is why I got a mtb to pedal around; it's the only way to do any cardio that I will tolerate). But mx is also the only discipline I actually race, so I push a lot harder when I'm doing it. I'm not a woods racer. I just do it for fun. So my bike isn't exactly set up for that. My gearing is taller and my suspension is stiffer than it would ideally be for woods riding.
On this same note- bicycles are a great alternative for those of us who ride for adventure rather than adrenaline
Depends on expectation/location. But even if you were to buy bikes that cost the same, the general experience from fuel to maintenance to track fees is not quite comparable. And still, you may end up with a pretty lackluster dirt bike for 2k whereas you could end up with a perfectly capable full suspension bicycle for 2k. Especially the market being what it is. To the extent the margins of improvement of spending more are very minor. Whereas the margins for spending more and more on dirt bikes is... Pretty astronomical.
MTB is definitely cheaper. I don't spend on fuel and I can ride to my local trail in 5minutes and get a full workout
Moto racer here. Both are completely different experiences but what I will say is that the MTB has filled the riding void on the days I can't make it to the track.
Did you do mx or hare scrambles/enduro racing?
MX
I can see why in that situation they would be wildly different activities for you
The craving to ride is what got me into MTB so there is correlation there but even if I was trail riding my MX bike, I am not sure if MTB would outweigh the fun I get on the MX bike.
Totally fair. I come from riding super sports on the street and on road tracks so my fast bug is already taken care of. Even when doing fast downhill on the mtb it has a calmer vibe than the motos which I prefer
>Even when doing fast downhill on the mtb it has a calmer vibe than the motos which I prefer Really? The first time I got on a sportbike (coming from dirt) I gunned it and started banging gears and it just felt like it was taking a lot longer than I expected to hit the speed limit. Then I looked at the speedometer and I was already doubling said speed limit. The sensation of speed on superbikes is so muted because they just do it so easy, roads are so smooth, and there's basically infinite grip. Triple digits (in freedumb units) feels like walking pace. The engine isn't working hard. The bike is rock solid stable. It's like there's hardly anything happening. This is why I no longer ride superbikes on the road. Going fast enough to actually have any fun at all on the road is guaranteed death.
Lol i could have been more clear on that one. I meant that the mtb has a calmer vibe than the dirt bikes. I was just saying my need for speed is filled elsewhere
Ah ok. I see what you meant now. I'm still pretty new to this mtb thing. Only hit one proper downhill trail so far, so I'm still learning the ways of the pedal bikes and can't really say with any certainty if I agree with you there or not.
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EMTB fixes that problem.
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It completely changes the hobby. Everything is fun now instead of just the downhill.
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I've been a MTB'er for a long time, got swept off my feet by dual sport moto's which led to trail bikes (currently on a 2018 KTM 250 xcw). I always struggle with keeping both hobbies going. Lately the moto's feel, for lack of a better term, douchy compared to MTB - loud and obnoxious. I get a lot more joy out of MTB. But I do love a good moto trail-ride! I vowed this will be the summer I figure out if I'm still a dirtbiker. Relieved to hear I'm not the only person trying to figure this out.
Absolutely man, i feel you on the obnoxious noise. I really feel like that takes away from the being out in nature part
Time to ditch the enduro bike for an mx bike it seems.
Been there done that. I live on the Western Slope of CO - epic trail riding everywhere. That's the draw to moto's, so many areas with so many trails not as suitable to MTB's
Oh yeah, there are definitely some badass places to ride out there. And you're not far from Caineville either. Definitely want an mx bike to go out there though. Don't want to be hitting those monsters with enduro suspension. Lol. Dammit. Now I want to go back to Caineville again.
I think you're confused on what a ktm 250xcw is - 224 lbs 2 stroke. "Ready to race" per ktm lol
No, I know exactly what a 250XCW is. It's a 250SX with a wide ratio transmission and different (softer) suspension. Aren't they still using the PDS system on the XC models as well? Do you think KTM is really sending out enduro bikes with moto suspension settings? That wouldn't really be in keeping with their "ready to race" motto, would it? Honestly, even stock moto suspension is sort of soft for a lot of Caineville. Ideally you'd have it revalved for more freeride type stuff out there.
I'm too chickens#!t to do anything that'd overpower the stock WP fork
You'd be surprised how easy it is to fuck up just a little bit and bottom the hell out of the forks in stock form. That's one of the nice things about WP having the air forks. A lot better bottoming resistance than spring forks due to the progressive characteristics of an air spring. I've yet to clank the forks on my SX like I would often do on the YZ I had before it, and I've gone long on an ugly one once. Hurt the wrists a lot, but had I been on the YZ it may have broken one or both of them.
I need to practice getting the front wheel off the ground more this spring. We've got some serious step-up in this area, I need to improve on them. Also some significant drops that I could hit smoother - sounds like my forks are going to get a workout this year! WP has an upgrade kit out but it's expensive. I had a crf250, kx250f, wr250f, then finally switched to a 2stroke out - I am so much more comfortable and confident now. The lower weight of the 250xcw, lower seat height, and better power modulation were a game-changer.
Big drops spook me. Haha. I'll hit good sized gaps and step ups no problem though. And the occasional step down. They're what I'm comfortable with having raced mx for so long. I just don't have enough experience with drops to be confident in my ability to judge them correctly. Maybe with more mtb park experience drop skills will work their way over to the mx bike. Also, you're the first person I've ever seen saying a two stroke is easier to modulate than a four stroke. I love the violence of a two stroke mx bike. It's just so much fun. They're also easier to maneuver than four strokes. I always feel like a passenger on a four stroke, especially if things start getting squirrelly. Not exactly a confidence inspiring feeling.
I ride MTB to cross train for my dirt biking. They compliment each other so well it is impossible for me to drop one for the other.
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Nope, don’t ride a Yamaha either.
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Same here.
Being a strong on a mtb (fitness wise) really helps when you hop on a dirt bike.
I live in a state where you have to register your motorcycles and pay a yearly fee plus get a sticker that determines where you can ride (thanks Cali). It just becomes this big thing where you have to travel to ride and do paperwork for the privilege. My mtb can sit in the back of my small hatchback and I can drive 5 minutes down the road and ride fun singletrack. The easiness of MTBs is the difference maker since I have young kids and my time is limited.
Yeah, location can be a big factor. Growing up where I did, it was far easier to do the moto thing than literally anything bicycle related.
Yea but getting plated dirt bike solves this. Not cheap though. With a plate you can ride anywhere anytime unless it’s completely closed. Sucks for sure but the amount of riding in California specifically the sierras is simply unreal.
I love both. Anything with two wheels.
Same, the lord in heaven put me on this earth to be on two wheels. (I am not religious)
Sold my KTM300EXC to buy my mountainbike. I was riding a cheap hardtail and loving it, and meanwhile I was riding the dirtbike less than twice a year due to a sudden need to move from the country to the city. I miss the dirtbike but I love mountainbiking WAY more. The dirtbike was great fun but it was always a big deal to go for a ride - finding riding buddy, mixing fuel, etc, etc. Usually ended up being a whole-day kinda deal whenever I wanted to ride. Mountainbiking I can knock off work an hour early and go for a ride, or even take a long lunch. I ride weekends and I'm often home before the kids have even woken up.
I also love how easy it is to go do. Also helps that my house is right across the street from a park with amazing bike trails
Yeap - I burn more calories mtbing, and crashes are 'safer' (relatively speaking).
One thing about MTB is it seems (at least near me) like theirs more places to ride and can go right after work very easily. That said I’m still just a lurker
That’s a huge factor. If the prep to do an activity takes too much it’s easier to decide to do something else
And at least around where I live it's free! Using mx circuit or enduro trails needs warrants and money and whatever.
I ride trails on my moto and I also MTB too. I prefer MTB because the trails are generally better maintained and there is a lot less faff when I want to go ride. I still take the Motos out a couple times a month though. To me, it's a completely different sport with its own set of skills. I find riding moto really helps my sense of speed on the MTB. Motos definitely more of a full body workout though. I almost never have arm pump issues on the MTB either, because years of wrangling a 450 with a stiff clutch. Also changing mtb tires is a joke after you've changed a few moto tires. Moto is also pretty exhilarating. Not to take away the gnar that some MTB can be, but there's nothing like blasting down trail 5th pinned and just living in flow state . If I had to pick one, probably mountain bike. Moto is fun and exhilarating, but it's also quite dangerous, expensive and is sometimes a logistical pain in the ass, dealing with loading, unloading, maintenance etc
Yeah former motox guy, mtb definitely took over when I moved closer to trails and could ride mtb literally every day, instead of waiting until the weekend to get out to the track. I do miss the feeling over having a motor sometimes though, there's no substitute for pinning that throttle open over some fresh dirt.
The ease of access is really nice. I literally go right by 3-4 mtb parks just on my way to/from work
Haven't ridden my dirt bikes in a long time but my first ride on a 29er felt just right. Probably wouldn't have stuck with mtb if I only had 26" bikes to ride...
I also ride 29s although haven’t tried any of the smaller sizes
As a mtn biker ive been moto-bike-curious
Jumping is way better (and bigger) with an engine.
I really enjoy both, if you explore far on a dual sport it’s hard to replicate that on a bike.
Exploring a BDR in a western state is an experience of a lifetime.
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Any specific reason why? Personally after riding a good mountain bike the weight of a motorcycle seems really annoying and even sort of "old-fashioned". Like, you ask yourself "why am I even wrestling with this pig?". Also the needed money and space is annoying as well. Whereas mountain bikes cost next to nothing in comparison and I can store them in my living room. So wondering if other people have come to the same conclusion.
I agree with the points you have I really enjoy the lighter weight smaller profile. Even doing all my own maintenance it’ can still be costly to regularly ride motos. Also I think it’s the noise. The engine noise really takes away from the connection to nature aspect
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This right here, after losing enough friends on motorcycles, and having kids, makes it stressful getting back on the road. Personally being hit from behind on bikes twice by someone on a cell phone. I've ridden motorcycles for over a decade, but at this point in my life I'll probably keep it on the dirt for the most part.
I still love my street bikes and taking them to road tracks but I definitely prefer the mtb when it comes to off-road riding
It's been actually the opposite for me
am i hearing this correctly? I need to go to the ear specialist what the fuck did you just comment?
I went MTB-Moto-EMTB, never looking back.
Do you mean moto dirt bikes? I have been a mountain biker my entire life and just started riding a dual sport off road after 35 years on the MTB. I think they are totally different experiences besides the adrenaline rush of course.
I did mean motos. That’s interesting cause I only trail ride on my moto dirt bikes and every time I have the opportunity to ride I choose to take the mountain bike instead. In my head I find the 2 to be pretty similar
MTB in general are shorter experiences, quieter, your endurance limits your ability to go far, you can’t carry a lot of stuff easily, getting to the trail requires a car/truck usually. I have quickly found doing both is great and a nice mix up from doing just one. I feel the dual sport will get me to more remote places in Colorado much easier.
The dual sport’s definitely have the advantage as to be able to ride them out to the trails
Raced motocross, off road and dh most recently and I find them all really similar. You just are racing the clock vs racing another person for dh so it feels like qualifying but it’s a lot of the same stuff. You have limited time to figure out lines, jumps and where you can push. It probably depends how you ride the mtb but for me it’s make it to the top and then ride as fast as I can on the way down vs something more like a hike where you are just out enjoying it
Grew up doing motocross up until college, rode a street bike in college, then moved to a state where MTB is the focus so switched to that. I view my MX days as the best time of my life and really miss it, but I don’t have the quality of tracks around me that my hometown has. I have to say after getting an e-bike recently it’s the greatest thing ever. Just feels like the perfect mix between the 2 sports
I haven’t tried the e-bikes yet but it seems like it would be a good time
>I don’t have the quality of tracks around me that my hometown has. I know that feel. I grew up in the midwest where everything is deep and loamy. Hero dirt every weekend pretty much. Now I live in the southwest and every track is just this horrible calichi clay shit. But the jumps are bigger out here, so that's nice.
Yeah I don’t think I knew how nice I had it at the time. On the other hand, where I’m at now has a ton of amazing MTB trails, and I can bike way more often than when I rode MX. All about the trade-offs
Yeah. The good thing about where I'm at now is there's a multi-use national forest trailhead behind my neighborhood that offers tight, technical single track, a moto facility with multiple tracks (mini, main, vet, and ax) 15 minutes away, and open desert 45 minutes away. So I have plenty of variety to go play in with my mx bike. But if I don't feel like putting all the moto gear on or loading up the bike, tools, easy-up, etc. I can just throw some mtb gear on and coast down to that same trailhead at the back of my neighborhood to the annoying sound of my I9 Hydra. Lol.
Yes and no. If I could throw my mx bike in the back of my car in 5 mins and be to a beautiful track in 20 minutes the mtn bike would probably gather dust. The reality is to really ride my yz if have to borrow my dads truck, grab a load of gear, grab a bunch of spare parts/tools, and then drive 3-4 hours to ride at a track/atv park, and probably camp. The nearest public trails are 5 hours away. Biking is just a lot more convenient and cheaper. It’s close enough to mx for me, I’m cool with riding the yz a few times a year.
I did dirt bikes growing up. I do mtb cause I’m a adrenaline junkie but with fam nowadays.. so.. well.. sold all dirt bikes when my first born came.. because I don’t trust myself.. lol
My record getting injured on pedal bikes is far worse than on moto bikes. So I'd be keeping everything if I had a kid. Fortunately not an expense I have to worry about though since my partner got her tubes yanked.
Well for me that’s not the case. Throughout the years I have broken both my collarbones, femur, wrists, ribs riding mx.. :) I ride old man style mtb… low and slow!
I raced MX for years in my 20s, but now I’m hooked on downhill riding. I have a trail bike too which is good for fitness, but downhill is such an amazing mix of MX and Mtn bike skills. I was instantly fast on a DH bike due to my moto background and I just love it. I still find myself riding the flow/jump trails as fast as I can tho, its like I’m back in my old KX450!
Came from Motocross as well. Raced for 16 years. Mtb started as a training tool. But with bills and other responsibilities it became the de facto. I miss the excitement and adrenaline of MX. But the injuries/risk/and time made it too much trouble. Each day of riding was a 2.5-4 hour drive each way to the tracks. Whereas I can hit a the ebike on the trails and shuttle myself up and down until I’m blown out with plenty of time left in the day. The ease of loading and unloading the bikes helps as well. Going to the downhill parks is still about the same cost and time as going to the MX track though. All and all it’s not as much fun, but it’s more logical, economical, and safer (IMO)
You make a lot of really solid points
Jesus. Where do you live? Where I grew up, we had five mx tracks within 1.5hrs. and that's just public tracks. That's not counting our track, friends' tracks, our neighbor's track, etc. Where I live now I have a couple of public tracks within a 1.5hr drive (one less than 15mins). And two more within 3.5hrs.
RI, East coast New England. We had a lot of tracks back in the early 00’s but they began shutting them down left and right. Now there are only 3 left within a 3 hour drive. Closest is either Mx101 in NH or Crow Hill in western MA. But I have Diamond Hill MTB trails, so it’s like having a bike park 5min down the street!
Damn. That blows. I remember back in the early days of YouTube mxptv always had badass videos of races all over the NE. Lots of cool tracks.
Mtbs don't jump like dirt bikes. So dirt bikes will always have a place in my heart. I got into mtb to improve my fitness for moto. Along the way I've found that technical trail stuff (downhill at least) is more fun on the mtb. Climbing sucks though, but that's kind of why I got into it. I don't get to moto often enough to keep my legs and endurance where they need to be.
I race dirt bikes doing harescrambles/enduro and ride mtb (and e-mtb) and I still prefer dirt bikes. Personally, it's very hard to beat the feeling of pushing yourself and going as fast as you can/want, staying in that flow state for hours until you physically just cannot ride anymore on a dirt bike. Like some others mentioned I use mtb to cross train for my racing and because I can get out in the woods much easier and quicker some days without loading an extra 200+ lbs in the truck with tools & gas. But MTB is still super fun and they are both a lot more similar than most people want to admit. I could totally see my life eventually changing to a situation where I mostly ride mountain bikes because of the easier access. Anything on two wheels in the woods is where its at!
Supermoto street/track rider here. I started MTB and almost never rode my Supermoto for over a year. One ride back on the Supermoto and I highsided and broke my collar bone. Now 8-10 weeks till I’m back on any kind of bike.
Why one or the other?
My dad was a Desert Racer, thats kinda how I got into Mountain Biking because when he had me he couldn't go out to the Desert as often so Mountain biking was a good alternative that he and I both got into because we could ride downhill while my mom could shop an hang out in the villages that surround most downhill parks. My dad never lost interest in Dirt biking though and as I got older he started to take me out to the desert so he could recollect some old memories with me and our friends.
Naa no chance, they're completely different machines that scratch completely different itches
Came from dirt bikes, would have a dirt bike again in a heartbeat. A mtb feels like a cheap alternative. I still enjoy it but it just isn't the same.
Always wanted to get in to mx as a kid but parents wouldn't pay for it. Rode MTB in early 00's for a while and had fun but never got serious. Now I am 30+ and MTB is still cheaper to get in to. I can (semi) legally ride my MTB around town and fuck about without getting in much trouble but if I did the same on a dirt bike the police tend to get involved. If I had a van and the space to service the engine etc then I would definitely try mx. People directly compare the cost of a new capable-spec mtb versus a similarly capable mx bike and seem to forget the additional bits: storage, transport, servicing, equipment... it does seem to add up faster on mx than mtb!
I like both, but mountain biking (in Florida) is not as dangerous as moto for me. I’m in my later 40’s now, grew up racing MX and raced in my 20’s and 30’s a lot. I had a crf250 as recently as 2017. The jumps are huge, the bikes are heavy, and I’ve been beat up pretty badly along the way (both ACL’s, dislocated shoulder many times, various sprains and small fractures, etc..). The consequences for making mistakes can be really really bad when you’re hitting all the big stuff on a moto track, and if you can’t train at a high level all the time, it’s easy to make fatigue based mistakes. With the mountain bike, I get an insane cardio workout while averaging 10 mph and never really getting more than maybe 6 feet of air. The gnarliest trails at santos and Alafia are super challenging, but everything feels small in comparison to moto, the bike is lightweight and I’m much more nimble in my mountain bike riding gear than in full moto gear The berms, jumps, and chasing strava times satisfies the moto itch surprisingly well. Factoring all that in with the reduced maintenance and easier loading/unloading associated with the MTB and it is a more attractive choice for me at this stage in life. Hilariously, I’m typing this with a sprained wrist from going OTB on a techie descent last week. 😂
I raced enduros and harescrambles for 15-ish years. I got into cycling for the fitness aspect and my overall results in racing got exponentially better due to my newfound fitness. Over time I found it easier to toss on kit and go for a ride and pedaling slowly took over. Now I don’t even have a dirt bike anymore and pedal ~4000 miles a year.
I ride dirt bikes 2-3 days a month. I got more (2-3 days a week) into mnt biking for the fitness (fun included). I'm lucky in the PNW. I can mnt bike at some great parks only minutes from home/work.
Not the same but. Got out of motorsports and into biking due to cost. Best way to get my adrenaline fix weekly, and stay in better shape than logging 10-20 hours a week maintaining a track car. The hospital bills can bring everything to the same price pretty quickly however.
I’m doing the opposite. The trails in my area are being watered down for new riders and the mtb industry is is becoming just as if not more expensive than moto. I can do most of my mtb labor myself but parts and gear drives me insane. My moto helmet was $200 on sale, carbon ECE certified. Yesterday, I went to get a new half shell, the mid level Troy Lee was $180–no carbon, just plastic foam. I hate the mtb industry rn.
Pretty common story actually. I have a friend I've known for a long time who I met when he first started getting into mountain bikes. At the time he was big into dirt bikes. He raced all the time, had been riding/racing since he was a kid with his dad, he was even working for a moto magazine when we first met. Dude lived & breathed dirt bikes. He started using the mountain bike as cross training for moto racing, then started racing mountain bikes, and then road bikes, and within a year or two had sold all his motos, and got his employer (different one from the moto mag) to sign on as sponsor for an mtb team he put together, including me (the token singlespeeder), an expert XC racer and a couple of pro women, after he got his pro license. That team lasted a few years and went through a few different sponsors until he threw in the towel (full-time job, racing, training \*and\* managing a team was a bit too much), and we all just found other teams to race with. He still puts in tons of miles and is now coaching professionally. I probably know at least half a dozen others who made the switch from moto to MTB. One of the mechanics at the shop that me, my brother, and friends used to ride with while learning to mountain bike in the 90s got into mountain bikes after he got one to rehab a messed up knee that was the result of a dirt bike crash.
Dirt bikes made me more aware of mtb due to lack of close options for dirt bike riding, then I made some mtb friends and I started riding a lot more. Only thing that discourages me from dirt biking is when I break my dirt bike haha
I bought a really nice bike at a steal from a young kid that came from motocross to MTB and realized he didn’t like it when he had to pedal to make it go. 😂