Going to the dirt side LOL

well, i think i may have convinced hubby to get into dirt biking...whoo hoo...anyways, i found some TTR125s on kijiji (looking for the LE version) but wondering what i/we should be looking at when we go to look at bikes...i know the normal stuff like tires/tread, brakes, chain...but other than that, how do i know the engine is good (other than starting it) and hasn't been beat upon (i guess looking at the plastics and how it looks cosmetically can give some indication, but they're easily changed out to hide potential problems)...anything else i/we should be looking at?...and stupid question, but since they won't be ridden on the road, do we need insurance like on our street bikes?...and do we need a safety to change ownership?...sorry for the newb questions, but this is our first foray into the dirt riding scene...TIA

I recommend you try an off road course first like the one Steve Weykamp runs at Trailtours.ca.

After doing that you will realize where you might stand off road. In my opinion TTR 125 are kids bikes. Like age 10-12 or maybe even younger.

If you are a full blown adult 5,2” to 6,2” 100-220lbs the Honda CRF230 can cover a large range of people’s. keep in mind beginner bikes usually only last a couple of years tops but usually have decent resale value.

@Mikel...thanks...I personally did some off roading on a TTR125 with an ex boyfriend and had fun...the size felt good for me...hubby is a bigger guy (200 lbs and about 5'9") so it would definitely be too small for him...his problem is seat height because he has short legs...

Best test for the motor is a compression test provided the seller will let you pull the spark plugs to perform the test, if there is any problem with valves, rings, seals or piston it will show there. If a seller says the compression is fine ask for numbers, we are looking for pressures like 140 or 180 or whatever that bike should be, just saying it has 'good' compression means little.
Check the steering head and the swingarm bearing for play or weakness and inspect the frame around the vicinity of the countershaft sprocket for cracks and fractures. (mostly for higher powered dirt bikes)
Good brakes and suspension on a dirt bike is every bit as important as engine power, have seen some really heavy riders do some amazing things on a 125cc motorcycle just as long as max speed or hard acceleration is not the requirement. You really should be looking for a dirt bike that runs full sized tires, typically 21" front rim and ~4 inch by 18" rear, that will assure you of a choice of performance tires that are simply not available in the smaller wheel sizes (huge difference)
Fuel injection <- does more to improve small engine performance and reliability then almost anything, carb equipped bikes can be a devil to start once they have been laying on their side.
Legs <- if you can reach the foot pegs you should be good to ride it you only put a foot down when you are stuck or stopped or you did it wrong.

Mikel is right. TTR 125 is too small for an adult, maybe fine right away but you will quickly out grow it. You’re on the right track looking for a trail bike like a TTR over a race bike. TTR or CRF 230 and your good for a bit.

I’m 5’8” with little legs and I ride mx bikes which are quite a bit taller then those trail bikes. My gf is 5’3” and rises a YZ125 lowered an inch and the seat cut out a bit. That bike starts with a 38” seat height if I remember correctly. Dirt bikes will feel stupid tall at first but that feeling quickly goes away.

No safety needed to transfer ownerships. Yes to liability insurance if riding a public area such as Ganaraska forest or Simcoe county trails. You will also need trail passes for most if not all riding areas.

Enjoy. Street riding can come and go for me but I LOVE my dirt bikes.

I'm 5'9" about 180lbs and while I can physically ride my daughters CRF150F, it is way too small for an adult. She is about 5'4" or so and fits it perfectly though. I'm pretty sure the CFR150 is the same as the TTR125 in comparison.

If you're going with a beginner bike I personally wouldn't be too stressed about the shape of it if it starts and sounds good. Go through all the gears if you can and check the brakes. I didn't bother with that when I bought my daughters bike and it ended up needing rear brakes. Wasn't hard or expensive, but still annoying to have to do. Scratches and plastic damage is perfectly normal on a dirt bike, so don't be too turned off by that.