Every Major Dirt Bike Brand Ranked Worst To Best

Dirt bikes, or scramblers, are motorcycles designed to be ridden on unpaved surfaces. They are characterized by their large wheels, high ground clearance, long-travel suspensions, and deep-treaded "knobby" tires. There are many subcategories of dirt bikes, including trail, rally, dual-sport, enduro, and motocross machines, each with its own specific set of features for different applications and riding styles.

Whether you enjoy off-road riding at a competitive level or simply like to hit the trail and churn up some mud on the weekend, the sheer enjoyment that comes with riding a dirt bike is hard to beat. Their combination of maneuverability, traction, torque, and power allow them to conquer almost any terrain you throw at them, and their lightweight and flexible properties, combined with their high saddles and wide handlebars, allow for superior balance and control.

While Soichiro Honda could be credited with popularizing the off-road motorcycle, dirt bikes can trace their roots back as far as the early 20^th Century. However, it wasn't until the 1960s that Japanese companies, including Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki, started producing the first trail bikes that closely resembled the modern dirt bike, a segment these brands still dominate today. Other top brands also make dirt bikes for niche and mass-market consumption while considering their overall build quality, durability, performance, and heritage.

Maico is a major brand by reputation rather than by sales. Still, this lesser-known German marque is renowned in dirt bike circles for making high-quality machines, many of which are non-homologated racers, meaning they are not street-legal. The company started making motorcycles in 1926 and expanded its production after World War II. However, it came into its own making motocross and enduro machines and was highly competitive by the 1970s when pitted against the dominant and much wealthier Japanese brands.

The Maico range is small but comprehensive and includes motocross bikes, enduro bikes, and supermoto bikes, each with a choice of 500cc, 620cc, and 700cc engines. They are distinguishable by their red livery with a large logo, but another option is simply pure black with no lettering whatsoever. In typical German style, they are exceptionally well-built, using the highest-quality third-party parts and accessories whenever necessary, and you get the feeling that each and every bike that rolls off the production line is special.

You only have to browse the somewhat dated Maico website to see that this is indeed a small company that focuses more on its product than on appearances. Yet the bikes displayed in the amateurish photographs are of undeniable quality, befitting their prices nearly double that of their mass-manufactured Japanese equivalents. It outlines the fact that dirt bikes of all categories are something of a specialist market, as compared to the many types of roadgoing motorcycles.

Established in the Japanese city of Hamamatsu in 1909, Suzuki has been a major player since the earliest days of motocross, and its celebrated "RM" line of off-road machines has been the choice of many professional riders going back decades. It's known for durable and reliable motorcycles and recognizable for its yellow and blue livery, which are the standard colors of the "RM Army" motocross program. This training scheme offers aspiring racers track days, bike setup coaching, technical advice, and hands-on experience.

The motocross range is small but comprehensive, consisting of the entry-level DR-Z125L and the larger-capacity RM-Z250 and RM-Z450 full-sized machines, and these are all built to Suzuki's high standards and specifications. This off-road product line is complemented by the road-ready "DR" series of supermoto and dual sport bikes for those who need a little more practicality from a two-wheeler and a dedicated line of youth-oriented bikes for aspiring dirt devils. These include the little 50cc DR-Z50, which helps riders get started in motocross for less than $2,600, and the 85cc RM85, which costs around $4,500.

Whether you are a newbie or a pro, child or adult, there is a Suzuki dirt bike to suit you. The company will also shepherd learners through the ranks to become confident and capable riders, with boot camps and after-sale service, should they require it. This suggests that Suzuki cares as much about nurturing the sport as it does providing the equipment, which is an excellent philosophy for any motorcycle company.

When Yamaha transitioned from manufacturing pianos to producing motorcycles, few would have imagined it would have been so successful. While the three tuning forks on its logo are a nod to its musical roots, it might also allude to the finely-tuned engines that the company produces, which, according to Consumer Reports, are among the most reliable in the industry.

Yamaha has one of the most extensive ranges of off-road motorcycles of any brand, encompassing motocross, country, trail, and dual sport bikes and combining typical Japanese build quality with cutting-edge technology. The "YZ" range of motocross and cross-country bikes (and "WR" street-legal models) are usually recognizable for their blue livery, and the range includes many different engine capacities and configurations. Starting at 65cc for the entry-level junior motocross model, they are also available with 85cc, 125cc, 250cc, and 450cc power units.

Yamaha is a strong presence in motocross with the Yamaha Factory Racing team, which took consecutive professional Motocross and Supercross titles in 2023. The Flagship YZ450F is among the lightest, slimmest, and most agile machines available and can be purchased for under $10,000. Therefore, Yamaha motocross models are not only serious bikes, but they are attainable for those wishing to enjoy the sport as a serious pastime.

The Honda dirt bike is emblazoned on the public consciousness as the standard upon which all others are based, and given the company's heritage, media presence, and sporting prowess, as well as its products' exceptional build quality and reliability, this is well-deserved. 

Since Soichiro Honda first put pen to paper to draft his idea for a motorcycle with deep-treaded tires and a more robust suspension that could be used on grass and unpaved back roads, Honda Powersports has been instrumental in the evolution of the dirt bike. By the 1970s, bikes like the CL100 and CT70 scramblers, with their knobby tires and elevated exhausts, were a sign of things to come. Fast forward a decade, and the XR series had all the characteristics of the modern dirt bike, with high mudguards, large wheels, seat-high tailpipes, long travel front forks, and rear mono-shock suspensions.

Currently, the Honda XR and CRF lines of dual sport and trail models are often the go-to bikes for adventurers, competition riders, and even stunt performers (a CRF 250 was ridden off a cliff in a highly ambitious stunt for "Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One"). This is a testament to the quality, versatility, and reliability that Honda, as a brand, is known for. And with a choice of styles, configurations, and engine capacities ranging from 50cc for the little CRF50F to 650cc for the XR650L, there truly is a Honda dirt bike to suit anyone who wants to try their hand at off-roading.