After years of accidents, one thing needed to change for the previous stunt rider.
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10 Great Bikes For Would-Be Stunt Riders
Stunt riders are a different breed. As such, they need equipment that is quite specialized to their requirements. If you’re looking to get into stunt riding, you’ll have to look at motorcycles which will help serve the purpose, either right out of the box or with a few good modifications. Professional stunters often use 600cc multi-cylinder motorcycles, but as a beginner you will want something small but with enough power to bring out the hooligan in you. Weight becomes a factor here, because a lightweight motorcycle will not need as much power as a heavy one, but knowing you’ll have to lift it many times a day will tip the scales in favor of a light motorcycle. You’ll want something that is inexpensive to buy and maintain, and reliable – bent frames do not a great stunt bike make. You’ll want the engine to be reliable because you’re going to abuse it a whole lot. Finally, you’ll want it to have a decent market for aftermarket mods that will help it become a better stunt bike, and you to become a better stunt rider. In an ideal world all of these characteristics would be packed in a single motorcycle, but it isn’t an ideal world, so we’ve come up with ten bikes you should look at if you’re getting into the world of stunt riding.
10 Honda Grom/Monkey
This might sound ridiculous at first, but hear us out. The Grom/Monkey weighs around 230 lbs, and its 125cc engine produces a mere 10 horsepower and 8 lb-ft of torque, but with that tiny wheelbase and 12-inch rims, it is plenty enough to pop the front wheel in the air. It isn’t cramped by any means, but its small size also allows you to experiment with shifting weight fore and aft, and if, sorry, when you fall, it will be at parking lot speeds because these twins simply aren’t capable of much more than that. It helps that there’s a dedicated following of these machines, so whatever modifications you’d like to make to aid your stunting career, you’ll find out how to acquire them in your friendly neighborhood Honda Grom/Monkey owner group.
9 KTM 390 Duke
This might just be the best beginner stunting motorcycle straight out of the box. Built in India for the entire globe, it shares a lot of parts with its siblings, meaning the cost of purchase and repair is really very low. It puts out a more than respectable 44 horsepower and 27.2 lb-ft of torque. Get one of the newer models with the ride-by-wire throttle, and you’ll get ABS that can be switched off at the rear. The 2023 390 Duke has even more electronic assistance, with traction control and cornering ABS, which should help you on your stunting journey. The traction control can be switched off for those burnouts that you’ll inevitably want to do. Also in favor of the 390 Duke is its relatively low seat height, radial brakes with fixed calipers that offer great feel, and the engine has an extremely strong midrange, although it might not be as reliable as others on this list.
8 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401
The Svartpilen and Vitpilen models are cousins of the KTM 390 Duke. The Svartpilen focuses more on being an on/off-road model, while the Vitpilen is unashamedly road biased, which is why it is our pick for stunting. We also like the rear hugger which is a combination of hugger and numberplate holder, and removing it should make 12 o’clock wheelies a doddle… once you get to that skill level, of course. Another point in favor of the Vitpilen is that minimal bodywork and tiny rear subframe: it weighs a svelte 328 lbs, but puts out the same power from essentially the same engine as the Duke that it is based on. That gives it a great power to weight ratio, and its diminutive size is also in its favor. Getting aftermarket parts might be a lot of effort, however, because it isn’t a mainstream model and as such hasn’t sold as much as some of the others here.
7 Suzuki DR-Z400SM
The DR-Z400S is the dual sport variant of the small Suzuki that we all know and love, while the DR-Z400SM is the supermoto with the 17-inch rims and spoked rims. It might seem down on power a little with figures of 39 horsepower and 29 lb-ft of torque from its single cylinder engine mated to a five speed gearbox, but it also weighs a good 55 lbs less than the 390 Duke, at 322 lbs. It might not work for short riders the way the Duke will, because its chassis remains an off-road oriented one. However, with a two decade long production run and a reputation for bulletproof reliability, the DR-Z400SM meets the requirements of a machine that either will not break, or is easy to repair, should it give up.
6 Kawasaki KLX300SM
If the ‘Zook is too much bike for you, then this is a better option. The Kawasaki KLX300SM offers lower displacement, lower power output, and a lower kerb weight compared to the DR-Z400SM. For those of a slight build or shorter stature, the less-is-more mantra will work better with a motorcycle like this from Team Green. The KLX300SM’s single cylinder 292cc engine puts out 33 horsepower and almost 21 lb-ft of torque, and weighs in at 302 lbs. It has a lot of other similarities to the Suzuki like the inverted front forks, and spoked rims. What is different is that the KLX300 is a relatively new model that was launched only a couple of years ago, so don’t expect the kind of aftermarket choice that you would with an established model that has been on sale for a long time.
5 Yamaha MT-03
We’re getting into multi-cylinder territory here with the MT03, but if it is a motorcycle you seek that will help you upgrade to multi-cylinder machines to stunt with, this could be a good choice. It has a 321cc parallel twin engine that generates 41.4 horsepower and 24 lb-ft of torque, and weighs in at 373 lbs that might sound portly until you realize that that figure is 2 lbs less than the quoted weight of the KTM 390 Duke. As such, we think that it will make a great stepping stone for those serious about their stunting craft since it will offer experience in the powerbands that are generated by multi-cylinder machines, which are typically at the higher end of the rev range. However, you’ll need to find a way to work around the ABS, which isn’t switchable.
4 Honda CRF250M
Honda surprisingly does not currently have a supermotard listed on their website, but we’re sure if you wanted to go with a new model, the CRF300L would lend itself well to a supermoto conversion. In the absence of a current model, we are going to delve into one of the older models and recommend this, the CRF250M. The CRF230M would be far more reliable, but it simply doesn’t make enough power to help someone learn how to stunt properly. The CRF230M made nearly 23 horsepower and 16 lb-ft of torque, which is really modest but all it means is that you didn’t have to worry too much about throttle control! It weighed 317 lbs, so it is among the lightest here. We’d recommend this if you aren’t sure you want to commit to the discipline and want to explore with minimal cost and risk.
3 Yamaha WR250X
The WR250X is the supermoto version of the WR250R, the dual sport 250cc motorcycle made by Yamaha from 2008 until it was discontinued in 2020. Don’t be fooled by its small displacement; this is a right hooligan of a machine, with the power and torque peaks really close together and rewarding you revving it to the limiter. It squeezes out over 30 horsepower and 17.5 lb-ft of torque from its liquid cooled motor, and you have a few thousand revs in hand beyond the power peak until the limiter kicks in. It weighs in at 299 lbs wet, so you should be able to pick it up multiple times with no problem at all. Among the other things that make it perfect for stunting are a grippy seat, an adjustable front brake lever, adjustable suspension, and wave rotors for the brakes.
2 Zero FXE
If you’re looking to be a modern stunter, you can get on to the electric bandwagon and get yourself a Zero FXE. It doesn’t meet our pricing requirements – you’ll get a 400-600cc IC supermoto for the price of an FXE – but what you will get is an undiluted hit of torque from the 46 horsepower, 78 lb-ft motor. If you go back and look at the other torque figures mentioned here, you’ll realize that this torque figure is three times as much as the other torque figures. Should make wheelies and burnouts a simple affair, then. It is light as well, with a kerb weight of 299 lbs. The only drawback we can see is the range, and the time required to charge it back up, but we also feel that that is balanced out by the lack of oil changes and chain maintenance required for a belt-drive electric motorcycle.
1 Honda CBR600F4i
If you want to jump in at the deep end, you could get yourself a full fat four cylinder stunt icon like the CBR600F4i. The Kawasaki ZX-6R with the 636cc engine is another option, but the Honda is a little more forgiving to those who are still honing their skills and is cheaper to purchase, which is why we have gone Team Red. The CBR600F4i is beloved by stunters because its frame is built to withstand a lot of punishment, which is a valuable trait as a stunter. You’ll need to delve into modifications out of necessity as well – the giant rear sprocket is a given, but you’ll need to modify things like the oil system so that the engine doesn’t get starved of oil during wheelies, and the bike doesn’t spit oil over the air filter or into the exhaust. You might just be overwhelmed by the CBR600F4i as a beginner, but with the right instruction and practice you won’t need to upgrade, no matter how skilled you get!
On Board With Pol Tarres At Erzbergrodeo 2023
Pol Tarres is back in action, but this time it’s not about stunts or showcasing his skills. He’s fully focused on the dirt, armed with his camera and his trusty T7 motorcycle.
Tarres has made a name for himself by riding dirt on one of the best adventure bikes on the market, the Yamaha Tenere 700. He joins the rest of the grid at Erzbergrodeo, where everyone is riding enduro bikes that are lighter and more agile. Despite the competition, Tarres managed to get the holeshot and remained unfazed in the early sections of the race, even against the lighter bikes.
As the race progressed to the rockier sections of Erzbergrodeo, Tarres faced some challenges. A tip-over caused him to lose the lead temporarily, but he quickly caught up in the faster sections of the course. However, the real challenge for Tarres and his T7 awaited beyond the gravel and rocks.
When the terrain became thicker with greenery and the trail muddier, all riders started to struggle. Climbing up a single track hill proved to be difficult for many competitors with their lightweight enduro machines. Tarres, on the other hand, seemed largely unaffected in comparison. It’s incredible to witness how calm and composed Tarres was during the run and how well he managed his machine.
The climb was brutal, with rocks, shrubs, and mud posing a constant challenge for the racers. There were moments in the hour-long video where I couldn’t help but hold my breath. Yet, Tarres managed to put on a show and tackle the obstacles with his adventure bike.
Unfortunately, the video ended before Tarres’ run concluded. He finished 131st out of 500 riders at the 16th checkpoint, “One Way Train.” This achievement is remarkable considering Tarres was riding his T7 and competing against a field of lightweight enduro bikes. It’s worth noting that this is not Tarres’ first rodeo (pun intended) – he made history by finishing 77th in 2022 at Erzbergrodeo.