How Much Does It Cost to Own a Dirt Bike in NZ?

The upfront costs

• The bike: see how much a used dirt bike costs in NZ
• Safety gear: helmet, goggles, boots, gloves, jersey, pants and protection. See the minimum gear to start dirt biking
• Transport: a ute, trailer or a bike rack, if you do not have one
• Basic tools and a stand

Ongoing costs

• Fuel and oil: small per ride, but it adds up. 2-strokes also need premix oil
• Servicing: oil and filter changes, air filter cleaning and chain care, see how often to service a dirt bike
• Consumables: tyres, chain and sprockets, brake pads, grips and cables
• Top-end and engine rebuilds: piston, rings and valves wear with hours, particularly on hard-ridden bikes
• Track and club fees
• Insurance: optional but worth considering, see do you need insurance for a dirt bike

The things that make costs rise

• Riding hard, on a track and in mud or sand, which wears parts faster
• Not servicing on time
• Crashes, which break levers, plastics and more

Ways to keep costs down

• Do the basic maintenance yourself. GearShed's guides to lubing a chain and cleaning an air filter help
• Buy a bike with good history and sensible hours
• Buy quality gear once, and look after it

Finance

If you would rather spread the purchase, see our finance guide and the finance page.

A sample year of riding

Picture a casual rider who heads out most weekends. Across a year they will likely get through a few sets of oil and filters, one or two rear tyres, a chain and sprocket set, brake pads, grips, a handful of small crash repairs, fuel and track fees. Add a top-end service every so often. Those costs sit on top of the bike and gear, and they climb with hours. A competitive rider will spend considerably more, and a farm rider using a bike for work usually spends less. The best way to keep the number honest is to track what you spend for a season.

Cheaper ways in

Buy a well-maintained used bike rather than a new one, learn the basics of maintenance, and spread the cost of gear across the first few months. Buying a kit can also save money, see GearShed's guide on whether gear kits are worth it.

Browse our dirt bikes in stock and buy your maintenance products at GearShed.

ShowShed is a Hamilton dirt bike and quad dealer, back to the home page or browse every bike in stock. Gear for the ride is at our sister store GearShed.