I was looking for a first bike and the price was right. It's been so long that I can't remember what the shop said the actual engine size was. I believe it was a 400 or 450 or something that was bored out with new piston and such as it got older. Needless to say for a first dirtbike it was a bit much! The whole first summer I spent trying to keep the front wheel on the ground. Every summer after that I just went with it. If my buddy (XR400) and I were really get on it in the woods I would just accept that if you accelerate out of a corner your going to do it on one wheel. The second year is when things got fun. We started going up things that were pretty rediculous (hill climb stuff). Jumping like crazy. Then we got to the stuff we could do in the yard without riding miles and miles. That was wheelies, endos stoppies whatever you call them when you stand her up on the front wheel, and one of my favorites LOGS! We would drag a big ole log out with the tractor and see how many different ways we could clear it. Wheely up to it and roll over, bounce the front tire and hit it with the back tire and gas for a little jump, intentionally get hung on it and see who could get off. Now that you are picturing all that. My bike is liquid cooled from 1986 I think. I have had the bike for so long I don't even remember. So it weighs a ton. The brakes aren't crap. In order to get up on the front tire I have to compress the suspension, grab the bike with my feet, hold the front brakes as hard as I can and throw myself over the handlebars. And then I can only stand it up for a second as a stop. None of this get up on the tire and ride 10 feet or anything. Anyway I love to ride. My boy (10)loves to ride but I think I would have more fun in the yard with him if I had a lighter bike to "screw around" with. So trials sounds cool! That is a little about me and the beast and why I want to try trials. I will have to see if I can find a picture of me with the bike and post a link. It is a tank compared to the trials bikes I have been looking at.