Hiboy DK1 Electric Dirt Bike and the Hiboy Kids' Lineup

What Hiboy makes

Hiboy is an electric ride brand. Its own site lists electric scooters, electric bikes, kids' electric rides, and parts and accessories. On this site we cover the kids' rides.

In our Amazon US data, Hiboy has four kids' electric ride-ons:

• DK1: electric dirt bike, ages 3 to 10
• DK2: electric dirt bike, ages 3 to 7
• DM14: electric dirt bike, ages 8 to 14
• BK1: electric balance bike, ages 3 to 5

All four are electric. No gas, no oil, no exhaust. That changes how you store them and where you can ride them, more than any other spec.

Four bikes is a short lineup, so the grid above shows the Hiboy models first and then an "Alternatives to Hiboy" table. The alternatives are other electric dirt bikes from Razor and X-PRO. More on why they're there below.

The Hiboy DK1 electric dirt bike

The DK1 is the Hiboy most people search for. Here's what the listing states:

• Ages 3 to 10
• Max rider weight 140 lb
• 300W motor, 36V lithium-ion battery
• Three speed modes: 5, 7.5 and 15.5 mph
• Run time up to 90 minutes, from Hiboy's test with an 88.2 lb rider at 9.3 mph

Hiboy's own product page adds more:

• Battery: 36V 5.2Ah lithium
• Charge time: 4 to 5 hours
• Brake: disc, which the page's FAQ calls a mechanical disc brake
• Tires: 12-inch pneumatic, which means air-filled
• Suspension: front hydraulic fork and rear shock absorber
• Bike weight: 38 lb
• Water rating: IPX4, light splashes and rain only

That last one matters in Las Cruces. Marisol read the rating over my shoulder and summed it up: "Drizzle, yes. Monsoon, no." I've never heard IPX4 explained faster.

Who the DK1 suits, and who should skip it

The DK1 has the widest age range of the Hiboy bikes: 3 to 10. That's a lot of kid. A 3-year-old and a 10-year-old are not the same rider, so the speed modes do the real work. The 5 mph mode is the starting point for anyone new.

The DK1 suits a rider who fits under 140 lb and can sit on the bike with feet down, steer and stop. It suits a family that wants to ride in its own yard or a private field, and charge in the garage.

Skip it if the rider is close to the 140 lb limit. The listing is the limit, not a goal. Skip it, too, if your riding area is mostly wet ground. IPX4 isn't built for mud.

At 38 lb, the DK1 is a bike one adult can lift into a truck bed. That's about the weight of the big bag of dog food. Easier than it sounds, harder than it looks.

The Hiboy DK2

The DK2 is the smaller, younger sibling:

• Ages 3 to 7
• Max rider weight 150 lb
• Top speed 13 mph
• Three modes: 5, 8 and 13 mph, parent-set
• 24V 4.5Ah lithium-ion battery
• 12-inch wheels
• Rear drum brake plus an electronic brake

The phrase that matters is "parent-set". The listing says the parent picks the mode. For a 3- to 7-year-old, that's how it should be.

Who suits the DK2: a younger rider, 3 to 7, who's ready for a first motor. Who should skip it: a rider already past 7. The age range on the listing is the plan.

The Hiboy DM14

The DM14 is the bigger bike in the lineup:

• Ages 8 to 14
• Top speed 20 mph
• Three modes: 8, 15 and 20 mph
• 500W motor
• 48V 9Ah lithium-ion battery
• 18-inch wheels

18-inch wheels put this in a different size class from the 12-inch DK1 and DK2. The listing doesn't state a weight limit in our data, so get that number from the manual before you buy.

Who suits the DM14: a rider 8 to 14 who has outgrown a 12-inch bike. Who should skip it: a first-time rider at the young end, 8, who has never used a throttle. Start smaller, or start in the 8 mph mode and stay there for a while.

The Hiboy BK1 electric balance bike

The BK1 is a balance bike with a motor:

• Ages 3 to 5
• 12-inch wheels
• 100W motor, 21.6V battery
• Two modes: 5.6 and 9 mph

A balance bike has no pedals. The rider pushes with their feet and learns to balance first. The BK1 adds a small motor on top of that.

Who suits it: a 3- to 5-year-old who already scoots confidently on a regular balance bike. Who should skip it: a child who hasn't learned to balance and coast yet. Learn the push first; add the motor second.

The BK1's two modes, 5.6 and 9 mph, are the lowest top numbers in the Hiboy lineup. That makes it the gentlest step from a push bike to a motor. When a rider outgrows it, by age or by size, the DK2 is the next step in the same family, also starting at age 3 on its listing. Moving up one step at a time keeps the controls familiar and the numbers small.

How to pick within Hiboy

Pick by the rider in front of you today:

1. Age 3 to 5, still learning balance: BK1, low mode
2. Age 3 to 7, first motorized bike: DK2, with the parent setting the mode
3. Age 3 to 10, under 140 lb, ready for more: DK1
4. Age 8 to 14, outgrown 12-inch wheels: DM14

Then check the weight limit. If the listing doesn't give one, get the manual before you buy.

My one opinion, and it's about the category: for most families, an electric ride-on is the easier first one. No fuel to store, no exhaust, and many list speed settings. Hiboy's whole lineup lists modes. The low mode on each is where a new rider belongs.

The first ride on a Hiboy, in order

At the shop, the first question I ask about any new bike is what happens before the motor turns. Same here. This is the order I'd follow with a new rider:

1. Charge it fully before day one. Hiboy's DK1 page lists 4 to 5 hours. Plug it in the night before, not the morning of.
2. Check the tires. The DK1's are air-filled. Soft tires change how a bike steers.
3. Check the brakes by hand. Squeeze, push the bike forward, and make sure it stops.
4. Set the lowest mode. On the DK2, that's the parent's job by design. On the others, do it anyway.
5. Gear up. Helmet, gloves, boots, eye protection, long sleeves and pants.
6. Pick flat, open ground. No driveway slope toward the street, no gravel next to a fence.
7. Keep the first session short. Ten minutes of stop-and-go teaches more than an hour of loops.

The rider learns two things first: how to stop, and how the throttle responds. Everything else comes after. If a rider can't stop on command in the low mode, they're not ready for the next mode.

Charging and storing a Hiboy

Electric bikes live and die by the charger. Use the one in the box. Charge on a hard surface, in a dry spot, where you can see it. Hiboy's DK1 page says to store the bike in a dry place after use.

IPX4 means the DK1 can handle a light splash or some rain, per Hiboy's own page. It doesn't mean you hose it down. Wipe the dust off with a damp cloth and let it dry.

Plan where the charger lives before the bike arrives, not after. A charging cord stretched across a garage floor is a trip line. Give it a wall, a hook and a spot nobody walks through.

Alternatives to Hiboy

The alternatives table under the Hiboy grid lists other electric dirt bikes in our data. They're there because they're the same type of ride. Here's how they line up by the specs their listings state:

• Razor Dirt Rocket MX350 and MX400: ages 8+, 12-inch wheels, 14 mph top speed, 24V. The MX400 lists a 140 lb limit, the same as the DK1. The MX350 lists a high/low speed switch.
• Razor Dirt Rocket MX500: ages 14+, 175 lb, 16-inch front and 14-inch rear wheels
• Razor Dirt Rocket MX650 and RSF650: the MX650 is listed for 16+ and 220 lb
• X-PRO Drax Lite: 48V, 1200W, 10-inch wheels, three speed modes; one listing gives 6, 15 and 25 mph
• X-PRO E-Hawk: ages 13+, 287 lb, 48V, 3500W

One difference shows in the battery line. Hiboy lists lithium-ion on all three dirt bikes. Several Razor Dirt Rockets list sealed lead-acid. Neither is a verdict. It's a battery-type and charging question, and the manual for each bike tells you how to charge and store it.

If the rider is under 8, the Razor and X-PRO alternatives here don't fit by their listed ages. The DK1, DK2 and BK1 are the ones in this group that start at 3.

Safety, every ride

Riders need a properly fitted helmet made for motorized riding, plus gloves, boots, eye protection and long sleeves and pants. Follow the maker's age, height and weight limits, and keep an adult watching every ride. The CPSC's helmet chart lists a motocross or motorcycle helmet for dirt- and mini-bike riding. Hiboy's own DK1 page says children should ride under adult supervision.

Charge with the charger that came with it, on a hard surface, and follow the maker's charging instructions.

Rules for riding mini bikes, pit bikes and go karts vary by state and town. Check yours, and ride only where it's allowed.

Helmet first. Then the lowest mode. The rest of the numbers can wait.