TAO Dirt Bike DB14

My husband bought this for our 10yo son to graduate to from his 36v electric dirt bike while allowing him to ride in the meantime. My son is about 4' 10"/100lbs. and my husband is about 5' 10"/180lbs. This bike is just about the perfect size for both; slightly heavy for son and slightly small for husband, but overall a very good compromise for something either can ride.The package arrived 5 days after ordering, delivered on an 18-wheeler with a hydraulic lift and was carried on a pallet jack to our garage. The bike was packaged exceptionally well with rubber coated twist-ties holding the smaller parts in place, preventing scratches and making removal very easy. My husband was able to assemble the bike by himself, however he did strain a muscle in his back while lifting the front-end to install the wheel. A second person to help with that step is recommended. There were NO assembly instructions provided, but since these are readily available on the internet from other sources (which I prefer to use anyway) I'm not deducting any stars.As others have commented, almost every bolt on the bike (including the 'pre-assembled' components) was loose. The bolts 'attaching' the intake manifold to the cylinder head were either too short to reach the threads at all, or just barely reached the threads causing them to be stripped during factory installation or shipping (potentially leaving loose metal inside the engine). Both bolts could be spun by hand while fully seated so they needed to be replaced with slightly longer bolts (-1 star). After this minor repair, replacing the corrosion inhibitor shipped in the engine with motor oil and adding gasoline, the bike started with 4 or 5 kicks, but...Even after letting the engine fully warm-up and adjusting the idle screw fully in (tight), the motor would not idle. We're very close to sea level so the air is more dense here than in higher altitudes and carburetors NEED to be adjusted to air density. However our political 'representatives' (rulers) have banned us from making these necessary adjustments, making these vehicles VERY DANGEROUS unless you happen to live where the air density is 'politically correct' (presumably, the District of Columbia). Since the motor has to be constantly revved to stay running, when the bike is put into gear it immediately lunges forward and lifts the front wheel (needed for steering) off of the ground while throwing the rider back, which makes releasing the throttle difficult or impossible for smaller riders. Fortunately, normal replacement carburetors are (as of writing this) still readily available and relatively inexpensive. I did not deduct any stars since the company is banned from providing a carburetor that can be made safe, but to reiterate, please do NOT allow smaller or less experienced riders to attempt operating this bike while the government carburetor is still installed! Add a normal carburetor to your cart along with the bike and just consider the extra cost to be a(nother) tax.

Like: Buying process, Prompt delivery. Starts after 1st kick every time. Rides smooth. Pleanty of manageable power. Easy to operate. My 3 kids from 9-13, 1st time riders, rode all Christmas day. I had a go myself. It took my weight (140lb) and my abusive sportbike riding style. Dislike: packaging could've been a little bit better, hand tools were a little weak, slight tear in the seat. With all that being said. I wasn't ready to purchase name brand prices. Do the research, watch the video reviews, assembly, the "what to watch out for" etc. I didn't need extra bolts, everything needed was in the box. Loctite is your best friend. Listen to other dirtbike owners. Dont be a turd and think you know everything. I got a lot of helpful advice. i.e. adjust the chain tension if "you" the adult will be riding it, handle bar position, oil break in procedure, when to change oil, do your part to maintain and operate it properly. it is a perfect starter for the kiddos, and tons of fun. I would definitely recommend to anyone to buy. In the near future I myself will purchase another db14, and a 50cc for my 9yr old. That thing will do every bit of 41MPH. Gear em up teach em right and have fun

Bought this for my 9 and 12 year old daughters. Arrived in crate and took a little over an hour to set it up. Changed out the unknown oil in the engine before startup. Chain was extremely tight and needed to be adjusted also. I also put loctite on every bolt which took a while, but more online reviews stated that most problems came from bolts falling out.We're just over 6,000 feet in elevation so when it came time to start the motor it took a bit to get it going. Ended up not using the choke and it fired right up.Was a bit tall for my 9 year old, so I reduced the spring adjustment (preload) to minimum, which dropped it about an inch. Also lowered the front forks in the clamp about an inch, she can now touch with both toes at the same time which helped with her learning.Great starter bike for the kids to learn on, before buying name brands for 4X the price. Also bought the next size up Tao DB17 for my 15 year old. It's a couple hundred more but is definitely a better built bike. These are cheap bikes but if you keep up on the maintenance and check for loose bolts periodically it should last a while.Edit: had it for a little over a month now, temperature dropped into the mid 30's and the carb started having issues with fuel to air ratio. At 6400 feet and low temperature the stock carb would not let the bike run, would flood out. Ended up ordering an aftermarket carb on Amazon for $20 to allow me to adjust the ratios so it would run properly.Edit #2: have had this bike for 8 months now. Aftermarket carb helped a ton, runs flawlessly. Haven't had any issues at all, just periodic maintenance and checking for loose bolts every month. Great little bike!

New bike worked for 1 1/2 days. It’s stalled while riding and now will not start. Reached out to shipper for assistance, but so far only sending me new carburetor. They should send a new working bike. Not sure why a “new” bike would stop after 2 days. Has new oil, premium gas and won’t start. I’ll update rating if new carb works, until then this is a 1 Star item. Not happy with this experience or product.Update: 4/10/20 - after many emails back and forth and repeated calls with Tech the bike does not work and is leaking oil without ever riding. Customer service has sent return label. Unfortunate because we were really looking forward to the bike.

This is our 5th Tao product. As with the others these bikes need maintenance. These are not toys, you can not abuse them without constant upkeep. This seller was very good in regards to shipping. It was delivered on time and in excellent condition. About an hour to assemble, an hour to ride and break in, and 30 minutes to go over the bike tightening fasteners as needed and changing the oil. This bike has been rode hard everyday now for over a month now and its been trouble free.