I roadrace a NSF125 now and it teaches me things all the time!! I started off on a YSR50, and then got a newer NSR50.. Then turned it into the nsf100 4stroke! If u are small (I'm 5'8" and about 160lbs) you will fit on a mini just fine!! Don't let the size fool ya, once you get moving, it's all good! Plus, if you are bigger, a dirtbike style bike will fit ya just fine!! I started on a 2000 R6 back in 2000.. I wish I would of started on a mini first!! I thought I was fast, but once I learned how to ride a mini fast, it helped me on the bigger bikes! One major thing is corner speed!! My corner speed was lacking, but after racing the mini and learning on it, my corner speed on the big bikes went up as well! That might be why your friend can ride circles around people, because he sharpened his skills on a smaller bike where you REALLY know and feel the slightest weight change, movement happen faster and make ya react much faster, throttle control and entry speed is key on a mini.. All this stuff transfers over to when you toss your leg over a 250, 600, 1k! Check out my club, we teach kids and big kids (adults) proper form, race lines, riding styles, race flags and all the basic stuff needed!! Plus, it's cheap fun! At only $25 to race, why wouldn't you do it?? I don't know why more people don't!! www.ohiominiroadracingleague.com Bring some gear to any of our events and we will hook ya up on either a 50cc or 100cc 4 stroke bike! Try it out, if u like it, then find a cheap XR100, or NSR/YSR and race with us! I know of a few NSR's around that are cheap! And you can pick up a XR100 for under $1k! Check out our forum and for sale section! Hope to see ya at the track sometime!! Sorry if I missed something, I'm on my phone!