The verdict
It is the MX500 with Jeremy McGrath's graphics on it, and Razor's own numbers say so.
That is the entire review, and we are putting it first because every listicle we found treats these as two different bikes with two different verdicts. They are not. Razor publishes identical specifications for both, and the MSRP difference is $10.00.
Buy whichever is cheaper on the day. If the rider specifically wants the McGrath livery, that is a perfectly good reason to pick this one — it is just not a performance reason.
What Razor publishes for each
Side by side, both from razor.com, checked 2026-09-13.
| SX500 McGrath | MX500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Top speed | 15 mph | 15 mph |
| Run time | 40 min | 40 min |
| Battery | 36V SLA | 36V SLA |
| Age | 14+ | 14+ |
| Max rider | 175 lb | 175 lb |
| Brakes | dual disc | dual disc |
| Suspension | dual | dual |
| Tyres | motorcycle-spec, front/rear-specific tread | 16"/14" pneumatic knobby |
| Street price | $479 | $699 |
The only published difference in that table is the tyre description.
What the badge actually changes
Tread pattern. Razor lists "motorcycle-spec tyres with front- and rear-specific tread" where the MX500 runs the same knobby at both ends. A directional front tyre is, in principle, slightly better at steering. At 15 mph on a 16-inch wheel, this is a detail rather than a difference you will feel.
Graphics and fairings. A faithful reproduction of McGrath's race livery. For a teenager who knows who Jeremy McGrath is, that may genuinely matter, and there is nothing wrong with buying it for that.
Nothing else. Same motor, same battery chemistry, same brakes, same suspension, same ratings.
Why we are being blunt about it
Because the alternative is the pattern we keep finding on this shelf: two near-identical products reviewed as though they were rivals, each "winning" a category, with an affiliate link under both.
The useful thing a review can do here is collapse the decision. Razor makes four Dirt Rockets that matter and the line is organised by rider weight — 110 lb, 140 lb, 175 lb, 220 lb. Pick the first one the rider fits under, then buy whichever badge is cheaper at that rung. Our under $1,000 guide lays the full ladder out.
Where it falls down
Everything true of the MX500 is true here: sealed lead-acid rather than lithium, no speed modes so it is on or off at 15 mph, and a 15 mph ceiling that a confident fourteen-year-old may find modest — while the faster MX650 sits below it on price at some retailers.
Who should buy it
A rider aged 14 or over and under 175 lb, when this one happens to be the cheaper of the two, or when the McGrath graphics are the point.
VoltRipper is independent and spec-verified — we have not ridden this bike. Specifications for both models are quoted from Razor's own product pages on the date shown.
FAQ
What is the difference between the Razor SX500 and the MX500?
Graphics, fairings and tyre tread. Razor publishes identical figures for both: 15 mph, 40 minutes of run time, 36V sealed lead acid, dual disc brakes, dual suspension, 14+ and a 175 lb rider limit. The MSRPs are $809.99 and $799.99 — a $10 difference that buys the Jeremy McGrath livery, not performance.
Which should I buy, the SX500 or the MX500?
Whichever is cheaper on the day you look. Street prices on these two move independently and the gap is often far wider than the $10 MSRP difference in either direction. Since they are mechanically the same machine, price is the only rational tiebreaker unless the rider specifically wants the McGrath graphics.
What age is the Razor SX500 McGrath for?
Razor rates it 14 and up with a 175 lb maximum rider, published on its own product page. It sits between the MX350 at 140 lb and the MX650 at 220 lb in Razor's line.
Are the motorcycle-spec tyres actually better?
Razor lists front- and rear-specific tread where the MX500 uses the same knobby pattern at both ends. In principle a directional front tyre steers slightly better. At 15 mph on a 16-inch wheel this is a small difference, and not a reason to pay more.