Minibike

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An old style minibike
An old style minibike
A miniature dirt-bike (Pocketbike).
A miniature dirt-bike (Pocketbike).

A minibike, also known as a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniaturized version of a motorcycle. Traditional minibikes usually use four stroke motors that power a chain to turn the rear wheel. These four stroke motors are similar to a lawnmower, but not identical. The main difference is the shaft direction. A minibike requires a horizontal shaft while a lawnmower uses a vertical shaft. Contrary to popular belief, old lawnmower engines cannot be used to make a minibike since the crankshaft is oriented in a vertical position instead of a horizontal position like a minibike would need. Some models may use two stroke motors although electric-powered models are also available. The 2-stroke motor produces a loud, whining buzz and a more polluting cloud of smoke as exhaust if not properly tuned. These features, along with the minibike's tiny size, mean that minibikes are almost never street-legal.

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[edit] History

Along with the go-cart, minibikes were first made out of spare parts found around the garage. They were first popularly used as "pit bikes" for drag racers to scoot around in the pits during races in the late 1950s to today. They were very useful for this purpose, as they could maneuver very well in the tight pit roads, and they could fit in about the same space as a small bicycle in a trailer or pickup, plus they were plenty faster than most previous forms of transportation. As racers brought and used them around their neighborhoods, children thought they were cool and started building their own.A whole market developed for minibikes, and many cottage and major industries developed to fit the demand, Some famous minibike companies include Rupp, Fox, and many others. Many of these companies made other power toys also, like go-carts, trikes, and choppers) The height of the minibike/go-cart era was from the late sixties to the early seventies in America.

Today they have evolved into several distinct specialized types of minibikes, but the concept is all the same, they are all mini motorcycles:

Pocketbike/Minimoto
These look like sport bikes and are used to race (Pocketbike racing) on tracks used for kart racing. The popularity grew due to the influx of cheap pocket bikes imported from china.
Pit bikes
True to the original concept of a small scooter used to quickly move around the pit areas of motor racing tracks and events. They look like motocross motorcycles and are also used in motocross some competitions. Recently the sport of mini moto (racing pit bikes on motocross and supercross tracks) has really taken off. There are numerous series in the United States and there are also full fledged mini moto pros. The Las Vegas Mini Supercross is the biggest mini moto event of the year and it often draws top pros such as Jeremy McGrath, Ryan Abrigo, and Derek Costella.
Mini choppers
Mini choppers are mini bikes that look like Choppers.
Quad bikes
Mini bikes that look like quad bikes which are four wheeled off road motorcycles (all terrain vehicles).

[edit] Safety

A responsible Pocketbike rider, but the same amount of protection should be used on both Pocketbikes and Minibikes.
A responsible Pocketbike rider, but the same amount of protection should be used on both Pocketbikes and Minibikes.

Due to their high speed and design, the rider must take extra care when riding mini bikes. Even with an adult rider, minibikes can attain speeds of over 40mph where serious injury can occur from unprotected falls, collisions, and other accidents. Riders should wear adequate safety equipment at all times, including a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads (especially with pocketbikes due to the knees being used to turn often), gloves and ankle covering shoes. Minibike riders should be equipped better than the rider in the picture who is only wearing adequate knee protection, but is not wearing DOT or SNELL full faced motorcycle helmet or shoulder and elbow protection.

Similarly, care should be taken whenever driving on public roads, and due care and attention taken of other motorists and pedestrians. Use hand signals if all possible during turns.

[edit] Legal status

In the U.S., minibikes are banned on public roads throughout some states, for example California, and are banned in many cities, including New York City. Penalties enforced by police departments may include the issue of a verbal reprimand by the officer or the confiscation of the vehicle.

In the U.K., in virtually all cases, it is illegal for mini-motos to be ridden on the road. Mini-motos are regarded as ‘motor vehicles’ as defined by section 185 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and therefore to be ridden on the public road, a motor vehicle must comply with all aspects of road traffic law and meet the mandatory European construction requirements by having a ‘Certificate of Conformity’ indicating that they have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA)). [1]

In Canada's Ontario province, like in the U.K., it is illegal for minibikes to be ridden on public roads.[1]

Mini-motos are not manufactured in such a way that allows them to meet these requirements, and would need to be modified significantly to do so. Reported instances of this occurring are incredibly rare, meaning that it is very unlikely that mini-motos can actually be registered for road use. However, where a mini-moto or other vehicle does not have ECWVTA, it might conceivably pass a Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) inspection which would result in a Ministerial Certificate of Approval, permitting it to be road-registered.

In addition to the Vehicle Type Approval, to be ridden on the road the mini-moto must be registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, display a valid road tax disc (vehicle excise duty), and the driver or rider must be aged 17 or over (or 16 if the vehicle meets the definition of a moped) have an appropriate driving licence, have vehicle insurance covering the vehicles use and wear a suitable motorcycle helmet. The only exceptions relate to electrically-assisted pedal cycles and mobility aids for disabled people.

In the UK in 2005 and 2006, mini-motos became the focus of concern relating to road traffic safety and anti-social behaviour, with seven deaths – five young people and two adults – being attributed to them by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.[2]

During August 2006, the UK Government ran a campaign to highlight the dangers of mini-moto misuse on roads and their anti-social use. A guidance document was produced to provide police and other agencies with practical information to deal with the issues and prevent misuse. The guidance outlined the legal status of mini-motos and included information on enforcement measures and the provision of legal sites. [3]

[edit] Legal sites

It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that they (or their children) use mini-motos correctly but there is no specific obligation for local authorities to provide a facility to ride mini-motos safely and legally.

[edit] See also

[edit] Pocket BIke Dealers

[2]

[edit] External links

[edit] References