Electric pocket bikes are small. To some people that might seem like a bad reason to buy an electric pocket bike, but it actually has lots of advantages! There is no wonder as to why these bikes are called “pocket” bikes. Electric pocket bikes can weigh anywhere from 40 to 65 lbs. A pocket bike in that weight range can be picked up and put in the back of a car, or carried elsewhere, and their small size makes them easy to store. They won’t take up much room in a garage, and they are able to fit in the trunk of a car.

Electric pocket bikes look sweet. They look just like their full sized brothers and are very pleasing to look at.

Electric pocket bikes are fun.  They are as fun, if not more fun, then the full sized motorcycles they are modeled after. These small electric pocket bikes offer a fun and unique riding experience.

Electric pocket bikes are affordable. Their small size and popularity, makes them affordable to most people! Even buying an electric pocket bike online is affordable, as because of their small size and light weight, the cost of shipping won’t break your wallet!

Electric pocket bikes are cheap to use. On top of being affordable to buy, electric pocket bikes are incredibly affordable to use, especially when compared to gas pocket bikes. You’ll save much more money powering your pocket bike with electricity, rather than fueling it with gas.

Electric pocket bikes are emissions free. Don’t worry about polluting the air while riding an electric pocket bike, as they are exhaust free!

As you can see, an electric pocket bike’s size, looks, affordability, and the emission free fun it provides are just a few reasons why someone would want to get one. They aren’t for everyone, but for those that are looking for an affordable dose of adrenaline- an electric pocket bike should be right up your alley!

With the sudden influx of pocket bikes, many Americans may believe that this is a new sport. But small, motorized bikes have been around since the 50’s. They appeared soon after mechanized racing karts became common. There were goofy contests such as “jousting.” Two riders would ride at each other while holding rolled up newspapers and try to pop a balloon tied to their opponent’s helmet. After the 60’s, the mini bikes became relatively rare in the states.

During the 70’s, pocket bike racing became a serious sport in Japan. They used inexpensive and low-tech bikes for racing. In the 80’s the Italians took the sport up a notch and began racing better quality, high-tech bikes. Still, the bikes they first used were powered by relatively weak engines with no more power than an electric screwdriver.

Photo taken by: Looking Glass

By the later 90’s the sport had spread all over Europe. In 1996 the Swiss Pocket Bike Championship was created. This championship grew to include other pocket bike clubs to eventually become one of the largest in the world. Over 120 people compete in 8- 11 races every year. The races, which are held on different tracks, are divided up by the age and sex of the participants as well as the type of pocket bike (junior, stock or racing).

Pocket bike racing remains one of the fastest growing sports in Europe and is also spreading to other countries in Asia and North America. In certain European countries the races are even televised. Italy remains the number one producer of Minimotos, though the machines they create are now much more powerful than the earlier models. The Chinese have recently began making the bikes, which although of a much lower quality than their Italian counterparts, are nonetheless much less expensive.

Many of the top motorcycle racers first learned their sport on a Minimoto. World champs who began on pocket bikes include Valentino Rossi (Italian), Loris Capirossi (Italian), Nobuatsu Aoki (Japanese) and Daijiro Kato (Japanese). However, an English motorcycle instructor named Alec Tague holds the latest land speed record. Alec, who is 39 years old and 5 foot 10, reached 78 MPH on his 12-inch bike. The old record, held by American Dave Myers was 63.888 MPH.

Modern pocket bikes that have not been souped up usually have between 4 and 14 horsepower. Entry-level bikes produce 3 to 4 hp, while racing models can have the power output of 11 to 12 hp. Most bikes weigh around 40 pounds and run anywhere from $200 for a low end Chinese model, to $5,000 for a well-crafted, top of the line Italian bike.

Gerry runs the site PocketBikeInfo.org which is a source of Pocket Bike/Minimoto related articles. Everything from maintanance to racing PocketBikes.

For more information please visit: PocketBikeInfo.org

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