Pit bikes are actually miniature versions of the dirt bike. This cute motorcycle, a cousin to the pocket bike is the new eye candy for young boys who want to ride like their idols seen on television. Not only do they look cool, but they also has powerful engines that rival those of their bigger counterparts.
A pit bike is an excellent motorcycle for those on a lower budget and with smaller children. They are ideal for a kid who is not quite ready to jump into a full blown powerful dirt bike but rather get their first experience on something a little less challenging and dangerous. They are also very convenient for hauling since they are small in size. They can fit in most trunks or truck beds and are ideal for travel.
History
The history of these bikes dates as far back as the 1960s when the first miniature bicycles were produced. This were the type of bicycles which have small wheels and an equally small frame but are capable of seating a full sized adult.
photo by Wikipedia
They were originally used for riding around the pits during motocross races. The Pit bike got it’s name from the Honda Z50 that was used at race events. Their mobility and maneuvering capabilities along with cheap price tag made them popular at racing venues.
As the trend for pitbikes grew Honda changed the name to the XR50 in 1999 and made some drastic changes. Some of these changes included:
- Plastic gas tank
- Single rear shock
- Plastic exterior
- Seat
- Redesigned frame
- Spoked wheels
As young adults and teens began to show more interest aftermarket parts for pit bikes became more abundant and readily available. This led to pit bike racing as people began to build their with performance in mind.
In 2002 Kawasaki came out with their version of the bike called the KLX110. Much like the XR50 by Honda it was designed for the smaller rider. The KLX110 was faster and more powerful than the XR50 and once larger riders figured this out pit bike racers fled from the Honda to the Kawasaki.
Production Pit Bikes
In 2003 former motocross champ Guy Cooper founded Xtreme Motor Corp started producing fully upgradable Chinese Pit bikes most notably the SDG speed mini. Sales were not as prominent as expected. In 2004 USA Motortoys based out of Utah was importing a Pit bike very similar to the SDG speed mini but called it the Pitster Pro.
Many pit bike companies began to hit the scene including:
- Coolster
- SSR
- WMX
- Apollo
- Orion
- OGM – no longer in production
- Thumpstar – no longer in production
- Sikk MX – no longer in production
Pit Bike Racing
Pit bike races began to grown in the United States which included the Masters of Minis and the 2-Up Minis that take place in the Northeast. There is a Sho-Me series in Missouri and in Las Vegas before the annual AMA pro Supercross there is a Mini Moto Supercross.
The typical Pit bike race is similar to supercross with multiple classes and a set amount of laps raced to determine a winner. Trophies are awarded to the top 3.
How To Find Used Pit Bikes
Finding a used pit bike for sale is a lot like finding anything else on the web these days. Your obvious big three are Craigslist, Ebay and Amazon. I highly recommend the first two options as Amazon is mostly new items. The prices for pitbikes vary but you should be able to get a used one for under $300.
I highly suggest going to the used route until you know if you plan to take it a step further which would mean racing or getting into the bigger dirt bike versions. Like go cart racing, pit bikes can be a pre-cursor to motocross racing should you have a skill and a passion for it.
Custom Pit Bikes
There are some custom pitbikes made available by companies such as Orion pit Bikes and SSR motorsports. They can be customized to look however you want with custom graphics and paint. They can range from 50cc to 250cc race pit bikes.
Pit Bike Parts
Parts for bikes are easy to find with the internet. The companies I mentioned above all stock and sell new and used pit bike parts. A pit bike is not hard to work on if you have any working knowledge or mechanic ability. There are 3 clutch options for pitbikes.
- Manual – This means pulling in a clutch, shifting gears and releasing the clutch
- Semi - Requires no clutch but does require shifting the gears up and down
- Auto – No clutch or gears needed, just hammer the throttle and go!
