What spurred the creation and dissemination of these gas powered pocket bikes? During the sixties and seventies in the drag racing circuit there was a need for a way to get around the pits with lots of speed and a small size. People began to assemble smaller version of bikes out of what they had laying around. Originally this began with the typical four stroke, flathead engines found in lawn mowers. Since that time, when people began using their gas pocket bike for sport, the innovations have pulled these little bikes up to a competitive point technologically. Whereas all the early bikes largely resembled motocross bikes and had similar drive trains, the more modern bikes that are used for sport now largely resemble the full size racing bikes. These little bikes, though only fifteen centimeters high and a meter long, will typically run about fifteen horsepower out of a maximum 50cc, two-stroke engine. The drive train of these more competitive bikes is configured largely like that of the snow mobile. This is largely because of the addition of some ideas from the Comet company who introduced their Torque-a-Verter design to these mini bikes.

As one might have already imagined, these bikes are meant strictly for riding in the pits or in a race. Their use around the world varies but in the United States they are not a street legal vehicle and riding them on the road can be a big mistake if you are generally not interested in getting fines. This however doesn’t keep people from being able to use them much in the same way that we may use a quad bike or a dirt bike around own land or on public trails. Pocket bikes can be just as fun to zip around on in the woods as their larger counterparts or even their four-wheeled variety. The only big difference is that you should expect to fall down a lot more in the mud on one of these since you are practically already knee deep in it simply by sitting on the bike.

If are really serious about racing though, the lifestyle of the pocket bike rider includes a tight knit community that may be hard to warm up to at first. This style of riding, once seen as a craze, is not an obsession to many people across the U.S. who races the tiny bikes. If you are interested in becoming a part of this world and still do not have a bike, then the best place to look is online. When shopping online for one though you still need to be cautious because typically one of these bikes is around thirty-five hundred for a race quality ride. The two hundred dollar versions are cheaper just for that reason; they are cheap. If you step out on to a race track for the first time and wonder why the other gas pocket bikes are blasting by, you will know what kind of bike you bought, or if you belong there. Either way, shop smart and have fun.

Always wear your protective gear when riding electric or gas pocket bikes. Because of the speed of these vehicles, there is definitely a risk that if you fall off and onto a hard surface, or a sharp edge, you stand to absorb quite a beating. If you’re follwing the precautions, wearing gloves, a helmet, a riding suit, then you have just drastically increased your chances of getting out of a serious crash with notably less damage to your body.


It is generally acknowledged that a child under 12 is simply too young to mess around on a pocket bike. Seriously folks, these things can go up to 50 miles per hour. You have got to monitor your kids if they are not old enough to ride. I am not trying to lecture here, but just be a little smart: it will go a long way.

Check the weather conditions before you go out to ride. I personally do not recommend riding when it’s raining or snowing out. This is just common sense, as are most safety precautions, but you’d be surprised by what some people will try to impress their friends. I am not trying to paint the picture that pocket bikes are not safe. In fact, I’d say quite to the contrary. They’re neutral, and all you have to do is exercise rationality in your decisions surrounding them.

Keep good care of the mini bike. Fine tune the engine and check gas levels. Get to know your bike so that you can see if something is out of wack. Even just listening to changes in the vroom sound it makes will alert you to parts that may be loose, but nothing can substitute for reading your manual and having mechanical knowledge of the integration of engine and functioning.

When wearing a helmet, please strap in your chin strap. What is the point of wearing it if you’re just going to leave it loose and flopping around on top of your head. As soon as anything out of the ordinary happens it’ll fly right off. Merely by checking local laws for pocket bikes you will be able to know if a helmet is strictly required by the legal authorities. Knowledge is power. Do your homework.

Sometimes because of how small these bikes are, one may lose their balance or drop their foot on the ground inadvertently. In case this happens, you may want to be wearing elbow and knee pads. Besides the skull, these are the most vulnerable parts of you that could be injured should such a thing happen. Lastly, wear smart shoes like sneakers. Make sure your laces are tied. And treat yourself to a good pair of gloves which will give you enhanced precision in your steering capability.