All About the Pit Bike

You may have heard all the buzz lately about pit bikes. It seems they are coming out of the woodworks more and more with every passing day. Now, unless you are a motoring enthusiast, you may be left scratching your head, wondering what exactly these things are, and what all the fuss is about. In this article, I hope to give you a bit of a rundown of the history of pit bikes, what they are, and how you can benefit from having one. Hopefully, you will then have a better understanding of this wonderful little engine.

Pit bikes where first invented back in the 1950's. See, back then, racing cars was becoming an extremely popular sport, and there were all sorts of people getting into it, either as a hobby or as a serious enthusiast. As the popularity of motor racing grew, the pit crews (that is, the people whose job it was to make quick tyre changes, and other mechanical fixes), were finding it harder and harder to keep up with the speed that was required of them. Being mechanics, their solution was mechanical, and they invented these nifty little motorbikes that were powerful enough to carry a big bulky mechanic type, but small enough to zip in and out of the pits, hence the pit bike was born.

The Pit Bikes Rise to Fame

For the next 40 years or so, these bikes lived in obscurity, their main purpose being what they were originally designed for, but as interest for all things small began to grow, the public's attention became more and more focused on these little machines. People started seeing the benefits of these bikes, and wondering whether they could start using them for their own pleasure. Thus began a whole culture of pit bike enthusiasts.

A pit bike is generally about half the size of your average dirt bike, however the bike itself comes in a few different sizes. Starting from the 50cc engine, you can also get 110cc pit bikes and 125cc ones. Outside of the pits for which they were initially created, pit bikes are used for "paddock bashing", performing jumps and tricks, and for racing. Whichever community you live in, if you look around you are bound to find a group of pit bike enthusiasts who will be happy to show you all the best places to ride, and the best events to compete in with your pit bike.

The Benefits of a Pit Bike

The benefits of a pit bike are many. For starters, you can pack these little beauties up in the back of your car, or a small box trailer, making them extremely easy to transport. If you had a larger bike to contend with, you would need a specialised trailer, and a more powerful car to carry it. They are also simple to store. They will take up absolutely no room in your garage at all. Just tuck them away in the corner, and you would never even know that they were there. They are also simple to maintain, their mechanics being very basic. However, they are also highly adaptable. A pit bike can be modified in many different ways, and you can turn what was a modest little machine into a bundle of power with little expense or effort.

If you have children that are beginning to show an interest in bikes, a pit bike would be the absolute perfect place for them to start. They are small and slow enough to not cause any serious damage when they fall off, but loud and cool enough to keep your child entertained, in the healthy fresh air, for many many hours. All their friends at school will think they are the coolest kid on the block with their "awesome pit bike".

Buying a Pit Bike

Do your research if you are interested in buying a pit bike, there are many different models to choose from, and if I recommend one or the other here, the information will be dated within a few months time, because there are new models coming out on a regular basis. If you look online, you will find many community groups and forums that will be more than happy to help you come to a decision on which pit bike would be best for you or your child.

If you have decided to get a pit bike, I wish you all the best with it. Remember to wear all the correct safety equipment, you will need knee pads, gloves, a helmet, and some goggles, ride within the confines of your local laws, and you will have a new hobby that you can enjoy for life.