[mcA896]

anyone on here own a pocket bike? either the crotch rocket type or choppers. i thought it would be a fun thing for the 'hood but ive heard alot of bad things about cheap-a$$ asian bikes that break right away and have no replacemnt parts avail. yea. if you have one, where did you get it and what brand is good? im not looking to spend over 700 so nothin like a polini or italina race-bikes.

 

[blue]

Ask Repack, I think he's got a fetish for those things

How much do they weigh? If he managed to get it three feet off the ground...

 

[Repack]

Ask Repack, I think he's got a fetish for those things

How much do they weigh? If he managed to get it three feet off the ground...

Yup! I saw "Pocket Bike" and immediatley had to start mopping up the drool! I do not have one, but 5 of my friends do and we race them. Our next plan is to find a go-cart track that we can break into after hours. They do break easily, but so far we have been able to fix everything. They come assembled with about as much care as a Toys-R-Us Huffy. You've got to go through every nut and bolt and make sure that everything is adjusted/tight/greased/loctited... The bearings and brakes came adjusted like crap. Chain tension was also very bad, but they come with BMX style tensioners. The people I know who took the most care setting them up have had the best luck with them. My friends all have 43cc 2-stroke mini rice-rockets that they bought at a Pep-Boys in New Hamoshire. They paid $400 each for them, but I have heard of the same bikes selling at other places for $500.
Out of 5 bikes, the following problems have occurred:
Broken throttle cable (fixed)
Broken headlight wires (just removed the lights)
Exhaust pipe bolts backed out (removed pipe)
Pull-start came apart (easy fix)
Also, my friend Joe (the guy jumping) removed the air filter to get an extra ~5mph out of the thing. He said he found an aftermarket Co that is starting to make accessories for the mini's.

I would say that if you are good at working on BMX bikes that you will have an easy time setting up/working on one. Having a MacGuyver side doesn't hurt either.

 

[COmtbiker12]

Walmart's even selling some for like $200 I think, lol.

 

[Curiouscaptian01]

I read somewhere that they weigh about 50 pounds

 

[Tenchiro]

I have seen a ton of those things around lately, what the hell do people do with them?

 

[macmx]

You guys should buy some Xr50's instead.

www.pocketminibikes.com

 

[LordOpie]

they look like a lot of fun, but would you use it enough to justify $500? I mean, I have a motorcycle and choose to pedal more often then fire up the engine. So my motorcycle is more of a commuter.

If money wasn't an issue, I'd totally get one of 'em. I saw a video of a guy riding one a few weeks back, posted here i think.

I wonder how well they handle on dirt?

 

[Kornphlake]

The ones I've seen have no suspension, just rubber boots over straight steel tube. I just can't imagine riding 25 mph with 10" tires and hitting any size bump without suspension...

There are at least 3 places in "the mall" that have them.

 

[mcA896]

i was also thinking of doing something along the lines of a custom chopper minibike with a briggs 5 horse. ive done chopper bikes over and over by cutting the tubes and welding in extensions then bondo-ing it over and painting but what worries me is flex. they flexed enough on a pedal bike so flex will be an issue on a 5 hp (keep in mind this is a raptor II engine for jr dragsters!!) chopper. i may try thicker wall tubes but who knows. still, the pocketbikes intrigue me. yea...

 

[Motomack86]

You guys should buy some Xr50's instead.

www.pocketminibikes.com

I guess you dont have problems like we do with xr 50s destroying all the spots we ride.They have almost taken over and most guys seem to have a bad attitude when you ask them to stop destroying the fresh jumps that we spent hours of back breaking work to build.Its so frustrating!Pocket bikes are cool my friend has one and its a blast to ride.

 

[mcA896]

no shiat dude! i went to my local spot today that we just finished repairing lips at bec some punk-a$$ kids stomped all over them and there was a dude on a 50 there tearin up the mini bmx track thingy we got goin. but he was ok i kindly asked him to stop bec the track is built for mtbs and i told him how to get to a dirtbike track near there and he understood. he was cool.

 

[InsaneP2Rider]

i don't really know why, but now i want one...

they look like fun. an xr50 would probably be more fun cuz you could play around on some dirt and not just do little circles in your driveway, but the 50's are soo expensive. and if i had that kind of money, i'd have my bike built up by now

 

[chicodude]

i seem to be the only one here that dislikes those little things. i could think of a much better way to spend 500 bucks, but thats just me.

just a question here though, what is the attraction with these things? besides lookin totaly pimp

 

[Repack]

i seem to be the only one here that dislikes those little things. i could think of a much better way to spend 500 bucks, but thats just me.

just a question here though, what is the attraction with these things? besides lookin totaly pimp

They are very fast and highyl manuverable. They are muchmore than just a joy. Seriously. I was amazed the first time I rode one. I thought that I could just whip it arounf like a BMX bike. In reality, you have to do stuff like set up corners and plan you line. I was amazed at the extent to which the gyroscopic effect of the motor works to keep the think upright. My buddy Joe is good enough at cornering his that he has worn a bunch of metal off of the foot paegs. Thats ~45deg.

 

[mcA896]

hey repack, where in the boston area are you? im on the cape. also, where did you/your friends buy the bikes? i hate ordering large/expensive items online. so did you buy it in/around boston?

 

[downhillzeypher]

You guys need to see the nice ones. The nice ones that hit 60+. THOSE things, oh man...

 

[nicklin]

yeah.....but at that cost why not just get a xr50? besides, i don't even want to watch anyoen on one of those things going 60.......think crash test dummy. yeah...................

http://store.yahoo.com/sharpscooters/oragami.html

 

[Hawkeye]

http://www.pocketbikeplanet.com

 

[WSUDirtrider]

Ha, yeah pocket bikes fun but scooter racing is so much more fun. For instance I run a 1984 Honda Aero 80 (NH80). I got bored with it only going about 45 so on to the net I go and I find a place called VTcycles www.VTCycles.com Awesome guys in Hawaii. So I have now installed a larger intake manifold, dual reed blocks with carbon fibre reeds, 24mm OKO carb and K&N Filter. Ported and polished the engine and head same way that you would a CR80. Now the sucker tops at 65mph and the only problem is the stock exhaust. I ran in with a straight pipe and it hit about 70 but then just died off. Technigas out of Italy makes a tuned pipe for the scoot and that is my next part as soon as I get some more money. Since I had a 9 by 3 Fox RC laying around from my DHi I put that on and now can adjust my rear suspension. Picked up some Bridgstone Mollossi tires that stick like glue. I have a blast at Washington State University where we go out racing at an industrial park. Just set up some cones and we have multiple classes. 50cc and under, Sprees, an 80cc class and then an open class that I run in. so far I have worn out two sets of my dh knee and shinguards from draggin a knee while cornering. you can lean the things over until you drag the side fairings which is way way beyond a 45 degree lean for my scoot. Anyways if anyone wants pics or info on modifying hondas, vespas etc I can point you in the right directions. Oh yeah, whats great about the scoot is that they are street legal where as pocket bikes in most places you will get hassled by the cops for having on the street. They have banned them from anything but sidewalks in my town now.
Keep it real,
Jake

 

[downhillzeypher]

Hay that's cool! How much did you spend total?

 

[WSUDirtrider]

dz,
I bought the scoot for around 400 2 years ago just for transportation on campus. But... seeing as I have been building and racing everything from RC cars and boats to a 1988 mustang I couldn't leave it stock.
the price breakdown goes as follows
Scoot: $400 with new variator and belt
intake and carb $145
Tires $70
Paint $15
all the other mods such as porting etc I have done at home with the dremel or die griders and alot of elbow grease.
The schock I just had laying around extra.
and of course, the cost of seeing the look on peoples face as I pass them on a scooter is priceless!!

 

[Lefty]

A bikemate off mine does have a pocket/dirtbike from Bud racing.. he tears up the dirttracks with it.. :devil: and is hillclimbing it like mad..

But is really expensive $2300 dollars . That thing makes noise if it was a Ducati.999.

It's one like the one in my attachment.

 

[chicodude]

holy crap, the front rotor is almost the size of the front wheel

 

[BMXman]

If you're going to ride/race the 50cc bikes why not go back to the original one that started it all....Yamaha YSR 50....it has quality parts and can reach speeds of over 80mph if you know what you doing...there are a few on ebay each week...I have been looking for one for over a month now....D

 

[Brian HCM#1]

You can find the cheapy ones at the local flea market.

 

[scofflaw23]

When I worked at a bike shop in Boston, kids from the hood would bring these things in because it seems like all they do it break. I got a chance to check a couple out, and damn are they made like crap. The chassis welds are scary, a lot of them are burnt and some were even incomplete. Plus, they're pretty stupid looking, though the Yamaha 50cc bikes look kinda cool.

 

[RD3]

I second the Yamaha YSR 50. They are street legal and have been around for a long time so plenty of parts are available as well as lots of parts to modify them with. They are a little bigger than pocket bikes, but compared to a full sized bike they look small. They also keep their value good, you could buy and sell it for the same price. The pepboys type pocket bikes I have seen scare me because of how poorly they are built.

 

[Lefty]

holy crap, the front rotor is almost the size of the front wheel

Yep that's treu.. ..

 

[Arsbars]

isn't this a pedal powered bike forum??

 

[Hawkeye]

I have a China X1 bike and it goes about 47 now. I was trying to find a nice YSR50 but the cheapst I found was about $1700, that's more than they cost 10 years ago.

 

[spookydave]

I have one. Bought it to use as pit transpo at the boat races. I like it because it's small and does not take up much space in the truck. Runs on the same fuel as my weedeater too. Totaly fun to ride.

Oh, I paid 290 bucks for it brand new in the box.

 

[spookydave]

You might like this view better.


http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=62413

 

[Lefty]

Whhehehe .totally kewl bike. Does it have a frontsuspension to. Spooky dave.Not clearly visible on the picture.

 

[spookydave]

Nope, totally ridged. It's not a real high buck one. Those run over 60mph and will wheelie out of the turns. Mine goes maybe 30 and will only wheelie when you pull up on the bars. Still alot of fun to dink around on.
Tubeless tires seem to stick pretty good and the cable disks work pretty good too.

 

[spookydave]

BTW, it's 47 cc and the 49 cc choppers can't even come close to keeping up.

 

[Hawkeye]

Mine does about 45, will not wheelie, and the brakes SUCK. I can't get the dialed in at all. I am about to take it to my LBS and see if the can figure it out.

 

[BMXman]

buying one of these "new style" pockets bikes is just like going to Walmart to buy a Huffy....if you going to do it...do it right get a Foes, Intense, Nicolai etc...

Like this
http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/sport/model.asp?ModelName=NSR50R&ModelYear=2004&ModelId=NSR50R4&bhcp=1

 

[RhinofromWA]

buying one of these "new style" pockets bikes is just like going to Walmart to buy a Huffy....if you going to do it...do it right get a Foes, Intense, Nicolai etc...

Like this
http://powersports.honda.com/motorcycles/sport/model.asp?ModelName=NSR50R&ModelYear=2004&ModelId=NSR50R4&bhcp=1

The current crop of pocket bikes are pretty lame.....

That Honda (though $3,500) is pretty cool but s way bigger than the other pocket bikes. The Yamaha 50cc sport bike was a novelty when it came out, but it is way cooler than these sub $500 "bikes"

Around here they are outlawing them from city streets and sidewalks. Plus other regulations to follow if you are going to be bopping around town on one. Not just the pocket bikes but the motorized scooters and the like. Kids down teh street picked up two and have been running them pretty steady. Lots of smoke and noise from those little things. That is all fine and dandy but when the kid almost ended up under my front bumper it became uncool for them to be zipping around the streets and blind corners. They just don't plan ahead and watch out for cars.....