Custom Pit Bikes

I'm an avid motorcyclist, and yet the variety of bikes on the market is so great that I still find myself coming across new varieties that I've never even seen before. Amazingly, you always discover that each and every new type of bike has a whole legion of fans dedicated to riding and racing them.

What Are Pit Bikes?

So what are pit bikes? The term "pit bike" was originally used for smaller motorcycles used to get around in the pits at race tracks. These bikes usually have 16 inch tires, and are actually sanctioned (and regulated) by the racing bodies. Pit bikes originally looked like smaller BMX bikes, but the definition has expanded over the years.

These days, you hear a lot of people referring to all types of mini motorcycles as pit bikes. Other commonly used terms are "pocket bikes," "mini bikes" and "mini motos." While technically a pit bike isn't a pit bike unless it's actually used in the pits, the loose definition of the term is widely accepted.

Aside from pit bikes becoming a recent phenomenon in cities and suburban areas (where kids drive them around for fun--usually illegally on city streets), people have even begun to race them. Even though they're barely one-quarter the height of an average rider, tons of motocross racers have begun organizing events where they race their tiny bikes on traditional dirt tracks. If you're a fan of motorcycle racing and you've never seen a race like this, do yourself a favor and check one out.