Wednesday, October 7, 2009

An Introduction to the Exhilarating Pocket Bike

By Michael Newton

There is some stage in every boys life where they become interested in engines, racing cars, and all things that go vroom. If your boy has reached this stage in your life, you may be in the awkward position of wanting to encourage this exploration, but having concerns about their safety. In this article we will look at the pocket bike as a viable alternative, and exploring some ways that you can save money on the purchase of one.

I feel that a brief history of this bike is in order, before we look at the intricacies of buying one. The pocket bike first became popular in Japan. The Japanese have an uncanny love for tiny things, and this is especially true for mechanical items, so it was only natural that they would invent a shrunk down version of the motorbike at some stage. The initial excitement was carried across the world, and soon became a global phenomenon.

When these bikes initially started being shipped overseas, they cost an insane amount of money, and although everyone and their kid wanted one, it was only the rich that could really afford them. once the manufacturers started realising just how popular they were, however, they began exploring ways to manufacture them that would help to bring down the cost to the end user.

As we can see in present days, this has been very effective in reducing the costs of the pocket bike, to the point where it is an affordable option for most households, and a viable gift for a child who is curious about motorbike bike riding, but not quite ready for a larger dirt bike. You can save even more money by purchasing your bike second hand, either online or through your local newspaper.

Second hand pocket bikes are a great way to save money, as quite often they will be every bit as mechanically sound as a brand new one. Children tend to outgrow these bikes fairly quickly, and want to move on to something a little larger. This means that the bike will have only been used for a year or two. You should, however, still have the bike checked out by someone who has a little mechanical knowledge before purchasing.

If you would prefer not to go second hand, you will also find many bargains to be had from dealers at particular times of the year. Traditionally, pocket bike manufacturers will bring out a new model of their bikes every couple of years. If you can catch the dealers at just the right time, you will find that they are willing to put their prices way down in order to get rid of all the old models and make way for the new ones.

It's an unfortunate truth that the cheapest models that are usually manufactured in China are also considered to be very unreliable. They have a reputation for regularly breaking down, and their parts are considered to be substandard. When one of these parts does break down, you will find it a lot harder to get a replacement than if it were a locally made American model. If you are really wanting to have something that is a little more reliable, then you should spend a little more money on a locally made product.

Whether you are buying your bike for a child just learning how to ride, or as an adult that wants to get into it as a hobby or a sport, you should consider that there will also be some added expenses involved. For starters, you will need to consider what sort of safety equipment will be needed. You will need a helmet, glove and shin and elbow pads. Additionally, if you are wanting to ride on the road, and if your local laws allow you to do so, you will also need to make some further modifications to your bike in order to do so.

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