The Buzz is All About Mini-Motorcycles

Pocket Bikes are miniature motorcycles - food, mainly oil and gas combustion engines similar to those used in chain saws, weed Whack or other small motorized tools - and look like the real thing. The cost snazziest models and thousands were made in Italy, but they are selling by the container load varies from 200 to $ 500 They come from China, among others, and break by teenagers and willing in some cases, not as not adolescents. In Broadtek LLC, South San Francisco company that imports, cardboard containing the small bikes are stacked on the roof of a warehouse in height and is quick at the door for customers wanting. In Walnut Creek, Eric Rahin, owner of Sonic Scooterz, said that the bulk of sales - from students to people in their late 50 It is essentially a toy to play with. Producers say that cycling is intended to be used only in private racetracks, private roads or any other place where there are no rules of public traffic and, above all, no big cars or trucks to run on you. Many buyers follow that advice. But now you see some of these new pocket bikes zinging in and out of parking lots, up and down the housing market streets and sometimes on the side of a car. And therein lies the rub. It is very difficult for a driver (car) to see one of the motorcycles, because of their low altitude, said San Francisco Police Lieutenant Governor Kitt Crenshaw. We have had several accidents in recent weeks, and people went to the hospital. Pocket bikes have a speed of 35 km / h, but up soup to go faster. Have evolved from small, but very sophisticated bike race of the campaign for the European Union and the race and are sometimes used as a vehicle for the training of Grand Prix motorcycle. The bikes are faithful imitations of popular normal-size street motorcycles, which for marketing reasons, are faithful imitations of pure race bikes, until the brakes, the Council, by chain, twist - GRIP Boosters and electronic ignition. The small bike weighs about 50 pounds, standing with one foot and a half high and can be placed in the trunk of a car. They have small engines - 47cc and 49cc displacement, less than 1/20th the size of a big motorcycle. And they are interesting. It is fun to be on the road, says Matt Damon, 21 years seller in a shop pet Martinez. This is a whole lot cheaper than $ 6,000 or $ 7,000 big bike. For many years I have been riding different types of motorcycles, but it is more like small motorcycles are a fun thing, instead of just transportation. And it is easier to maintain and burns less gas. But Damon did admit, I took a walk in the streets and shot me. The officer was kind of nice about it. But I have a ticket. The police in the Bay area and elsewhere in California was the removal of the small two-wheelers, saying they are a big accident waiting to happen. Police authorities have been unable to obtain information on deaths caused by motorcycle accidents pocket, but the police want them off public roads before the inevitable happens. Their numbers began to increase, said Milpitas police Officer Jay Johnson, who has been granted by his ministry to study the phenomenon and ultimately write about it for the weekly Milpitas Post. Most complaints we receive is that pilots around to see does not exist, or are a group of them races, or running stop signs. For a while, but until 'that Johnson began studying on the subject, and the California Highway Patrol aa sent a note to clarify what is right and what is not lawful for bike, the confusion seems to be serious. In fact, it should not be. On many bikes, there is a sticker on the gas idea that these things do not conform to federal motor vehicle safety standards. After a long discussion with the state vehicle code and the Department of motor vehicles, the CHP said that bicycles do not comply with a set of standards that are required for all vehicles registered in California - the most eloquent example of this is the stipulation that the height of the projector (s) between 22 and 54 inches. Technical problems aside, the security problem that affects the authorities. We are really concerned about these things mixing with traffic, said spokesman Steve Kohler of the CHP. If you think about it, small is difficult to see, when mixed with cars, trucks and buses. The pilots are not even see the full size motorcycles. It is not possible, we should see these things. Or, as David Edwards, editor in chief of Cycle World Magazine and a man who is 20,000 km per year on motorcycles, said: When you come into town, traffic, there is no more risk in the full-size bike. However, only hold (a little) gas, we should not go too far. And it is noisy as hell, then at least people come listen if we do not see coming. - Michael Taylor, editor Chronicle Wednesday, 16 June 2004