About six or seven years ago one of the hottest things on the market was mini motos - miniature replicas of popular motorcycles and dirt bikes. They were being sold all over the United States at auto parts stores, department stores, bike shops, motorcycle shops, lawn equipment dealers, and even sporting good stores. They became so popular in fact, that organized leagues of racers popped all across the country. But there's more to these little vehicles than meets the eye.
Also known as minibikes or pocket bikes, these vehicles were around generations before the mass marketing efforts of the last decade. In fact, some of the earliest models were built simply by home mechanics that scraped together some spare parts and threw them on a bike frame. The earliest recognized use of these vehicles beyond home entertainment was in the pits at 1950s drag race competitions. Drivers and mechanics alike would use them to zip around the track property on competition days. As engines got bigger and frames were being custom-built, mini motos took on a whole new commercial value that carried them well beyond the pits.
As a general rule mini motos are broken down into six different classes:
As entertaining as mini motos are, their status as legally allowed vehicles on public roadways remains a heated topic. While states have different rules regarding what constitutes a street legal vehicle, at the very least most require headlights, turn signals, and a host of basic safety features. Since mini motos generally are not equipped with these things they cannot be legally operated on public roads. There are some larger models which to meet the requirements and can be registered as legal vehicles.