Pocket Bikes - Your thoughts

[buzzlady]

Over the last few weeks I have seen a few news reports on pocket bikes. I think they are dangerous. Hopefully the fad will fade quickly.

 

[nativetxn]

What is a "pocket bike"?

 

[KristaTX]

Originally posted by nativetxn
What is a "pocket bike"?

Yeah - I never heard of them either. Are they toys??

 

[minniecarousel]

They are the little motorized cycles that you can ride - but they look like a toy. They seem really dangerous. The local paper had a story about the increase in ER visits by children who have been injured riding these - including a three-year-old boy! (what are the parents thinking?!)

 

[buzzlady]

It's a mini motorcycle. This is one that is available at Wal-mart.
From the picture you can see they are quite small and low to the ground. Being so low to the ground makes them very dangerous on roads and sidewalks, as the driver of a car would have a difficult time seeing them.

 

[HisEllyNelly]

I almost hit a teen in the highscool parking lot while he was on one and I was driving my school bus....they are horrible!

 

[JimB.]

These things are NOT street legal.

The problem is when people ride them like they ARE.

My one anecdotal exposure.......... Last November I had a call where some I-D-I-O-T was riding one of these down the side of US1.

He proceeded to get smacked by a car that did not see him. When I got to him he had a pool of blood the size of a dinner plate next to his head.

Put him on a helicopter, got him to a trauma center & he died 9 days later.

When you mix TOYS and CARS, the moron riding the TOY LOSES!!!!

If you want one, ride it up & down the driveway, or an empty parking lot, or an approved race course.

Not
The
Road.

OK, Tirade over.............................

 

[kejoda]

Jim hate to disagree with you but that doesn't sound like a tirade, sounds like common sense to me. Too bad not everyone has it.

 

[orvilleair]

I hope it's a fad. Those pocket rockets are fast, but I can't comment on the legality of them in my town. They look so uncomfortable to ride. I guess these are replacing motorized scooters as the next thing. Gee, in my days, mopeds were the thing, and I haven't seen one in my neighborhood for years.

 

[aprilgail2]

The 8 year old across the street just got one last week...all day long he is riding it up and down the block..over and over and over again.....

 

[DVC-Don]

Two boys near here (both 12) each got one last week. They are all over the roads in the neighborhood. These are two spoiled brats that have everything and even the other kids around here avoid them. Will not last as they seem to break everything they have.

 

[vald1977]

Well, one of my dh's friends has been in the hospital for the past three days due to one of these. He's got a colllapsed lung and a few cracked ribs. Seems he was riding the thing in his driveway and flipped over the handlebars. IMO, those things are dangerous . BTW, Dh's friend is 40 years old. I would hate to see what would happen if it had been a small child.

 

[Elwood Blues]

Sounds like it's time again for legislation against stupidity.

 

[LisaSt]

The ones at Wl Mart are not very good and are usually electric to get a good pocketbike you will spend roughly 1200 to 3000 dollars that will get you a Pollini or another one of that type. They do have cheaper made in China versions but they are not great either. I use one as my pit bike when I go racing they are alot of fun some friends of mine made a video riding theirs around Deals Gap. We have some indoor races during the winter to keep us sane after not being able to ride on the racetrack with our real bikes. Pocketbike the good ones can reach speeds of up to 35 and 40 MPH and some up to 60. They are usually 49 to 50CC 2 stroke motors with full disk brakes etc my 6 year old rides mine and loves it. Also true pocketbikes like the ones I have listed have been around for quite a few years. Only since they have been coming from China and the electric ones from Wal Mart have they been becoming more mainstream and it will continue to grow especially with the advent of pocetbike racing leagues for kids as young as 6.

 

[monarchsfan16]

These things are very dangerous. In a lot of places, including here in my town they're not legal to ride on the street, because they're so unsafe.