Pocket bikes are quite popular in many international markets. Such bikes are often a replica of litre-class superbikes and come with a small engine. Some of these bikes also offer a manual gearbox, which makes them super fun to ride. While these bikes are not common in India, there are many who own and use the pocket bikes regularly. Here is one such example caught on camera.
What is happening here?
The video shows an adult rider on a Ducati-inspired pocket bike at a fuel station. Looking at the size of the bike, many curious people converge to ask about the machine. After the fuel pump attendant fills about a litre of fuel in the bike, the rider speeds away on his mini bike.
Such pocket bikes are generally used by enthusiastic parents who want to make their children learn about motorised bikes. There are even championships where the children compete with each other on small race tracks on these mini bikes. It is a way of introducing children to the world of motorsports. In India, however, the craze of motorsports is not so much and such pocket bikes are rare. Sometime back even MotoGP riders were seen riding such electric mini bikes before the start of the race in Japan.
These small bikes are extremely fun to ride and even many adults are seen riding such bikes. In fact, there are even races held for adult riders on such mini bikes in developed countries. Due to their small size, such bikes often attract curious people on Indian roads and an adult riding on it do look funny!
Can you get such bikes in India?
There are many websites that offer such mini bikes in India. These websites import the bikes from international markets and the price starts from around Rs. 20,000. The bikes get a single-cylinder engine of 49cc to 75cc and often only come with a single-speed transmission. It should be noted that these bikes are not road legal but as they are not covered under the Motor Vehicle Act, it is not known if the cops can issue a fine or seize the bikes on the public roads.