Minimotard Motorpasión Moto I Course: What is a pitbike? Where to start looking?
Minimotard Motorpasión Moto I Course: What is a pitbike? Where to start looking?

Video: Minimotard Motorpasión Moto I Course: What is a pitbike? Where to start looking?

Video: Minimotard Motorpasión Moto I Course: What is a pitbike? Where to start looking?
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We start with the first article of our Minimotad Motorpasión Moto Course doing a little history to put ourselves in situation. According to information that emerges from some web and wikipedia, the history of the first pitbike It dates back to nothing less than the 50s. The current models are highly evolved and adapted to the way of leisure of today. Those little motorcycles were used on American circuits to go back and forth from one place to another from the narrow corridors of the "pits", from here the name of pitbike is taken. In principle there were no brands and each one was manufactured in a homemade plan with scraps and spare parts that swarmed the garages and boxes. Starting in the 70s, the market for this product boomed and is growing to this day.

Perhaps in our country they have known each other less because previously they were in fashion much earlier in the United States and France than here in Spain. Those that we will see derive from infantile models such as Honda CRF and XR50 wave Kawasaki KLX110. In fact, a difference is established in modern pitbike with the initials CRF or KLX, depending on the motorcycle model that the manufacturer took as a standard. We could say that they are something like clones. This roughly and as an introduction since, spinning fine, there are many more differences with those small Honda and Kawasaki. We are going to see the different types below.

Honda CRF 50
Honda CRF 50

Although we already know that there are models suitable for motocross and dirt, equipped with long suspensions and studded wheels, we are going to refer from now to those of asphalt or minimotard. If you are already asking yourself the question of whether you can buy a cross-country pitbike and convert it to a mini scooter, very much in the style of what is done with Supermotards, I will tell you that it is feasible. It should also be mentioned that we will ignore the purely childish models to keep those with the highest displacement, in this case between 155 and 160cc

Regarding engine architecture, are usually based on one-cylinder motorcycles, of the aforementioned displacement, air-oil cooled and with 4-speed gearboxes. Semi-automatic, there are, there are, but we are going to keep the first ones. For the chassis there are also differences, of materials, size and type. In materials we will be between aluminum and the most common steel. Of a type between those with central spine and multitubular. And in size between small (CRF50) and large (CRF70).

Minimotard
Minimotard

In reality, the differences between the chassis sizes are not very bulky and significant either, but the small one will make a motorcycle plus mousetrap and the great will give better stability at high speedAs well as the big one it will be more appropriate for bigger pilots. In some circuits they will feel more comfortable one or the other. I will not tire of repeating throughout the course that it is possible to spin finer (Z, YX type engines, double beam chassis, etc.), but if we put ourselves in that position this would be an encyclopedia and not a course. We can go deeper, but up to a point. Keep in mind that it is a course where everyone has a place, but above all, for people who start. To search for specific or very detailed information, it is best to use the internet.

The presence in the written press is testimonial but I do not dare to assure that there is no article written for this purpose. And it is that I recognize that I have already stopped being habitual in my appointment with the kiosk as I did many years before. In case I have not commented on it, I am referring to our country, of course. In France, for example, they paint gold. For the record, there are publications dedicated exclusively to Pitbikes luckily for French fans who are at a higher level. But we must be optimistic and I am sure that if we all contribute our grain of sand, the pitbike will have its plot and representation here.

Colin Minimotard
Colin Minimotard

And is that for the latter, internet has helped a lot. We all know that the network has its negative side and its positive side. One of the virtues of the network of networks is that God creates us and, sometimes, it brings us together. If not, tell those who participate in the biker-themed forums. Not surprisingly, if you write Pitbike in the Google search engine, the first thing you see, together with one of the very well positioned importers, is the Planet Pitbike forum that is dedicated exclusively to this type of motorbike. There are other foreign forums but we will quote articles from Planeta Pitbike courtesy of its administrator and users.

They published a very complete virtual magazine to read online called Fancine Pitbike that currently has two issues despite the project being on standby due to lack of time, according to its creator. Entering information in this portal, it is impossible not to see the presence of most of the national importers and advertising of stores both online and physical where to start looking because, although many of the engines are of Chinese origin and common to all, afterwards each brand fine-tunes the part of the cycle, leaving its personal stamp on the bike.

Minimotard race
Minimotard race

The matter, saving the enormous distances, resembles a bit of the Moto3 philosophy. Engines from two or three manufacturers that share almost all Pitbike brands. Everything mixed, with few exceptions, with similar chassis concepts, and in which each assembler already finishes the final product in their own way. I repeat, saving the enormous distances, I know that the comparison has been very large, but it is to better understand it. Thus we have brands such as MonsterPro, IMR, RebelMaster, UNO Racing (YCF) or RAV among others, from which we will choose one for our Minitmotard Course. So, in the next article we will go shopping.

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