Thursday, September 24, 2009

Tips on Purchasing Your First Pocket Bike

By Michael Newton

There is some stage in every boys life where they become interested in engines, racing cars, and all things that go vroom. If your boy has reached this stage in your life, you may be in the awkward position of wanting to encourage this exploration, but having concerns about their safety. In this article we will look at the pocket bike as a viable alternative, and exploring some ways that you can save money on the purchase of one.

I feel that a brief history of this bike is in order, before we look at the intricacies of buying one. The pocket bike first became popular in Japan. The Japanese have an uncanny love for tiny things, and this is especially true for mechanical items, so it was only natural that they would invent a shrunk down version of the motorbike at some stage. The initial excitement was carried across the world, and soon became a global phenomenon.

At first these bikes were quite expensive, and only the die hard enthusiasts were able to justify spending that amount of money. It wasn't long, however, before manufacturers realised that they were on to a potential money maker, and put much effort into getting manufacturing costs down so that the pocket bike would become an affordable option for the average household.

These days, a pocket bike can be purchased at a fraction of the price of what they sold for back then, making them within the reach of the average household. As a result, the pocket bike has become a popular choice as a birthday present for a child who is just starting to become interested in the world of engines. A great way to save money on these bikes is to purchase them second hand online at places like eBay.

You do, however, need to be a little wary when purchasing a second hand bike. I'm not saying that you should avoid it, but you need to make sure that the bike is mechanically sound before paying for it. In most cases, they will be as good as new. The reason fro this is that children tend to outgrow these bikes within a year or two, and want to move onto something a little more powerful.

A great way of saving money on the purchase of a new pocket bike is to keep an eye on manufacturers and the release of new models. When a manufacturer brings out a new model of a bike, retailer scramble to get rid of the older models so that they can make room in their showrooms for the new ones. This means that they will drop their prices, and in some cases you can get a real bargain on a new bike.

It's an unfortunate truth that the cheapest models that are usually manufactured in China are also considered to be very unreliable. They have a reputation for regularly breaking down, and their parts are considered to be substandard. When one of these parts does break down, you will find it a lot harder to get a replacement than if it were a locally made American model. If you are really wanting to have something that is a little more reliable, then you should spend a little more money on a locally made product.

Whether you are buying your bike for a child just learning how to ride, or as an adult that wants to get into it as a hobby or a sport, you should consider that there will also be some added expenses involved. For starters, you will need to consider what sort of safety equipment will be needed. You will need a helmet, glove and shin and elbow pads. Additionally, if you are wanting to ride on the road, and if your local laws allow you to do so, you will also need to make some further modifications to your bike in order to do so.

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