Dirt Bikes

Some people believe that all motorcycles were dirt bikes in the late 1800s. That’s when motorcycles first came into use. There were no paved roads. So by the strictest sense of the phrase, everyone was riding off-road. Early motorcycle races took place on flat oval tracks. But these were not paved. They were covered with cinders or dirt. So in a sense motocross and off road racing were there from the earliest days.

Officially dirt bikes began in the United States in 1959. That’s when a man by the name of Honda opened up a tiny bike shop in Los Angeles, California. At that time the reputation of bikers was as outlaws. No self-respecting person would ride a motorcycle. There was no such thing as an off-road bike. Honda came up with an idea. He created an ad campaign based on the phrase ?you meet the nicest people on Honda?. This became well known in the country. The ad campaign included images of smiling ladies and tiny bikes riding along trails. Thus was born the trail bike.

Today mini dirt bikes are becoming popular. People love them because they’re small and they cost a fraction of what normal sized bikes cost. They can be found from as little as $850-$1000. Now everyone who has wanted a bike can afford it. These bikes reach speeds of up to 80 miles an hour. That’s not bad.

There are a number of different types of activities in which dirt bikes are used. The bikes for each of these is slightly different. One of the most well-known is motocross. This is an off-road race that includes jumps. Motocross bikes don’t carry a lot of fuel. They are not road legal. They have extensive suspensions to accommodate the bumpy courses and the jumps. Engines are generally small.

Another type of activity for dirt bikes is Enduro. This is long distance racing through forests or trails. These bikes have a larger fuel capacity than motocross bikes.

Track racing bikes are dirt bikes.. Track racing is very high-speed. It takes place on an oval track, generally covered with dirt. These bikes have no breaks. Because the track is smoother than in motocross they also have no suspension. Generally they have two gears. They’re often fueled by methanol. They are definitely not road legal.

So next time you think of dirt bikes, you’ll know there’s a lot of variety in the name.

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