The Benefits Of Riding A Mini Bike

 
The Benefits of Riding a Mini Bike
 
 In this day and age bigger is better. Or so they say.  Motorcycles of all sizes have many uses. From commuting, weekend riding and even full track day or race day machines. Now the up and coming craze is mini bikes and racing these little machines.  We have all had the thought of owning a pocket bike as a young child to even thinking owning one as an adult would be quite fun.  But as the saying goes, motorcyclist don’t quit buying toys, their toys just get bigger.  There is nothing wrong with owning a 1000cc motorcycle and mimicking your favorite Moto GP rider out there on the track. There is a problem though if you don’t know or posses the right riding techniques and how to properly maneuver your motorcycle around a track. You can take multiple classes that are available but ultimately if you’re not consistently on a motorcycle you might be brushing off some dust the next time you hit the track.

When most people ask me what the best beginner bike is I refer them to the Honda Grom or the Kawasaki Z125. Why because they are street legal motorcycles that come in a small package.  They’re not intimidating or scary, they’re easy to ride and they don’t go any faster then 70MPH.  If you’re looking at getting into motorcycle racing or attending track days, Mini Bikes are the best and the least expensive way to get into these kind of events.  The fundamentals are the same with different body positioning’s.  On a mini bike you are more upright but it makes you get compact and teaches you how to position your body when going around corners.  So when you get on a bigger bike or a sport bike you already have the knowledge and fundamentals of riding as well as being less intimidated of riding. From previous experience riding mini bikes I’ve been given opportunities to ride bigger and faster bikes like the KTM Super Duke 1290 and a CBR1000RR to just name a couple and I was able to throw my leg over the seat and ride them with ease.  But don’t take my word for it we invited motorcycle enthusiast and social media phenomenon Anna “Redspade” Rigby  to bring her Kawasaki Z125 out for a few laps at the wonderful Atlanta Motorsports Park Kart circuit.

Anna, tell me about your history riding motorcycles and what you currently ride?

 

I started riding about 5 summers ago, I started on a CBR250R I rode that on the street for about 8 months and then I upgraded to a CBR600RR and rode that for another year until I took it to the track and I fell in love with riding on the track and bought another CBR600RR for track use only.

 

You attend track days on a regular basis and have been to other small tracks, what was your take on the AMP kart track?

 

Very cool track, I was very surprised when I saw it, off camber turns and a lot of elevation changes. It’s very technical it has everything. Most of the turns I had the most trouble with became my favorite at the end of the day.

So you have a cbr600rr as a track bike, and you have a Z125 as a mini track bike, what do you feel like that you can learn on the mini bike compared to your bigger bike?

 

More control, learning how to tip in sooner and carrying corner speed.

 

Is there anything that you struggle with on your big bike that is easier to you on the mini bike?

 

I do find that riding the Z was way less intensive on my body  and I enjoy that because I can go out there and have fun and not get tired or exhausted as quickly.

What would you tell someone who has a big bike that may be like you and has a lot of experience on the track and their bike who is looking to get into minibikes?

 

Do it, you won’t regret it. Everything is shrunk down to a miniature scale. The risk, the maneuvers, the speed and the energy you exert. It’s such an incredible learning tool when trying to progress your riding skills. I wish I started on a minibike myself.

 

You can find Anna’s full review and article Here as well as a video of her experience at Atlanta Motorsports Park below.

Mini Bikes are not just for the young, they are for the young at heart, club level racers and professionals of all ages.  From MotoAmerica racers to Moto GP racers they keep their skills sharpened by riding mini bikes. They can’t always practice on the team’s bike so they train and learn on mini bikes all while keeping the consequences low and the smiles high. Anyone and everyone can benefit from riding a mini bike.

 

So if you’re a new rider, a track day regular, or even an aspiring racer looking to ride minis, Atlanta Motorsports Park has the facility to help increase your skills and make you a better rider. Find out more here.

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