Dirt bikes, also known as Trails Bikes are off-road, lightweight motorcycles built for cross country, unpaved, rough or uneven grounds. Since they are specifically designed for rough terrains, they are also equipped with rugged tires and suspension. They also have a smaller engine power than typical street motorcycles, normally less than 500 cc

There are many types of Dirt Bikes. Some of the most popular ones are those manufactured by Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Husqvarna, Husaberg and KTM. Because these Bikes are meant to be ridden on rough tracks and off-road competitions such as Motocross, all the Dirt Bikes manufactured by these Companies are sturdy and light with knobby tires for maximum grip.

There are two main types of engines built for dirt bikes ? The two-stroke and the four-stroke. The two-stroke engine ignites a mixture of oil and gas in the cylinder, thereby powering up the bike and lubricating the engine all at once. The four stroke engine is a smaller version of a car engine in which the gas is ignited and the oil can be reused again.

The main difference between a Dirt Bike and a Street Bike is the suspension. Dirt Bikes have suspension with a lot more travel than Street Bikes, with higher ground clearance and are much lighter. Knobbies or deep treads on the tires of Dirt Bikes also give better traction through dirt, mud, sand or gravel. The engine is also placed on a higher level to avoid ground obstructions such as rocks, and the gas tank installed in the mid-section for better balance.

The US Department of Motor Vehicles issues green stickers for Dirt bikes once a year since they do not have license plates. It is also illegal to ride a Dirt Bike on city streets since it is only meant for off-road tracks.

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Good ole mini bikes, an evolution from the go cart, have been a form of recreation and fun for many decades now. Mini Bikes are a great way to put some additional fun and entertainment into those outdoor and camping vacations. Being relatively small and not very heavy, mini bikes are pretty easy to find a spot for to take along no matter where you may be heading. Adults and kids alike can have a lot of fun taking a spin on one of these classics.

Still today, these two wheeled wonders are doing their part to take outdoor recreation to the next level. Popular manufacturers of past like Rupp and Fox took advantage of this excitement in the 50′s, 60′s and even into the 70′s as these small machines were a huge craze to the masses. Manco still to this day makes various versions of this old time favorite. There are still plans available that one can purchase and use to make their own homemade frame. Even kits can still be found that one can build and assemble themselves which saves a few dollars on a minibike purchase. The original mini bike was a solid steel frame welded together, but as time went on they started adding springs in the forks and to the rear of the frame as shock absorbers, making it a much smoother to ride. Some of the latest versions do have shock absorbers just like motorcycles.

Originally they were powered mainly by four cycle Briggs & Stratton and Tecumseh engines. These were very popular choices of days past. Occasionally you might find a Kohler engine here or there. Today these old favorites are still in use along with some of the new manufacturers like, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki. Most of the original mini bikes were designed with a centrifugal clutch, chain and sprocket assemblies to drive them. As the newer two cycle engines came into the picture, these smaller cc engines were much like their counterpart, larger motorcycles. They included a gearbox and shift lever that changes ratios and gives a variety of ranges to use depending on the terrain or need of the driver.

The first brake systems were simply a steel pad that was mounted in front of the rear tire and actuated with a metal rod attached that was pushed by the drivers foot to make the steel pad rub on the tire creating friction to stop the bike. It then evolved to drum brakes that were located inside of a steel hub attached to the main drive sprocket on the rear tire. A cable was connected to an actuating lever of the brake shoes and usually ran up to the handle bars and hooked to a lever much like regular bikes use today. When the lever is squeezed by the driver on the handle bars, a cable pulls the brake actuator and applies the brake shoes to the drum. Finally instead of a brake drum system, a rotor was used and a caliper which holds disk brake pads. The pads squeeze the rotor when a lever on the handle bars is applied by the driver through a cable. Some of the more sophisticated and expensive mini bikes actually have hydraulically applied drum or disk brakes much like that on an automobile.

Mini bikes have withstood the test of time and still play a big part in creating excitement and fun for many families. It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter, the mini bike can give everyone something to do outside year around and have a real blast.

If you’re a minibike enthusiast or would simply like to find out more about mini bikes, where to buy them, purchase parts or kits etc, simply go to the “Mini Bike Site”: =>http://recreation.cash2burn.com/minibike.html

Paul has been on the internet for a few years now and likes to share his stories and information on different topics that he enjoys. If you like, you can visit his main website at: http://www.cash2burn.com

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