Pocketbike racing
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Pocketbike racing, also know as Minimoto or Mini GP racing, is a category of racing where miniature racing motorcycles (known as pocketbikes or minimoto) are raced around kart tracks.
A typical minimoto is approximately one-forth the size of a regular motorcycle, and is powered by a two-stroke internal combustion engine of between 40-50 cubic centimeters producing somewhere between 4 and 14 horsepower (3 and 10 kW). The machines have no suspension, relying on the tires for compliance, and weigh approximately 40 pounds (18 kg). Despite their tiny size, both adults and children can (and do) race them at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) in organized racing leagues.
The convenience of transportation and the low cost of the racing (they are priced from approximately $300 for a Chinese model to around $5,000 for a top of the line Italian model) make them an affordable way for children (some as young as six) to learn about motorcycle racing and for adults to live out their fantasies of racing stardom without the high costs associated with full-sized motorcycle racing.
Miniature motocross motorcycles are also available for children to learn this form of motorcycling.
Notable racers who learned their craft on minimoto include Valentino Rossi.