Brett Parent remembers a time when pit bikes weren’t quite the rage they are these days.
‘Over the years in motocross, professional racers had time to kill,? said Parent, owner of M-15 Moto-sports, 1581 S. Ortonville Road, Ortonville. ‘They used it to get around it the pits and see what other racers were doing. Mechanics started customizing them for professionals. Now, it’s evolved into a multimillion-dollar product line.?
These days, Parent said sales of pit bikes number in ‘about the hundreds of thousands,? and several motocross racing venues are taking note of the growing trend.
‘A lot of the big tracks are holding pit bke races,? he said.
Pit bikes are a relatively new trend, having started about three years ago in California, according to Matt Law, an employee at M-15 Moto-sports.
Law said the most popular brands of pit bikes are the ‘big four? of motor bikes ? Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Honda. The most popular pit bike is the Honda CRF50, he said.
Potential customers who want to purchase a pit bike should be prepared to spend heavily. Prices for pit bikes range from about $1,110 (such as the CRF50) to $10,000, Parent said.
However, Law said they are a worthwhile investment because they’re fun to ride and you can design them to make them look like regular bikes. In addition, he said you don’t need as much land to race pit bikes as you would with motorcycles.
Law said younger folks are capable of riding the bikes, although they are more geared toward adults. ‘They’re fun because they’re so small,? he said.
Parent said major suppliers, such as Parts Unlimited, manufacture all sorts of accessories so the rider can custom design their pit bke.
‘There’s so many companies that are making parts,? he said.
One of the more popular accessories, he said, is the big bore engine kit, which is used to increase engine power. Installation of these kits, according to Parent, can turn a 50 cc engine into a 125 cc engine.
Other popular accessories are an exhaust system ? ‘to make them sound cool,? Law said ? handlebar kits, aftermarket frames, and suspension modification kits designed to accomodate the weight of the rider.
There are several tracks in Michigan where people can check out motocross action for themselves:
Among those closest to the Brandon and Goodrich areas are: Baja MX and Bulldogs in Millngton, Middleberry (near Owosso), and Freelin (near Marlette).
Details: M-15 Moto-sports, (248) 627-4525, or visit the following Web sites:
www.misupermoto.com
www.michiganmotocross.com