Pocket Bike

Honda puts out a lot of fun products, it’s true, but few machines can match the level of whimsy you get from the Honda Monkey. That’s right folks, the iconic “Monkey Bike” that served as a mini self-Uber in Japanese amusement parks back in the ’60s is back with a new look and powerplant for what the factory surely hopes is a new era of monkey madness. The 2019 update of this little pocket bike bears the genetic markers of the original without being a slave to it with a 9.25-horsepower modern powerplant, larger wheels (thank goodness) and disc brakes.

Introduced in 2014, the Grom from Honda is a compact bike with sportbike styling, two-up capabilities if you don’t mind having to Fred-Flintstone the take-off, has amazing fuel economy, and offers a little something more for folks who might consider a scooter in this size-range. Marketed in other countries as the MSX125, the Motrac M3, and the Skyteam M3, the Grom is a spunky little — “little” being the operative word here — motorcycle, good for folks new to two wheels or for anyone else who wants a fun ride. It’s not fast, but that’s not the point.

Constructed mainly to please the young and new riders looking for some fun and entertainment, Pocket / Monkey bikes piece of machinery. It is quite literally the most accessible motorcycles to ride with advanced suspension, a strong steel frame, alloy wheels with disc brakes, grippy, all-weather tires and racy, naked-bike styling that will have you grinning all day long.

This is our list of the top seven pocket bikes on sale in 2018 designed in a class and style of a mini motorcycle. Originally designed to help introduce children as young as 8 to the world of motocross, these mini motorcycles have gained their fair share of adult fans too. Pocket bikes provide high-octane, adrenaline-fueled fun in a smaller, safer package.

Honda had plans of sacking the original Z50 monkey bike last year with its completion of serving millions of customers for a good whole 50 years. But keeping that honor alive, the Japanese brand surprised all of us at the 45th International Tokyo Show when it rebooted the model albeit with a 125cc horizontal, single-cylinder engine that replaces the 4.5 hp 50cc mill.

Keeping up with the trend, the new Monkey 125 adopts features like the LED lights and digital instrumentation in a hope to keep the appeal alive and fresh. After what we thought of the-would be final-limited run of Monkey 50th Anniversary Special white and red model, this news of the 2018 model kindles all kinds of emotions attached to this iconic motorcycle.

Benelli was finding it difficult to locate its identity amidst the modern and competitive world, even more after a Chinese firm, Qianjiang acquired it. But now, it seems like a thing of the past. Benelli is trying to revive its fortunes by showcasing products designed by CentroStile Benelli and slowly helping their reputation get back to their original charm.

The firm has got itself a new importer – Benelli USA, a part of the SSR Motorsports in Greensboro, North Carolina. And the first Benelli coming to the USA from them is the TNT 135 monkey bike that made its appearance on our streets a few years ago, which was later discontinued. Now, it is coming back to snatch the throne from the Groms’ and the Z125s’.

Benelli takes a calculated risk based on the popularity of the small-displacement neo-monkeybikes in the U.S. market with the release of the TNT135. A compact 47.8-inch wheelbase sets the tone with a minimal subframe and dinky tires with a 13-horsepower plant that drives the fun with plenty of grunt to pull off all your fancy tricks and whatnot. This pit bike really toes the genre line quite nicely with all the appropriate flavors and attitude, and could possibly pose a very real threat to the established rides coming from Honda and Kawasaki. Can it compete against members of the Big Four? Let’s dig in and see.

Continue reading for my look at the Benelli TNT135.

Auction house H&H Classics had put up the sale of their acquired 1969 Honda Z50A. A bike that was once used by John Lennon, the legendary English singer, songwriter, musician, and peace activist who also co-founded the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of popular music.

The auction was recently held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, a town in the West Midlands of England. Experts believed the bike will fetch at least £30,000 (more than $40,000), but to everyone’s surprise, the winning bid was almost twice of the estimated price, at £57,500 (about $79,600).

The mini-streetbike market heats up with new competition to go head-to-head with the long-standing K-Pipe 125 from Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd — better known to us as the Taiwanese manufacturer, KYMCO — introduced not long ago to the U.S. market. Intended to be lightweight and fuel-efficient, the K-Pipe gives the pocket bike class — long dominated by Honda with the Grom and now with the Z125 PRO from Kawasaki — a viable, less expensive option. Entry level? Yes. Commuter? Sure. Fun? Definitely.

Continue reading for my review of the KYMCO K-Pipe 125.

“Pit bike,” “monkey bike,” and even “ankle-biter” has been used to describe the Razkull 125 from SSR Motorsports. I suppose arguments could be made for and against any and all of these monikers, but no matter what you call it, the Razkull is a fun little ride that is inexpensive, and easy to own and operate. Compact and powered by a 125 cc thumper, the Razkull demonstrates why going fast on a slow bike is a whole lot more fun than going slow on a fast bike.

Continue reading for my review of the SSR Motorsports Razkull 125.

Auction house H&H Classics will put up the sale of their acquired 1969 Honda Z50A. A bike that was once used by John Lennon, the legendary English singer, songwriter, musician, and peace activist who also co-founded the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of popular music.

The auction will be held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, a town in the West Midlands of England. Experts believe the bike will fetch at least £30,000 (more than $40,000).

You must have seen sophisticated suspension setups on the expensive four-wheeled counterparts with them having quirky adjectives like airmatic, airdrive or air ride. The reason is as simple as the name is.

This high-tech is reserved for four-wheelers for one simple fact: availability of space. To carry a compressor, rubber bellows, and an air-pump, the motorcycle engineers cannot afford to pan sufficient space within the motorcycle frame and chassis.

Yet, the idea of using the compressibility of air as a spring on two-wheelers is as old as 1910. Fast forward to 2017, a chap in Japan has retrofitted a Honda Grom, a monkey bike from the same makers of the Fireblade. Using it as a suspension unit, he also made away with the side and the center stand and showcased his creation to the world.

No matter where you fall on the global-warming debate, there can be no doubt that “going green” by using renewable and clean energy is a good thing for the environment. Daymak Incorporated, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada recognizes this fact. Founded by Aldo Baiocchi in 2001, Daymak now has over 100 dealerships selling vehicles designed to reduce the carbon footprint through the use of electric propulsion and solar recharging systems. Today I want to look at a 2015 The Beast Ultimate, Daymak’s top-of-the-line, street legal, offroad eBike built with ATV features that improve upon the 2014 debut model.

Continue reading for my review of the 2015 The Beast Ultimate.

I’ve always chuckled any time the name “monkey bike” is mentioned. The fact that “monkey” is attached to “bike” has always been pretty funny to me. But for what it’s worth, Honda’s new Grom bike is not only the perfect representation of the company’s history of monkey bikes but it’s also a modern-day machine that comes with all the technological bits and pieces to come out of the Japanese brand.

The diminutive Grom first burst into the scene in 2014 and in the short time that it’s been around, it’s become defined as a fun bike with a capital “F”! It’s the perfect start-up machine for somebody who’s just breaking into motorcycles and for those looking for a bike that’s not only a rollicking ball of fun to ride, also economical and affordable enough to be considered as an everyday commuter.

If scooters aren’t your thing, the Honda Grom is the perfect alternative. Or is it the other way around? Either way, the Grom is a veritable pocket rocket whose fun factor is quite simply put, off the monkey charts.

Click “continue reading” to read more about the Honda Grom.’

Although this is not an actual motorcycle, at $265.9 (€195) the Ferrari CX 10 is probably the cheapest way to brag about having the famous logo on one of the toys in your garage.

Produced by Turbo exclusively for Ferrari, this thing screams performance. It has an aluminum frame, fork and stem, a front V-brake and rear coaster brake as well as a carbon rear fender. Overall, it weighs 20 lbs (9.1kg) and the size makes it great for 3- to 5-year olds.

Our reader Santhosh from India has built the world’s smallest e-bike measuring 12 inches in height and 18 inches in length. Called Moosshiqk (the Sanskrit word for mouse), the 8.8 lbs (4 kg) battery-powered prototype can be dissembled and assembled in less than 60 seconds, but Santhosh can’t really say he’s “gone in 60 seconds” because the top speed of this unique pocket bike is of approximately 7.5 – 9.3 mph (12 – 15 km/h) with a payload of 154.3 lbs (70 kg), meaning that children will be able to ride faster and stay green as well. So, does this qualify as a world record or what?

Thanks for the tip Santhosh!

P.S. The reason it has a pair of bicycle-like handles for a seat is because the thing also rides backwards.

A Yamaha dealer in Australia – Coast Yamaha – has come up with a very funny commercial in order to motivate riders to stop playing and get their own real motorcycle. They use a pocket bike to create an optical illusion and so determine viewers at least to watch the video over and over again if not rushing to the respective dealer and choose their bike.

Monkey bikes have never been expensive, breathtaking and neither the less record braking machines, but they do fit in a category of their own and, although never heard before, the words “World’s fastest monkey bike” have lead nine-time Dakar competitor Ivo Kastan to building what’s most likely the fastest ever monkey bike.

The Czech motorcycle enthusiast will take his specially tuned Honda monkey bike at Bonneville later this month, where it plans to take the small blast up to speeds of more than 106mph, confirming the “fastest ever” supposition and also setting a new record for the naked 175cc four-stroke class.

What’s left to say is that the bike features no rear suspension whatsoever, meaning that it can provide a very harsh ride. We wish Ivo Kastan the best of luck for his attempt!

Follow the jump for three interesting videos with the team preparing and testing the bike for Bonneville.

If all the kids that grew up to become motorcyclists had a rocking metal horse in their early years of life, at least parents would know where they did “wrong”.

This rocking motorcycle was built by Felix Götze, who used parts from old german motorbikes. This makes the thing reliable and, together with the resistant frame, it is sure to put a smile on many generations of little faces in one happy family. The first in line is Otto Komei, a three-year-old who enjoys watching the neighbors working on their bikes. Sitting on this rocking motorcycle, at least he’ll feel connected to their activity until he is old enough to join the club and finally let mom and dad realize what they encouraged him to do.

The seat is an old style unit and looks highly resistant to…diaper
content (is it true that they don’t wear those after two years or so?). Also, the headlight and instruments have been properly sealed so that the inevitable drool won’t mess things up when the lucky kid admires the pinstripe from German airbrush-artist Thomas Weber.

The rocking bike was built in educational purposes as well. “Powered” by a single-cylinder, two-stroke engine with 150 cc, it teaches the little fellow to start with small steps in life.

Looking at this truly unique motorcycle, it’s impossible to believe that it will survive the next Christmas.

Who, why would even think at something like this remains a mystery.