I can guarantee you, once your kid has had a taste of riding a bike, with the wind blowing in their hair, the sunshine on their face, and the roar of the engine under them, they will never want to go back to their little square screens.

Kids have always loved motors and engines; they are fascinated by the smell and the sound. Even before the invent of the motorbike, kids were zooming around in Go Carts, it’s a built in desire for speed and competition. If you can just give them that initial shove in the right direction, you will never look back. 

So where do you start? Firstly, you have to choose between different levels of power. A bikes power is measured by the fuel capacity of the engine in cubic centimetres. You can get a 50cc and a 110cc pit bike, as well as the larger 125cc and 250cc. The bigger the cc, the more power. Generally speaking, for a child, a 50cc should be plenty, and I wouldn’t be going over a 110cc for a beginner.

New makes and models of bike are coming out every day, so it’s hard to give any recommendations on what brands to look for, but the more well known and respected brands include Thumpstar, Pitster Pro, Sikk and Giovanni. The general consensus is to steer clear of bikes manufactured in China, but there are some that come from there that can be of decent quality and a cheaper price. You should be able to pick up a decent 50cc for less than $750.

Once you have decided on the bike, you are definitely going to want protective gear for your child. He/She is going to fall off this bike many times (don’t worry, it’s all part of the fun, and these bikes are so close to the ground that your kid won’t fall far). You will be needing a helmet, knee and shin pads, gloves and elbow guards.

Finally, another added benefit of getting your kid on a pit bike is that they will be given the status of cool by all their schoolmates. To encourage this, you are going to want to get some stickers (also known as decals) that your kid can put on their bike. Involve them in the purchase of these so that they can customise the look of their bike to suit their personality.

In most states of the USA, it is not legal to ride your bike on public roads. Generally speaking, US laws state that a motorcycle has to be about 25″ off the ground. Even in places where they may be considered legal, there are factors that may still make them unroadworthy such as not having indicator lights or headlights, not being insured, or making too much noise. Also, some of these bikes can’t reach the high speeds needed to travel on public roads (yes, you can get booked for travelling too slow as well as too fast).

In Australia and the Netherlands, it is also illegal to ride these bikes on public roads; however they can be ridden on private land. That said, some of the larger versions can actually be registered in Australia (for example the X18, X19 and X22). These 4 stroke models can generally reach the speed limit required on public roads, and are fitted out with the necessary street gear (headlights, indicators and the like) to make the street legal. Obviously, you will need to ensure that you conform to local traffic laws, and ensure you wear a helmet and carry third party insurance as a minimum. 

In the UK, any kind of mini bike  is frowned upon. This is largely due to a tragic accident that occurred in August of last year, where 3 year Abbie Perrin was being taken for a ride on a mini-moto by her stepfather. The bike collided with a pick-up truck and the girl lost her life. Long before this accident, in August 2006, the government ran a large campaign warning the public about these bikes and the dangers associated with their misuse. For these reasons, even if you were able to modify a bike to meet the requirements of local road laws, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to get it registered for street use. If you are caught riding one of these bikes on the roads in the UK, the police will seize and destroy it.

Regardless of where you live, it is extremely important that you follow the road rules set out for your area. You also need to make sure that you are wearing all the proper safety equipment, that you have the proper motorcycle number plates, and that you are ever mindful of other vehicles and pedestrians.