Of course, some guys got busy hopping them up with stuff like aluminum frames, tall seats, etc. –– but retaining the over-achieving motors (usually punched out to 110cc), the 10″/12″ rear wheels, and the tossable proportions that make a pit bike such frickin’ fun. Because a track for these bikes doesn’t require a lot of land, backyard pit bike tracks have sprung up all across America.
Pit bikes now have a full race series with numerous classes (even one for young ladies), five AMA National #1 plates up for grabs, and an exciting ArenaCross Pro & Amateur Series.
and then of course the dirt bike is well just your average dirt bike :]
Dirt bikes are safer for several reasons. Dirt bikes are more like riding regular bikes, which is something that most kids know how to do. The turning of a bike and dirt bike is done less with handlebars and more with a leaning motion. This helps to change the center of gravity, and place the weight of the rider away from the bike when a fall starts. Dirt bikes tend to not fall on the rider during a fall, and if they do, it tends to be less of the bike. In the case of quads and trikes, the rider is almost always confined within an imaginary box located very close to the bike. Falls on quads and trikes tend to be rollover type injuries. Secondly, when it comes to the weights of the two concerned, a similiar size (displacement of engine, or cc) bike will be smaller than a trike or quad. Think about, the parts to control and hold together two wheels would be less than that of three or four wheels. Thirdly, I'll use my own emergency room experience as a doctor. I see far more injuries to children coming from trikes and quads than I ever see from bikes.
Thanks,
Doc Brown
