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So when is a 47cc motor not a 47cc motor? When it's in a pocketbike!

Pocketbikes are typically sold as having 47cc or 49cc motors. Does this mean that they are really 47cc or 49cc?

The answer to that is yes and no. Read more for the truth behind the lies.

There are two types of 47cc motors. A small bore and a big bore. A small bore 47cc motor is actually 39.6cc. A big

bore motor is 48.3cc. There are two ways to tell the difference between the two. One is to measure bore and

stroke, the other is to look at the head. This will be persued further in another article however.

If a pocketbike is being sold as a 49cc motor it is usually a big bore motor. Some companies however, will sell the bikes as a 47cc big bore. This is to distinguish the motors from the 49cc piston port "scooter motor".

Some bikes, such as the X bikes (x1, x2 etc) are sold with a 49cc motor. This motor, instead of having a reed valve it has a piston port. The piston port motor is not as powerful as a reed valve motor. Overall performance with a piston port motor is lower and riders can definately tell the difference.

So when you buy a bike and the dealer advertises the motor as 47cc. Go ahead and ask what it really is. It's your money after all. Don't be shy to push a dealer into explaining to you what motor your bike really has. If the dealer doesn't know then that dealer isn't worth your time. Go ahead and make him pull off a head and measure bore and stroke. Most dealers can't do this and they don't even know how, but that, is yet another article.

This article was written by Bruce Peresky for pocketbikeforum.com. Copying is permitted provided you give credit to http://www.pocketbikeforum.com

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