You don't have to be a kid to enjoy a mini bike. The majority of them are designed to be practical transport for anyone, being light, nimble, cheap to run, and, as the name suggests, small. There's a wide selection on the market, and, while Honda seems to dominate that market, there are alternatives that also have something to offer. This is our list of the top ten pocket bikes available in 2022.

There is a misconception that pocket rocket bikes are for children, which is natural given their size (the bikes, not the children!). However, as Honda has so ably demonstrated, a bike that is a quarter the size of a normal-sized bike can be viable transport for any age, not to mention fun.

No, they are not suitable for long distances on any surface but neither are they completely impractical. If the vast majority of your riding is around town or messing about in the countryside, then one of these is perfect, especially given the relative price compared to normal bikes.

Talking of price, pocket bikes offer what is possibly the best smiles-per-Dollar ratios of anything out there. Maybe it has something to do with taking you back to being a kid?

Here’s our list of the top ten mini bikes:

Rosso Motors Mini Pocket Bike - $250

So far, all the bikes in this list have been small-stature ‘proper’ bikes, but there is also a huge market out there for mini bikes that are suitable for kids only and this one is one of the best.

Powered by a two-stroke engine and looking like a superbike, any kid who is five years or older would love this bike. 25 mph is the top speed, which is plenty for junior, although tuning experts would no doubt be able to get much more out of it.

It’s the perfect blend of style, speed, and ease of use. There is no clutch; the drive is by a centrifugal clutch, so just twist and go. And, at 42 pounds, it is light enough to be picked up and put in the trunk of the car, while being able to carry up to 165 pounds.

Coleman Powersports CT200U Mini Trail Bike - $500 - 700

If basic motorcycling is your thing, then the Coleman is for you. Think of this mini bike like a go-kart with only two wheels: a simple steel tube frame, no suspension, and a disc brake on the rear wheel only. This is a bike to get you from your car to the remote fishing spot.

A 98cc petrol engine pushes it forward (and you start it with a pull cord, just like a lawnmower) and is definitely off-road only as there are no lights, indicators, instruments, or license plate holder, and not to mention, the top speed of a snail so you wouldn’t want to be in traffic with this one.

Benelli TNT135 - $2,999

Benelli is an old name in motorcycling and is now owned by the Geely subsidiary Qianjiang Motorcycle company in China.

For the TNT135, think Honda Grom/Kawasaki Z125 with a dose of Italian flair in terms of styling.

This pocket rocket is powered by a four-valve, overhead camshaft single-cylinder engine of 135cc, producing a heady 13bhp, driving through a five-speed gearbox. A Ducati-like trellis frame and funky twin exhaust mufflers, à la MV Agusta Brutale.

Beefy 41mm inverted forks and 12-inch wheels and disc brakes front and rear, analog/digital dash and LED lights. The price is right if you can live with Chinese-sourced components. Build quality is not up to that of the Hondas in this list, but the price reflects that, and, for a bike that won’t be used every day or for long distances, this makes a stylish alternative.

Kymco Spade 150 - $3,399

Somehow managing to avoid the prejudice that is healed on Chinese motorcycles, Taiwanese manufacturer Kymco produces a range of well-made and economical scooters of up to 400cc.

It also produces the Spade 150, which is a funky retro take on the mini/pocket bike. The 149cc single-cylinder engine puts out 12bhp and 8 pound-feet of torque, driving through a five-speed gearbox.

The round headlight, gas tank shape, and seat give it its retro feel, and as an antidote to the Grom and Z125, with which it goes head-to-head, it’s a nice change. Disc front/drum rear brakes are plenty strong enough to haul the 266-pound weight to a stop.

Honda Grom 125 - $3,399

Introduced in 2014, The Honda Grom is one of those rare mini bikes that belies its stature when you ride it. You just don’t feel like you’re on a small bike, even though it definitely is, even if you are taller than six feet.

Look at the architecture of the 124cc single-cylinder engine (9.7bhp and 7.7 pound-feet of torque) and the lineage right back to the first Super Cub is instantly recognizable which is great because, if they haven’t got that engine bulletproof by now, then I don’t know what Honda has been up to.

Completely unpretentious and a whole heap of fun, you can’t help but smile when riding the Grom. Up-to-date styling makes it look larger than it is and the decent suspension copes with bad road surfaces as well as can be expected given the short travel. A top speed of 60 mph flat out (and flat on the tank) isn’t going to bother the law while its gas-sipping tendencies will make your wallet happy (you can expect at least 100 mpg).

Surprisingly good handling, nimble, fun, fast enough to keep up with city traffic, light, easy to park: what more could you possibly want? Okay, all those attributes could be applied to all of the bikes on this list, but the Honda Grom is just a step ahead in terms of design and quality.

Kawasaki Z125 Pro - $3,399

Put the Honda Grom and the Kawasaki Z125 Pro next to each other and you’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart. Ride them back-to-back, and the line between them becomes even more blurred.

The Z125 Pro is just about the same weight as the Grom, with a single-cylinder engine putting out the same power (9.5bhp) but less torque (4.4 pound-feet) in an overall package weighing about the same (225 pounds for the Z125, 228 pounds for the Grom). They even cost the same although there are opportunities to spend more on accessories for both.

There are pillion pegs but, let’s be honest, unless you and your girlfriend are 12 years old, you’re not getting two adults on there: well, not if you want to get anywhere before sundown, that is!

Like the Grom, the Z125 Pro is a small bike trying not to look like a kid's toy and it succeeds. But you will be behaving like a kid when you ride it!

Honda Super Cub C125 - $3,799

It might not be a mini or pocket bike in the strictest sense of the word and it might not possess the playfulness of many of the bikes on this list, but how can we leave out the timeless Honda Super Cub? With well over 100 million built since its introduction in 1958, is there any motorcyclist in the world who hasn’t ridden a Cub or had an adventure on one?

Even though it has been regularly updated throughout its life, it is still one of the most recognizable motorcycles on the planet, not to mention one of the most versatile, cheap to own and run, and, yes, despite its reputation as a workhorse, one of the most fun bikes.

Super easy to ride with its clutchless four-speed gearbox handling the 9.5bhp from the 124cc engine. Front suspension is telescopic in place of the original’s leading link suspension, and there is now ABS on the front, but, underneath, this is still the same rugged piece of engineering that will probably outlast any owner, no matter how young they are at the time of purchase.

Honda 125 Trail - $3,999

You have to take the name with a pinch of salt, as the ST125 Trail isn’t exactly a pukka off-roader. However, if you give a bike a name like ‘Trail’ then owners are going to put that to the test so there has to be at least a modicum of off-road ability to justify the name.

In reality, the Trail 125 is a Super Cub without the bodywork but it also does without taller suspension or more power, while also managing to be a bit heavier than the Super Cub (259 pounds to the Super Cubs 238 pounds).

Like the Super Cub, the 125 Trail is a direct throwback to a 1960s - 1980s model, also called the Trail. Cycle World magazine said it best, when the Editor-in-Chief said, ‘The Trail 125 makes you feel good in a pure way, not matched by many vehicles. It’s the combination of its handy, agile chassis, automatic clutch, and a demeanor that says, relax and enjoy the scenery.’

All the good points of the Grom, Dax, and Super Cub, with which it shares its power train and chassis/running gear: minimal fuel consumption, good build quality, and ease of use, not to mention, the least painful price tag. Good braking courtesy of disc brakes and ABS and miserly fuel consumption which, even with a 1.4-gallon fuel tank, will give around 150 miles of range.

The luggage rack will hold 45 pounds, there’s a bash plate under the sump, and side and center stands. Never has hitting the trail been so unintimidating.

Honda Monkey Bike - $4,199

Maybe this list should just be about the long line of Honda pocket bikes, so many are there. The Monkey Bike is possibly one of the most iconic Hondas, more than the CB750 or even the Super Cub.

Everything we’ve said about the Super Cub, Trail 125, the Grom, and the Dax 125 applies here as this is Honda badge engineering at its best. The Monkey bike’s big-ticket draw is nostalgia and it has it in spades, as well as being bang up to date in terms of decent suspension and ABS and a five-speed gearbox, which is one more than on the other models.

It’s tiny, however, so feels a little less self-assured on city streets and the handling does take a little while to get used to. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s just….different. Disc brakes front and rear match the performance perfectly and, unlike the other models in the Honda pocket bike range, you might want to avoid the Monkey if you are tall. Only one seat and no pillion pegs but you really don’t want to be carrying anyone on the back of this.

9.7bhp is a far cry from the original’s 3 bhp and means the 2022 Monkey can keep up with modern traffic conditions, but you do feel very exposed on such a tiny bike, so best leave this one for scooting through the countryside surrounding your weekend hideaway.

Honda Dax ST125 - Price (Europe, TBA)

Recreation of the original Trail 70, which was known as the Dax in many countries but is now the model name no matter where in the world you are, although the U.S. won’t be seeing this model, like Honda, perhaps rightly, thinks there are enough mini-bikes in their range here.

Uses the same 9.4bhp engine as the rest of the Honda mini bike range, although the Dax gets a one-gallon gas tank, which should still give 100 miles range.

Suspension is modernized with inverted front forks and brakes are discs front and back. The chassis is a pressed steel monocoque from which the engine is hung and the suspension is bolted to.

That’s our top ten mini/pocket bikes available in 2022. Have we left anything obvious out? Let us know in the comments section.