The Polini X-series is the group of pocket bikes Polini sells under the X1, X3 and X5 names. They come from Polini Motori of Alzano Lombardo, a maker of tuning parts since 1945 and of minimoto since the 1990s.
Polini X at a glance
| Maker | Polini Motori, Alzano Lombardo (BG), Italy |
|---|---|
| Models in the series | X1, X3 and X5 |
| Class | minimoto (pocket bike) |
| Typical length | about 1 m (class figure) |
| Typical height | about 60 cm, seat a little over 40 cm (class figure) |
| Typical weight | just over 20 kg (class figure) |
| Engines used in the class | 39 or 50 cc two-stroke, 90 cc four-stroke |
| Cooling | air in Junior classes, liquid elsewhere |
| Typical power | 6–7 hp air-cooled, 14–15 hp liquid-cooled (Italian engines) |
| Use | circuits, private ground and woods, not the public road |
| Model specifications | not published |
No published data for the X1, X3 or X5 was found; the table gives the figures of the minimoto class from the Italian Wikipedia article on minimoto, not manufacturer specifications of these models.
History of the Polini X
Polini Motori was set up in 1945 in Alzano Lombardo, near Bergamo, where it still has its headquarters. Battista Polini started with bicycles and moved into parts for the Vespa and Lambretta scooters that appeared in the late 1940s; the firm is now run by his sons Carlo, Franco and Piero and sells in 64 countries. Its range covers cylinders and variators for road and racing use, exhausts, replacement parts, and from the 1990s also complete minimoto.
The X-series belongs to that last group. A minimoto is a miniature racing motorcycle without a permit for road circulation, used on tracks, private areas and woodland; the class also covers small machines for off-road riding, known in Italian as minicross. A typical machine measures about one metre by sixty centimetres and weighs a little over twenty kilos, with a seat just over forty centimetres high.
Engines in the class are almost always two-strokes of 39 or 50 cc, with four-strokes of 90 cc also used. Junior categories run air-cooled engines with limited power, while other machines are almost entirely liquid-cooled: Italian air-cooled cylinder kits make around 6–7 hp, liquid-cooled ones 14–15 hp, and machines at major championship level can reach 18 hp. Polini lists its pocket bikes with engines from 50 cc up to 15 hp.
Design and features
- Three designations: X1, X3 and X5 are grouped here as one X-series family.
- Track-only class: minimoto are not homologated for road use.
- Small two-stroke engines: 39 and 50 cc units dominate the class.
- Tuning background: Polini’s main business is performance parts, including the Evolution and Big Evolution cylinder series.
Polini X versions
- Polini X1: the smallest designation of the series.
- Polini X3: the middle designation of the series.
- Polini X5: the largest designation of the series.
- Polini X: the name used for the series as a whole.
Related Polini pocket bikes are the Polini 910, the Polini Air and the road-legal Polini XP. More in the Polini collection.
Sources
- Polini, English Wikipedia: company history and products
- Polini, Italian Wikipedia: company history, minimoto production
- Minimoto, Italian Wikipedia: class dimensions, engines, cooling and power
