MINI-motorbikes are revving up Phuket?s automotive market.

More than 150 faithful owners of Kawasaki KSR mini-motorcycles have joined the KSR club in Phuket, and are planning to form an Andaman KSR club, merging with members from Krabi and Phang Nga provinces.

The KSR began life in Thailand at the Kawasaki production plant in Rayong Province, in eastern Thailand in 2005.

The factory is now producing more than 450 bikes a month, most of which end up in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

The bikes are made to a design adapted from a Japanese 50cc engine model, but the Thai-designed bikes have been amped up to 111cc, 4 stroke single cylinder engines, with a minuscule seat height of 29.5-inches and 12-inch wheels.

The KSR has become a hot commodity in the Thai automotive market, carving out a niche, with hipster crowds of Thai-teens, and motorcycle junkies.

These mini-motocrossers jostle to keep up-to-date with the latest modifications and custom accessories, which are becoming more widely available in Phuket and throughout Thailand.

The popularity of the Thai-made Kawasaki?s has led to a Japanese GP series as well as a British-owned Thai-based KSR racing team.

You have probably laughed at the sight of a KSR midget-motocross bike weaving in and out of traffic with a heavy-set, six-foot biker in the saddle, his knees hoisted almost to the bikes handlebars.

But Payut Sutthipan, who started the KSR Phuket club is not phased by snide comments.
?What the KSR lacks in size, it makes up for in street cred,? he said.

?The tiny bikes are a joy to drive, they are very economical, they handle exceptionally well, and they are ideal for Phuket?s roads.?

Pongsak Banthu , sales manager of Kawasaki?s KSR distributor in Phuket Town, said he was selling more than 30 mini-bikes every month.

?The KSR has been our best selling bike for the past three years,? he said.

Mr Sutthipan said he turned his IT shop into a bike shop because of the soaring popularity of the bikes.

A year later, he is now taking orders for bike parts from as far away as Chiang Mai and Malaysia.

Mini bikers also use the shop as a meeting place where they can work on their bikes.

?Some of them are here until 2am remodelling their bikes,? he said.

The club makes regular trips to Phang Nga to visit their counterparts and they show off their latest stunts at monthly meets at Sapan Hin park in Phuket.

Earlier this month, bikes from Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket gathered at the Pera circuit in Pattaya for a three hour endurance off-road race.

Mr Suttiphan said plans were now under way to amalgamate KSR clubs in Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga, and to hold similar events in Phuket in the new year.

Anyone is welcome at the Phuket Bike shop in Sam Kong in Phuket Town , even if you don?t own a KSR.

The guys are there most nights from about 7pm, with a line-up of more than 30 modified KSR?s to drool over.

For further information, call 0874 749 798 or visit the website at phuketbike.net.