The Mollymook teen has collected a cabinet full of trophies since taking up mini-moto approximately two years.

Just recently he finished third in the junior nations after rounds in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

He races most months at Wollongong with occasional races elsewhere, including Canberra.

At his most recent race meet in the ACT Ryan collected the trophy for first place in the junior division before backing up for the seniors and finishing second.

Each meet consists of four races - the first two over five laps of a go kart track, the third over eight laps and the fourth over 10 laps.

At a previous race meet in Wollongong he took out first place in both the junior and senior races.

The 50cc mini-motos, or pocketbikes as they are also known, can reach speeds of 85-90 kilometres per hour.

They might look uncomfortable to ride but Ryan says the riders get used to it.

As for high speed accidents, because the riders are so close to the grouund the risk of serious injury is minimal.

The Wollongong City Raceway is the only approved track for mini-motos in NSW.

Ryan, who just turned 16, told the Times last week that he had never owned a motorbike before getting his hands on a mini-moto.

But he says they are fun to race and extremely quick for their size.

He says he has also met a lot of great people through mini-moto and has been bitten by the racing bug.

Ryan is sponsored by John Monty from Pocket Racing Imports and has two bikes - one a pro Chinese water cooled bike and the other a hand-made Italian elite water-cooled bike worth more than $4500.

It was on this bike that he enjoyed so much success at this year's national's.

Ryan now has his sights set on a Honda RS125, which he also plans to race - with the occasional return to mini-moto.

He said the decision to buy a larger bike and to race at venues such as Eastern Creek, Wakefield Park and Amaroo represented the next step up in his racing career.