Moped class bike

[xww10]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum. I bought myself a Honda C50 a while back due to rising fuel prices, my first bike. Thanks to some help from F5 Dave and others I've gotten it running well and I love it. Anyways, since then I've really enjoyed the whole biking experience and have thought about getting a 'bikier' bike i.e with manual clutch. Is there something I can upgrade to in the meanwhile in the 50cc moped class where I can ride with a drivers license to get a little more experience before I eventually make the move to a bigger bike? I would really like to hear some opinions. Thanks to all in advance. Cheers.

[Nagash]

I don't think they make manual 50cc bikes..? Thought I could be wrong.

I don't see why you couldn't just get your learner's and upgrade to a 125 or a 200. You've got all the basic's of riding a bike pretty much down with a C50 and a 125 isn't exactly going to be doing wheelies on you if you pull out the clutch too fast.

[Pumba]

I would think if you are confident enough to be cruising around on your little 50 you should just bite the bullet and get yoiur learner licence.

You can even sit your basic handeling certificate on your current 50.

IMHO doing anything else would be a waste of time and money.

[Motu]

Put an SS50 (rare but I have one) SL70 or XL70 into you C50 - they have 4 speed manual clutch.

[Trouser]

I have a suzuki TS50. It's a full size trail bike with 21" front wheel 5 spd g/box and is a moped class bike. I have just put a larger front srocket on an can now get it upto 65, yay.

[xww10]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Motu, are those engines you mentioned? Is it much work to wire the clutch cable/handle and other bits and where would I start looking for one of these? The main reason why I would like to stay in moped class is that I don't want too much power that will get me into trouble (at least at my current skill level) and also the fuel economy aspect which is the main reason I got into it in the first place.

[rwh]

I thought I'd seen references to a Sachs MadAss 50 with a manual box, but I may have been mistaken. The 125 has (or can have) a 4-speed manual.

Edit: But I agree with Pumba (except I didn't know about doing the BHS on a moped). The extra power may do more to keep you out of trouble than to get you into it.

Richard

[Motu]

where would I start looking for one of these? .

A good starting point is not to come snooping around my shed!!! I collected these sort of things when people were throwing such stuff away - now because the C50 was named bike of the century....they want serious money for them.But the Chinese make clones....some sort of pocket bike engine will slot in,you can get them over 100cc.

The trick is to keep shifting to the next object of consumer reject.

[xww10]

A good starting point is not to come snooping around my shed!!! I collected these sort of things when people were throwing such stuff away - now because the C50 was named bike of the century....they want serious money for them.But the Chinese make clones....some sort of pocket bike engine will slot in,you can get them over 100cc.

The trick is to keep shifting to the next object of consumer reject.

What pray tell is the next object of consumer rejection u are currently hoarding up on? :laugh:

OK. will try n look for a 100cc clone. What are your ideas on like a yamaha rd50 or kawasaki ar50 or honda mb50? R these hard to come by?

[xww10]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Scooters/auction-134914178.htm

What do you all think? ss50 clone?

[xww10]

I've just seen a pic of a SS50, wow! That is one cool looking bike, Motu! Now, where can I get one...

[Insanity_rules]

Try a yamaha RD50. Lots of fun and I think they fall under the moped power level. I have owned one but it was bike registered. Heres a link http://www.rd50page.com/

[xwhatsit]

A CG125 won't make you crap your pants power-wise, and will still use sweet fark all petrol. It's a proper bike size too.

I see the attraction in finding something unique in moped-class however. That SS50 rocks :D

[Ixion]

I think I had an RD50. Either that or whatever model preceded it.

It was a REALLY fun bike, one of the ones I fondly remember.

Reliable as, too. And it never used any petrol, I just removed the fuel cap while waiting at the lights, and enough settled into the tank from the fumes in the air to keep me going. Almost, anyway.

[badassbandit]

I had a Sachs Madass which origionally had a 50cc clutched manual in it however it was gutless and so was swapped up to a 90cc thumpstar pit bike engine which was a clutchless manual. After owning this though i wouldnt recomend buying one as i think they are all made in china now and bits and pieces fall off daily due to the shit build quality. I think a the best bikes which iv heard you can register as mopeds are aprilia RS50 or suzuki rgv50 these beasts will wind well over 100k/hr and are high quality but you will pay through the arse to get your hands on one.

[pritch]

Even I'd like one of these...

[rwh]

I think a the best bikes which iv heard you can register as mopeds are aprilia RS50 or suzuki rgv50 these beasts will wind well over 100k/hr and are high quality but you will pay through the arse to get your hands on one.

Um - don't the rules require a bike to be less than 2kW and not designed to be capable of more than 50km/h (as well as being under 50cc, if powered by an internal combustion engine) to be registered as a moped? I wouldn't have thought those two would qualify ...

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/43.html

Richard

[Motu]

I've just seen a pic of a SS50, wow! That is one cool looking bike, Motu! Now, where can I get one...

Mine was silver and blue,it looked much better than that.....and I wrecked it just for the engine.It now sits in the XL70....the SS50 makes more power than the XL70.I'll rebuild the 70cc engine (got 2),but the SS50 is ready to go.That SS50 clone looks nothing like a real SS50.

[McJim]

I thought the whole defenition of a 'moped' for NZ legal purposes are:

Must not exceed 50cc
AND
Must not produce more than 2Kw
AND
Must not be able to exceed 50kph.

As soon as you break one of these 3 golden rules you need to get a learner licence. Just get your L and a 250 - I did - never looked back (I went from a 1 McJim Power Road race pushie to a 32 horsepower VTR250 in a day)

[MDR2]

TR50 Street magic can get away with it.

As another option to the rd50 there is the Rg50 an gt50...

all fall into the 'hmmmm thats questionable' basket though

[badassbandit]

Everybody turns a blind eye to the more than 2kw and 50k/hr regulations. I was once interested in the rs50 at Mt Eden motorcycles as a alternative to getting my learners the guy there let me ride it and also assured me that i would have no trouble keeping it registered as a moped.
On the other hand i also had a mate who was pulled up on his tr50 (street magic) for doing 70k/hr and the cop tried to bag some extra charge on the grounds that it was registered as a moped but after some smooth talking managed to get away with just the speeding infringment.

[xww10]

Wow, thanks for all the replies guys. I'm not really wanting any more power than my c50, just the manual clutch so I can get a hang of a bigger bike without the power. So the rd50 yamaha and rg50 suzuki will both qualify? How about the honda mb50? I've heard that its a good bike also. I may run into problems with funds with the aprilia or street magic :no:

[Jorja]

I was going to get a scooter a few years ago. Then after going on the back of Frosty's bike i decided bugger that. I wanted a full bike. If I could learn to ride one, you can too. Just go along and do the basic handing cert and by the end of it you will be able to handle the gears no sweat.

If you do want a small bike that is very easy to handle let me know. I know of one coming up for sale soon for a VERY good price.

[MDR2]

If only you were in auckland you could could probably have the GT50 that i was playing around with before i got the RG150.

[xww10]

Thanks for the offer MDR2. Meanwhile I'll keep an eye out on those other bikes...

[F5 Dave]

All the 50s mentioned are quite old (barring mega expensive Aprilia Derbi etc etc). The RG50 is the most recent (I race them). My RG50 roadbike was registered as a 50 & I was getting WOFs for it but when they updated things it somehow became a Moped. Yeah right. Oh well. Would do 100k no drama unless windy or hilly (115k indicated = 105k). Rode it well - Cold Kiwi 6 times despite having 1100 at home.

But don't be afraid to go get a licence, it's not hard & could teach you some super valuable lessons about surviving on the road with other road users. Parents often care about this sort of thing, maybe they'll pay? Get it over with sooner too.