nifty fifty custom job

[pea]

Hi all,

Nice community you've got going here. I'm wondering if some amongst you can help me with my project.

In a few years I am thinking of building a kit or custom car (ah! sacrilege!) but I want to get my hand in by firstly heavily modifying a scooter. I've done some looking around on trademe etc, and the type of scooter which is well suited to my project is the nifty 50. I need:
1) Very cheap.
2) Crash damaged (I don't need fairings)
3) Compact motor unit close to back wheel (thus step-through is perfect)
4) Electric start if possible.

I see that there are many nifty 50's around, and most are well priced.

A few questions though:
1) I can't find any info on the net about the nifty 50 and its models! Was it called something else overseas? If so, what? I need to find out about models with electric start, different engines (if there are any) instrumentation etc.
2) Does anyone have any nice, large, directly side on photos of a nifty? I want to start designing the custom scooter.
3) Any other info about the nifty 50 or any custom jobs welcome!

Some extra info: I chose a scooter because they are cheap to buy as well as run. It won't need a WOF as long as it conforms to legal requirements. I would like to practice welding as well as a little fibreglass work. So a scooter is perfect.

Thanks in advance!
Pea

[pea]

Hi all,

A bit of looking around at the history of Honda scooters has led me to believe that our Honda Nifty Fifty is the same as the US Honda Spree? No text to that affect yet, this is all based on year of manufacture and the likeness in the images of each model.

Thoughts?

[Sniper]

PM Texmo mate, he is into his scooters big time. And if you say your scooter will beat a 250 I'll injure you

[texmo]

Most asain nifty 50cc come from the same factories and because of this parts are easy to get a hold of, Local wreckers are the palce to visit they will definitly have some written off scooters which is what you want. I would go for a honda as much as I hate them. I know of a few wrecked scooters for cheep but are all in auckland so I cant help you out sorry try the yahoo group 2 stroke new zeland, beware most are pretty anit asain scooters.

[pea]

Thanks Texmo. Palmy is a student city, so bound to be plenty of cheap honda scooters around here, as well as the wreckers. I'm pretty sure there are no motorcycle wreckers left in Palmy (there were a couple a few years back) so may be a trip coming up.

@Sniper - haha! No way it'll beat a 250. The main modification involves the look. Won't be touching the engine for a while as long as it goes. Needs to stay under 2kw anyway (but who checks, right ). Basically the only thing its going to have in common with a scooter are that it has the same engine and two wheels. Its basically going to be a cut-back bucket seat as low to the ground as possible with the engine behind and the front wheel somewhere between the feet I'll post pics when I render my design.

p.s. Texmo, when you say 'cheap' for a wrecked scooter, what sort of price are you thinking?

[texmo]

Depends if its going or not, You can get one from $50-$200 some places are real expensive like on outfit in auckland which chages $250 for one. I paid $600 for my PK50 which is rego'd as a 50cc scooter It puts out 18hp at the wheel, I have made up a fiber glass seat for it and a bar to make the frame stronger so it dosent flex going around corners, I have also cut away a little bit of the body work because there is no room for the carb as its a bit too big. There is a guy here in auckland with the same scooter who is doing a cut down. Try scooterbbs forums they might be able to help you out but most of them have no idea so take eveything they say with a pinch of salt.
Also a 50cc scooter doesnt need a WOF there fore they cant check that its under 2kw right?

[pea]

Also a 50cc scooter doesnt need a WOF there fore they cant check that its under 2kw right?

That's right but how you get away with 18hp (13kw?) is amazing gives me a lot to think about.

Thanks for the advise. I was thinking around $2-$300. Basically the less busted the better me thinks. All electrics, engine in working condition (except the odd bulb or switch etc) would be good.

[2much]

@Sniper - haha! No way it'll beat a 250.

I dunno.... biff them both off a cliff, it could be close.......?

[texmo]

That's right but how you get away with 18hp (13kw?) is amazing gives me a lot to think about.

Thanks for the advise. I was thinking around $2-$300. Basically the less busted the better me thinks. All electrics, engine in working condition (except the odd bulb or switch etc) would be good.

You might just be best off buying one out of the trade and exchange a friend of mine go his nifty for $250 out of there with rego, I have spent all up just under $3k on my scooter for a bike that is road legal, but is race dedicated...

[pea]

Just out of interest - dropping the riding position would be better for COG, right, but the steering would probably be comromised, as it depends on leaning?

[texmo]

Nah the only reason I am making a new seat is to get lower, better COG, it dosent effect the steering Although I am going to get some drop bars when I have time, basiclly the more weight on the front wheel the better so drop bars lower seat and some rear sets which are avaliable from SIP are things you should consider if your after handling

[pea]

Yeah, but in terms of my project - The rider will basically be sitting in a bucket seat as low to the ground as possible (about as high as the footrest on a step-through scooter). How do you think this will affect steering? Maybe I just have to try it and see.

[texmo]

If you are going to make a chopper there are many examples of the 70-80 chopper style lammbretta which was a lammbretta made to look like a cruser style motorbike, they wre very popular up untill the later 80 you dont see them around anymore but there are some still out there search on google for "lambretta" and "chopper" and "cutdown" this might give you some Ideas I would suggest not being that low maby sit ontop of the motor as its a bit more stable easyer to ride.

[Artifice]

honda pal/chaley/stepthrough/moped
dont remember what the old 1980 honda 50cc scoot used to be called anymore.

[Motu]

There was a scooter,Honda I think that was water cooled and had a foot pedal operated power valve,had a couple of square headlamps.It was still only a single speed scooter with low speed and power rating - but with water cooling and power valve already fiited 90% of the work is done for you as far as engine mods go,it could be made into a screamer.