What 50cc bike / moped as a project?

My son claims to be a petrolhead, based mainly on having watched every episode of Top Gear. For this 15 birthday I’d like to get him a slightly/rather battered 50cc bike / moped and we then spend some time stripping & fixing it. Seems like a good way to learn about brakes, gears and engines etc.

I’m thinking something like a Suzuki FZ50. On eBay they go for about £300 for a running one but no MOT.

With a bit of work they can look quite cool;

Any other suggestions? All the 50cc bikes of my youth FSIE / AR50 etc are now collectors items (which must a true sign of ageing).

I saw a really grotty CB50 on eBay for £100 last week.

Are you stuck with 50cc?

Only as that he’d be able to ride it when he turns 16.

That FZ looks mint. Id take one of those!

If the budget stretched further, you could get a van or pickup…

Failing that, aside from the steeze of a traditional moped, you could get something more resembling an actual motorbike, to help with learning clutch and gear control… that said, the one you’ve put up looks pimp!!

50cc? Honda Ruckus/Zoomer. Cool as **** but not cheap. Equally cool is a C50/C90 BMX – Google it can’t be faffed linking to stuff on here.

My advice would be don’t, get a car and spend another year with him working on it and saving for the insurance for that

The new house only has a small garage so not enough space for a car (and the plan is for a cheap as possible scheme). It would also be over 2 years wait to use.

Where are you? I have a FZ50 in need of a home. Berkshire.

Thanks for the offer but I’ll be looking for a bike later in the year (his birthday isn’t until November and we are in the process of moving house).

How long have you had it / what are they like?

I’ve had it about 18 years and it was old when I got it. Was used for 6 hour endurance moped mayhem races in the early 00’s. Not all there, but runs. Looks similar to your second photo up there. Have another 2 as spares.

This just makes me want one for myself..

Agreed it is making me want one too! Though I already have too many projects. Once he gets to 17 he could get a big bore kit for it…

Or do what I did at 15 – buy a knackered GT250 Hustler and attack the ports with dads old files and just ride it round the streets! (Don’t do what I did…)

Have you seen the price of KH250’s these days 🥴

My cousin did the same as you ^^ and had fitted all manner of complicated exhausts and air intakes and jets etc.

It was ace, for about 30miles before it conked out 🤣🤙

buy a knackered GT250 Hustler and attack the ports

Excelent timbog,I just had a two stroke flashback.Mine used to give the RD crew a good run for their money,happy days 🙂

OP,how about going retro Fizzy

Vespa?

I remember the Solex races they used to hold around the car park when I was at Uni in France; some were bog standard and others tuned to the point of self-destruction. It was amazingly good fun to watch.

I had a Garelli KL50 which was never road legal and used around local farm tracks. My dad was working away at the time and would come home at the weekends with another new bit which we’d fit together.

Haggis – Have you seen the price of FSIEs these days!

x 10 our budget..

Wagger – would rather more bike than scooter (personal preference).

Suzuki Van Van 125 or 200.
Honda Monkey
Honda Super cub

😀

I quite fancy an electric moped for popping into town / when I occasionally go into the office – It Would save taking the diesel campervan…

It seems if I do a CBT course you automatically get a full moped licence. Is this suitable for riding on the continent with?

Shame it has to be a 50cc, because the Honda Grom 125 is awesome.
There’s a million and one aftermarket components available for them.
The engines are bulit proof and easy to work on and they hold their value (modified or not).

Fast forward a few years from the 80’s to get away from the collectible nostalgia of the now middle aged’s youth.

Derbi were the sizzle in the early 2000’s. Senda was the ‘MX’ bike and GPR was the sports bike. Just as quick as the aprila competition, but a whole lot less £££ as there was no reflected glory from a 250 GP bike.

Any 50cc 2T will have been thrashed. At least something from 15 years ago has only had 13 years of neglect after its first unsympathetic owner, anything else mentioned has 30+ years of abuse and rust!

Or left of field if you’re mechanically minded, find an old bantam hardtail frame, and find a suitable engine to build a custom?

This seems like a bit of a bargain…

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Derbi-GPR50-Limited-Edition-Yuichi-Yui-Replica-Spares-or-Repair/233162011739?hash=item364989f45b:g:qGQAAOSwXCVchNbX

Worth searching ebay for ‘Aprilia 50’, ‘Gilera 50’ or ‘Derbi 50′ to get proper 50cc motorbikes, rather than those there shopping machines*

*’Rockers and mods, the new generation’, said in husky film trailer voice

That said, though I have a full motorbike license, currently the only motorbike I own is a Di Blasi:

I may have a new and unused derestricted gianelli expansion chamber for a Yamaha DT50 hanging around in the shed somewhere…