buying a moped for my sister

[ART-ADS]

Sister is turning 16 in about a years time and since i got my first road bike when i was 16 she's been after one.

shes keen but would like a motorcycle styled one rather than a step through for obvious reasons, people dont know what they're looking at and anything with a 'regular' motorcycle silhouette will deceive 99% of people.

i had a DNA 50 that she liked but it ran like shit unless was on a flat road on a warm sunny day, so i sold that instead.

been looking at various bikes like the mash 50cc, lexmoto hunter 50cc but both of them are 4 stroke and Chinese and i dont want her first experience to be on the side of the road in the rain after her electrics have failed

not looking to spend a lot, found a lexmoto 50cc for 650 but i dont like the looks of the engine and carb setup, kinda like a cub knockoff and not sure whether it'll have the go for the hills around where i live.

was thinking 2 stroke but aprilias are expensive and half the owners have problems with them

maybe an old jap bike? i had one, RZ50 1998 turned into a money pit (started a dislike for taking bikes to be fixed at garages)

basically i want a good first experience for her so she keeps riding, again her wanting a bike is coming from her and not me or my dad so theres a good chance she'll ride it daily.

any advice, ideas would be great. avoid scooters please
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98' RZ50, 92' H100S2, 03' VT125, 59' Jubilee 250, 05' varadero chop,

[P.]

RS50 OR GPR50, No questions. Probably the GPR.

[Beehive Bedlam]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcT6Si30O-xnbbeoV0ocnC5jiSAdTqCP24QPm2uXPf-JO0YfskSt

[linuxyeti]

Any of the Mash 50 models (Daughter has the Roadstar 50)
Lexmoto Hunter 50
Zontes Tiger 50

Reasonable places to start
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Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them

[Riejufixing]

[stevo as b4]

TBH if you or her are planning to stick to 28mph then you
Might as well buy one of those shitty 2.5bhp four stroke nearly new Chinq bikes and be problem free most likely.

I don't think 30mph is safe anywhere other than in gridlocked cities where the average traffic speed is more like 15-20mph tops. The first urban 40mph dual track or bypass she rides on well it's sitting duck time, and when not if she gets forced off the road or someone tries to squeeze past a gap that's not there, or she just gets intimidated by a truck 2' behind being a total wanker.

If the 50cc bike (I'd always suggest a scooter if they were acceptable) is only going to need to last a year (who keeps a 50cc for longer if they are interested in bikes?) well why not make it a de-restricted or even tuned and big bore kitted Aprilia sports moped etc?

The engine will only have to last a few thousand miles, and not only will there be safe 55mph performance and 8bhp+ but the rest of the machine is well up to it with big disc brakes and better suspension, wider tyres etc. A fresh engine re-build for piece of mind is a good policy too. Might be worth teaching her the two fingers on the clutch at all times routine too just in case.

Oh and if your bothered about breaking the law, then just tell her to ride it at no more than 30mph and she'll never get pulled over by the police anyway.

I realise all the above is crap advice, but I don't think any restricted 50cc is a sensible proposition anyway, not in the UK at least. It'd be fine on a small Greek island though.

[Riejufixing]

[ART-ADS]

thanks for the advice, I had a 2 stroke gilera dna that flat out with a good amount of road will keep up with cars on a 50mph, i also had a wasp 50 chink scooter that easily did over 40 closer to 45, I'm not too concerned with the plod pulling her over at whatever speeds, I never had an issue even with police behind me, beside me and having a chat at a stoplight. i know it takes one time but for me its more likely she'll get into an issue doing 30 in a 40 than the police pulling her over. may sound sexist but a girl doing more than 27 rather than a tracksuited lad with a 80cc kit on his stolen bike, I'm not too worried.

i'll have a look at the options advised above, she likes the look of the Yamasaki ym50 (the name is cringe as hell), found a new one from the official UK importer for 1100, and a derestricted ECU/ CDI i cant remember for around 50 quid extra. probably the best option iv seen so far.

main thing I'm looking for besides the obvious is her feeling 'cool' on it or whatever, very important for a teenage girl when pulling into the school car park to not be embarrassed. so the Aprilia and mash listed above fits that bill nicely thanks for the suggestions
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98' RZ50, 92' H100S2, 03' VT125, 59' Jubilee 250, 05' varadero chop,

[Wonko The Sane]

[Evil Hans]

[suburban myth]

Can't argue with her waiting something motorcycle shaped rather than a step-thru, but I'd be putting her on a step for the first year, earn some road sense and NCB, go geared 125 at 17.

I paid (albeit a few years ago) 100 quid for a Chinese takeaway carton, fettled the carb a little, ran it for 3 years, sold it for more than I bought it for. I even put air in the tyres once. Had i slung it down the road, it been pinched etc 0 Fuxx given.

[P.]

If you'd prefer bike shapes and the ability to do sensible speeds then RS50/GPR50. Nothing else to look at.

[Riejufixing]

[P.]

Don't crash, job done?

[Ste]

Roughly what's her budget?

[woo]

Personally i think she should wait till shes 17, 50cc are terrible unless shes happy to be a on a either a vespa 50cc or piaggio zip 50cc,

when shes 17 she should get a honda grom as they are easy to ride and handle (my personal bias is at play here as its a great bike to start and learn on)
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[ART-ADS]

not a massive budget less than 1500 absolute max
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98' RZ50, 92' H100S2, 03' VT125, 59' Jubilee 250, 05' varadero chop,

[linuxyeti]

[stevo as b4]

Mate don't waste your breath. There are some on here that think even if cities were limited to 15mph that a 50cc of 2bhp or even 9bhp would be dangerous and lethal and deadly. They also suggest that you probably want at least 100bhp to safely pull away from junctions, filter through traffic or maintain a decent and safe level of progress on motorways.

50cc is a thing and works for some people in some situations and some traffic environments. No UK limited 30mph peds are not safe for out of town use, and yes faster ones are illegal and are like riding without insurance, licence or type approval.

Remember some people think 125's are desperately unsafe and they honestly think in 30mph they lack the power to keep up with cars or get past a vehicle going slower.

And some people will say wait until 17, like it solves all problems of transport and that the guy/girl is taking up riding bikes as a die hard biker who'll be S1000RR riding to work as soon as they can afford to. Bikes don't exist for any other reason than that, and there's no reason to own one unless your on the road to 200bhp.

I don't have Borg style statistics, but I bet 50% and more of 16-18yr olds buy 50cc and 125cc machines for cheap A-B and getting to work/college or university. I bet as soon as they are earning decent money they'd walk straight past a BMW S1000RR to get to a new Golf GTI.

[stinkwheel]

I'd get her this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Honda-C50-Little-Cub/273501724307?hash=item3fadf91e93:g:QaEAAOSwJuZbvZmt:rk:11:pf:0

Proper footpegs, proper brake positions, large wheels, gearbox. However automatic clutch.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[M.C]