FOAK: C50's

Hi folks,

does anyone know of any C50's being sold (preferably somewhere within a
reasonable distance of Chichester i.e. not in Aberdeen)? There are a few
on Ebay at the moment but they look decidedly dodgy and/or over-priced to
my uneducated eye.

Also: TOG what sort of price would an early to mid 80's one go for at the
moment in good condition?

Just trying to find one for a friends daughter who's just turned 16 and
wants to get on her own bike rather than being a pillion

 

Quite a bit. They're in demand for restoaration and because people like
them for a laugh. £400 is about right.

A C50 is illegal, then, as it was technically a motorcycle, not a moped.
When the restricted 'ped laws came in they made a sixteener-legal C50
called the C50LAC, and this is the only one that will do. Early 1980s
model, ran for a few years, but nobody bought it.

 

Indeed. And although we knew that, my dad, who rode one for years, did
not, so each of my two elderr brothers and myself were allowed
occasional use thereof during our 17th years.

Not a bad way to learn, TBH.

 

I love C50s: they're the ultimate DGAF bikes.

 

When they restricted mopeds to a design speed of about 35mph, they also
dropped the requirement for them to have pedals as a means of
propulsion.

So:

Pre (I think, without Googling) 1 August 1979, 'mopds could be as
powerful as you could make 'em but had to have pedals. If it was a 50cc
and didn't have pedals, then it was a motorcycle.

Post then, they were restricted to 35mph, but didn't have to have
pedals.

 

Midlife crises, I think. The white socks are a giveaway.

 

August 1st 1978 actually. Hence the huge rush for unrestricted R regd
FS1Es as sold by Coburn and Hughes around our way.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, steve auvache

Here's a funny thing. When I wandered in to pick the GTR up from its
service and MOT this morning, the bike on the MOT stand was a Honda
Melody of a certain vintage. Owned by a young lady who'd bought it for
3/5ths of ****-all on Ebay, and was getting it tested[1]. I looked at it
and smiled that "Awwwww..." smile.

A bloke sitting around laughed and said "*Everyone* who looks at that
thing smiles". And he was right. We were all (I suspect) remembering the
thrill of cheap and cheerful wheels that could get us places (albeit not
terribly far away ones).

Do not; do *not* knock it.

[1] It passed. She's mobile for < 200 quid.

 

I stand corrected. And they pre-registered enough to last for another
year.

 

My Fizzy was SPF706R and ISTR getting up to an indicated 55mph on the
long downhill run the A31 from Four Marks to Chawton.[1]

[1] I now expect several ex-AP50 owners to post that theirs was faster.
And red.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

My FS1E was GGS145N and it once indicated 50MPH, but I think it was a
liar.

 

My Puch Grand Prix was MGJ 923P and I often stated it did a genuine
65mph, but I was a liar.

 

Thanks for the info TOG; I always thought the choice at 16 was a moped OR
a 50cc anything, not that it HAD to be a moped. I'm still quite new to
bikes myself having only got my CBT and license last year so I'm not an
expert by any means.

The reason for asking about the early to mid 80's ones is because she saw
a blue B plate C50 and fell in love with it, I can't remember if it had
pedals or not.

That may make the decision for her: get a cheap twist n' go for now (to
chuck down the road a few times if necessary (preferably not) and then
look at one of those classics once she turns 17 and fulfills the license
requirements. Maybe a C70 or C90 which seem to be more plentiful as well
as being a bit more powerful, to my mind a C90 as they all had 12v rather
than 6v electrics (correct?).

 

No C50 ever had pedals.

C70s are ridicuiously expensive, because the engines are in demand among
the Monkey Bike brethren - the top ends are interchangeable with those
on the 50s, whereas the 90 top ends aren't.

All C90s had 6v electrics until they bunged an electric starter on them,
whenever that was.

But it's stilly buying either once she's 17 because you can't pass your
bike test on one - you need a bike of over 120cc for that.

So when she's 17, buy her a Honda CG125.

<Makes Sign of Holy Pushrods>