Starting in June, my wife and I will be living just outside of Tokyo, Japan for 3 years. I have been a gearhead all my life, and while living in a tight spaced apartment, I don't exactly have the room to build a car. Although I will be picking up a 92+ Mini Cooper S. Anything I buy and mod there will be making the trip back to the west coast with me. No way am I wrenching on something for 3 years and leave it there.

While there I will be slinging used japanese parts on ebay for hondas, and the like. This is not at all my primary income as I will be serving in the Army there. This will just be a side thing to make some extra spending cash for us. She has been open to me spending my money on toys, if it doesn't interfear with our life. This means that the profits from the parts slinging goes into a fun fund. Ever since I first saw the Yamaha YSF80's and the likes, I have wanted a mini street bike.

Option 1:
Honda had a race only NSR50R in '04 with the MSRP of about $3500. This bike would be a prebuilt and off the shelf. But because of the 2-stroke it's not legal in ca (from what I read) Aftermarket I am sure is lacking on the bike, and it uses some parts bin items that just look cheap.
Pro: decent price for what you get, bang out of the box with all the fixins.
con: 2-stroke fun and not legal for use on the streets.

Option 2:
Buy an older YSF50R, or NSR50R (4-stroke) build it from stock.
Pro: can be had for under $500 used
Con: parts are becoming more and more rare. hard to find one with a title (needed for reg)

Option 3:
Scratch build a xr50/crf50 baised street bike. Almost like the orange and red one with a breakinspokes street body on an XL cromo frame 12" wheels and rubber, disk breaks, 88 or 110 motor, manual clutch, 5 or 6spd trans, custom forks, extended swingarm, rewound stator, lights, mirrors, gauges, etc.
Pro: xr/crf50 baised
Con: price factor

I do know the xr/crf50 baised will be the the most expencive at first, but in the long run with parts available, I would save more money then I put in.

So, what would you all build/buy, or what ever?

 

Do a monkey bike project. I've seen some crazy pictures of radical minibikes there. They even drag race 'em! I need to take a trip to Japan sometime in my life.

 

you have me way confused with option 2.

I thought YSR80's and NSR50's were 2 stroke, are you talking about sticking a 4 stroke motor in a NSr or YSR frame? how the hell are you planning to pull that off for under 500$ ?

 

I was mistaken with #2, yes, they are 2-strokes, but because of grand father clause, they are street legal in the US IF you can get the title for them.

 

UNDECIDED..... You could build a NSR, with a little engine work on those things and a pipe they scream.... (I have an 04') If you can get it registered that would be the best of both worlds. Mine title states "for off road use only" so no joy. BUT.... I am trading it for 2 well built xr's... so you decide... lol... I love the XR's due to reliability and you don't foul plugs as easily... You can make an XR fly too.... I have wound the stator and hooked up lights on a fiddy and it rocks for night time. While the price to build would be higher to build a fiddy........ IF you can find a decent NSR for 500 that is...... I think that you would like riding the fiddy more. Since I got my XR, my NSR hasn't even been ridden.

 

I am starting to lean to the XR50 base because of the frame being more stout for stunting, and the much larger aftermarket base. What is holding me back is the licensing of the bike. If I was going to do a '04 NSR I would buy a frame from an older streetlegal model, and swap the frames out.

The XR50 is going to take much more money then any of the YSR/NSR bikes to build, but I would be doing things right from the get go. Cromo frame +1", alum swingarm +2", 88cc or larger, Breakinspokes body, molded in head light 50/80watt, LED turns and brake, front and rear hydro disks, with a hydro rear master, 4.5.6 speed trans (still sourcing) manual clutch, sport bike clamp ons, levers, and controlls, speedo and tach, 12" wheels... and the list goes on.

What got the wheels really turning on this project was the fact that I will have about a 3mi commute in japan, and with my wife driving the car, a bike is perfect. Added to that, with the prices of gas in Japan I wouldn't want to fork out too much for gas. An 88cc bike in any level of tune is going to get better gas milage then a 1275cc car. The 4-stroke is looking might nice for the ability to pull up to a pump and get gas. No need for premix, and none of the other problems assoisated with the 2-strokes. Still, nothing but respect for them. I don't miss my rotary engine for the same reasons. Eats oil, gas, and takes my free time to keep it runing. And then I ran across this pic, and that really started the "man I have always wanted a mini sportbike" feelings again.

 

:YEAH ^^^^That Little **** Looks Mean..^^^^ :YEAH

 

That thing is gorgeous! I would love to build something like that. Something would have to be done for the seat to be able to ride it everyday even if it would only be 3 miles. Talk about torture!

Fantastic bike and what an inspiration!

 

i think u can only get this one in japan and its already got a 12 bar on it

 

bill, i wouldn't exactly call that a 12 bar lol, its rounded on the sides and SOOOO not wide enough......u would just fall over

 

Ack... I want a mini sport bike, not an old school trail cruiser. My mom had a trail 90 when I was a kid. Maybe I just don't like the look of monkey bikes.

That pic is great insperation, and I think that is the route I am going to be going with. the 4-strokes are much more reliable then the older 2-strokes, and with the aftermarket booming on the xr50, I can do what I please with the bike. The YSR/NSR's have past their time, and getting parts is just going to end up being too much. This bike will be scratch built, and have a VIN assigned to it upon inspection. The seat must be delt with, a slight foam should be good. I ride MTB's so I am used to the .05mm of leather being called a "cushon" Lights would be the other issue, but that is all cake.

Keep your comments flowing though, I would like to hear all opnions.

If you know the owner of the bike above, please PM me so I can pass on my email, I ahve a few questions I would like to ask about it.

 

I have both, a YSR and (2) 50's.

My YSR has sat since the day I bought my 50s.

There's just something nice about hopping on a bike, kick starting and going. No worries about mixing gas, fouling plugs etc.

So now I have a $1,500 YSR with a $2,000 paint job that has 3" of dust on it.

 

technically its a cargo carrier but the bike i read on planetmins by b reynolds is an eddie lawson special, its mackatosis if you go to japan holla at me

nice ysr btw its a shame u dont ride it much

 

That is a stock Honda Monkey. Honda also has a Gorilla, and a Ape. The Ape looks like something I would want more.


What did catch my fancy was the Magna 50




But these also just negate the point of having the mini sport bike, which is what I want to build. Maybe I will get the Ape 100 for commuter duty.

 

I ahve seen some Apes that were HIGHLY tricked out......its an xr100 motor, frame, and swingarm on the 100 model, and on the 50 model, its the same except for the motor

 

doesn't yamaha make a 50cc bike that looks like a bmx bike?

 

can u get these in the u s

 

Depends, how much do you want to pay me to export one to ya?

They are not available to the US market, but I am sure you can get one licensed as a moped, or with the M2 licence. They are street legal in Japan...

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Did any of you guys notice that this was an XR/CRF50 before it was converted? Check out the frame....
Shizzel for sure. :YEAH