Five small-wheeled bikes for big-sized riders
As Honda’s Grom and Kawasaki’s Z125 Pro roll into Aussie showrooms, we look back at five road-going minibikes that paved the way1. Honda Z50M
It was 1967 when Honda began exporting the first in what would be a long line of registrable Z-series minibikes. The Z50M was powered by a 49cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine capable of 2.5hp and 3Nm of torque and matched to a three-speed transmission with a centrifugal clutch. It featured fold-down handlebars for easy transportation, rolled on tiny five-inch wheels and tipped the scales at a meagre 50kg.
2. Kawasaki MT1
Four years after Honda’s rather successful Z50 hit the international market, Kawasaki unveiled the MT1 in 1971. Bigger, faster and weighing not much more than the Honda, Kawasaki’s offering was powered by a 73cc two-stroke engine capable of 4.2hp and nearly 6Nm of torque. It ran a three-speed gearbox and a centrifugal clutch, rolled on eight-inch wheels and tipped the scales at just 55kg. In 1976, Kawasaki changed its name to the KV75 and continued production through to 1981.
3. Harley-Davidson X-90
Between 1973 and 1975, Harley-Davidson produced nearly 17,000 examples of its X-90 mini bike. It was powered by an air-cooled 90cc two-stroke single mounted in a tubular steel backbone frame, and said to be capable of speeds up to 100km/h. It employed a four-speed gearbox, suspension was by way of a telescopic Marzocchi front end, and it ran 10-inch wheels and drum brakes.
4. Yamaha QB50 Vogel
In 1980 Yamaha unveiled a utilitarian-looking road registrable mini bike called the QB50 Vogel. Translating to Bird from German, the Vogel was defined by its oversized seat and large khaki tank. Powered by an air-cooled 49cc four-stroke single, the Vogel ran eight-inch knobby tyres and boasted a front and rear carrying rack. Weighing 57kg, the QB50 was capable of 3hp at 5500rpm, 4.1Nm of torque at 4000rpm and carried at price tag of ¥119,000 ($1468) when it broke cover some 36 years ago.
5. Suzuki RB50 GAG
While Suzuki dabbled in economical small-wheeled leisure bikes, it was the RB50 GAG which stole both headlines and hearts when it was released in 1986. A miniature replica of its GSX-R750, it employed all the trimmings of the era’s class-leading sportsbike: a disc-brake front end, a steel twin-spar frame, box swingarm and Showa suspension. However, many felt the air-cooled 49cc four-stroke engine was the wrong choice of power plant for such a fast-looking machine. It ran 10-inch wheels, had a four-speed gearbox, a seat height of 610mm and tipped the scales at 64kg. The replica livery was one of four options, with an aircraft bomber style, red and even pink colour schemes offered.
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