SS50 history
Nige
particularly want to know which colours were available in
which year, when the 5-speed box was introduced, and which had
a disk brake.
Cheers
Nige
[1] Don't ask.
Molly Fletcher
Chateau...@btinternet.com (The Older Gentleman) writes:
> Original model was four-speed, in (IIRC) green or red.
I know someone with a 4-speed version in blue and I'm fairly sure it's
original paint.
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Nige
>
> Original model was four-speed, in (IIRC) green or red. Top speed was
> about 40mph, and it was slightly restricted by a ridge in the carb body
> which preven0ted the slide rising fully.
>
> Disc braked model introduced in 1976. This was also the model with the
> 5-speed box. These ones were yellow, and (I think) green. They were
> slightly pokier - say 45+ flat out. Second gear also used to blow
> because Honda shaved the size of the cogs to get five speeds into the
> cases.
>
> Basically, if it has a five-speed box, it should have a cable front disc
> brake.
Ah - but mine was an orange five-speed with a drum brake. P-reg ('77?).
Explain that.
>
> Blimey, I'm earning this BOF number, eh?
Nige
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h...@h.com
I have still got my haynes manual (they only did the four speed one with a picture of a blue one on
the front) from the days when I bought my brand new SS50 (Green (bright) high handle bars), blimey
I can even remember the registration RGN 821R) got 48 MPH laying on the tank with me feet up, bought
it for £219 from Ryes in Fulham remember them?
Paul
Bastard Bear
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Andy Hanson
(Molly Fletcher) reckoned that:
>In article <1dwr6m0.1qm...@host62-6-0-187.btinternet.com>,
> Chateau...@btinternet.com (The Older Gentleman) writes:
>
>> Original model was four-speed, in (IIRC) green or red.
>
>I know someone with a 4-speed version in blue and I'm fairly sure it's
>original paint.
Yep, I had a 4-speed in blue too. Like Paul, I can still remember the
reg -- SDM 595M. Ahhh, them were the days.
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ZX-9R C1
__________________________
andrew.hanson<a>altavista.net
Neal Champion
>Can anyone provide me with a brief history of the SS50?[1] I
>particularly want to know which colours were available in
>which year, when the 5-speed box was introduced, and which had
>a disk brake.
My N reg one (75/76?) was gold, had a 4 speed box and a drum brake.
Champ
--
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John Hough
neal.c...@bigfoot.com wrote:
> Nige <ni...@zwg.zicl.co.uk> did tap out :
>
> >Can anyone provide me with a brief history of the SS50?[1] I
> >particularly want to know which colours were available in
> >which year, when the 5-speed box was introduced, and which had
> >a disk brake.
>
I upgraded to one of these bikes in 1974, it was metalic monkey piss
yellow (going on gold) in colour. There was also a blue one available
at the same time also with 4speed box and drum brakes.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
Neal Champion
>I upgraded to one of these bikes in 1974, it was metalic monkey piss
>yellow (going on gold) in colour. There was also a blue one available
>at the same time also with 4speed box and drum brakes.
Upgraded to? WTF did you have before? Mine dew, I guess I upgraded
to mine[1] - from a push bike.
[1] which I prefer to describe as 'gold', not 'monkey piss yellow')
Windy
neal.c...@bigfoot.com (Neal Champion) wrote:
>
>Upgraded to? WTF did you have before? Mine dew, I guess I upgraded
>to mine[1] - from a push bike.
>
>[1] which I prefer to describe as 'gold', not 'monkey piss yellow')
The same way as you prefer to describe your hair
as "silver" and not "old man grey"?
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Bastard Bear
Windy wrote:
>
> On Fri, 20 Aug 1999 08:15:57 GMT,
> neal.c...@bigfoot.com (Neal Champion) wrote:
>
> >
> >Upgraded to? WTF did you have before? Mine dew, I guess I upgraded
> >to mine[1] - from a push bike.
> >
> >[1] which I prefer to describe as 'gold', not 'monkey piss yellow')
>
> The same way as you prefer to describe your hair
> as "silver" and not "old man grey"?
ITYM "Victor Kiam's Love Child"
HTH
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jfriskney0
(I was 16). It was metallic royal blue with upswept exhaust. Gear speeds as
lines on the speedo were 12, 24, 30, 44 and 56mph. I have some photos i
could scan in and attach sometime. Top speed was variable, but on a flat
road with no headwind it could top 50. Going downhill once I got 63!
Headwinds and gradients used to flatten it. Even ridden with the throttle
wide open most of the time I was getting 140 - 150 mpg! My model was 6hp at
10,200 rpm. It had drum brakes front & rear. Later I believe they were
fitted with pedals to comply with moped legislation. I do not know whether
the speed was restricted to 30mph too. It was always second best in
performance to the Yamaha FS1E and certainly the Garelli 50 which had a top
speed of 60. But I loved my SS50 - so quiet and economical. I did 8000 miles
first year. Longest run in a day 140 miles. Cost new was £144 otr.
OAK 815H where are you? A pile of rust by now I daresay after nearly 30
years but when I sold it it was immaculate. What I wouldn't give to have
that back restored.
Doc Gonz0
<joh...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>Windy wrote:
>>
>> On Fri, 20 Aug 1999 08:15:57 GMT,
>> neal.c...@bigfoot.com (Neal Champion) wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >Upgraded to? WTF did you have before? Mine dew, I guess I upgraded
>> >to mine[1] - from a push bike.
>> >
>> >[1] which I prefer to describe as 'gold', not 'monkey piss yellow')
>>
>> The same way as you prefer to describe your hair
>> as "silver" and not "old man grey"?
>
>ITYM "Victor Kiam's Love Child"
>
>HTH
I was thinking more 'bastard offspring of Barry Manilow and Lily
Savage', myself...
--
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John Hough
My 1974 model was not as fast as your 1970 model, it would only do
about 40mph top wack granted it was a bit faster than the PC50 (now
that WAS a machine) that I had upgraded from. Yes it did have pedals
(never could figure out the reason for this)
Sandro Serafini
Cosmopoliton Motorcycles London,the day had arrived to pick up my Brand new
Red SS50 (XYF 208N),thought it was the dogs watzits until a week later I got
a job as a partsman at Brockliss Motorcyles Crofton Park London(now
closed,remember them??),and guesss what they sold,Yamaha's!!,I was the butt
of jokes from all the guys there,as we all know now the "Fizzie" was the ped
to have back then(AP50 close second),if you could find one a Garelli
Tigercross was the fastest but was always breaking down,anyway back to the
SS50,I found out from the mechanic there how to derestrict it (he he),so out
came the hacksaw and cut the throttle slide down to the ridge,rode it for a
couple of weeks and got use to the extra power!!!,so I thought it would be a
good idea to cut more off the slide,needless to say the bike never went
right again,owned it until I was 17(got a Suzuki TS125 but thats ANOTHER
story??)fell off it a couple of times when the pedals dug in the road,once
in Rotherhithe Tunnel!!,but other than that I really enjoyed it except when
your mates come past you on there Fizzies giving you the wanker sign as
you're laying on the tank twisting the throttle so much it spun on the
bars,Well it cost me £210 at £7 month,and I sold it to Deeprose Motorcycles
Catford for £150,and bought some real power (See above)
Owner and Builder of
"Evo 2" featured in PB mag August 99
Mark Godfrey
>
> I bought my SS50 5 speed in February 1970 from Northern Scooters in Bradford
> (I was 16). It was metallic royal blue with upswept exhaust. Gear speeds as
> lines on the speedo were 12, 24, 30, 44 and 56mph. I have some photos i
> could scan in and attach sometime. Top speed was variable, but on a flat
You don't wanna attach binaries here, mate.
People get all irritated, like ;)
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martin linnell
I bought my SS50 in October, '76 from Paul Taylors, Kettering.
The cost was £250, on the road. After wheeling it out of the shop, the bloke
showed me the controls, then buggered off back into the warmth of the shop.
Never having ridden anything other than a pushbike before, and having no
training of any kind, the first few rides were hairy, to say the least! I
remember that I used to go straight through red lights for the first day or
so, because if I stopped, I could'nt drive off again without stalling
it.........
"Tuning" mods consisted of taking out the baffle(Don't ask me why), and
twiddling around with the carb settings.......this resulted in having to
take it back to the shop to get put right.
Top speed was a regular 40mph, although I had an indicated 60mph once with a
gale-force wind directly behind me.............
I don't remember getting blown away by the supposedly faster Casals(they
fell to pieces anyway), or the run of the mill fizzers and
AP50's...................but perhaps I was carrying more corner
speed...................(relax, only joking)
Longest trip was Kettering to Cromer, I suppose about 150 ish miles........
Yes, I would buy it back.........PVV992R
MARTIN
CBR900
Mark Godfrey
>
> Um, I've got loads of gasket sets for SS50s......
I do beleive the 'for SS50s......' was unnecessary here.
darsy
<sandro....@virgin.net> wrote:
>
>Owner and Builder of
>"Evo 2" featured in PB mag August 99
Have you fixed it yet, then?
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jfriskney0
brochure of the Honda Range. It features my SS50 5 speed and also the SS50 4
speed, which did not have the upswept exhaust or separate 'racing' speedo
pod. There was also a 90cc version of the 4 speed called the CD90 which
looked very similar.
My SS50 had chrome tank side panels with rubber pads. Gearchange was 'heel &
toe' which I always preferred as it didn't ruin your shoes or hurt the top
of your foot. Tools and battery were accessed under tiny side panels on the
pressed steel 'T' frame. These were held in place by screwed knobs (no
security). There was only a centre stand. Front & rear mudguards were
chrome. I suspect I still have the handbook for mine but I don't know where
it is - I did keep it. The engine was derivative of the C50 but tuned up (I
think higher compression ratio). This was anyway an OHC engine. As I said it
did suffer up hills and with headwinds. I once had to walk up Park Rash in
the Yorkshire Dales with the thing ticking over in 1st as it wouldn't pull
me up the 1 in 4 grade. Perhaps I just hadn't serviced it as well as I
thought. My mate on his ST50 managed to keep going. I could beat him on the
flat though
The SS50 4 speed lives on in the guise of the Jialing JH50 and JH70 on sale
from Easy Rider UK at around £1000. I run the JH125B model as I am now 45
and heavier than I was at 16
Nige, please feel free to contact me at jfris...@tinyonline.co.uk I can
send copies of the brochure + photos and let you have more info. I would be
interested in your 'history'. I loved that bike!
Molly Fletcher
Chateau...@btinternet.com (The Older Gentleman) writes:
>> OAK 815H where are you? A pile of rust by now I daresay after nearly 30
>> years but when I sold it it was immaculate. What I wouldn't give to have
>> that back restored.
>
> Um, I've got loads of gasket sets for SS50s......
You wouldn't have a set of contact breakers for one would you? A friend of
mine is trying to get his going again but hasn't had any success getting
points for it.
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