Honda NSC50R - My first bike

Some of you may have seen by now my post photo my most recent purchase, a 2016 (although it’s a ‘65 plate) Honda NSC50R, as in, R for ‘Type R’.

Now some of you hater may be saying; “Why have you posted that here? This is CAR Throttle”. But you other, less douchebaggy CTzens may also be saying; “Why a moped? Why not get a car?”.

Well here is the simple answer -
I am 16. Here in the UK, you can apply for what is known as a CBT (or Compulsory Basic Training). This is the, as the name suggests, basic training that is needed before you can get your full motorcycle licence at the age of 17. From 16 years old, you can legally ride a 50cc restricted moped on the roads, depended on your CBT of course.

I am the type of person that likes to be free of my parents, and I enjoy being on my own (however wierd that may sound). This bike has given me the freedom I have been longing for an awefully long time. Any way, moving on…

Under the ‘hood’ is a 49.9cc fuel injected single cylinder cracker of an engine. The motor on this beast can produce about 3HP at most, and propel the NSC to a blistering top speed of… wait for it… 30mph. Nope, you have not read that wrong, 30mph. The bike itself is capable of reaching speeds of about 45mph once derestricted, but that is one heck of a job to do.

The engine itself is fitted with what’s known as a ‘Proprietary Digital Electronic Fuel Injection’ - this is just a post name for Programmed Fuel injection, or PGM-FI for short. This basically means that the engine is fuel injected, like most others nowadays, but controlled by a little baby computer buried beneath the bike somewhere, in a deep, dark, dust corner or Japaneseness. This system then later found its way into the Prelude and the Accord models in the late 1980s.

The Drive

Those of you lucky enough to have a go, will know what a motorcycle feels like. To those of you who haven’t, there is no way to describe the feeling. To me, it just feels like an incredibly fast bicycle, without the hard work of peddling, if you get my jist. But to be honest, you probably could out-drag the NSC with a bicycle, or even by running. The 3ishHP that the engine does get out to good use though. Because of the lack of a gearbox and a short chain to the wheel, 2.7 of those 3HPs are sent from the wheel into the road, with a bore and stroke of 37.8mmX44mm respectively. The 105KG curb weight means the bike has a power to weight ratio of… You guessed it… 29HP/Tonne! (Roughly).

This, frankly, amazing HP/Tn figure can help propel the mighty NSC to its top speed of 30mph in just under 11 seconds. If you think about it, this means the NSC is faster than a Bugatti Getting, that can get to its top speed in a pesky 45 seconds. Aaargh, peasants.

The steering, being directly fed to the front wheel, is naturally very direct and responsive. The steering lock is unbelievable, you can literally turn on a sixpence (That’s Ye Olde English slang for “The bike has a very tight Turing radius” to all you Americans). You can be sitting in heavy traffic, turn all the way in one direction, and make a U-turn in the road, without the need to make a 3-pointer! It’s just maaaaad! This is my literal reaction the first time I did a U-turn: -

Another thing too, Size. Compared to a bicycle, this thing is big. Wide and all. But compared to a normal sized motorcycle, take my Dad’s Kawasaki KLX350. This is a fairly small and nimble bike, but it absolutely dwarfs the NSC like the freaking Moon!!! Don’t even get me started on cars. They are massive compared to the NSC, you could fit the bike in a large estate or SUV if you tried hard enough, then there’s the bloody buses. I pulled up behind a bus in traffic the other day, and the bike fits in the overhang between the front wheel and the front of the vehicle itself. It is dismal.

And finally, Safety. Now most people believe that bikes are dangerous, which without a doubt, they are. But with a top speed of 30MPH, and most of the traffic going 40, you get over taken by nearly everything. I’ve owned the bike for just over a month, and i have already lost count of the times that I’ve nearly been hit or clipped. Most people just honk their horn in rage the overtake with a wide birth, other just don’t care and overtake within touching distance, no joke! I truly believe that 50cc mopeds like mine would be limited to 35-40MPH, because it is much safer. You can keep up with the traffic, and not run out of puff as they pull away with ease.

Now you’ve got to this point, well done. Just so I know you’ve read this far, enter the hash tag “#HondaNSC” into the comments, let’s get it trending!!!

Thanks all for reading, drive/ride safely,
675LT_ftw

P.S. Here is a few images for your viewing pleasure - Enjoy