6 50cc Motorcycles That Are Great For Beginners

Motorcycles can be a lot of fun, but they can also be pretty intimidating for new riders. There's a lot to learn the first time you get in the saddle, and you probably don't want your first bike to be a giant, 1,000cc monster. Every motorcycle lot I've ever visited has a story about a first-time rider spending thousands of dollars on their dream bike only to drop it just a few miles outside the lot.

This is why one of the first things that I always recommend to new riders is that they start with something small and inexpensive. For some people, that might mean something in the 250cc to 400cc range. These aren't overly powerful, but you can safely ride them on just about any road without worrying about keeping up with the speed of traffic. That said, there are also a lot of even smaller, 50cc bikes out there that, while not ideal for taking on the highway, are great for new riders who want to learn how to accelerate, shift, and turn while riding around town and low-speed back roads before getting something bigger.

But how do you decide which one to get? I've been riding motorcycles for over fifteen years, and I've found that one of the best methods is to check out the models that are available from the biggest brands, take a look at their specs, and see what professional reviewers have had to say about them.

When choosing a bike to learn on, one of the first things that you'll want to consider is the bike's safety and reliability. Consumer Reports did a study back in 2015 where they surveyed more than 11,000 subscribers, and they found that Yamaha is the most reliable motorcycle brand on the market.

The company has made a few 50cc bikes over the years, but few have been more approachable for street riders than the Yamaha TZR 50. This bike is designed to replicate the sporty form and riding style of those in Yamaha's popular R-series while drawing power from a 50cc 2-stroke liquid-cooled engine that puts out up to 2.7 horsepower at 6,250 RPM and up to 2.2 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 RPM. It has a manual 6-speed gearbox, which will give new riders ample opportunity to practice shifting. Just because the engine is small doesn't mean that Yamaha cut corners on the rest of the design, either. It has 17-inch golden alloy wheels, supersport telescopic forks, a rear suspension, single-disc brakes, a single-headlight array, and flip-out pegs.

"When it comes to handling, there are few machines sharper than a sports 50 -– but then [there are] few so uncompromising, cramped or uncomfortable either," said MCN in its review. "But if all you wanna do is cause mayhem around mini roundabouts and town centers, [there are] few better than the Yamaha TZR50." All of this adds up to the perfect starting ride for someone who wants to get into street bikes.

Those who are looking for a different 50cc street motorcycle might be interested in the Rieju RS3 50. Rieju is a Spanish motorcycle manufacturer that has been around since the 1930s. The company made its name in Enduro circles and is primarily known for its dirt bikes, but the RS3 50 sport and its naked street bike sibling, the RS3 NKD 50, are more suited to urban riding.

The Rieju RS3 50 is another sport bike with a 49.6cc single-cylinder, 2-stroke, liquid-cooled engine and a 6-speed gearbox. It can push 8 horsepower, has a 35mm Showa upside-down telescopic fork, an adjustable monoshock rear suspension, and single disc brakes.

"With the full 8.2bhp to play with (legally they must be restricted to 2bhp and 30mph for 16-year-olds) I managed to see an almost supersonic 67mph on the dash," wrote MCN in their review. This boost in power is unusual for a 50cc, which might make it appealing for some new riders who want room for growth, though it's worth pointing out that MCN also stated that pulling away and maintaining higher speeds on the bike can be challenging. This might make it a bit trickier to learn on than the Yamaha for newer riders. It's also a bit on the expensive side, which makes it less disposable for those who are looking for something they won't be afraid to drop. It's still a solid option if you can find a reasonably priced one on the used market, however.

Another of the more street-focused options that you might consider is the Aprilia RS 50. Aprilia is an Italian manufacturer that's well known on the racing circuits. You probably won't be setting lap records on the 50cc Aprilia RS 50 anytime soon, but it does have a lot of this same engineering baked into its design, making it an attractive option for new riders who are looking for something small that still has a bit of performance.

This is another bike that has a 49cc two-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that is able to reach up to 8 horsepower and 4.7 lb-ft of torque–giving it the impressive ability to hit up to 60 MPH in spite of its small engine. It also has 40mm upside-down forks and a hydraulic monoshock rear suspension.

"The RS4 50 allows young enthusiasts to take advantage of the maximum levels of technological innovation, chassis efficiency, active safety and component quality," wrote Total Motorcycle. "They belong – not only from a styling point of view – to the same range of extremely high-performance Italian motorcycles in which the Aprilia RSV4 stands out." This is another option that will be a bit more rare and hard to come by than the Yamaha, but it's uniquely race-oriented design makes it an attractive option for those who want to learn how to ride a performance motorcycle safely before hitting the tracks.

Those who are looking for something a little less sporty but who still want something street-oriented might consider picking up something like the Bluroc Heritage 50. This distinctive retro-inspired mini-bike has a similar design to the Honda Monkey. It has a low, compact frame with small, fat tires and a rounded headlight that all attribute to its aesthetic which blends classic and modern elements.

The bike is powered by a 50cc single-cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine that has ECU-controlled fuel injection, ignition, and a 4-speed manual transmission. This gives it up to 4.3 horsepower. Its chassis is held up by a telescopic front fork and a double oil spring shock rear suspension. The bike has a single disc brake in the front and a drum brake in the back.

"The BLUROC Heritage 50 is a motorcycle that combines vintage charm with modern technology, making it an attractive option for those looking for a compact, versatile, and fun-to-ride vehicle," said Motorcycle Sports in their review. "With its practical design and updated features, it's the ideal choice for those who value urban mobility with style." This bike is physically smaller than many of the other motorcycles listed so far, making it a good choice for new riders who might be intimidated by larger vehicles.

A lot of beginner riders might not be too eager to bring a bike out into traffic. Those who are looking to learn on backroads and trails might want to consider a dirt bike such as the Aprilia SX 50. This is the RS 50's off-road cousin, being built with the same care and precision but being designed to emphasize traction and shock absorption over speed.

This is a kick-start bike with a 49.9cc single-cylinder, 2-stroke, liquid-cooled Derbi Euro 2 engine and a 6-speed transmission. This gives the bike up to 8 horsepower, 4.7 lb-ft of torque, and a top speed of 60 MPH. The bike isn't fuel injected, but rather uses a Dell'Orto 14mm carburetor. It has USD forks in the front and a single shock rear suspension.

According to MCN, the SX 50's chassis is very sturdy and has the support to handle more punishment than the engine is capable of putting out. "No amount of throttle or clutch slip will ever get the Aprilia off the line quickly, from then on up, however, it's a gas," they state. "Gather a bit of momentum and things get much better. Despite the single figure power output, the light, well-spaced gearbox helps keep the tacho needle firmly in the top half of the rev counter."

There aren't a lot of 50cc dirt bikes out there for adult-sized riders, but the Aprilia SX 50 provides a full-sized frame with an unintimidating engine that's perfect for new riders to get their bearings.

Younger riders who are looking to get their first motorcycle might need a bike that's a bit smaller. Honda is frequently counted as the best major dirt bike brand on the market and right now, there's exactly one 50cc motorcycle that the company has in production (if you don't count the Ruckus): the Honda CRF50F.

This little dirt bike is powered by a 50cc air-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke engine with a 39.0mm bore, a 41.4mm stroke, and a 10.0:1 compression ratio. It has a three speed transmission with an automatic clutch, taking the work out of shifting. The chassis is supported by a 22mm inverted front fork and the rear suspension is held up by a single-shock. Popular Mechanics called it "the quintessential starter dirt bike." "This is a serious little machine, but it's also forgiving," they said. "The clutch engages gradually and the drum brakes aren't too grabby. The seat height is only 21.6 inches and the bike is light enough that when kids have the inevitable drop, they can pick it back up."

Bikes like these are great for teaching young riders the basics of handling a motorcycle. They're small enough and easy enough to control that kids can learn safely. If the CRF50F doesn't strike your fancy, the Yamaha PW50 or the KTM 50 SX are both solid alternatives, however.

I've been riding and maintaining motorcycles for my entire adult life, and I've been professionally writing about them for several years. This has given me a baseline knowledge of how they work and what is available. In constructing this list, I started by taking a look at some of the most popular 50cc models that one might be able to find on the current used and new markets.

I tried to find as many options from premium brands that were available–prioritizing bikes that offered features that would be attractive to new riders and offering a range of both street and off-road options. That said, 50cc engines are more commonly used in scooters and mopeds, so there aren't an abundance of newer motorcycles that use them. This means that many of the bikes are either older or come from smaller manufacturers.

Once I had a few of the better options on my list, I took a look at their specifications and read what professional reviewers had to say about them–ensuring that the bikes performed in a manner that would be relatively easy for a beginner rider to learn on.