I love the Roughouse! Electric bikes will never displace these because of their unlimited range and their cool factor. There isn’t a e bike that can touch it in the cool department. And finally the power! It’s got guts to spare! I think these need to be brought back!!
That’s one major positive. I can ride for 95 miles, spend 90 seconds filling it up, then ride for 95 more. No 4-6 hours downtime waiting on a charge to finish
Never say never... and that applies to me too. Maybe someday I'd ride a 50cc scooter interstate and need to add more miles in one day, and it's true I think this is cool and I'd take one right now if I could. On the other hand, we may not have ebikes right now that can replace this (arguably we have had standing scooters for years that can go this fast and have other benefits, depending on how long you're willing to stand up), but an eBike/eMoped or eScooter in the near future might change the game. Right now, their range is mostly short inter-city hops and you wouldn't want to go long range with them... but the Tesla charger plug has just been ratified as standard as the fuel pump nozzles at gas stations for gas cars, so it will be easy to find a place to charge on the go and recharging times are just a couple minutes (remember, scooter batteries won't need as much time as Tesla because the batteries are smaller). There's also an effort to standardize seated eScooter batteries, and to set up a network of swap-stations where a subscriber can trade an empty battery for a charged one, a process that sort of looks like a large vending machine (this already exists in other countries embracing new tech faster than America). In the not so distant future, solid state batteries have been created in lab conditions, and the demand for super fast charging, high capacity, super safe, lightweight batteries is so high that this emerging tech is definitely going to be brought to scale. Their recharging time may equal or surpass gas refueling times, while also providing the other benefits EV proponents already rave about. So long as we don't drive like Prius owners, am I right?
That's true, gas scooters are cool. Except when they quit and you have to push them home because you can't pedal them, then they're kind of embarrassing.
I agree, i dont know why they dont make more 2 strokes now days. I just dont understand how people think 4 stroke is so mucj better. Really id rather have a 2 stroke anyday, all day if i had a choice betweeen 2 and 4 stroke.
Excellent video. I own a 2021 Roughhouse and put 6500 miles on it this past year. The sport will be much better for me cause all we have where im from is hills and mountains, Connecticut/Massachusetts. Ive spent countless hours online researching this scooter and your video was the best i could find, Thanks.
I just got the r50 sport today and I also live in ct, I gotta say it's awesome. I got some pretty big hills by me and it can hold 25 30 mph if the hill is really big. Also the acceleration it's amazing
Is $1k worth it for a used 2021 R50? I saw one on sale and am looking for opinions on those who’ve had one or are more familiar w scooters than I am. It has 430 miles if that’s relevant
@Friddle Fries double check everything but yea thats great, I just spent 2600 before tax for mine brand new. Also long as it's good you'll be fine. Just make sure it's got a title all the plastics and a key
Kev! I had no idea you were a scooter guy. My first experience with an engine on two wheels was on a 1987 Yamaha jog scooter when I was 14. Fast forward 10 years and I have a newer Yamaha Zuma 125. It has to be my favorite mode of transportation to get around town. So much fun! If anyone is contemplating on getting a scooter, I can promise you that you will not be disappointed. I average over 90 miles per gallon on my scoot!
I'm a bit worried about the speeds of other cars (two turns from my street, there's a street running alongside a park with a 25 mph speed limit where people regularly drive 40 mph and sometimes 50mph), and I'm not sure our garage can fit both a scooter and a car, but I only drive up to 5 miles from home most of the time (grocery, friends, family). I think if I could reliably reach 35mph, I wouldn't constantly have trucks trying to tailgate or run me off the road (they did NOT like me trying to ride my road bike!).
I rode a Genuine Rattler in college, it's the Roughhouse, but it had a 123cc 2-stroke engine. Got it up to 66 mph indicated (around 60, which was crazy on those small wheels), could park right up front to get to class, and it was just a really fun little 2-wheeler. Got rid of it once I graduated and realized I was mortal.
Maybe, at age 77 (Imperial, not Metric), I still haven't learned that I'm mortal, because I ride a 2018 Buddy 50, a Kawasaki Ninja 400 and a Honda Grom, but only one at a time...
I demo rode a kymco scooter. Way more fun than regular motorcycle and I've had a cruiser, sport bike and a standard bike. Look forward to learning more about scooter life from your videos.
You convinced me, I ordered one. Should have it by this weekend. Got 2,000 miles on it now, still running great, you said it exactly how it is. I get just under 100gpm, I did upgrade the headlight because I use it as my daily driver, it's a great "Moped", it's on my registration also, and I'm in Michigan. Gonna ride til snow flies, if I can find studded tires I'll ride all winter. Fantastic Scoot for sure!
I own a 16 honda metro. Love it. Bought it used with 500 miles for 1700. Its interesting to compare it to others in its class. I will agree that it does struggle up hills but on flat terrain it will do 40 with no issues or hesitation. It prb helps that im only 5, 7 165 lbs.
How accurate is the speedometer? I had a 2002 Metropolitan. The top speed on the speedometer would sometimes reach 41 mph. If it were off by 5 mph, that would mean it was only going 36 mph. I didn't have a cell phone with GPS speed tracking back then.
You hit on the very reason that I’m here....Maxxing out on Ebike speed, distance, and cost to purchase. I thought, why not buy a scooter..? I’ll be checking out your other videos on this topic-thanks Kev!
Update i think.. Kev, i had the 2016 RHS and it's still nice(6,000 miles/stock/unrestricted) Bough a new one -04/23 is the build date and your video is still relevant to this scooter. I see almost NO change from my 2016 bike compare to 2023 bike and i think that's a good thing. Note: The 23 bike was the new, even thou it's 2024. --
Nice to see you can still get 2 stroke scooters. I had a Yamaha CA50 in 1986. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to take care of it so I never put oil in it except what was in it from the dealer.
I like Scooters more than E-Bikes. Old school put the gas in and motor around. The sound the lean into the curves just a little more like a motor cycle but slower. I too like that I can’t go faster because I’d be tempted to do to much and all I really want is a low speed experience…
What a cool bike! I have a Yamaha Zuma 50FX that is a blast to ride. I like your reasoning about getting a 50cc bike as it's similar to mine. These bikes are quick enough to be a lot of fun but slow enough to keep us on slower roads. I recently picked up a Lectric XP Lite as my first eBike. It's a good compliment to my Zuma as the riding experience is a lot different. I can see eBikes taking the place of 50cc bikes for some cases where folks don't need the range or need to go over 20-28mph.
I have a Genuine buddy with a Malossi Hyper Racing 70cc big bore kit, Athena HPC crank, malossi multivar variator, polini cp21 carb, polini 107mm speed clutch, yasuni C10 pipe, I ported and polished the motor and gulched the case induction, new genuine factory replacement bearings and seals bike does 60mph with me on it at 250lbs love my Genuine Buddy might sell it soon and start over on a new build
Did you do the work all by yourself. How hard was it, I'm pretty handy and work on all my own cars. Just wondering if an above average do-it-yourselfer like me can create a similar build.
If you didn't know the Polini secondary final drive gear up kit would fit the Genuine 2 Strokes. If im not mistaken the final drive is 11.5 to 1 on buddy 50 the polini secondary would bring it down to 9.9 to1 or 9.5 ratio depending what kit you buy
I've a 2018 Buddy 50. Unrestricted, the speedo at top speed (the ONLY way I ride it) on level ground shows 45 mph. We KNOW that speedos are usually "optimistic", but even it it moves at 42-43 realistically, I ALWAYS get a GREAT ride! And YES - as the salesman said "It's bulletproof" - never needed a tow, nor a trip to the mechanic for anything but scheduled maintenance. It's cousin, the Roughhouse, looks cool! However, there's no more room in my patio to share with my Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Honda Grom - also terrific machines.
There’s one with 20,000+miles riding around campus at A&M. Very reliable Usually can clean carb and will work fine . Carb replacement is expensive though. But not Honda ruckus carb expensive.
Thanks Kev for posting.. Looks like a pretty good scoot. 50cc is enough for me - I don't race around much. I am about 6' 3" 175 lbs... So I like the bigger size of the Rhouse. The BIG thing with me is comfort.. In my area, patched pot holes everywhere and rough roads everywhere.. Which would be more comfy the reg. Roughhouse or this Sport version w/ upgrade rear suspension? Also, I have a 2009 Zuma 50 - but w/ about 11000 miles - it is getting old.. It has big bubble tires which really help give a softer ride (these are the original tires).. I let a bit of air out of them and that helps it ride a bit smoother. As for this Roughhouse.. I wonder how much softer the ride is with the adjustable piggy back rear shocks of the Sport vs the reg. version of the RHouse. What about the seat of the Rhouse.. does it have plenty of padding for my ace? I have sat on several different brands of 50cc's and it seems to me that manufactures completely don't care about giving you comfort. Most just give you poor quality shocks, thin low profile tires, and very little extra padding in the seats. I don't mind paying extra for a good soft ride. If you think I am looking at the wrong scooter with Rhouse.. let me know what other Scoots might work better for me.. Thanks so much..
Thanks. IMO, the roughhouse isn’t exactly the smoothest riding scooter over bumps. Coming from a series of Vespa scooters it isn’t in the same league smooth ride wise. Is the Sport shock better than the std. I would say yes, but only because it is slightly tunable with the adjuster.
@@KevCentral Kev .. Thanks for your honest opinion. Just wondering.. Which is more expensive, a Roughhouse or a Vespa?? Just kidding .. I know, the Vespa is more expensive. Seems like the R-house has everything that I like, except for the smooth ride. Comfort is such a big deal to me that I may hafta go with the Vespa. I don't know much.. but I did some limited research and like you said .. I understand that the Roughhouse has bit of a rough ride. Thanks for taking the time to give me some good info.. Best of luck to you and thanks again. One last question.. Do you know, which has a ride better, smoother ride, a Vespa 50 or 125?? Or are they about the same?
@@howlingwolf125y You might want to check out one of the Wolf scooters that are Zuma clones, they are larger with a longer wheelbase and will ride much better, and they can be had in either 50 or 150 variants (4 stroke) Of course, you can always hop up the 50 to make it a stealth ride
@@blazeorangeandcamo Thanks buddy.. I have heard of the Wolfs.. You think the Wolfs ride better/smoother than the Roughouse? Also are the Wolfs reliable?
Here in Indonesia and other SEA countries, we have 4t 110-125cc scooters that do about 50-60 km/L (120-140 mpg) and can run up to 90-100kph (56-62 mph) Just to name a few: • Honda BeAT ($1200) • Yamaha Mio M3 ($1200) • Honda Scoopy ($1400) • Honda Vario 125 ($1500) And there are some big (yes they're considered big here) 4t 150-160cc scooters that reaches about 45-55 km/L (105-130 mpg) that can run up to 130 kph (80 mph) Something like: • Yamaha N-Max 155 ($2200) • Honda PCX 160 ($2200) • Honda ADV 160 ($2500)
I've owned a '76 Puch Maxi, a Yamaha Razz, a Kymco People 125, and currently a Kymco Downtown 300. I also have a Surface 604 Rook 2017, and a Lectric XP 1.0. I love the ebikes for rides around town, on bike trails, and for rides where I know the mileage will be limited. The Kymco is for distance cruising. Different strokes (pun intended) for different uses.
Puch Maxi= classic. When I was a kid one of the neighbor kids had a Razz. He crashed it into a car. Hurt him, not the Razz, so all us neighborhood kids closed in like Vultures to ride it while he was laid up 😈. Great summer for us. Less so for him 🙃
Has anyone checked the VIN to see if it indicates when the scooter was built? I've been wondering if they are just selling all the old stock until they are gone or they are in fact still building new 2 strokes.
I would consider getting a Roughhouse if it had a good headlight. I already have a 125 cc with a bad headlight. It gets 60-91 mpg. If I need to ride for a few miles at 50 mph, the mpg drops into the sixties and seventies. It would be impossible for me to ride through only neighborhoods to get across the metropolitan area of Dallas Texas. I can do it by avoiding the Interstate highways and using the 50 mph roads. When I lived in the suburbs of New Orleans, my favorite motorcycle was a 49 cc Honda Metropolitan. In the city most of the streets were 35 mph or less. Some arterial roads were 45 mph. Nothing is more fun to ride in a city than a very light small scooter. If I were to buy another small 49 cc scooter, it would be the Genuine Buddy. It probably has the same engine as the Roughhouse.
Scooters are super fun! I had a 2010 Honda Elite 110 and put 13,500 miles on it... traded it in for a Honda tiller and a Honda push mower when I moved to a place with 55mph roads..... just didn't go over 50mph on the flats and uphill it only did 39mph so it was too dangerous.
New subscriber here. I have a 2022 Roughhouse50 and love it. My Honda Metropolitan was fine but sits lower and less power. Speeds to 45mph on flat according to speedometer.
The speedos are overly optimistic, but even with an optimistic speedo the roughhouse is speedy compared to 4-stroke 50s 👍🏼 Edit: thanks for subscribing
hi kev thank for a great derailed reviewlooking for a little more speed to stay in the flow of traffic I dislike riding on the side of the road in debre and I have been hit buy mirrors yes this scooter is well worth the money
Do higher performence ebikes make the Honda Roughhouse irrelivent? I think it really depends on how far you need to go and if the ebike is legal (most arn't going to be if they can hit over 30mph really. I have a 1000w 1400w peak ebike max speed is 30 maybe 31mph. It has a massive 60amp hour battery so it can get a true 100 miles on throttle only and more if you peddle. The problem is a live in an area where there are no bike lanes and most roads are 35 to 40 mph so I don't feel safe riding on those. I recentley bought a 2024 Roughhouse hasn't arrived yet, I had the dealer derestrict it as 30mph just isn't fast enough or safe riding on the nearby roads. The Roughhouse will do a much better job on these roads then my ebike sure I'm not going to be fast but I'll atleast be going the speed limit so I'm happy with my purchase.
A big question would be on longevity. 2-stroke engines are prone to wear out much quicker than a 4-stroke as there's no oil-filled crankcase, filter... It does look pretty cool, but I wonder if a 200-350cc 4-stroke enduro motorcycle would be better... The average 200cc bike will get around 60+ mpg and redline at 60mph, so not ideal for Interstate travel, but can be used off road as well as on some faster bi-ways.... I guess that Roughhouse blurs the line between e bike and scooter, but maybe just get a full on motorcycle that has 4-stroke longevity, a higher top speed, and more versatility may be a better option?? The reason I love ebikes are that they are silent and don't smell, which allows a greater appreciation when riding on nature paths, and the fact many paths, like you mentioned, are limited to bicycles... Great review though, just wonder if the fine line of a top specced' (slightly illegal, ahem), ebike would be a better choice and if making the jump to a "moped" or scooter should just be skipped over for a small 4-stroke motorcycle, at least here in the US... Many foreign cities 50cc makes sense, but not here.
Small 2-strokes can last a loooong time if you don’t keep them redlined. There are fewer moving parts in a 2-stroke engine. The reason I went with a 50cc was to avoid the temptation to ride a small 2-wheeler in traffic. On a bike I can ride in bike lanes or on sidewalks 😁
The attraction of the small scooters is, price and lesser licensing regulation. The four stroke cheap Chinese scooters (gy6) don't tend to have oil filters anyway. Their life is limited. After 5,000 miles you'll need a replacement, but keep the old one for parts. The larger sizes you mention are delving into the realm of motorcycles.
@@KevCentral my 2009 Gilera Runner 50(Piaggio Hi-Per2 engine) is redlined all the time, has 74 000 km/46 000 miles and still has original piston and cylinder, i use the cheapest 2t oil, i'm the first owner and do all the maintenance by myself since first day
Those don’t come preinstalled anymore. The restriction devices (2 of them) are in a bag under the seat from the factory. Dealers have to install them if they want to sell it restricted. Interestingly, I still see a lot of dealers offering “derestriction service” on new Roughhouse scooters for $70+
@@KevCentral very true- I’m still very impressed with how it performed on your test ride for a 50cc. You should get a NAVI review in on the Channel- they are a great value for the price. Big fan of your content- keep it up 👍
I would love to have a scooter. But I am pretty sure i am a little too big for one at 6'2" and a few pounds over weight. I would love one for getting back and forth to work though.
I like the Liberty for a 125/150. IMO, it’s a bit big for a small 50cc. Piaggio is great. All the benefits of a Vespa - just with a plastic body instead of metal.
Royal Enfield 350 Classic. Upright Super Comfy Seating Position. Enough Power for all kinds of commutes. Larger Tires and Suspension for all kinds of Roads. 60 yr old, easy maintenance design. Never Broke. Never needed Fixin. Great Gas Mileage. Motorcycle license -> You have the skills to ride a two wheeler on the road. (Important)
Didn't expect this here, I had a Buddy 50, now I have a 1978 Moto Guzzi Robin 50cc also have had qt 50s and fa 50s. Really considering getting one of the with a 70cc bbk, carb and pipe, but also appreciate a nice stock bike
Please do project Sea Mist..i just got a look at the al comp fo women and it is a beautiful bike and I hope to get one in the future but I don't know what to put on it. Please do a project two..love your videos and I have learn so much. thank you for all you do..I love the channel..
Regarding your comparisons of ebikes vs small scooters, would you say that for intended use of local trips, running errands, picking up groceries, etc., the scooter is less likely to be stolen when parked?
I haven’t looked at statistics, but I would assume so if for no other reason that weight and that scooters are titled and registered. At some point they would get pulled over for no tag (in my state)
hey there, great review, ive just got me one of these and boy what a blast. PGO RoughHouse R50 here in New Zealand. Exceeded my expectations, maxed it at 80kmph! Ime 2nd owner with 2000kms on it. My brother has the PMX50 Naked version with upgrades and is even faster still. But my question is, there is an e-bike called the Surron, id be interested to see you do a commute using the back roads like done on the moped.
looks a nice vehicle. in the upcoming vehicles will you be taking it on the local trails and filming testing the scooter suspension and also the how it was riding on the back wheel with the front wheel in air lol.
I was going to buy a escooter but ended up buying a 2t super 8 kymco 50cc on a car license and in Australia there is a big crack down on escooter and only allowed to travel at 25km where my kymco down hill hits 72km.uphill with my 85kg goes 50km and even rds can do 60km witch is the speed limit. So all in all very happy with my choice and no doubt I prob mod it to go faster in the future
Like anything I know a lot of scooter lovers frown upon them because they're not quality built brand names. But my friend and I have China scooters that we've been having a lot of fun on. Even if they're prone to breaking more frequently because of parts quality they're stupidly simple to work on and have up and running within a day if you have the proper stuff already. I have a Vitacci Clash which is a China clone of a Honda Click, a model that's very popular over in the Philippines. I love the praying mantis styled face of it. Luckily enough even though it's a China-Clone scooter it has a higher quality Lifan version of the GY6, so the engine is made in Taiwan like your Roughhouse scooter. It also happens to have EFI on it which is nice. I'm eventually going to buy some nicer tires for it but the stock ones are fine for now. I'd also like to dip my foot in to the GY6 modding scene and get some performance clutch parts for it. We've been running thicker oil in ours that is high in zinc to deal with the summer heat and all of the hills that are in this area. We're eventually going to add some oil coolers onto them.
My 50cc scooter gets up to around 40 on flat ground 50cc china moped, yours def gets up to speed faster but top speed is almost the same, dunno if the extra money is worth it for a 2stroke
I've had plenty of 50cc scooters. I always felt like I was in the way or I couldn't get out of people's way fast enough. I'm going to stick with my 150cc. At least I can go with the flow of traffic at 45 mph.
In colorado anything under 50cc (these minarelli 2 strokes qualify) doesnt require a motorcycle license and costs a whopping 6 dollars for a 3 year tag. AAAND you can use bike lanes if you want and park on sidewalks. Win/ Win.
I can assure you this 2-stroke 50 has more raw power than any competing factory 4-stroke 50cc on the market - easily noticeable if you ride one vs the other. I’m not sure where the claim a 4-stroke gets twice the fuel economy came from; that’s simply not accurate.
I love the Roughouse! Electric bikes will never displace these because of their unlimited range and their cool factor. There isn’t a e bike that can touch it in the cool department. And finally the power! It’s got guts to spare! I think these need to be brought back!!
That’s one major positive. I can ride for 95 miles, spend 90 seconds filling it up, then ride for 95 more. No 4-6 hours downtime waiting on a charge to finish
Never say never... and that applies to me too. Maybe someday I'd ride a 50cc scooter interstate and need to add more miles in one day, and it's true I think this is cool and I'd take one right now if I could. On the other hand, we may not have ebikes right now that can replace this (arguably we have had standing scooters for years that can go this fast and have other benefits, depending on how long you're willing to stand up), but an eBike/eMoped or eScooter in the near future might change the game.
Right now, their range is mostly short inter-city hops and you wouldn't want to go long range with them... but the Tesla charger plug has just been ratified as standard as the fuel pump nozzles at gas stations for gas cars, so it will be easy to find a place to charge on the go and recharging times are just a couple minutes (remember, scooter batteries won't need as much time as Tesla because the batteries are smaller).
There's also an effort to standardize seated eScooter batteries, and to set up a network of swap-stations where a subscriber can trade an empty battery for a charged one, a process that sort of looks like a large vending machine (this already exists in other countries embracing new tech faster than America).
In the not so distant future, solid state batteries have been created in lab conditions, and the demand for super fast charging, high capacity, super safe, lightweight batteries is so high that this emerging tech is definitely going to be brought to scale. Their recharging time may equal or surpass gas refueling times, while also providing the other benefits EV proponents already rave about.
So long as we don't drive like Prius owners, am I right?
That's true, gas scooters are cool. Except when they quit and you have to push them home because you can't pedal them, then they're kind of embarrassing.
You need insurance and a license plate/can't ho off road
I agree, i dont know why they dont make more 2 strokes now days. I just dont understand how people think 4 stroke is so mucj better. Really id rather have a 2 stroke anyday, all day if i had a choice betweeen 2 and 4 stroke.
I had a Kymco Cobra 50cc 2 stroke years ago, and it was some of the most fun I've ever had on 2 wheels. Excited to see more on the Roughhouse!
Yeah, this bike reminds me a lot of the Cobra. 2-stroke, disc up front, drums in the rear, oil injection, 200+ lbs bike, under seat storage, etc.
Loved My Cobra too.With very few mods I was able to cruise at around 40-45 mph. (roller weights, smooth bushing, aftermarket pipe)
That's why I'm hanging on to 01 Kymco Super 9 liquid cooled 50..
Do u still have it are u selling it
Excellent video. I own a 2021 Roughhouse and put 6500 miles on it this past year. The sport will be much better for me cause all we have where im from is hills and mountains, Connecticut/Massachusetts. Ive spent countless hours online researching this scooter and your video was the best i could find, Thanks.
I just got the r50 sport today and I also live in ct, I gotta say it's awesome. I got some pretty big hills by me and it can hold 25 30 mph if the hill is really big. Also the acceleration it's amazing
Is $1k worth it for a used 2021 R50? I saw one on sale and am looking for opinions on those who’ve had one or are more familiar w scooters than I am. It has 430 miles if that’s relevant
@Friddle Fries double check everything but yea thats great, I just spent 2600 before tax for mine brand new. Also long as it's good you'll be fine. Just make sure it's got a title all the plastics and a key
Kev! I had no idea you were a scooter guy. My first experience with an engine on two wheels was on a 1987 Yamaha jog scooter when I was 14. Fast forward 10 years and I have a newer Yamaha Zuma 125. It has to be my favorite mode of transportation to get around town. So much fun! If anyone is contemplating on getting a scooter, I can promise you that you will not be disappointed. I average over 90 miles per gallon on my scoot!
I'm a bit worried about the speeds of other cars (two turns from my street, there's a street running alongside a park with a 25 mph speed limit where people regularly drive 40 mph and sometimes 50mph), and I'm not sure our garage can fit both a scooter and a car, but I only drive up to 5 miles from home most of the time (grocery, friends, family). I think if I could reliably reach 35mph, I wouldn't constantly have trucks trying to tailgate or run me off the road (they did NOT like me trying to ride my road bike!).
I bought one end of June and use everyday for going to/from work, rain or shine, the non sport version, i have over 800miles on it already, I like it
I rode a Genuine Rattler in college, it's the Roughhouse, but it had a 123cc 2-stroke engine. Got it up to 66 mph indicated (around 60, which was crazy on those small wheels), could park right up front to get to class, and it was just a really fun little 2-wheeler. Got rid of it once I graduated and realized I was mortal.
My last scoot was a Vespa 300. It would do almost 80 on the same size wheels 😁
Edit: have you seen the NEW rattler?
@@KevCentral I have; it has a. . .unique look.
Maybe, at age 77 (Imperial, not Metric), I still haven't learned that I'm mortal, because I ride a 2018 Buddy 50, a Kawasaki Ninja 400 and a Honda Grom, but only one at a time...
Those were awesome
Do you mean the Rattler 110?
Reminds of scooters we road when we were young. Very cool and low cost to operate. The 2-stroke engine is a huge bonus!
I demo rode a kymco scooter. Way more fun than regular motorcycle and I've had a cruiser, sport bike and a standard bike. Look forward to learning more about scooter life from your videos.
You convinced me, I ordered one. Should have it by this weekend. Got 2,000 miles on it now, still running great, you said it exactly how it is. I get just under 100gpm, I did upgrade the headlight because I use it as my daily driver, it's a great "Moped", it's on my registration also, and I'm in Michigan. Gonna ride til snow flies, if I can find studded tires I'll ride all winter. Fantastic Scoot for sure!
Congrats on the new scoot!
@@KevCentral Thanks!
I own a 16 honda metro. Love it. Bought it used with 500 miles for 1700. Its interesting to compare it to others in its class. I will agree that it does struggle up hills but on flat terrain it will do 40 with no issues or hesitation. It prb helps that im only 5, 7 165 lbs.
How accurate is the speedometer? I had a 2002 Metropolitan. The top speed on the speedometer would sometimes reach 41 mph. If it were off by 5 mph, that would mean it was only going 36 mph. I didn't have a cell phone with GPS speed tracking back then.
You hit on the very reason that I’m here....Maxxing out on Ebike speed, distance, and cost to purchase. I thought, why not buy a scooter..? I’ll be checking out your other videos on this topic-thanks Kev!
Love this video Kev! Telling it like it is :)
The Scooter looks good, I want one!
Yes, please! motoblog on scooters/e-bike discussion!
That looks like a cool scooter,Kev! I like the design. My scooter days were back in the mid 80's with the Honda Elite.
Update i think.. Kev, i had the 2016 RHS and it's still nice(6,000 miles/stock/unrestricted)
Bough a new one -04/23 is the build date and your video is still relevant to this scooter.
I see almost NO change from my 2016 bike compare to 2023 bike and i think that's a good
thing.
Note: The 23 bike was the new, even thou it's 2024. --
Nice to see you can still get 2 stroke scooters. I had a Yamaha CA50 in 1986. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to take care of it so I never put oil in it except what was in it from the dealer.
That would be a classic to have today
@@KevCentral tell me about it. Probably the most reliable vehicle I ever owned.
I had a tomos a35 all through college and it was a blast. It was the perfect gateway drug to motorcycles
A great review as always love your R50
Rode home from the dealer 60 miles. Took 4 hours. Including the cool down stops, and not holding WOT
I like Scooters more than E-Bikes. Old school put the gas in and motor around. The sound the lean into the curves just a little more like a motor cycle but slower. I too like that I can’t go faster because I’d be tempted to do to much and all I really want is a low speed experience…
What a cool bike! I have a Yamaha Zuma 50FX that is a blast to ride. I like your reasoning about getting a 50cc bike as it's similar to mine. These bikes are quick enough to be a lot of fun but slow enough to keep us on slower roads. I recently picked up a Lectric XP Lite as my first eBike. It's a good compliment to my Zuma as the riding experience is a lot different. I can see eBikes taking the place of 50cc bikes for some cases where folks don't need the range or need to go over 20-28mph.
LECTRIC IS THE BEST! ❣
I like the ruckus with a gy6 swap and modified on top of that. Also fond of the icebear/ mad dog that come with the 150cc out the box
I have a Genuine buddy with a Malossi Hyper Racing 70cc big bore kit, Athena HPC crank, malossi multivar variator, polini cp21 carb, polini 107mm speed clutch, yasuni C10 pipe, I ported and polished the motor and gulched the case induction, new genuine factory replacement bearings and seals bike does 60mph with me on it at 250lbs love my Genuine Buddy might sell it soon and start over on a new build
Did you do the work all by yourself. How hard was it, I'm pretty handy and work on all my own cars. Just wondering if an above average do-it-yourselfer like me can create a similar build.
If you didn't know the Polini secondary final drive gear up kit would fit the Genuine 2 Strokes. If im not mistaken the final drive is 11.5 to 1 on buddy 50 the polini secondary would bring it down to 9.9 to1 or 9.5 ratio depending what kit you buy
Thank you, now I want to buy a roughhouse moped
I've a 2018 Buddy 50. Unrestricted, the speedo at top speed (the ONLY way I ride it) on level ground shows 45 mph. We KNOW that speedos are usually "optimistic", but even it it moves at 42-43 realistically, I ALWAYS get a GREAT ride!
And YES - as the salesman said "It's bulletproof" - never needed a tow, nor a trip to the mechanic for anything but scheduled maintenance.
It's cousin, the Roughhouse, looks cool! However, there's no more room in my patio to share with my Kawasaki Ninja 400 and Honda Grom - also terrific machines.
The Roughhouse sold here is restricted from the factory but they can be derestricted and then they'll go as fast
There’s one with 20,000+miles riding around campus at A&M. Very reliable
Usually can clean carb and will work fine . Carb replacement is expensive though. But not Honda ruckus carb expensive.
My Yamaha Zuma will do about 40 on the speedometer
I highly recommend the 70cc upgrade kit! Great video! 2 stroke for life!
Thanks Kev for posting.. Looks like a pretty good scoot. 50cc is enough for me - I don't race around much. I am about 6' 3" 175 lbs... So I like the bigger size of the Rhouse. The BIG thing with me is comfort.. In my area, patched pot holes everywhere and rough roads everywhere.. Which would be more comfy the reg. Roughhouse or this Sport version w/ upgrade rear suspension? Also, I have a 2009 Zuma 50 - but w/ about 11000 miles - it is getting old.. It has big bubble tires which really help give a softer ride (these are the original tires).. I let a bit of air out of them and that helps it ride a bit smoother. As for this Roughhouse.. I wonder how much softer the ride is with the adjustable piggy back rear shocks of the Sport vs the reg. version of the RHouse. What about the seat of the Rhouse.. does it have plenty of padding for my ace? I have sat on several different brands of 50cc's and it seems to me that manufactures completely don't care about giving you comfort. Most just give you poor quality shocks, thin low profile tires, and very little extra padding in the seats. I don't mind paying extra for a good soft ride. If you think I am looking at the wrong scooter with Rhouse.. let me know what other Scoots might work better for me.. Thanks so much..
Thanks. IMO, the roughhouse isn’t exactly the smoothest riding scooter over bumps. Coming from a series of Vespa scooters it isn’t in the same league smooth ride wise. Is the Sport shock better than the std. I would say yes, but only because it is slightly tunable with the adjuster.
@@KevCentral Kev .. Thanks for your honest opinion. Just wondering.. Which is more expensive, a Roughhouse or a Vespa?? Just kidding .. I know, the Vespa is more expensive. Seems like the R-house has everything that I like, except for the smooth ride. Comfort is such a big deal to me that I may hafta go with the Vespa. I don't know much.. but I did some limited research and like you said .. I understand that the Roughhouse has bit of a rough ride. Thanks for taking the time to give me some good info.. Best of luck to you and thanks again. One last question.. Do you know, which has a ride better, smoother ride, a Vespa 50 or 125?? Or are they about the same?
My experience with modern Vespa bikes is the larger the frame gets the smoother the ride.
@@howlingwolf125y You might want to check out one of the Wolf scooters that are Zuma clones, they are larger with a longer wheelbase and will ride much better, and they can be had in either 50 or 150 variants (4 stroke) Of course, you can always hop up the 50 to make it a stealth ride
@@blazeorangeandcamo Thanks buddy.. I have heard of the Wolfs.. You think the Wolfs ride better/smoother than the Roughouse? Also are the Wolfs reliable?
My Zuma 50 would do 38-40 on the flats. I bought it new and it was bone stock
Here in Indonesia and other SEA countries, we have 4t 110-125cc scooters that do about 50-60 km/L (120-140 mpg) and can run up to 90-100kph (56-62 mph)
Just to name a few:
• Honda BeAT ($1200)
• Yamaha Mio M3 ($1200)
• Honda Scoopy ($1400)
• Honda Vario 125 ($1500)
And there are some big (yes they're considered big here) 4t 150-160cc scooters that reaches about 45-55 km/L (105-130 mpg) that can run up to 130 kph (80 mph)
Something like:
• Yamaha N-Max 155 ($2200)
• Honda PCX 160 ($2200)
• Honda ADV 160 ($2500)
I have a brand new 2023 Honda metropolitan scooter it
easily goes about 40 miles an hour with out even trying I love it
I've owned a '76 Puch Maxi, a Yamaha Razz, a Kymco People 125, and currently a Kymco Downtown 300. I also have a Surface 604 Rook 2017, and a Lectric XP 1.0. I love the ebikes for rides around town, on bike trails, and for rides where I know the mileage will be limited. The Kymco is for distance cruising. Different strokes (pun intended) for different uses.
Puch Maxi= classic. When I was a kid one of the neighbor kids had a Razz. He crashed it into a car. Hurt him, not the Razz, so all us neighborhood kids closed in like Vultures to ride it while he was laid up 😈. Great summer for us. Less so for him 🙃
Would love one of these
Mine does 45 mph per GPS. Not the sport model. Love it!!!
I’m thinking about buying one Do you recommend it?
@@chevyseller2008 absolutely. I purchased mine because they discontinued the Yamaha zuma.
Awesome I’m getting it on Tuesday! Do you recommend getting anything extra when I pick it up that I might need?
@@chevyseller2008 I would purchase the two-stroke oil there there's different kinds now. And maybe a spare spark plug. Mine's two years old no issues.
Ok thanks Jeff!
My 09" Aprilia Sr 50 scooter" water-cooled hydraulic disc brakes , magnesium wheels pirelli tires, onboard digital computer shows engine water temperature odometer speedometer battery voltage, self-diagnostic / trouble codes, ect 52mph stock , 250 lb Rider, leo vince zx pipe" roller weights, k&n air filter. 57mph " stock head, 70cc, 86 cc kits available
Fuel injection fuel pumps suck though" on these" they all puke out eventually
Those SR50s were great! Too bad they aren’t sold here anymore ☹️
Is the 2021 model any good? There’s a used one on sale for $1k local and I was wondering if it’d be worth it
Same bike just different year. The only thing I think they’ve changed over the past few years is the color options
@@KevCentral gotcha
Has anyone checked the VIN to see if it indicates when the scooter was built? I've been wondering if they are just selling all the old stock until they are gone or they are in fact still building new 2 strokes.
Great video. Very clever way to use a 50cc. What they were made for, knipping around town. I had 50cc vespa, loved it !
I would consider getting a Roughhouse if it had a good headlight. I already have a 125 cc with a bad headlight. It gets 60-91 mpg. If I need to ride for a few miles at 50 mph, the mpg drops into the sixties and seventies. It would be impossible for me to ride through only neighborhoods to get across the metropolitan area of Dallas Texas. I can do it by avoiding the Interstate highways and using the 50 mph roads.
When I lived in the suburbs of New Orleans, my favorite motorcycle was a 49 cc Honda Metropolitan. In the city most of the streets were 35 mph or less. Some arterial roads were 45 mph. Nothing is more fun to ride in a city than a very light small scooter.
If I were to buy another small 49 cc scooter, it would be the Genuine Buddy. It probably has the same engine as the Roughhouse.
Scooters are super fun! I had a 2010 Honda Elite 110 and put 13,500 miles on it... traded it in for a Honda tiller and a Honda push mower when I moved to a place with 55mph roads..... just didn't go over 50mph on the flats and uphill it only did 39mph so it was too dangerous.
That is a sweet scoot. Ride safe.
I have a 2015 honda ruckus and did 3 mods to it now it will go 40. Yoshimura pipe 5.5 g sliders and jc racing flywheel
The ruckus is probably the most modded scooter in history. Love em
I didn't know that Kev Central had a motorcycle division, enjoyed the review and if you want to throw one of these from time to time cool.
I had the same performance out of my 2008 yamaha vine 50cc it just had the cvt limiter removed
New subscriber here. I have a 2022 Roughhouse50 and love it. My Honda Metropolitan was fine but sits lower and less power. Speeds to 45mph on flat according to speedometer.
The speedos are overly optimistic, but even with an optimistic speedo the roughhouse is speedy compared to 4-stroke 50s 👍🏼
Edit: thanks for subscribing
I miss my 1999 Yamaha jog 50cc two stroke. Had the white and purple and the black and purple
It's prolly the coolest looking scooter I've seen.
hi kev thank for a great derailed reviewlooking for a little more speed to stay in the flow of traffic I dislike riding on the side of the road in debre and I have been hit buy mirrors yes this scooter is well worth the money
Excellent vid!
Absolutely love it, and all two strokes especially scooters!
Would you chose this over a 50cc ice bear maddog ? Stuck between both but want what’s more durable and reliable
In my view of watching mad dog reviews that’s a bike that requires a lot of maintenance and repair
this is very nice great info
A pipe ,bbk and cvt work those things come alive
Do higher performence ebikes make the Honda Roughhouse irrelivent? I think it really depends on how far you need to go and if the ebike is legal (most arn't going to be if they can hit over 30mph really. I have a 1000w 1400w peak ebike max speed is 30 maybe 31mph. It has a massive 60amp hour battery so it can get a true 100 miles on throttle only and more if you peddle. The problem is a live in an area where there are no bike lanes and most roads are 35 to 40 mph so I don't feel safe riding on those. I recentley bought a 2024 Roughhouse hasn't arrived yet, I had the dealer derestrict it as 30mph just isn't fast enough or safe riding on the nearby roads. The Roughhouse will do a much better job on these roads then my ebike sure I'm not going to be fast but I'll atleast be going the speed limit so I'm happy with my purchase.
A big question would be on longevity. 2-stroke engines are prone to wear out much quicker than a 4-stroke as there's no oil-filled crankcase, filter... It does look pretty cool, but I wonder if a 200-350cc 4-stroke enduro motorcycle would be better... The average 200cc bike will get around 60+ mpg and redline at 60mph, so not ideal for Interstate travel, but can be used off road as well as on some faster bi-ways.... I guess that Roughhouse blurs the line between e bike and scooter, but maybe just get a full on motorcycle that has 4-stroke longevity, a higher top speed, and more versatility may be a better option?? The reason I love ebikes are that they are silent and don't smell, which allows a greater appreciation when riding on nature paths, and the fact many paths, like you mentioned, are limited to bicycles... Great review though, just wonder if the fine line of a top specced' (slightly illegal, ahem), ebike would be a better choice and if making the jump to a "moped" or scooter should just be skipped over for a small 4-stroke motorcycle, at least here in the US... Many foreign cities 50cc makes sense, but not here.
Small 2-strokes can last a loooong time if you don’t keep them redlined. There are fewer moving parts in a 2-stroke engine. The reason I went with a 50cc was to avoid the temptation to ride a small 2-wheeler in traffic. On a bike I can ride in bike lanes or on sidewalks 😁
The attraction of the small scooters is, price and lesser licensing regulation. The four stroke cheap Chinese scooters (gy6) don't tend to have oil filters anyway. Their life is limited. After 5,000 miles you'll need a replacement, but keep the old one for parts. The larger sizes you mention are delving into the realm of motorcycles.
@@KevCentral my 2009 Gilera Runner 50(Piaggio Hi-Per2 engine) is redlined all the time, has 74 000 km/46 000 miles and still has original piston and cylinder, i use the cheapest 2t oil, i'm the first owner and do all the maintenance by myself since first day
Have taken the limiter issue off cvt? Gives you a higher top end speed of 3-6 miles depending on your weight. May not sound like much but it adds up.
Those don’t come preinstalled anymore. The restriction devices (2 of them) are in a bag under the seat from the factory. Dealers have to install them if they want to sell it restricted. Interestingly, I still see a lot of dealers offering “derestriction service” on new Roughhouse scooters for $70+
@@KevCentral Sounds like dealers for you.
I dig the remove before flight tabs... that's how you know you come from an Air Force family.
What kind of aftermarket or performance parts are there for these?
Lots and lots
Anything you can think of
& much more I promise ✌️
10:12 *Man I Had To Check The Year This Video Was Made When I Saw That Gas Pump. All Mechanical. Cash Only. Classic :P*
My ignorance gets me.. two stroke ... how do I make sure the mix is right and how do I do that?
If your scooter is the same model as this one it has an oil injector that does it for you.
I’m honestly impressed- my Honda NAVI will go about 50 mph on a flat- but likes to hang out at 45ish- this 50cc hits 40 mph with no problem
The difference is the Navi can hold 40mph where keeping the roughhouse spinning that fast isn’t sustainable
@@KevCentral very true- I’m still very impressed with how it performed on your test ride for a 50cc. You should get a NAVI review in on the Channel- they are a great value for the price. Big fan of your content- keep it up 👍
Great narration and video. Will CK for local dlr. Thanks
Cool video. I was looking at this, a Zuma and a wolf brand blaze. Do you think you will do any upgrades to it like those big bore kits?
I plan on keeping it stock to make it as reliable as possible
@@KevCentral I would at least derestrict it though which is an easy procedure
Thanks! Great looking scooter.
I would love to have a scooter. But I am pretty sure i am a little too big for one at 6'2" and a few pounds over weight. I would love one for getting back and forth to work though.
There are small frame and large frame scooters. Check out the higher cc scoots. Many of them have larger frames
I have an ice bear trike and stick it was 43mph top speed, after my 88cc bbk it goes 47 on a good day GPS verified
What is the pricing? A gy6 four stroke was only $700 about three years ago.
I like those,i just got a 05 zuma 50 2t
I own an 04 zuma. Basically the same bike as this roughhouse sans faux carbon fiber and slightly more modern looks. Youll have a blast!
I used to have a Suzuki FA50. That thing was a blast. Lol. I miss it
what do you think about the Piaggio Liberty 50cc ?
I like the Liberty for a 125/150. IMO, it’s a bit big for a small 50cc. Piaggio is great. All the benefits of a Vespa - just with a plastic body instead of metal.
Royal Enfield 350 Classic.
Upright Super Comfy Seating Position.
Enough Power for all kinds of commutes.
Larger Tires and Suspension for all kinds of Roads.
60 yr old, easy maintenance design. Never Broke. Never needed Fixin.
Great Gas Mileage.
Motorcycle license -> You have the skills to ride a two wheeler on the road. (Important)
Didn't expect this here, I had a Buddy 50, now I have a 1978 Moto Guzzi Robin 50cc also have had qt 50s and fa 50s. Really considering getting one of the with a 70cc bbk, carb and pipe, but also appreciate a nice stock bike
Please do project Sea Mist..i just got a look at the al comp fo women and it is a beautiful bike and I hope to get one in the future but I don't know what to put on it. Please do a project two..love your videos and I have learn so much. thank you for all you do..I love the channel..
I wonder if these are available in Canada ? Anyone know
What is the top speed you ever did on that?
Regarding your comparisons of ebikes vs small scooters, would you say that for intended use of local trips, running errands, picking up groceries, etc., the scooter is less likely to be stolen when parked?
I haven’t looked at statistics, but I would assume so if for no other reason that weight and that scooters are titled and registered. At some point they would get pulled over for no tag (in my state)
hey there, great review, ive just got me one of these and boy what a blast. PGO RoughHouse R50 here in New Zealand. Exceeded my expectations, maxed it at 80kmph! Ime 2nd owner with 2000kms on it. My brother has the PMX50 Naked version with upgrades and is even faster still. But my question is, there is an e-bike called the Surron, id be interested to see you do a commute using the back roads like done on the moped.
looks a nice vehicle. in the upcoming vehicles will you be taking it on the local trails and filming testing the scooter suspension and also the how it was riding on the back wheel with the front wheel in air lol.
Lol
Kev, thinking of getting one of these to commute a few days a week back and forth to work…..10 miles each way……What do think?
What speed roads?
Is it possible to ride a 50c scooter for up to 60kms a day for a week? Can you give me some advice on this?
Price? I can’t find any price anywhere even in the dealership website it says i have to go in person to get a quote
It varies from dealer-to-dealer. I paid $2800-ish out the door, but that was a year ago
I was going to buy a escooter but ended up buying a 2t super 8 kymco 50cc on a car license and in Australia there is a big crack down on escooter and only allowed to travel at 25km where my kymco down hill hits 72km.uphill with my 85kg goes 50km and even rds can do 60km witch is the speed limit. So all in all very happy with my choice and no doubt I prob mod it to go faster in the future
There are hills in kiwi?
I have a tao tao pony 50 and I weigh 150 lbs, it's top speed, stock is 47 mph. But it does take a bit to get there. 11:32
Indicated on Speedo, probably, but GPS will show that it’s not actually 47. Flat ground - hills don’t count
Like anything I know a lot of scooter lovers frown upon them because they're not quality built brand names. But my friend and I have China scooters that we've been having a lot of fun on. Even if they're prone to breaking more frequently because of parts quality they're stupidly simple to work on and have up and running within a day if you have the proper stuff already.
I have a Vitacci Clash which is a China clone of a Honda Click, a model that's very popular over in the Philippines. I love the praying mantis styled face of it. Luckily enough even though it's a China-Clone scooter it has a higher quality Lifan version of the GY6, so the engine is made in Taiwan like your Roughhouse scooter. It also happens to have EFI on it which is nice.
I'm eventually going to buy some nicer tires for it but the stock ones are fine for now. I'd also like to dip my foot in to the GY6 modding scene and get some performance clutch parts for it. We've been running thicker oil in ours that is high in zinc to deal with the summer heat and all of the hills that are in this area. We're eventually going to add some oil coolers onto them.
I have an Aprilia SR50 Factory and it can go around 73kph (or around 45 mph) without the restriction
My 50cc scooter gets up to around 40 on flat ground 50cc china moped, yours def gets up to speed faster but top speed is almost the same, dunno if the extra money is worth it for a 2stroke
What brand of 2 cycle oil do you use?
I’m a stickler for factory stuff, so Genuine Scooter Company 2T and Genuine’s gear oil
I've had plenty of 50cc scooters. I always felt like I was in the way or I couldn't get out of people's way fast enough. I'm going to stick with my 150cc. At least I can go with the flow of traffic at 45 mph.
That looked fun. What's the street legality of them in the roads? Need motorcycle license?
In my state a motorcycle license and insurance is required
NC 50cc sub 30mph (restricted) just be 16 and have liability insurance, no license at all. Each state is different.
In colorado anything under 50cc (these minarelli 2 strokes qualify) doesnt require a motorcycle license and costs a whopping 6 dollars for a 3 year tag. AAAND you can use bike lanes if you want and park on sidewalks. Win/ Win.
Nice, currently doing a 72cc Malossi big bore kit, with 19mm carb and YMS V8 exhaust on my kymco zx50
Scooters can be a lot of Fun in the right environment.
You didn't mention its built by PGO.
The cupholder holds anything as long as its a cup.
I am going to have to make a video of the one my mother has, 2008 one of these and 50cc and hits about 50 normal and 55 miles an hour on a good day.
What HP does this scoot have as it is listed at 2 hp on thier website but that can't be correct for a 50cc 2 stroke.
It's restricted from the factory so that might be why
@@blazeorangeandcamo No point in buying a new 2 stroke if a 4 stroke gets the same power rating from the factory and gets twice the fuel economy.
@@chinabluewho They can easily be derestricted though, and that 50cc 2 stroke will have the power similar to a 4 stroke with a big bore kit
I can assure you this 2-stroke 50 has more raw power than any competing factory 4-stroke 50cc on the market - easily noticeable if you ride one vs the other. I’m not sure where the claim a 4-stroke gets twice the fuel economy came from; that’s simply not accurate.
@@KevCentral How much more fuel economy do you figure a 4 stroke gets over a 2 stroke ?
What's the price? No price listed on the website.
When I bought mine it was $2800-ish out the door. It looks like they’re going for over $3000 now
2 years ago they ran for about $2200 in my area. You have to find a dealer to get a price.
I've had my 2020 Metropolitan up to 47mph for about 20 miles
Would love to see more motorbike videos
what is the price?
Have you tried Suzuki let's 4
Not sold in the US
Really cool bike I'd pick one up if I can afford