We have all wondered just how the horsepower of a bike or a scooter translates into speed. The conversion of the horsepower to cubic centimeters (cc) and from cc to displacement and ultimately to the power of the engine and the speed it can generate are all too technical to make immediate sense to a rider.
What a rider can understand about an engine by the speed of the ride, he couldn’t quite understand the same with the mechanical details of an engine’s prowess. Thereby to know what a 50cc engine is/is not capable of, let’s look at how fast is 50cc.
Relationship Between Speed And CC?
Simply put, the power of a motorcycle or a scooter is widely determined by what is known as engine displacement, which in turn is measured in terms of cc (cubic centimeters). Without getting knee deep into technicalities, suffice it to understand that the more cc you have on the engine, the more power it will generate.
Needless to add, that usually more power of the engine results in faster acceleration and higher speeds. Also, more engine power means that it can handle more weight, be it cargo or passenger weight.
With the increase in the engine power the physical size of the automobile also increases, as does the cost. Most commonly, engine power of 50cc to 200cc are associated with scooters, while the motorcycles usually operate in engine power more than 250cc.
As you can guess, a 50cc scooter can hardly be expected to burn the rubber on the tracks, it is more suitable for shorter distances moderate speeds.
Read more about the power and cc here.
So, How Fast Is 50cc Scooter?
Let’s clear this point once altogether of any doubts; a 50cc scooter will just about get you moving on the road, it will not take you very fast and probably is not the best choice to quench your need for speed.
Categorically put, a 50cc scooter is expected to ride well at a higher speed of 25mph and perhaps a little shaky at the top speed 40mph for a light weight rider riding on a plain. Expecting your 50cc scooter to do more in terms of speed and acceleration is just too demanding.
A 50cc scooter is best used to be driven around in the city situated in the plains and not in the hills. A 50cc scooter can give you great mileage on the gas, sometimes even above 100 miles a litre. The 50cc scooters are the least powered automobiles and are most suitable for casual scooting around.
If you are looking to buy a scooter and think 50cc can do the job for you, I highly recommend that you thoroughly assess your requirements before you invest in it.
How To Assess Your Scooter Needs?
Before you take the plunge and bring home a 50cc scooter to be your work horse, you have to examine and analyze if the scooter can take the work load. Let’s look at the factors you need to consider to decide if 50cc will do it for you:
POWER
Your Weight
The more you weigh the more power you would want your scooter to have to be able to support and carry you. A 50cc scooter is ideally for those who are fleeter on their feet.
Uphill Terrain
If you are more likely to ride up the hill most of the time, you would want to get more power on your engine. If you usually ride in plains, the 50cc will be able to do the trick for you.
Your Riding Speeds
If you ride highways a lot then you usually ride at higher speeds then what a 50cc scooter will give you. A 50cc is more suited to riding in city streets at an ambling speed.
Cargo Or Passengers
If you usually need to ride with cargo or with pillion passengers, you would need to check if your 50cc scooter will have enough space, and also if the power it generates going to be enough.
Maneuvering
Riding in the city streets requires you to steer and maneuver the scooter to avoid obstacles and to accelerate and brake as per need. The lightweight of the 50cc usually is great at to maneuver in the slick streets.
Gas Mileage
Due to the limited power that a 50cc scooter expands, it uses littler gas to run. The gas mileage in a 50cc scooter is the best and could be run by the user exceedingly economically. If, one of your primary motivations is to get around at fairly low cost, a 50cc scooter can do that for you, appreciably.
Weight Of The Scooter
Sometimes, an important consideration is the weight of the automobile you want to ride. Many new riders, who are have just learnt or are learning to ride a two-wheeler, or many times young girls who like to ride but are not confident enough to ride on bigger heavier automobiles, prefer to ride a small peppy scooter which is not all that difficult to manhandle if required.
A detailed read on how to chose a 50cc scooter.
ADVANTAGES
Conceded that Speed is really not the upside of a 50cc scooter but yet there are things that make this a good choice:
Easy to ride, beginners and pros alike can all ride them with ease.
They are very comfortable to ride and easy to handle.
They are not expensive and are very economical to ride.
In many states, you can ride a 50cc scooter without a driver’s license.
DISADVANTAGES
We have discussed the most pronounced disadvantage of a 50cc scooter in detail; it’s inability to accelerate quickly and an engine which is not very powerful to attain high speeds, carry heavy passengers or climb steep hills.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is quite clear that a 50cc scooter is not a great choice if you are a serious rider and are used to highways and like to take up any terrain that crosses their paths. It may be ideal for younger riders who are new to two-wheelers and for those who ride in the more congested part of the city.
As for the original question of how fast can a 50cc scooter go, the answer is clear - Not too fast.
To make your 50cc go a little faster, this video might be helpful:
Let us know what you think in the comments below!