Fizzy Boys Documentary FS1E
Discussion
I bought a few sports mopeds 5 or so years ago as investments and they did quite well for me. But i'm thinking the market's bottom will fall out soon as the people who bought them new and the people who always wanted them when new but couldn't afford them are approaching 70 years old or thereabouts. Dad had almost every sports moped worth mentioning in his teenage days.
Few people at the bike meets i go to under about 55 give them a second's thought now.
I had a Fantic ti 6 speed, Fantic Chopper, Honda SS50, Suzuki AP50, Yamaha FS1E and a very rare AJS Greyhound at one point and prices rose quickly in the 2-3 years i owned them. I'm not in touch with values now but i doubt there's been any rise in value for most of them.
I sold the Fantic Chopper for £9,000, pretty ridiculous when you think what that will buy you, like a mint GSXR750.
Few people at the bike meets i go to under about 55 give them a second's thought now.
I had a Fantic ti 6 speed, Fantic Chopper, Honda SS50, Suzuki AP50, Yamaha FS1E and a very rare AJS Greyhound at one point and prices rose quickly in the 2-3 years i owned them. I'm not in touch with values now but i doubt there's been any rise in value for most of them.
I sold the Fantic Chopper for £9,000, pretty ridiculous when you think what that will buy you, like a mint GSXR750.
I have a special place in my heart for the FS1-E, my mates 'big' brother had a purple, I think, N or M plate one (had pedals) and around '76 as a young boy I official broke the speed limit for the first time as he towed me down a long steep hill on my skateboard.
Indicated 44 mph in a 30. I did glance at the speedo but the near terminal 'speed' wobble I was experiencing distracted me, the up coming up hill bit didn't come a second too soon. As ever 30 seconds later I wanted to do it again, tighten up the trusty ACS651s and my 70mm red Kryptonics were spinning faster than before due to a longer run in.
A few years later my need for speed was somewhat stunted by a shiny new Honda MB50, however a friend with a GSX250 who wasn't too worried about leaving his keys in the ignition, meant I final managed an indicated 100 at 16.
Nearly forty years later the need for speed has never gone away and despite many fortnights waiting for NIPs I've never received points or a fine, so thank you FS1-E it has been great.
Indicated 44 mph in a 30. I did glance at the speedo but the near terminal 'speed' wobble I was experiencing distracted me, the up coming up hill bit didn't come a second too soon. As ever 30 seconds later I wanted to do it again, tighten up the trusty ACS651s and my 70mm red Kryptonics were spinning faster than before due to a longer run in.
A few years later my need for speed was somewhat stunted by a shiny new Honda MB50, however a friend with a GSX250 who wasn't too worried about leaving his keys in the ignition, meant I final managed an indicated 100 at 16.
Nearly forty years later the need for speed has never gone away and despite many fortnights waiting for NIPs I've never received points or a fine, so thank you FS1-E it has been great.
J__Wood said:
I have a special place in my heart for the FS1-E, my mates 'big' brother had a purple, I think, N or M plate one (had pedals) and around '76 as a young boy I official broke the speed limit for the first time as he towed me down a long steep hill on my skateboard.
Indicated 44 mph in a 30. I did glance at the speedo but the near terminal 'speed' wobble I was experiencing distracted me, the up coming up hill bit didn't come a second too soon. As ever 30 seconds later I wanted to do it again, tighten up the trusty ACS651s and my 70mm red Kryptonics were spinning faster than before due to a longer run in.
A few years later my need for speed was somewhat stunted by a shiny new Honda MB50, however a friend with a GSX250 who wasn't too worried about leaving his keys in the ignition, meant I final managed an indicated 100 at 16.
Nearly forty years later the need for speed has never gone away and despite many fortnights waiting for NIPs I've never received points or a fine, so thank you FS1-E it has been great.
Indicated 44 mph in a 30. I did glance at the speedo but the near terminal 'speed' wobble I was experiencing distracted me, the up coming up hill bit didn't come a second too soon. As ever 30 seconds later I wanted to do it again, tighten up the trusty ACS651s and my 70mm red Kryptonics were spinning faster than before due to a longer run in.
A few years later my need for speed was somewhat stunted by a shiny new Honda MB50, however a friend with a GSX250 who wasn't too worried about leaving his keys in the ignition, meant I final managed an indicated 100 at 16.
Nearly forty years later the need for speed has never gone away and despite many fortnights waiting for NIPs I've never received points or a fine, so thank you FS1-E it has been great.
Great Story
I had one in 2005/6 as my first bike. Loved it.
I did my CBT on modern twist and go. I'd never used a clutch so got some instruction over the phone on that from a mate of mine and off I went.
I bought it quite cheaply and sold it quite cheaply (for twice what I paid) a year or so later. Very fond memories of that time.
I did my CBT on modern twist and go. I'd never used a clutch so got some instruction over the phone on that from a mate of mine and off I went.
I bought it quite cheaply and sold it quite cheaply (for twice what I paid) a year or so later. Very fond memories of that time.
I remember them so well!
I was in the 5th form at secondary school when I turned 16 and nearly everyone had one, apart from a few school-mates who had Honda SS50s for some reason.
But I really wanted something different, so I got a KTM Comet (aka Vomit) Cross that wasn't quite as quick - so I just had to brake later!
My best mate felt much the same, so he bought a Gilera Sport Cross that was a much better bike with a twin-loop frame. And after he had rebuilt the engine and ported it the FS1Es couldn't keep up.
But someone at our school had a Puch Grand Prix that seemed quicker than anything else - until a few years later my mate's younger brother got an AP50! I remember them as the ultimate moped.
I was in the 5th form at secondary school when I turned 16 and nearly everyone had one, apart from a few school-mates who had Honda SS50s for some reason.
But I really wanted something different, so I got a KTM Comet (aka Vomit) Cross that wasn't quite as quick - so I just had to brake later!
My best mate felt much the same, so he bought a Gilera Sport Cross that was a much better bike with a twin-loop frame. And after he had rebuilt the engine and ported it the FS1Es couldn't keep up.
But someone at our school had a Puch Grand Prix that seemed quicker than anything else - until a few years later my mate's younger brother got an AP50! I remember them as the ultimate moped.
The best all round mopeds were the FS1E and AP50. The quickest but least reliable and worst made were any of the top end Italian bikes, which there were 20 or so to choose from.
In very limited numbers they made some of these with fairings and disc brakes and decent down tube frames etc., the final mopeds even had monoshock suspension.
The FS1E had 4.8 bhp, the Honda SS50 just 2.5 bhp and a tad more with the carb. mod everyone did. But many of the Italian bikes had 6 and 7 bhp and 6 gears rather than 4 so were quicker WHEN they were working.
Dad had a Gitane Champion Veloce moped, fully faired, single shock, decent forks, disc brake and the 7 bhp had changed to 12 bhp via a Malossi 65cc big piston kit with high compression, big carb. and a stage 3 tune. He weighed about 10 stones back then and it would do 75 mph.
In very limited numbers they made some of these with fairings and disc brakes and decent down tube frames etc., the final mopeds even had monoshock suspension.
The FS1E had 4.8 bhp, the Honda SS50 just 2.5 bhp and a tad more with the carb. mod everyone did. But many of the Italian bikes had 6 and 7 bhp and 6 gears rather than 4 so were quicker WHEN they were working.
Dad had a Gitane Champion Veloce moped, fully faired, single shock, decent forks, disc brake and the 7 bhp had changed to 12 bhp via a Malossi 65cc big piston kit with high compression, big carb. and a stage 3 tune. He weighed about 10 stones back then and it would do 75 mph.
It's amazing to see so many pairs of rose tinted glasses there are on this thread. I'll put on my pair too ...
As my school year were 16 in 1977/78 we were all keen to get the last of the unrestricted mopeds so that we could do in excess of 60mph and impress all of the girls with our tales of speed and daring do.
There was a group of about 15 to 20 of us who used to tear around the local villages, especially on a Saturday and Sunday evenings. There was a mixture of mopeds, with the majority being FS1-Es. There were two with Puch Grand Prixs and these were definitely the quickest though the two AP50s were not far behind. In general, the FS1-Es were next, followed by me on my SS50 5 speed, though on the few occasions there was a really decent tail wind or good long down hill, my SS50 was actually the fastest. The tall 5th gear only really being of use in such circumstances. Still required me to be flat on the tank though, grinning from ear to ear.
Finally there was a SS50 4 speed, a Puch 3 speed something, a Fantic and a Geliera which were all slower. That said, we'll seemed to leave one village in a huge bunch, with lots of blue smoke and noise, and arrive at the next village in the same huge bunch so any speed difference was completely minimal. (Still fun though overtaking as many mates as you could!) In reality, we'd spend most of our time, with the throttles to the stop, doing somewhere between 35 and 40mph. Up hills or head winds would reduce the speed to below 30mph. I think the number of times any of us, regardless of make of bike, actually got anywhere near 50mph were very few and far between but that didn't stop the tales around the bar mentioning 60+mph.
I think the SS50 was the bike that spent the least amount of time being "tweaked" (in reality, that meant being fixed!) and it was certainly noticeable that the 4 stroke bikes needed to be filled with 2* petrol about half as often as the 2 stroke bikes.
As my school year were 16 in 1977/78 we were all keen to get the last of the unrestricted mopeds so that we could do in excess of 60mph and impress all of the girls with our tales of speed and daring do.
There was a group of about 15 to 20 of us who used to tear around the local villages, especially on a Saturday and Sunday evenings. There was a mixture of mopeds, with the majority being FS1-Es. There were two with Puch Grand Prixs and these were definitely the quickest though the two AP50s were not far behind. In general, the FS1-Es were next, followed by me on my SS50 5 speed, though on the few occasions there was a really decent tail wind or good long down hill, my SS50 was actually the fastest. The tall 5th gear only really being of use in such circumstances. Still required me to be flat on the tank though, grinning from ear to ear.
Finally there was a SS50 4 speed, a Puch 3 speed something, a Fantic and a Geliera which were all slower. That said, we'll seemed to leave one village in a huge bunch, with lots of blue smoke and noise, and arrive at the next village in the same huge bunch so any speed difference was completely minimal. (Still fun though overtaking as many mates as you could!) In reality, we'd spend most of our time, with the throttles to the stop, doing somewhere between 35 and 40mph. Up hills or head winds would reduce the speed to below 30mph. I think the number of times any of us, regardless of make of bike, actually got anywhere near 50mph were very few and far between but that didn't stop the tales around the bar mentioning 60+mph.
I think the SS50 was the bike that spent the least amount of time being "tweaked" (in reality, that meant being fixed!) and it was certainly noticeable that the 4 stroke bikes needed to be filled with 2* petrol about half as often as the 2 stroke bikes.
black-k1 said:
It's amazing to see so many pairs of rose tinted glasses there are on this thread. I'll put on my pair too ...
As my school year were 16 in 1977/78 we were all keen to get the last of the unrestricted mopeds so that we could do in excess of 60mph and impress all of the girls with our tales of speed and daring do.
There was a group of about 15 to 20 of us who used to tear around the local villages, especially on a Saturday and Sunday evenings. There was a mixture of mopeds, with the majority being FS1-Es. There were two with Puch Grand Prixs and these were definitely the quickest though the two AP50s were not far behind. In general, the FS1-Es were next, followed by me on my SS50 5 speed, though on the few occasions there was a really decent tail wind or good long down hill, my SS50 was actually the fastest. The tall 5th gear only really being of use in such circumstances. Still required me to be flat on the tank though, grinning from ear to ear.
Finally there was a SS50 4 speed, a Puch 3 speed something, a Fantic and a Geliera which were all slower. That said, we'll seemed to leave one village in a huge bunch, with lots of blue smoke and noise, and arrive at the next village in the same huge bunch so any speed difference was completely minimal. (Still fun though overtaking as many mates as you could!) In reality, we'd spend most of our time, with the throttles to the stop, doing somewhere between 35 and 40mph. Up hills or head winds would reduce the speed to below 30mph. I think the number of times any of us, regardless of make of bike, actually got anywhere near 50mph were very few and far between but that didn't stop the tales around the bar mentioning 60+mph.
I think the SS50 was the bike that spent the least amount of time being "tweaked" (in reality, that meant being fixed!) and it was certainly noticeable that the 4 stroke bikes needed to be filled with 2* petrol about half as often as the 2 stroke bikes.
sums it all up gloriouslyAs my school year were 16 in 1977/78 we were all keen to get the last of the unrestricted mopeds so that we could do in excess of 60mph and impress all of the girls with our tales of speed and daring do.
There was a group of about 15 to 20 of us who used to tear around the local villages, especially on a Saturday and Sunday evenings. There was a mixture of mopeds, with the majority being FS1-Es. There were two with Puch Grand Prixs and these were definitely the quickest though the two AP50s were not far behind. In general, the FS1-Es were next, followed by me on my SS50 5 speed, though on the few occasions there was a really decent tail wind or good long down hill, my SS50 was actually the fastest. The tall 5th gear only really being of use in such circumstances. Still required me to be flat on the tank though, grinning from ear to ear.
Finally there was a SS50 4 speed, a Puch 3 speed something, a Fantic and a Geliera which were all slower. That said, we'll seemed to leave one village in a huge bunch, with lots of blue smoke and noise, and arrive at the next village in the same huge bunch so any speed difference was completely minimal. (Still fun though overtaking as many mates as you could!) In reality, we'd spend most of our time, with the throttles to the stop, doing somewhere between 35 and 40mph. Up hills or head winds would reduce the speed to below 30mph. I think the number of times any of us, regardless of make of bike, actually got anywhere near 50mph were very few and far between but that didn't stop the tales around the bar mentioning 60+mph.
I think the SS50 was the bike that spent the least amount of time being "tweaked" (in reality, that meant being fixed!) and it was certainly noticeable that the 4 stroke bikes needed to be filled with 2* petrol about half as often as the 2 stroke bikes.
The SS50 needed the carb slide cutting to release about 25% more power, albeit the bike was still only about the same performance as a Puch VS50, in it's glorious bright yellow as only Puch can.
There have been some amazing modified super mopeds. Brent Fielder (wrote a moped book) who is a sports moped guru had a Honda SS50 with 114cc, based on a 70cc or 90cc engine as i recall. Something like 15 bhp instead of 2.5!
My dad had a FS1E with a tuned YB100 engine with about the same power. Cheating? Of course!
If we talk about the BEST supermoped as in best overall? It has to be the AP50 followed by the FS1E. Both great little dependable bikes, the Suzuki winning because it had 12% more power, better brakes and autolube oiling. Plus 5 gears instead of 4 which allowed a lower first for quick take off and a higher top for easier cruising.
There have been some amazing modified super mopeds. Brent Fielder (wrote a moped book) who is a sports moped guru had a Honda SS50 with 114cc, based on a 70cc or 90cc engine as i recall. Something like 15 bhp instead of 2.5!
My dad had a FS1E with a tuned YB100 engine with about the same power. Cheating? Of course!
If we talk about the BEST supermoped as in best overall? It has to be the AP50 followed by the FS1E. Both great little dependable bikes, the Suzuki winning because it had 12% more power, better brakes and autolube oiling. Plus 5 gears instead of 4 which allowed a lower first for quick take off and a higher top for easier cruising.
PS a (better made admittedly) SS50 or FS1E wouldn't know which way a Fantic TI 6 speed went. The little Minarelli engine had a bigger carb., a much sportier design to the engine and 6 gears instead of 4, a massive advantage when we are talking 2.5, 4.8 and 6.8 bhp.
More gears became even more vital when you tuned these tiny engines. I knew a guy with a Terry Beckett stage 3 FS1E but it only worked in the final 2,000 rpm so the gaps between the gears was a nightmare even though power was up around 8 bhp.
Those little Fantics and the off shoots like Gitane, AJW, Testi, were amazing things for 49cc.
More gears became even more vital when you tuned these tiny engines. I knew a guy with a Terry Beckett stage 3 FS1E but it only worked in the final 2,000 rpm so the gaps between the gears was a nightmare even though power was up around 8 bhp.
Those little Fantics and the off shoots like Gitane, AJW, Testi, were amazing things for 49cc.
BroadsRS6 said:
The SS50 needed the carb slide cutting to release about 25% more power, albeit the bike was still only about the same performance as a Puch VS50, in it's glorious bright yellow as only Puch can.
There have been some amazing modified super mopeds. Brent Fielder (wrote a moped book) who is a sports moped guru had a Honda SS50 with 114cc, based on a 70cc or 90cc engine as i recall. Something like 15 bhp instead of 2.5!
My dad had a FS1E with a tuned YB100 engine with about the same power. Cheating? Of course!
If we talk about the BEST supermoped as in best overall? It has to be the AP50 followed by the FS1E. Both great little dependable bikes, the Suzuki winning because it had 12% more power, better brakes and autolube oiling. Plus 5 gears instead of 4 which allowed a lower first for quick take off and a higher top for easier cruising.
The 4 speed SS50 had a 2.5bhp engine as standard but the 5 speed had a 4bhp engine. There have been some amazing modified super mopeds. Brent Fielder (wrote a moped book) who is a sports moped guru had a Honda SS50 with 114cc, based on a 70cc or 90cc engine as i recall. Something like 15 bhp instead of 2.5!
My dad had a FS1E with a tuned YB100 engine with about the same power. Cheating? Of course!
If we talk about the BEST supermoped as in best overall? It has to be the AP50 followed by the FS1E. Both great little dependable bikes, the Suzuki winning because it had 12% more power, better brakes and autolube oiling. Plus 5 gears instead of 4 which allowed a lower first for quick take off and a higher top for easier cruising.
https://www.motorbikecatalog.com/make/honda/ss50/s...
It meant that the 5 speed was pretty close to the performance of the 2 stroke mopeds, especially if the 2 stroke was being ridden by a slightly "chunky" lad. The 5 speed was also geared in 5th to hit max power at 48 to 50mph, which was beyond the peak power point of most 2 strokes with standard engines/gearing. That's why I could pass all of my mates, including the AP50s and the Puch GPs IF (and that was a huge IF) I had a decent down hill and/or a good tail wind. I think it actually happened a grand total of 2 or three times in the year we spent on mopeds - but it allowed me some bragging rights for being the fastest
which, in turn, led to huge success with the ladies!!! (We'll that's how my 16 year old self remembers it!)That looks great. Will have to give it a watch later.
I wasn't aware of the Puch Grand Prix. Having been given a Puch Maxi by my Uncle at age 14 and deciding not long after that there was no way I'd be seen on it, it's amazing to think there were cool Puchs!
I ended up cycling to a 6-day a week Summer job post-GCSEs until I'd saved enough for an 82Y DT50MX - this was 1994 - and the same again on insurance at Swinton.
We changed the rear sprocket on the DT and i put an aftermarket can on it. It was quicker on flats and downhill than a mate's later DT which pleased me. As he'd been bought his! But he killed me up hills.
The lad who sold me the DT was in the same year as me in the school in the next town. He'd developed a nice little trade in doing them up and moving them on. We'd pass each other going the other way most morning as I rode to school 6th Form and he rode to college. I think he'd started on an AP50 but had moved onto DTs.
Kicked myself for a long while as it turned out after I'd bought the DT that the mechanic down the road - who'd had a hand in the Grinnall Scorpion no less - had rebuilt a TS50 and put a big-bore kit on it.
My FS1E story? In 2001 I was a Sales Neg for an Estate Agents. I sold a chap's house and he bemoaned the fact that he was going to have to clear the place out now. I asked him what he was doing with the late FS1E - an 89F - out back. Not as quick as those early ones I gather. He let me have it but it was a non-runner so needed collecting. Cue the company Vectra hatch I was in - only temporarily because my own car, a 205 Roland Garros was in for new brake lines - which happily swallowed the FS1E with the seats down once my Dad, brother and I had wrestled it in!
It ended up just sitting out on my folks' patio until my Mum gave it to one of her pupils who was about to turn 16. Thanks Mum!
I wasn't aware of the Puch Grand Prix. Having been given a Puch Maxi by my Uncle at age 14 and deciding not long after that there was no way I'd be seen on it, it's amazing to think there were cool Puchs!
I ended up cycling to a 6-day a week Summer job post-GCSEs until I'd saved enough for an 82Y DT50MX - this was 1994 - and the same again on insurance at Swinton.
We changed the rear sprocket on the DT and i put an aftermarket can on it. It was quicker on flats and downhill than a mate's later DT which pleased me. As he'd been bought his! But he killed me up hills.
The lad who sold me the DT was in the same year as me in the school in the next town. He'd developed a nice little trade in doing them up and moving them on. We'd pass each other going the other way most morning as I rode to school 6th Form and he rode to college. I think he'd started on an AP50 but had moved onto DTs.
Kicked myself for a long while as it turned out after I'd bought the DT that the mechanic down the road - who'd had a hand in the Grinnall Scorpion no less - had rebuilt a TS50 and put a big-bore kit on it.
My FS1E story? In 2001 I was a Sales Neg for an Estate Agents. I sold a chap's house and he bemoaned the fact that he was going to have to clear the place out now. I asked him what he was doing with the late FS1E - an 89F - out back. Not as quick as those early ones I gather. He let me have it but it was a non-runner so needed collecting. Cue the company Vectra hatch I was in - only temporarily because my own car, a 205 Roland Garros was in for new brake lines - which happily swallowed the FS1E with the seats down once my Dad, brother and I had wrestled it in!
It ended up just sitting out on my folks' patio until my Mum gave it to one of her pupils who was about to turn 16. Thanks Mum!
A great thread.
I bought my 85 Kawasaki AR50 in May 1989. Finished in Kawasaki Green with a Tachometer, I loved it
My friends and I would ride round on our 50’s, TS’s DT’s and RD’s for hours, thinking we were the next Burnett, Fogarty or Mackenzie.
Great happy times
I wish someone would make a film about AR50’s
I bought my 85 Kawasaki AR50 in May 1989. Finished in Kawasaki Green with a Tachometer, I loved it
My friends and I would ride round on our 50’s, TS’s DT’s and RD’s for hours, thinking we were the next Burnett, Fogarty or Mackenzie. Great happy times
I wish someone would make a film about AR50’s
I had one of the FS1-SE, which was the last ditch attempt to shift some Fizzies. It was a weird chopper affair with really long forks and ape hangers. It was only 60 quid though and got me on the road.
Unfortunately I ended up catching the edge of a pothole on it, which put me into a (probably hillarious to watch) speed wobble at about 35mph which eventually ended up with me going over the handlebars
When I came round, I was being carried to the side of the road by the window cleaner from Coronation Street (Gary Mallett) who was staying at the nearby Centre Parcs where I was returning home from after a shift as a 16 year old. It was proper weird regaining consciousness to look up and see a bloke off telly
Sold it just after with bent forks and crumpled headlight for the same 60 quid, so not too bad.
I still have a late 1950s sports moped; a Moto Morini Corsarino. A casual chat with a bloke at work revealed he also has one, so did another person. Small world, we reckon there's maybe a dozen in the country and three of them belonged to people who sat within 50 feet of each other at work. He's properly into his mopeds though and goes on annual jaunts with about 20 mates where they load them into an artic which is owned by one of them; he drives the 'peds there and they fly and meet him. They're off to Scotland this year he was saying, they did the west coast of Ireland just before covid.
Unfortunately I ended up catching the edge of a pothole on it, which put me into a (probably hillarious to watch) speed wobble at about 35mph which eventually ended up with me going over the handlebars
When I came round, I was being carried to the side of the road by the window cleaner from Coronation Street (Gary Mallett) who was staying at the nearby Centre Parcs where I was returning home from after a shift as a 16 year old. It was proper weird regaining consciousness to look up and see a bloke off telly
Sold it just after with bent forks and crumpled headlight for the same 60 quid, so not too bad.
I still have a late 1950s sports moped; a Moto Morini Corsarino. A casual chat with a bloke at work revealed he also has one, so did another person. Small world, we reckon there's maybe a dozen in the country and three of them belonged to people who sat within 50 feet of each other at work. He's properly into his mopeds though and goes on annual jaunts with about 20 mates where they load them into an artic which is owned by one of them; he drives the 'peds there and they fly and meet him. They're off to Scotland this year he was saying, they did the west coast of Ireland just before covid.
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