WK Scrambler 50

[SteelerSE]

My son is turning 16 and wants a scooter to get to college on. His preference is for a geared 50cc and one of the few that I can find is this WK one.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/wk-bik...

This review seems pretty positive but has anyone got any real world experience?

[smifffymoto]

Geared,50 cc.

Beta,Sherco,Aprilia and other European brands make off road and supermotard models.

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

Get a secondhand jap bike, he will want a 125 in a year.

[DirtyHarley]

Not on the WK Scrambler but another Chinese geared 50 - the Lexmoto Hunter. I refurbished one for a chum whose eldest turned 16 before lockdown. For what they are they are decent enough. You have to thrash the nuts off of them in 1st to get anywhere and then you're up through the gears fairly quickly, but otherwise they are fairly robust and do a good job for those who don't want a 50cc scooty-puff-junior! I wouldn't recommend buying one new since they will almost certainly want a 125 at 17, although due to the limited amount of geared 50s on the market the resale value isnt too bad despite them being chinese.

Build quality of chinese bikes is reasonable now compared to 10-15 years or so ago although any chrome work will likely look naff in a year or two if ridden through winter, and some bolts will need replacing too - but otherwise the engines are solid little things that do the job.

[ThreadKiller]

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1240727

Or buy something like this…. Even cooler and get (most of?) your money back when it’s time to sell. Sorry- not very helpful but saw add after reading your post and thought the Gilera was rather lovely.

[poo at Paul's]

Get a Honda mt5; use it a year, sell for 200 quid more

[SteelerSE]

Thanks all.

I need to get some insurance quotes and actually go and see one too.

The other thing that could really work is an electric bike. I've seen a Super Soco TSX which looks pretty good. Better looking, cheap to run and easy to maintain.

https://urbanebikes.com/products/super-soco-tsx150...

Have been googling all evening and it looks more and more positive. We'll see.

[Biker 1]

Kid at work had a Rieju recently. He bought a derestriction kit, which included modified exhaust header & some replacement electrical gubbins for a couple of hundred quid.
Seemed like a pretty well screwed together moped with decent brakes: https://www.rieju.co.uk/product/rieju-mrt-50-lc/

[poo at Paul's]

SteelerSE said:

The other thing that could really work is an electric bike. I've seen a Super Soco TSX which looks pretty good. Better looking, cheap to run and easy to maintain.

https://urbanebikes.com/products/super-soco-tsx150...

Get him a proper bike with gears to learn to ride one. There's plenty of time for him to get an electric thing and hand his man badge in down the line!

Oh and as for cheap to run, it will be pennies a mile on a 50cc even if powered by gold dust.

Mash do a nice looking 50 scrambler, if you want something new. But an MT 5 is a good shout as they hold value well but you can get all the parts for them still.

[Chezza_Gav]

I had the same dilemma, but after seeing one of these in the flesh I was convinced. They are brilliant. Well made, good to look at and the thing that sold it for me is that when my 16yo lad wants to jump to a 125, well, I will just replace the engine into the same frame and re-register as the base bike is actually the 125 in the first place.

I did look for second hand and other options but for geared 50's the market is very small and not a lot available new or 2nd hand.

[Jakey123]

Chezza_Gav said:

I had the same dilemma, but after seeing one of these in the flesh I was convinced. They are brilliant. Well made, good to look at and the thing that sold it for me is that when my 16yo lad wants to jump to a 125, well, I will just replace the engine into the same frame and re-register as the base bike is actually the 125 in the first place.

I did look for second hand and other options but for geared 50's the market is very small and not a lot available new or 2nd hand.

That seems like a whole lot of faff when you could just flog the 50 and buy a 125...

[A993LAD]

Biker 1 said:

Kid at work had a Rieju recently. He bought a derestriction kit, which included modified exhaust header & some replacement electrical gubbins for a couple of hundred quid.
Seemed like a pretty well screwed together moped with decent brakes: https://www.rieju.co.uk/product/rieju-mrt-50-lc/

My son also had one of these when he was 16. It went very well and was also incredibly reliable despite his lack of maintenance.

I recall he sold it for more than we paid for it too.

[SteelerSE]

Thanks all. We've ended up buying the Scrambler. Only the CBT between him and the road now.

[Chezza_Gav]

sounds great - hope he enjoys ! - we are still waiting for delivery, then he needs to wait until august before he is 16

Regarding the faff, i tend to agree but depends if we can sell the bike for more than we paid (doubtfull) and then also how much an engine is, seen a few on eBay for £299.

not only that, great spannering experience for him.

[SteelerSE]

One happy 16 year old.