Is the CRF50 junk???

[wanaride]

I'm thinking about getting a CRF50 for my soon-to-be four year old. I read a review that said the CRF50 was junk and stayed broken all the time, but I find this hard to believe considering the reputation of the XR50 and the fact that the CRF & XR have so much in common.

Anyone out there have experience on the CRF50 they care to share?

Thanks for your help!

 

[biglou]

They're bulletproof. Nothing much but the plastic has changed on them. I wouldn't let the occasional horror story scare you away from buying one.

 

[mxer842]

Notice that those horror stories are coming from pit-riders pushing 150lbs as well, those little things are pushed way past there design and hold up just fine.

 

[_j0kA_]

k im 195lbs and just got back from countless backflip attempts and it took a beating, still runs like a champ.. mind you have i have some mods (bars, pipe, fork legs, ishock, tires, etc) but they will never stop running.. ive got a 1978z50 that still starts on the first kick, its been through hell and back twice.. i suggest buying it for sure

 

[Porstala F9]

Ive got a 96 Z-50. Those things are absolutely BULLETPROOF you are right. I have mistreated the thing so bad when I was a kid and didnt know any better, and I can still go out now and push the kickstarter down with my hand first push and start the bad boy up and let her rip. The things use hardly any gas too and are quick! I know that for a long time they didnt change anything on the Honda 50's besides the frame/decals/etc non engine stuff for the Z's. Same for XR/CRF?

 

[Michelle]

Wanaride, get the bike that best fits the little one. Don't get him/her a bike to "grow into".
A little friend of mine had an XR70 but she didn't like it as it felt too big/heavy for her & just didn't ride it. Her dad traded it in on a CR50F & she now loves riding. Her brother has an XR50 & has done some interesting things with it - tried climbing a tree which bent the forks & not sure what else that did. When I rode it down a hill for him, the one thing I had to comment on was that it had no back brake, but again, I think that's something he's done along the way ;)
He got it when he turned 5 & he turned 6 a couple of months back. He rides most days & really the bike's stood up pretty well.
The good things I see about the bike are: it's quiet & uses no gas ;) We've taken the kids on some pretty impressive rides & they've been totally reliable (that I've seen). The one pita about them is the little wheels - they get stuck on some "minor" obstacles, but that's not a biggie & you'll get that whatever little bike you get. It just means we don't take the kids on some trails where we'll have to lift the bike every 5 feet due to ruts.
Hope that helps some & good luck with the purchase of the family bikes.

 

[wanaride]

Everyone's reply helped, especially yours Michelle, thanks a lot!

By the way, my son has his heart set on the "blue" one, and I don't know if I can convince him in the "red" direction, so hopefully the PW50 will be as reliable as everyone says the Honda is...