PW50 vs. CRF50?

[wasted]

anybody know what the performance difference is between the yamaha PW50 and the honda CFR50?
my brothers boy has a pw50 and it just isnt cutting it, hes kind of a small kid so the 50 fits him good but it just doesnt have the power, take off, or top speed he requires...
there doesnt seem to be much out there inbetween the pw50 and pw80 and hes too small for the pw80...
but my brother has been looking at getting him a CFR50 pretty strong, at least its has a 3 speed tranny and chain/spockets to mess...
but whats the power/performance difference between the two as far as outright horsepower and the range in which it makes it?
and being a 4 stroke, would the CRF be much of an improvement over the pw?

 

[Imathorp]

you know they restrict those things down to slow them up right? has he removed the carb and exhaust restrictors? my boys JR50 even had a sub-pilot jet. it had a small plug over the pilot jet that had a hole half the size of the pilot's hole. I also added the hidden first gear to his.

the Honda sits taller to start with... you said he's kinda small! check out the JR50 or KX50 they are identical except for color and sit the same as a yamaha with the ability to grow an inch taller when needed.

 

[pyrofreak]

I think that Imathorp meant the KDX50. I would browse in the neighborhood of something more like KTM50. You can get the 50s in like 6 different models.

 

[Patman]

If the PW50 isn't choked off with the "power limiter" in the pipe and the throttle limit screw then a KTM 50 Pro Junior should be a big jump in power for a while. I moved my son from his PW50 that he started on at 3 1/2 to the mini-monster (KTM) when he was 5 1/2. BTW pass on the Adventure model.

 

[wasted]

we've done about all we can do to hop it up without changing the ring gear or digging into the motor...
I was just about to put around $200 into the motor/clutch for him when my brother decided he was going to get him something else...
he doesnt need a pysically bigger sized bike, in fact that is something we are trying to avoid, he just needs more enginewise to the size he has...
gears would make a world of difference, and if that pw50 just had another gear or two it would be a world better and have alot more potential, but as it stands now its just never going to be enough for him, and most of the other bikes that size are single speed and not much better than his pw50, and anything with over a 21in.seat hight is going to be too big for him, and there just isnt much out there that falls into the catagory we are looking for...
thats kind of why we were looking at that CRF, at least it has a few gears, a chain drive and loads of hopup parts, but I hear it weighs quite a bit more, and only has low end power with very little on top unless you hop it up, I was just wondering how powerful they actually were compared to his pw...

 

[Patman]

If size and weight are an issue the KTM is going to be your best choice for better performance unless you want to go to a Cobra. With more speed comes the need for better suspension and the CRF is not really going to be that much of an upgrade if the rider is really that advanced.

 

[theroyz71]

If the problem is the seat height, then check out the KTM Mini Adventure. It has better suspension than the crf50, pw50, jr50, or kdx50 with a comparable seat height. Also, there are several upgrades to improve performance.

 

[01RM125]

My guys are now 6 and 8. We have had a PW50, JR50, and a KLX100. Cam (6 - 54 lbs) now owns a JR80 for a yard bike, and a KTM SX65 for a track bike (long story). Nic (8 - 50 lbs) has just traded his KLX110 for a very modified TTR90.
I don't think you'd find the JR50/KLX50 to have any real advantage over the PW50. Better rear suspension. Not any more power. PW and JR are about 2 hp bikes.
One of our riding friends has the CRF50. It is larger, with the gears is more versital, but dosn't seem to have any more power (than PW/JR) stock. With these you can BUY as much horse power as you can afford. I don't think the suspension is really any better stock than JR, but then again with MONEY....
The "full race 50s" (KTM pro-JR, Cobra, ...) would have much more hp (I think the top of these run near 14 hp, or at least claim that). They have much better suspension. They need MUCH more maintanence. MUCH! Those little auto clutchs need constant attention. KTM 50s come in Air Cooled (Adventure series) and water cooled (Pro series), both short (JR) and tall (SR). So small with power is the Pro-JR. New I think Pro-JR would run over $2500. Alot more bike than a PW.. but alot more cost (both up front and then for ever in maint.). Also full MX bikes are quite loud for yard use.
So it really depends on use and the child. My 6 yr old LOVES his KTM 65. He had distroyed the shocks in his PW 50 by the time he was 4 yr old jumping it. His JR80 yard bike dosn't thrill him any more. The suspension only survives because the jumps in our "yard track" are not large. He over revs it (trying to get KTM HP out of it), so we do top ends at least once per year (at about $50 each, who cares).
My 8 year old rode his JR50 till he was 6. Shocks were in perfect shape when he sold it(seems to be about the same level as the PW50 suspension). He loves his TTR90. His favorite feature, electric start. He does not ride Cam's KTM 65. Has no interest in that. He like to trail ride.
So, if your boy is more like Nic; buy the CRF50, and with hop ups you will get many years out of it.
If he's more like cam, sell your kidneys and get the KTM Pro-JR. Learn to enjoy lot of quality garage time with the little guy and the little auto clutch :-).
Which ever, have fun.

 

[utah450]

wasted,

I have a xr50, and I would not recommend it unless you only ride trails. If the boy is ready to go to the track, then get him a ktm pro jr or cobra cm. Cobra also has a pw3 model that is smaller than the pro jr or the cm. The mini-adventures are probably not a great idea.
My experience has been that the honda was not that great, and if he is riding a pw to the limit, he is ready to move up to a faster bike with some suspension.

Terry

 

[id450f]

cobra pw3 a good move from the pw50

My son's been riding the pw50 for over a year now and I just got him the cobra pw3. It's not physically much bigger, but it's light years faster. He's only got about a 1/2 hour on it now, but he's noticably faster and adapted easily. He's 5 1/2 and average height for his age.

 

[Bushsbiggestfan]

Pw

My son rides a PW 50, I have done every MOD there is to do, (bored to .80 over, power reeds, gearing, jets, replaced the stock tires with the ones that KTM puts on their 50's, new shocks) He has been riding this for 3 months and is BEGGING for more power and suspension, the size is good for him as he is very small. He doesnt know yet but I have ordered the KTM senior which is a little tall for him now, but It is adjustable for the smaller rider. Learn from me DONT put anymore money into the PW50, even with all the mods it will still only blow past the other PW's and JR50..all other 50s still kick his butt.

 

[Jasle]

Few things you can do

Well I'd second the vote for the Cobra PW3
Check www.cobramotorcycle.com to see them.

But for your PW50 the QT50 ring and pinion is a HUGE difference. it takes you from 4.9:1 to 5.7:1 gearing. I go about 230lbs and I can tell big time the differenct. Also you can deck the cylinder taking about .030 of material out to bump the compression up. Makes a huge difference. If you race stock classes don't do this! But if you just want more power for plasting around you can do it. Also a 60cc kit is availible. as well as a FMF pipe. Remove the oil injector setup and run premix. Take the stock main 70 jet out and use a 67.5 or 65. Stock the bike is way too rich.

Also you can either shorten your stock clutch springs by one or two coils or get aftermarket springs. They make the clutch engage later so it is closer to the powerband when it hits.

The springs are under $20 and the pinion gear is under $60 usually on that popular E lectronic Bay site.