Rennie Scaysbrook | November 3, 2024
I still remember the unbridled joy of seeing my first bike, a Honda QR50, under the Christmas tree. That tiny little two-stroke, along with Yamaha’s legendary PW50, launched the riding lives of so many kids across the world, but that was the 1980s, and things have moved on since then.
Honda’s had the CRF50 in its lineup for eons, and it’s a case of getting it right the first time and not having to update it after.
The CRF50 is the perfect kid’s starter bike. Don’t forget the Corner Coach seat bump to teach them the correct seating position!
Photos: Rennie Scaysbrook
The CRF50 is powered by a near bulletproof 50cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke. An automatic clutch gives access to the three-speed gearbox, so learning to shift gears becomes far less intimidating for newbies.
My boy, Harvey, has been pestering me for a bike since about the time he could talk, but I’ll admit that after a career in motorcycling and all the associated aches and pains that come with it, I tried to introduce every sport I could think of before getting him on his first dirt bike. Predictably, those good intentions failed miserably.
Harvey’s seventh birthday rolled around; sure enough, there was a CRF waiting for him downstairs. The look on his face was something I’ll never forget; I knew exactly what he was thinking. And so, his life riding dirt bikes began.
Remember how stoked you were when you got your first bike? Photos: Rennie Scaysbrook
The CRF is designed for kids 4-8 years old, but I’ll admit Harvey was a little tall for it at 47 inches tall. Seat height is 21.6 inches, so he looked a little cramped at first. I feel that a kid’s height of around 45 inches would be ideal for this little ride.
It’s not the lightest bike for children at 111 pounds, but it teaches all the basics well. It’s got relatively lazy steering geometry at 25° rake, 1.3 inches of trail and a 36-inch wheelbase, offering excellent low-speed stability while allowing them to gradually explore the three-speed ranges provided by the gearbox.
Honda’s fitted a throttle-limiter screw so the kids won’t go nuts and ride faster than you, as a parent, really want them to, but I feel the speed in first gear is slow enough that you probably won’t need it.
There is plenty of stopping power via the front and rear 80mm drum brakes.
Harvey spent his first day in first and second gear, winding the thing out onto the rev-limiter and constantly asking for more. Those little engines are so damn tough it could sit on the limiter all day and not get hurt. On that note, it drinks so little fuel that it is almost negligible. Harvey’s first day was six hours of straight riding, and it drank about a fifth of the available 0.7 gallons.
Over time we had a little issue with the crappy fuel in California plugging up the carburetor, something that’s easily fixed by draining it out, but it’s something to be aware of.
At 47 inches tall, Harvey is about as big as you can be for the CRF.
Suspensionwise you’ve got a 22mm inverted fork, giving you 3.8 inches of wheel travel and a shock giving you 2.8 inches at the back. This is perfectly fine for inexperienced riders of this age, although kids who grew up riding KTM and Cobra 50s might be wanting more. These are trail bikes, after all, not purpose-built motocrossers, although they will teach the kids how to ride so if they want to hop onto something faster, they will have the base tools they need to ride safely.
The Honda CRF50 is the perfect starter’s bike and given that you can get one for under $2k, they won’t break the bank, either. But, beware, once the dirt bike bug bites, as it’s done with my son, Harvey, the sky (and your bank balance) is the limit.
Happy riding, kiddo!CN
2024 Honda CRF50 Specifications
| MSRP |
$1799 |
| Engine |
4-stroke, single |
| Displacement |
50cc |
| Cooling system |
Air |
| Valvetrain |
SOHC, 2-valve |
| Fuel injection |
11mm piston-valve carburetor |
| Transmission |
3-speed |
| Clutch |
Automatic |
| Chassis |
Cast aluminum backbone |
| Front suspension |
22mm Inverted fork |
| Rear suspension |
Single shock |
| Front-wheel travel |
3.8 in. |
| Rear-wheel travel |
2.8 in. |
| Brakes |
Drum |
| Tires |
2.5-10 |
| Wheelbase |
36 in. |
| Seat height |
21.6 in. |
| Fuel capacity |
0.7 gal./0.2 gal. reserve |
| Weight |
111 lbs. |
