RIEJU RS3 50 (2012 - on) Review

The Rieju has the performance to more than match the looks thanks to the two-stroke engine, and the Showa forks mean it handles well, too.

• Read: top 50cc scooters and mopeds

If you’re 16 and looking to get on two wheels, it doesn’t get much better than the RS3. I got several nods throughout the day from riders of ‘proper’ bikes. That’s just about the best praise you can get on a 50cc learner bike.

The upside down Showa forksdo a good job of keeping everything under control, despite the fact the light weight of the bike means it has a tendency to crash over bumps at times. When it comes to cornering it’s simply a case of ‘look where you want to go’, the Rieju is that light. Although the front brake brings the RS3 to a stop quickly, there's little feel through the lever, resulting in a lack of confidence under hard braking.

The engine and clutch have a very narrow area of operation, making pulling away difficult. Both throttle hand and clutch fingers need to be perfectly in sync to get away without bogging down. With the full 8.2bhp to play with (legally they must be restricted to 2bhp and 30mph for 16-year-olds) I managed to see an almost supersonic 67mph on the dash. Although its fun to keep the RS3 pinned, riding in town is a frustrating experience. It’s difficult to launch, and doesn’t enjoy maintaining the same speed. 

The RS3 was mostly well put together, save for a few issues, such as the sidestand not retracting fully and the left mirror working itself loose every couple of minutes.

How well the two-stroke engine would hold up to abuse and minimal maintenance from a 16-year-old is another matter.

£2899 isn't cheap for a two-stroke 50cc, but you get what you pay for with the quality and performance. Spend less money and you'll easily spend what you save getting it fixed. You'll need to spend decent money on good quality two-stroke oil if you want to keep the engine in good condition, which could soon add up.

The RS£ is pretty basic when it comes to equipment. The dash tells you your speed and revs and little else. Most importantly for a 16-year-old, it has a max speed function, which records your maximum speed so you can brag to all your mates.