APRILIA SR50 (2004 - on) Review

This is the basic Aprilia SR 50, called the SR 50 Street. There’s also a higher-spec SR 50 R and SR 50 R Factory.

• Related: top 50cc scooters and mopeds
• Related: Learn to ride a motorbike with MCN

With lots of styling cues taken from Aprilia’s fire-breathing superbikes, this 50cc scooter gives Italian style to restricted licence holders. Although it only does 30mph, there are lots of performance parts available to improve speed, braking and handling. It’s a superb scooter, but there are cheaper options out there.

Aprilia SR50 updated in 2011

In 2011 Aprilia unveiled the new 50cc and 125cc SR Motard scooters. Scooters inspired by supermotos.

The smaller, 50cc version was powered by a 49cc two-stroke engine and cost £1,770. The SR Motard 125 was powered by a 124cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine and cost £2,120. 

Both models were available in white, black or metallic orange paint schemes.

The SR50 is simplicity itself to just hop on and ride. It’s comfortable enough to zip around on all day in town and the handling is more than a match for its clipped top speed. It has non adjustable telescopic forks up front and single shock at the rear. The front brake is a very sporty single 190mm disc set-up with a twin-piston caliper.

All the SR 50 models are powered by an electric start, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 49cc two-stroke engine, restricted to 30mph with a CVT gearbox. The motor is fed by a single 17.5mm carburettor.  

Why won't my Aprilia SR50 start well when hot?

Q: My nipper has a fuel-injected Aprila SR50 Ditech. When it runs it has a really good little engine and will fly along at 35mph all day. The trouble is, it’s an absolute pig to start hot or cold. My injected bikes start with no throttle action, but with this you have to thumb the starter, constantly moving the throttle until the engine begins to fire, gradually building up the revs until it will go without constant coaxing on the throttle.

Triumphrider600, MCN forums 
 
A: The Ditech’s engine is quite a complicated beast using a compression system to charge the cylinder at start-up and with the air and fuel injectors in one housing. There’s also a suggestion the plug can be a grade too cold for our climate, so that it wets up too easily, so try experimenting with a different grade. Other than that, you could check to see if there’s blow back from the air injector. It’s sealed with a ceramic ring, if there’s evidence of burning on that ring, then you are looking at replacement for about £80 (gulp). After that, it’s a dealer job with diagnostics.

Just like Aprilia motorcycles, this scooter is very nicely put together. It’s built to be abused by 16-year olds, so has Tonka Toy durability.

If you’ve got the cash, the SR50 is a superb scooter, but it’s a lot to part with for a 16-year old who is only going to keep it for a year, while they wait to trade up to a 125. 

There’s a big dose of superbike styling here as well as a racy front brake set-up, a rear disc light alloy 13" wheels and a single rear shock. There’s lots of optional extras available, but at a price.