Honda CRF 50 F 2017 — Specifications

How old was your kid when they first asked for a motorcycle? Five, six, sometimes younger. That's precisely the niche the Honda CRF 50 F targets — a small beginner machine that borrows the styling cues of the full-size competition CRFs and scales them down to child-height handlebars. With a seat just 548 mm off the ground and a wet weight of only 50.3 kg, this is a machine designed to reassure parents and rookie riders alike. The look is serious, almost intimidating from a distance, but at kid scale, everything becomes approachable.

Beneath the 4.1-liter fuel tank beats an air-cooled 49 cc single-cylinder four-stroke, with a bore and stroke of 39 x 41.4 mm and a 10:1 compression ratio. The output? Three horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 2.9 Nm of torque from just 3,500 rpm. On paper, it's modest. On the ground, it's exactly what's needed. Power delivery is progressive, free of any abruptness, thanks to an 11 mm carburetor that smooths throttle response across the entire rev range. The automatic clutch paired with a three-speed gearbox eliminates any difficulty with shifting. A child who can walk can learn to ride this thing — it really is that simple. And for worried parents, Honda has built in a throttle limiter that lets you dial down the available power to match the young rider's skill level. Clever.

On the chassis side, the steel-tube backbone frame gets the job done without frills. The 21.7 mm inverted hydraulic fork provides 94 mm of travel, backed up by a rear mono-shock absorbing 69 mm of stroke. This is not a motocross machine — nobody's asking it to clear doubles. But for soaking up the ruts on a dirt path or the bumps in a backyard, it's more than enough. The 10-inch wheels wear 2.50 tires on steel rims with 28 spokes and aluminum hubs. Braking relies on two 80 mm drum brakes, front and rear. No disc, no ABS — just the bare essentials to stop 50 kilos rolling at low speed. The knurled, folding footpegs provide solid grip, even on muddy ground.

Maintenance is kept to a minimum, a major selling point for families. The cam chain has an automatic tensioner, the air filter can be washed and refitted without any special tools, and the 420 final drive chain only asks for regular lubrication. Fuel consumption is negligible given the displacement, allowing for long riding sessions before reaching for the jerry can. A new 2023 Honda CRF 50 F sells for around 2,099 euros, a price that puts it up against the Yamaha PW 50 and KTM SX 50, its direct rivals in the beginner mini-cross segment. The Yamaha plays the two-stroke card with automatic oil injection, the KTM steps up with more refined suspension but at a higher price. The Honda banks on the legendary reliability of its four-stroke engine and unmatched ease of use.

If you're looking for your child's first motorcycle — the one that will survive backyard crashes, forgotten oil changes, and being handed down from sibling to sibling — the CRF 50 F remains a safe bet. It doesn't make adults dream, and that's not its job. It gets kids riding, for a long time, with zero hassle. And in this category, that's really the only criterion that matters.