Xmotos XB-21D 2008 — Specifications

In 2008, when the 50cc scooter market was nothing more than a field of plastic clones, Xmotos released the XB-21D, a machine that stood out for its oversized pit bike appearance rather than its performance. With a 50cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine producing just 6.7 horsepower, this is not a mechanical revolution. A bore of 40 mm and a stroke of 39.5 mm, for a compression ratio of 9.7:1, define an engine that runs on simplicity, air-cooled and fueled by a good old carburetor. The promise is not to reach the regulated 70 km/h, but to offer a visual alternative and a quirky riding position.

The frame and suspension tell the same story. An inverted fork and an air-adjustable single shock at the rear, on a small automatic scooter, was a nod to the large sport bikes. These elements gave the XB-21D a visual seriousness that the Honda Zoomer or Aprilia Mojito of the time did not have. With a wheelbase of 1100 mm and a dry weight of 60 kg, urban maneuverability was its main asset, even if the 3-liter tank emphatically reminded you of the proximity of gas stations.

A seat height of 670 mm and an upright riding position made it an accessible, almost playful mount. The single disc brakes at each end did the job without pretension, in line with the modest power available. It was a motorcycle for getting around with a different style, for those who were tired of curved lines and wanted a machine with defined angles, without breaking the bank or complicating their lives.

The XB-21D did not seek to beat the Yamaha Aerox on the field of agility nor to compete with the Peugeot XP6 on the field of practicality. Its purpose was elsewhere: to propose an urban mini motocross silhouette, slightly provocative, for a young audience or simply looking for originality on a small budget. It remains today a pleasant curiosity, a testament to an era when personalization sometimes involved buying a model already roughed up from the factories.