Honda Ruckus 2007

Just before the guy from Honda hands over the keys to the Honda Ruckus 50cc. He gives me a rifle and screams that I’m a useless maggot, and orders me to give me 25 push-ups. NOW!

I struggle through the push ups, afterwards he takes me deep inside Honda HQ to a unmarked door which opens, it’s a lift. We go down to basement floor, as the door opens I see through the steam, and flashing red lights the 2007 Honda Ruckus 50cc.
The paint job is all camo upfront and utilitarian black for the rest. Camo on a Honda! That’s what hoodie wearing baggie-jeans teenagers wear when they go snowboarding. Not on a Japanese scooter.

The basic model weights 82kg, which is surprisingly heavy for such a light looking scooter. The Honda Today weighs a feather-weight 71kg, and the two-stroke, Yamaha Jog 2009 comes in at 69kg. The reason for this extra weigh on the Ruckus is a water-cooled engine, and BIG tyres.

The fuel tank holds 4.9 liters, and consumes gas at 19m/30Km per litre. Amazing when you consider its heavier than its competitors. It is undoubtly the most useable 50cc four-stroke on the market. Crusing around the city streets is easy enough, don’t try and put your knee down ‘round a corner, those big, knobbly tires feel a bit sketchy. The Honda is designed for cruising, its got very wide handle-bars compared with other 50's, which make it feel relaxed and gives the rider confidence, but does effect your ability to squeeze through rush-hour queues.

Living with the Honda; its cool, people ask about it, and guys with huge baggy pants, look enviously at you, but not having ANY real storage maybe an issue for some. It runs on fumes, but isn't so slow that you can't keep up with the traffic.

If you’ve already got a boring practical scooter, and you want to move to the way-out Ruckus, you’ll need to seriously think about having to carry everything around with you. Is that worth it to be cool, for many it maybe, for me it was not (worth it for me. ED (but I do have some issues)) The Ruckus is a blend of the latest styling trends mixed with features from the beginning of scooters. Drums brakes and no storage – camo paint, and liquid-cooled four-stroke motor. It is a mix that although not perfect does a damn good job of doing what it does!