The Honda PC50 is a

moped A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typ ...

produced by the Honda Motor Company in Japan from May 1969 until February 1977. The PC50, though much smaller and lighter, had some similar features to Honda's popular C50 /70 /90 Super Cub line, with a step-through pressed-steel frame, a fuel tank under the saddle, a chain cover, and optionally equipped with leg shields,

Construction

Engine

A distinctive feature of the PC50 is the use of a

four-stroke engine A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directi ...

, at a time almost all pedal-equipped mopeds used

two-stroke engine A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of ...

s. Honda's early development of 50 cc four-stroke engines was a result of

Soichiro Honda was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. In 1948, he established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and oversaw its expansion from a wooden shack manufacturing bicycle motors to a multinational automobile and motorcycle manufacturer. Early years Honda ...

's dislike of the sharp noise of two-stroke engines. The PC50 used two different engines during its production. The first models featured an

overhead camshaft An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...

(OHC) engine derived from the Honda P50 moped which used an engine in wheel arrangement. The OHC engine was used from start of PC50 production until April 1970 when the OHC engine gave way to the

OHV An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located bel ...

(pushrod) engine in the same cycle frame. The new model was re-designated PC50K1. Simplicity is an important feature of the PC50 with an automatic clutch driving a fixed ratio,

splash lubrication Splash lubrication is a rudimentary form of lubrication found in early engines. Such engines could be external combustion engines (such as stationary steam engines), or internal combustion engines (such as petrol, diesel or paraffin engines). ...

to the engine parts except for the use of a small pump to the parallel valves. The sump has an oil capacity of 0.8 - 0.9 litre for the OHC model and 0.75 litre for the

. The engine has an 8.5:1 compression ratio, coil ignition with no advance-retard mechanism, and fixed timing position. The engine output is rated as 1.8 bhp @ 5,700rpm, and carburetion served by a 14mm Keihin with a direct shutter choke operated on a simple side lever. The early OHC models had a generator which developed a total 6V x 15W output, which was uprated to 23W with the introduction of the OHV engine in 1970.

Moped drive

The Honda PC50 has no footrests or kick-start, it is a proper

with a fully effective cycling capability engaged by the operation of a lever on the right hand crankcase. When the lever is engaged in drive ‘on’ mode, the drive is taken through a simple single gear and automatic clutch.

Chassis

The moped chassis is constructed from two pressed-steel halves welded together down the centre-line, with pressed steel leading link fork front, and swingarm rear suspension with telescopic dampers. The under seat 3-litre petrol tank is single sided on the left of the machine. A plastic toolbox takes the position of a dummy fuel tank on the right hand side. Behind the single seat is a useful pressed steel carrier rack.

Variants

There were variants of the PC50 which were not available to the UK market including a standard model with telescopic front forks and the sports-like PS50. This was introduced as a sports variant of the OHC machine. The PS50 had a 3-speed gearbox with handlebar twist-grip selection, a manual clutch, a motor cycle style petrol tank, a dual seat and telescopic forks.

Overhead valve An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located b ...

(OHV) versions were also listed for the PS50.

References

* Infobox specifications from these honda.co.jp pages on 2008-02-21:
http://www.honda.co.jp/news/1969/2690514.html

{{Honda PC50 Motorcycles introduced in 1969