Mini theory 101: A 50cc bike is designed for kids, despite the fact that adults are propelling sales into the stratosphere.
Why is it that motorsports enthusiasts just can't leave well enough alone? No matter how good a machine is, we always think we can improve it in some way. Somewhere on the evolutionary path to internal combustion enlightenment a mutation occurred within the human brain that forces us to continually improve, modify, and adjust. We can't help it, it just happens.
So it should come as no surprise that our first taste of the sweet, high-po mini-nectar wasn't enough to satisfy our appetites for more power, better suspension, more, more, more. What can we say? We've never been apologetic about our aftermarket gluttony.
In our first Mini Moto project we took four bikes and modified the chit out of 'em with a $2,000 budget. The improvements enhanced performance capabilities beyond our wildest imaginations, but we weren't content with the first round of improvements. We started adding more aftermarket components in an effort to further bolster our 50s fleet.
Eventually we found ourselves gravitating towards the aftermarket components of the industry's two leading manufacturers, BBR Motorsports and Sano Systems. Both companies offer up some of the sickest hop-up accessories available for modified 50cc playbikes. Logically we came to the conclusion that it would only be right to build up two bikes and make them as gnarly as possible, then put them in the ring to see who emerges as king of the mini manufacturer wars. Let the games begin.
To ensure that the playing field was even, we installed identical 88cc Big Bore Takegawa engine kits which come with all the necessary components to boost horsepower. For $439.95, the kit comes with everything needed give mini enthusiasts a leg up on the competition, including new piston, cylinder, rings, cam, gasket, 18mm carb, intake manifold, air filter, spark plug, and, thankfully, instructions. We also tacked on aftermarket CDI boxes to get the most out of our big-bore kits.
Joe Wallace whips the BBR built mini over a table top.
Increased airflow is worthless unless you open up the exhaust, so we bolted a BBR Big Bore Exhaust system on the BBR machine, while the Sano machine exhaled with the help of a Pro Circuit T-4 pipe.
Once we put the new engines together, we turned out attention towards the two most important mini modifications: chassis and suspension. Our experience has been that size of the engine is nearly worthless on tight, twisty mini tracks. Without fail, the bikes with the best chassis and suspension almost always comes out on top when the MCUSA test crew gets together for a little bar-bangin' mini fun.
First, mini theory 101: A 50cc bike is designed for kids, despite the fact that adults are propelling sales into the stratosphere. Therefore, the bikes need to be outfitted with hardware that can stand up to the rigors and abuse dished out by so-called "adults." Adding suspension components is a must for those who will be landing big hits and attacking whoops sections, but the first thing that is an absolute necessity is to increase the overall strength of the bike is an aftermarket frame.
