2009 Honda Ruckus Scooter Review Photo Gallery

The Honda Ruckus is a playful little 50cc scooter, but is it fit for the road? Find out in the Motorcycle USA 2009 Honda Ruckus scooter review.

'There’s simply no power. Big Red makes a 50cc, 4-stroke dirt bike that will stomp this thing in a drag, and they sell them to kids who aren’t old enough to read. Why would you strap a full-sized adult on it and throw them into city traffic?'

2009 Honda Ruckus Scooter Review

45+ mph roads are kryptonite to the little Ruckus as it struggles to just hit 30 mph.

The Ruckus seems to have found its true calling on the sidelines of the race track as a pit bike.

Pit bike is the true calling of the Ruckus and we’d like to believe the majority of them are used in such ancillary transportation functions

2009 Honda Ruckus Scooter Review

Stick a 125 or 150cc motor in the Ruckus and this review would be quite different.

Quick turning is exactly what the Ruckus needs to avoid the angry mobs behind you as you attempt to hit 25 mph before the next stop sign.

The low-30s top speed severely limit the practical turf a Ruckus is fit to prowl. A lagging throttle and meager acceleration complete the overall poor engine performance.

The big tires on the small 10-inch wheels do deserve some props, as they deliver good feel and even allow for some mild dirt excursions.

Limited storage area could be the deal-killer for many potential buyers looking for a practical real world scooter.

'Oh, the horn is loud too,' adds JC. 'Honda apparently realized after they built this cute little folly, that if riders wanted to stay alive they had better be seen and heard. Well, thanks for that.'

'Considering how wimpy the rest of it is, these Baja-inspired twin beams feel like overkill, but when it comes down to it, there’s no substitute for illumination.'