The Yamaha QT50 Yamahopper was a moped produced by the Yamaha Motor Company from 1979 through 1992. QT50s were popular in the late 1970s and 1980s, These small mopeds are easy to ride, maintain, and are fuel efficient. The engine being slightly under 50cc, it was legal in some states to operate this diminutive motorcycle without a drivers licence thereby making the QT50 appealing to teenagers. [1] The QT50 motorcycle resembles contemporary Mopeds and shares some features with Scooters.
The QT50 and the Honda Express are similar in appearance. Unlike a scooter, the QT50 has no fairing, sports footpegs rather than footboards, and its two-stroke reed valve engine is slung beneath the monotube frame motorcycle-style. The Yamahopper has an approximate top speed of 30 mph in stock form, and thus can be used for city driving.
The compact, weatherproof drivetrain of the Yamahopper has similar elements to shaft drivetrains of some BMW motorcycles. Its simple, maintenance-free shaft-drive contained in the single-sided swingarm eliminates chain maintenance, safety and wear concerns as well as weather wear factors and contributes to the durability and ease of use of these tiny motorbikes. The drive unit also incorporates a traditional centrifugal clutch but only a single speed gearing, unlike some mopeds which have two speeds. The simplified driveshaft setup makes wheel changes easy.
Popular modifications include: Yamaha YT60 cylinder, piston and rings. Yamaha MJ50 Towny two-speed crankcase and right-side swingarm. Yamaha PW50 rear gears. Mikuni VM15 and VM18 carburetors. Jemco exhaust, etc.
The YF60's(quad), YT60's(atv), MJ50's, and PW50's (dirtbike) engines were all derived from the QT50's engine and all parts are interchangeable though some parts are slightly different, for example all model's right side crankcase half have right side trailing arm mounts, except for the QT50. Most of the parts for the QT50 are still available from Yamaha dealers. New and used parts are often found on eBay as well.
A two-strokeengine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston in one revolution of the crankshaft. In a two-stroke engine, the end of the combustion stroke and the beginning of the compression stroke happen simultaneously, with the intake and exhaust functions occurring at the same time.
Zündapp was a major German motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1917 in Nuremberg by Fritz Neumeyer, together with the Friedrich Krupp AG and the machine tool manufacturer Thiel under the name "Zünder- und Apparatebau G.m.b.H." as a producer of detonators. In 1919, as the demand for weapons parts declined after World War I, Neumeyer became the sole proprietor of the company, and two years later he diversified into the construction of motorcycles.
A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a component for transmitting mechanical power, torque, and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drivetrain that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them.
A swingarm, originally known as a swing fork or pivoted fork, is a single or double sided mechanical device which attaches the rear wheel of a motorcycle to its body, allowing it to pivot vertically. The main component of the rear suspension of most modern motorbikes and ATVs, it holds the rear axle firmly, while pivoting to absorb bumps and suspension loads induced by the rider, acceleration, and braking.
Motobécane was a French manufacturer of bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, and other small vehicles, established in 1923. "Motobécane" is a compound of "moto", short for motorcycle; "bécane" is slang for "bike."
The Yamaha XS650 is a mid-size motorcycle that was made by the Yamaha Motor Company. The standard model was introduced in October 1969, and produced until 1979. The "Special" cruiser model was introduced in 1978 and produced until 1985. The XS650 began with the 1955 Hosk SOHC 500 twin. After about 10 years of producing 500 twin, Hosk engineers designed a 650 cc twin. Later Showa Corporation acquired the Hosk company, and in 1960 Yamaha acquired Showa, with Hosk's early design of 650 cc twin.
A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used.
In the market, there is a wide variety of types of motorcycles, each with unique characteristics and features. Models vary according to the specific needs of each user, such as standard, cruiser, touring, sports, off-road, dual-purpose, scooters, etc. Often, some types like sport touring are considered as an additional category or integrated with touring.
The Honda Express or Honda NC50 is a scooter made by Honda between 1977 and 1983. Variants include the Express (NC50), Express II (NA50), Express SR (NX50) and Urban Express (NU50). All versions of the Express line are powered by an air-cooled 49 cc (3.0 cu in) two-stroke engine.
A motorcycle's suspension serves a dual purpose: contributing to the vehicle's handling and braking, and providing safety and comfort by keeping the vehicle's passengers comfortably isolated from road noise, bumps and vibrations.
Motorcycle components and systems for a motorcycle are engineered, manufactured, and assembled in order to produce motorcycle models with the desired performance, aesthetics, and cost. The key components of modern motorcycles are presented below.
The FS1 is a Yamaha moped of the 1970s. Various letter suffixes were added to indicate model variation to suit local regulations, such as the FS1-E for England, FS1P/DX NL and others.
The Yamaha RD500LC is a high-performance, two-stroke sports motorcycle, also known as the RZ500 in Canada and Australia. A lightened but detuned version known as the RZV500R was developed for the Japanese home market. Strict United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations meant that the RZ500 was not available for sale in that country. Produced for a short period between 1984 and 1986 it has become a sought after collector's machine.
The Yamaha FZ750 is a sports motorcycle produced by Yamaha Motor Corporation between 1985 and 1991. The FZ750 is notable for several reasons, perhaps the most radical being the 5-valve cylinder head. This became something of a Yamaha trademark. The FZ750 would be the first bike in the Genesis design concept.
The Honda PC50 is a moped produced by the Honda Motor Company in Japan from May 1969 until at least 1983. 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,
A scooter is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, a transmission that shifts without the operator having to operate a clutch lever, a platform for their feet, and with a method of operation that emphasizes comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motor scooters have been made since at least 1914. More recently, scooters have evolved to include scooters exceeding 250cc classified as Maxi-scooters.
The Yamaha XJ650 Maxim is a mid-size motorcycle by the Yamaha Motor Company introduced in 1980 as the Maxim I and produced through 1983. Yamaha designed the high-performance XJ650 as a brand-new four-cylinder with shaft drive, and built it specifically as a special cruiser. The XJ Maxim was the successor of the XS Special introduced in 1978.
A motorcycle transmission is a transmission created specifically for motorcycle applications. They may also be found in use on other light vehicles such as motor tricycles and quadbikes, go-karts, offroad buggies, auto rickshaws, mowers, and other utility vehicles, microcars, and even some superlight racing cars.
The Moto Guzzi Triporteurs were wheeled transport motorcycles (triporteurs) of the Moto Guzzi brand. In Italy, they are called "motocarri".
The G450X is an Enduro-class motorcycle that was produced by BMW Motorrad between 2008 and 2011.