Faults:

I bought an Aprilia Classic 50 last year. The bike was very cheap since it was used, but it was in a poor condition. It needed new battery, new tires, new brake pads and some engine repairs. However, since it was repaired it runs quite well.

The only problem I currently have with it is that the 1994 model, which I have, has only a three gear transmission, making the bike slow uphill, but that can be solved by swapping the engine with a six gear engine from an Aprilia RS50 or Yamaha TZR50 (they all have Minarelli AM model engines, which should be compatible with each bike).

General Comments:

The Aprilia Classic 50 is a 50 cc cruiser motorcycle produced from 1992 to 2002. It is practically a renamed newer model of Aprilia Red Rose 50, but looks more similar to a 1990s Honda Shadow. It was originally produced with three, then four, and finally a five gear manual transmission.

Being a little 50 cc bike, it's surprisingly good. It is a full size bike, physically not much smaller than many much more powerful bikes. It's also quite fast for a 50 cc bike, with a de-restricted engine it can reach top speed of around 90 km/h (around 55 mph). The bike is very easy to ride due to being very light weight (especially for a cruiser, it weighs around 100 kg with a full tank), its front disc brake and rear drum brake do a good job stopping it, but it does have a relatively wide turning circle because of the long wheelbase. It's very comfortable to ride, and if equipped with saddlebags it can be practical for commuting. The sound doesn't fit the bike's style, but considering it has a 50 cc two stroke engine, it can't really be expected to sound like a big V-twin.

I have it for around a year now, as my second bike, after a scooter. I would recommend it to people in Europe who want a cruiser, but can't afford or aren't old enough to get the A1, A2 or A category license.