Kickstart Motorcycles, Bangor

Advantages: Fuel Efficient, Same as c90.
Disadvantages: Slow, about 50 at a push

...The c90 is the only one left in production, yes they do still make them, but they stopped making the c50 ad c70 years ago. But I think the c70 is still a good bike. They are fuel efficient (About 80mpg) and for their capacity (72cc) they are fast. I would't suggest doing a long journey on one, but as a commuter they're not bad. It's a semi-automatic, so no clutch, but still has 3 gears. 4 o later models, and the really early ones did have a clutch I think. It has a kick-start. The c50, c70 ad c90 follow the same 'stepthru' concept, the only difference being the power. Why are they called Stepthrus I hear you ask? Well, it's because they are designed so you can step through them, unlike normal motorcycles which you have to jump onto :-) c50s, c70s and c90s must be three of the easiest bikes to control ever. The steering is superb... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, user friendly, unkillable. Stands up to neglect well
Disadvantages: You might want a tinted visor so your friends dont recognise you!

...Stuff it down the back of your boot! The kickstart has a habit of kicking back! As a courier of many years, I have always had one of these wee beasties in the back of the garage. When its wet and cold, and nothing else will start. You can depend on one of these little things to get the job done. I was frequently embarrased by the piffling amounts of petrol needed to fuel it - garage attendants trying to remind me there was a minimum at most petrol pumps - and did you know that with careful packing you can get four Dachshunds on one? but that is not a story for either here or the faint hearted. Firstly, they seem to run on fuel vapour. One sniff of the old four star, and you are well on your way to John o groats via Landsend. You can ignore them, abuse them, forget to clean them, be totally ignorant of the words "maintenance... Read review

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Advantages: Reliability, Economy, Cheap Spares, High Fun Factor
Disadvantages: Noisy engine, Weak Clutch, High Chain / Sprocket Wear

...,000 miles with a knocking big-end before I (not the bike)eventally cried enough. I cannot say at what mileage a knocking conrod will depart the crankpin - probably never! RS electrics are pretty feeble but adequate for most purposes, the main problems being the usual bad earths and connections. At around 50,000 miles an RS will often suddenly stop and this can usually be traced to a duff ignition source coil in the alternator. Unfortunately, rewound examples only last some 25-30,000 miles. High mileage RSs will also blow their CDI units but usually only stop after a period of misfiring. I found the standard kickstart fitted to the RSA to be too short to be effective and too weak for daily use. Remembering my experience in the 60s with the Enfield Continental GT (I changed the short sporty kickstart for one from a commuter version) I replaced... Read review

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