Can the Aprilia RS50 be competitive?

I recently bought an Aprilia RS50 as a toy to play with. It's too nice to mess with so I'm contemplating getting another RS50 as a project bike to build for racing. I recently discovered Sandyhook holds mini races not too far from me. But it appears that almost all the bikes are either mini-motards or pocket bikes or YSRs. I don't see many minis that are physically larger like my Aprilia yet still small displacement.

Could a RS50 be competitive? Or am I wasting my time?

 

Buy the 60cc kit and maybe. We did one at my shop....it was slow as shit. It'd be cool to put a bigger motor in though.

 

I'd build the AM6 motor up to the limit. It seems with NJ MiniGP I'd have a choice to run F2 or Super Mini class. Most popular big bore race kits for the AM6 are in the 75cc-90cc range, pushing me into Super Mini, so I'd have to get creative to get in under the 65cc displacement limit for F2.

Regardless, it seems the riding style of these small tracks might be better suited to a motard type bike?

 

I would contact the guys at AF1 racing... they have been racing them for years so I'm sure they could steer you in the right direction. BTW I have one as a street bike too.

 

How are you liking the little Aprilia?

I have seen a couple of RS50's at mini tracks over the years. They are backmarkers. Motard is the way to go on a cart track. The aprilia would probably do OK in Wera minis on the full size tracks.

 

Thanks for the advice. It seems, due to their size and riding style, that an Aprila RS50 will struggle on the cart tracks against the more agile mini motards. And it also seems that an Aprilia RS50 would be underpowered on the Summit Point main course during a WERA Sportsman event.

Maybe I'll build one up anyways just for fun and take it to out to Sandyhook or a Roger Lyle Motorcycle Xcitement track day on the tight and winding Shenandoah circuit.

 

Seems like Formula 80 would be the WERA Mini class for a hopped up RS50 with a big bore cylinder kit. "no restrictions other than displacement" sounds like fun!

 

I would do a CR or YZ 80/85 swap if you wanted to be in the Minis class.

The AM6 transmissions are absolute junk.

I should have built my Aprilia to an 80/85 class. Instaed I built it to 125, and now it has no class to belong in.

 

Wera superbike 50 allows two strokes up to 65cc. That is the way I would go. In formula 80 you would run against the RS85 and the more or less unbeatable RS150R.

 

had-one.sold locally.
put a TP(Top Performance)70cc kit in it
Mikuni,24/Barnett clutch.really woke it up-good for about 70 mph..eventually.
still running strong after 2 years of average use.

 

+1

At our mini tracks, the RS bikes dominated.

In our 50 class there was one Aprilla and it was very slow, against stock NSR's. In our 65 class, the RS65 seemed to be the way to go, but there were some quick motard 65's and a NSR63 kit as I recall.

 

When you say RS65 do you mean a Honda RS125 with a 65cc dirt bike motor in it? Or an Aprilia RS50 with hop-up parts?

 

Might want to check past wera results on how the 150 fared against the 85s...

 

Sorry, I meant Honda RS125 converted with a dirtbike engine. I'm pretty sure that is a much better setup than the Aprilla RS50.

Tdub at kart tracks, I think the 150R is pretty hard to beat, with the torque out of all the tight corners. On big tracks, I agree the 85-92 can be faster.

 

McFadden on a Tryce Welch built 85 doesn't count.

 

rs50

The Aprilia rs50 is not competitive with an NSR50. The chassis is too heavy and big. I would not waste my time trying to build up the AM6 motor, the gear box is awful. I have built five Aprilia RS/85's One with a CR85 one with a Kx85 and three with YZ 85's They are competitive with other 85 supermotos and even some 150's. The Aprilia RS chassis is not bad if set up right. If you have not bought a bike yet, a better option would be a Honda RS125 chassis with a 85cc. You can check out some of my builds on AF1 Racing...Good luck

 

I acquired John Halseys sorted KX80 and was as fast as i'd everbe on it.of course..
-i sold.it and sunk money in CR's and 150r's'

 

they need to just allow the rs50 with a 125cc swap and then let it race ninja 250s and 300s