What a great job. Bought back some great memories for me, had C50s as field bikes and as a lad I damaged to gear selector so pulled the engine apart on my dad's workbench. I struggled to get it all back together and eventually gave up. The following day on return from school I found my dad had rebuilt the engine from the scattered parts and it worked perfectly. He was a great guy and he had my total admiration.
At the other end of the scale ...... My CB 250 K1 was giving me no end of grief and then the geabox went. I hadn't much time or money to sort it when I got the offer of a Honda 90 'sport' - esentially the big brother engine to this one. It was a great little town bike until one day it stopped. Couldn't work out why: Spark -check, Fuel - yeah could smell that when I took the plug out. I was starting to loosen the first of the head bolts when my mate pulled up and asked what was going on - I explained. He shook the bike. Silence. No sloshing petrol sound. The thing had such phenomenal mpg I had totally forgotten I needed to sometimes put petrol in. Still We get all this political bleating about Carbon this and electric that to save the environment ...... all too stupid to recognise that really frugal engines have been kicking around for over half a century.
Just started watching and broke down in tears. Took me straight back to me and my best mate in the shed on numerous tweaking and re-builds in the early 80s. Unfortunately lost him last year to Cancer and this just hit me hard but in a brilliant way. Thank you.
Most people would take photographs when dismantling, you just chuck things in a box knowing exactly where they go back. The rebuild was a joy to watch. One of your best videos, ironic really, considering this humble little engine compared to your more well known projects. Your mechanical knowledge and expertise is just fantastic. Great video
Brings back nightmares, spent some time carefully rebuilding one of these little beauties, got it back in the bike for someone to ride for work, very carefully explained the need to "run it in" and bring it back for a service after a hundred miles, they brought it back broken, said it went like a rocket almost 50 mph and 60 down hill, piston scuffed, bore scuffed, rings broken, they had caned the nuts out of it.
How damn interesting! Turning 16 years old in 1970, I was blessed with a brand new Honda SS50 for my birthday. What a beauty she was ... blue with all the chrome on the mudguards and the slightly higher handle bar. I was the envy of all my mates! Having lived on a farm 16 km from town, the bike was like a gift from heaven! I cannot tell you how much convenience, joy and pleasure that little bike brought me! VERY cool video Allen! Regards from South Africa.
@@Interdiction Really? I cruised around comfortably on the level at 70 km/h, downhill anything up to 100 km/h. Those were just fantastic little motorcycles. In later years I owned a 175, then a 200, then a 450, then a 750 and finally, as I aged and my need for speed decreased, I now own two 150 cc scooters. 😉
I was well above my pay grade watching this Allen. The thing I love about your videos is there’s no disasters, no yukking and no unparliamentary language!
My first bike I bought in 1978 was a seized SS 50 I payed £5 for the whole bike ! . Payed about £10 for new piston and ring's and got it running again so I know this engine well. Great vid .
Yep, and still are, We get some of them in The Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride here in Chch , NZ. I have also seen a few in Classic motorcycle events too .
there should be more of this sort of engine in the world. there are tons of cheap little engines, but this is about as small as you can get, while having 4-stroke + gasoline + independent oil. a genuine workhorse that is efficient, quiet and doesn't spray oil into the atmosphere. i wish they could be more ubiquitous, and more people had the expertise to keep them running forever
Mr. Millyard, you are an absolute marvel. I am in absolute awe of your skills, both as an engineer and craftsman. Your humility remains another of your trademarks and the down-to-earth way in which you comment and share your innovative, courageous projects speak for itself. Thank you very much!
Fabulous little engine - little motors like this were the building blocks for the mighty Honda company that was to come - they deserved all of their subsequent success 🙌 👍
When dear Mr honda-san first designed this engine, and sold them in Japan, he found a problem, apparently he visited every owner in person and fixed the problem. Now that is service you only find in Japan... How we love the Japanese.
Those little Honda engines are *SO* adorable!! And when you fired her up, reminded me of when I rebuilt my Honda 90cc (1967) engine -without any exhaust system - I love the popping exhaust note! Thank you so much for the video!
Superb rebuild and a brilliant tutorial, great stuff! In 1976 my Dad wouldn't let me take my SS50 engine apart. He knew who would be putting it back together (i.e. him). Also, despite the thrashings I gave it trying (and failing) to keep up with my mates on their fizzies and AP's, there was nothing wrong with it. Fantastic little engines.
Lotsa memories here. My first bike was a 1964 Honda 50 C110 (manual clutch). I put 25,000 miles on that bike using it on my paper delivery route. I once got a speeding ticket for 70 mph (I only weighed 110 lbs then)!
You're such an amazing engineer Allen,with a brilliant personality and love that you involve your wife. In these crappie times your videos are just what the head needs ✌
Given the end results of this man's work, one would think he has full access to a state-of-the-art CNC machine shop at his disposal. Yet this project starts outside, in the backyard, on his knees using cardboard as a workbench. An ordinary Joe performing unordinary mechanical feats. All I can do is just watch and learn from this man's ability.
Hi Allen, my first bike was a green 1969 Honda 50 and I loved it 😍 to bits, the freedom it gave me was amazing, no more bus’s and a girlfriend to keep the rear seat warm. It’s amazing how many friends come out of the woodwork when you get a motorcycle, even a lowly Honda 50, i couldn’t get enough of it, i was on it morning, noon and night, you’d have thought it was part of me, lol 😂 48mph and 75 mpg, it took 35p to fill the petrol tank 😂 , wish I still had her, my mother loved getting a backie on it, really put her in a great mood. I love watching these videos, it would have been great to have had these videos back then. At least I could service it myself and my mechanic brother could set the carb for me. Awesome video Allen. 😎👍👍👍🇬🇧
What a little gem of an engine. Nice to watch someone who knows what they're doing rebuilding an engine, for a change. There are a lot of amateur restorers on TH-cam who don't really know what they're doing. That's where engines like this, which don't work, with loads of gasket sealant, come from.
My father bought a new Honda 50 super cub when they first came out to replace his NSU quickly. What a difference, no pedals, an ignition switch with a key, indicators, mirrors and an engine that did not leak oil and best of all was reliable, a little treasure. It became the most popular bike in the world as Honda sold millions of them in South East Asia before they arrived in Europe or the UK. Your video is priceless and brings back many memories of friends and family who made comments like "Jap bikes will never last" the rest is history. Keep up the good work!
Hi Allen, luckily the weather held off long enough to use the grass workbench (impressed with the cardboard worktop). What a lovely little engine that is, like a little sewing machine, looked very smart after being baked gently in the BBQ (Sorry..paint booth). Brilliant video thank you. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers, Alex.
I used to ride one of these back in the early 80s when I was 16, this is bringing back some memories and the amazing freedom it gave me living out in the country side! That cylinder base gasket with make for low compression, it hasn’t been put together very well before you got it. This would have been such a useful video 40 years ago too.
I thought you were super gluing everything then I realised that you probably repurposed the container. This takes me right back to my teens in the early 80s. Very good.
These engines are so familiar to me. It powered my first bike (SS50 4-speed) and my beloved "little donkey" (C70, with a 4 speed gearbox fitted). This was my standby and work bike for many years in my 20s. It broke my heart when it was stolen and trashed.
I had one too. Not sure it was lovely though! The CB125 that followed was one of my favourites. Now at 70, still riding but like the tractability of a 948 cc four!
hey boys and girls... what you just saw is the Einstein equivalent of ICE repair & rebuild. He makes it look so easy! IT IS NOT !!!!! Of the 8+ billion people on the planet I bet he is maybe 1 in 50 that can do this with such great ease and humility. All good mechanics want to grow up and try to approach this level of competence and expertise. ALLEN, YOU SIR are beyond words skilled. Thank you for showing the world what it looks like to know what you are doing!
I had a SS 50 back in 1977 , candy green, it became increasingly difficult to start, until it eventually refused to start . After taking the bike into a dealership, I was or rather my father was informed that it needed a re bore and new valves and piston , but after the repair it would start at the first attempt . The Honda SS 50 was tremendous fun a great little bike.
In 76 my dad bought me a 73 SS50 I rode it to work and even off road in a quarry the frame broke got fixed and still it took me everywhere, it was slow but so reliable and tough i have fond memories of it, it's nice to see one running again!
I loved watching this! My first bike (in 1983) was an SS50, so this brought back fond memories for me! Love all your videos, Allen...keep them coming! 👍😁
I was surprised how good the condition was inside the engine and I was also surprised on the thickness of the gasket. Another great job you’ve done rebuilding this engine and thanks for sharing.
Great video. I had a '68 Honda CD90 which had the same type of engine. I never got as far into it as you did, but I didn't need to; it ran like a Swiss watch. Two things are amazing about these little Honda horizontal singles: 1) they are sophisticated beautifully designed engines for their day (OHC, 4 speed, good internal lubrication) and foretold the greatness that was to come to Honda which carries on today, and; 2) rural communities in Asia still use those Honda singles for individual and family transportation. I have seen families of 4 all riding on Honda 50, 70 or 90s going about their errands in Indonesia. Honda used those reliable little bikes, and the as slogan "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." in the '60s to change the image of motorcycling and win over the mass market. Kudos to Honda, Kudos to Allen!
I love how informative and detailed everything is explained in these videos you post. Trying to inform myself on the ins-and-outs of these engines. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one confused on wtf crocheting is, I see it and feel like I'm trying to understand rocket science.
What a gem of a video! I did this very same thing to my 1978 model back in 1980. Mother was not too happy. My room smelled gas and oil. I still have the original piston on my bookshelf.
Hello Allen. This took me right back. I had a honda 50 years ago as a schoolkid. I rode it on some waste ground at the back of our house. I took the engine off and put it in a little go kart I had made myself. It was an older model and had the cam in the crankcases. I seized it and stripped some teeth off the cam gear. Getting it running again was a real challenge for a 13 year old schoolboy. I enjoyed watching this one torn down and running again. It looked to be in pretty good condition. Take care. Mart in Solihull.
I had a 1974 SS50 when I was a lad. I never appreciated what a lovely and intricate little machine it was until I watched this fascinating vid. Thanks Alan!!😁😁👍👍
My first bike was a ‘72 SL-70. Rode it WIDE OPEN every single day for a decade. HARD, no mercy. Replaced the plugs a couple of times, the clutch once, a clutch cable once, front & rear sprocket & chain a few times, and literally NOTHING else. Then, a local man bought it from us, put the turn signals back on it that I took off when new, replaced the knobbies with some street/trail tires, got it licensed and rode it to work every day for at least another decade! Those 50 & 70 (49 & 72cc) engines are some of the most durable EVER made. PERIOD.
A 1970's Honda 50/70 engine and doesn't look like its changed much in 50 years. Amazing how they got it right so long ago. This is an excellent and interesting how-to video. The sound of that engine brought instant memories...I remember Mini-Trails seemed loud for 50cc.
They still make this exact same engine btw, the Honda CD70 motorcycle is still sold in Pakistan ever since the 1970s, but the last underbone/supercub with this engine is the 2013 Honda EX5 Dream sold in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. And while the updated EFI engines look similar externally, all of the internal components are different. This is made to comply with emissions in countried that has euro 3+ emissions standards, on countries with little to no emissions Honda still make the old C-series engine.
A Honda c50 was the first engine I ever took apart. My father showed me the fundamentals of disassembly, overhaul and reassembly of four-stroke engines on a wee Honda. The lessons I learnt from him and these amazing little engines has stood me in good stead to this day. Happy times!
I have no idea how you make a living but if you are as knowledgeable and meticulous as your are with motorcycles you must be the boss. Great rebuild of that Nifty Fifty.
Great video, you show how easy it is and not intimidating at all, to rebuild an engine. I'm working on an old 1971 Honda CB175, that I got in boxes. It's great fun to see it come together, Just finished the engine reassembly this morning. The rest will have to wait a bit.
Back in `77, turned my L-regger into a cafe racer, c/w snazzy seat-tail unit etc and it didn`t half bark out through its 2 into 1 with megaphone. Used to turn heads....which soon turned back the other way when they realised it was only a CB175 approaching. Would redline the poor thing to death(pre acquiring a modicum of mechanical sympathy), and seemed to be replacing rings, pistons, valves and cyl head every month once it lost power with tell-tale oil vapour puthering out of the engine-gearbox breather. A mate back from Spain with some cheap smokes, popped into my garage to watch me assembling the engine, leaned over it as he popped a ciggie in his mouth, which promptly fell apart, depositing all the tobacco into the crankcases. Another strip -down ensued.
It’s so annoying a video like this that teaches something useful and when you sir as a creator take so much attention to do it isn’t getting popular as other stupid things that TH-cam recommends. Hats off. Learnt a lot for free. Can’t thank you enough
How on earth can you remember where everything goes and what needs oil and what looks busted is so amazing. Especially when it all just fell out..wow your relaxed nature made me almost beleive i could do this too...😂 thanks Allen your a legend.
Hi Allen. It seems so easy when you explain the action while being so precise when actually it is so difficult. I'm always amazed by people like you with such a high level of mastering their art
I tore down a Z50 engine as a teenager. I was amazed at how tiny the piston was and how much power It produced. This brings back memories of great times before responsibilities took center stage. Thanks!
Alan, these videos are exceptional and inspirational. Thank you so much for making them. They are just right and I am always well pleased with them. The genius of Honda san is evident and impressive.
Oh does this ever take me back! Got a Honda QA50 from a friend of my mom - in pieces. 😳 Since I was 12-13 years old at the time & didn't have a reference we ended up taking the engine to a motorcycle shop to get put together. Rode the snot out of that little Honda & ended up selling it when I moved up to 4 wheel transport. Wish I had this video back then - thanks for sharing! 👍
I love this type of video, you must have an excellent memory. I had an SS 50 in 1978 bought from Startright in Leeds for £50 which was over 2 weeks pay in my apprenticeship at the time. My bosses were British motorbike fanatics and had around 15 bikes between them they stripped it down and re built it for me, I loved it and so did the girls. They did a rebuild after I crashed it as well 😞
Wow,Awesome video Allen!!! My 10 yr. old son has a Honda 70cc engine that's basically got the same layout as that 50cc engine of yours! I watched very carefully how you took each piece apart,cleaned,lubed and put em all back together again! Great job!!! Thanks for the info. Hope Tracy is making cupcakes in your next video!!! Lol. : > )
Brilliant! And your sense of humour had me grinning from ear to ear when you talked about your wife’s crochet technology. This has got to be the best channel on TH-cam. More power to your elbow, Allen!
One time I watched a guy cut two different engines in half by hand with a hacksaw. He put both engines together making a super engine. That guy was a genius.
Brilliant ! You make it look so easy Allen, I would never remember how everything went back together ! I would have to label everything and probably still get it wrong ! 😅 Thanks I so enjoyed the video.😁
Another great video, its always good to watch people who know what they are doing. This brought back many happy memories of me as a kid working with my dad on engines in his very small garage - great times. Happy new year to you both from NZ.😉
Job well done on the rebuild. 1971, my Dad bought me my first Honda, with a 50 cc engine. Have owned many Honda's since then. Now they are 1100 cc bikes :)
Good video Allen, very enjoyable. I've never had a bike with one of these engines but I've watched many disassembly/reassembly videos of them online. I find the simple but tough design of these particular engines make for good viewing. Cheers.
Thanks for the video Alan - like many others in the comments it brought back memories from my youth. My first bike as a sixteen year old was a nearly new metallic blue Honda 5 speed SS50 Reg XYO 76G. Unlike the later model (with pedals?) for a 4 stroke 50cc it was reasonably nippy. I think it could make about 55mph with a following wind going downhill. I am tall and sat bolt upright with just about room to tuck my knees under the handle bars. Not much room (or power) for a pillion. Was jealous of a school friend who had a 5 speed SS90. At the time I had a genuine Honda workshop manual and I learnt a lot from maintaining it and the occasional strip down. Seem to recall SAE 30 oil was recommended in the day. Unfortunately the bike and workshop manual are long gone but still have the service tool in my shed.
Anyone else feel that sense of calm, taking you to another place when watching Allen's videos? "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" in a nutshell. Thank you.
Enjoyed this video immensely, reminds me of the old Honda 50/55 pushrod OHV engines, worked on my share of those! Fairly simple engine, not much to them, and bulletproof. Thank you, Allen!
@@tonycamplin8607 The early Honda 50cc with pushrod valve gear was called the C100, sold in the UK from 1963 to about 1967 when it was replaced by the C50 with the overhead camshaft. The SS50 in this video was a "sixteener special" introduced in 1972 after the minimum age to ride a motorcycle other than a moped was raised to 17 in December 1971, that had pedals so as to meet the legal definition of a moped until the definition was changed in August 1977. The SS50's only real weakness was the piston rings, which would break if the engine was grossly over-revved (although I think the ones in this engine were broken by clumsy assembly technique; over-revving broke them at the ends rather than in the middle. I think the rival Yamaha FS1E was the only sixteener special on which nothing broke if it was over-revved; the engine would withstand a speed higher than the speed it would reach on full throttle with no load.
SS50 was my first bike / engine in the early eighties. And the first one I did rebuild. (More times than I could count) Went through several gearboxes and countless experiments to squeeze a little bit more power out of it. Not to mention the holy grail, the 75cc kit. At forteen years old I probably would have been able to tear down and reassemble this engine behind my back with the lights off. Good memories and I still do remember the smell.
Great upload, amazing amount of parts for something so small, hours of fun doing what you’ve just done indoors on a coffee table, closest I can come is doing a Vespa PX200 which isn’t even close to the engineering marvel of this engine!! 👍 marvellous
This was a real pleasure to watch. If I’d had this engine to bits, it would never live again. Allen’s bigger, more complex projects are just a form of wizardry to me!
@@AllenMillyard Fairly I'd say, when I attended secondary school in the mid 70s we had a lesson twice a week called Applied Technology and it was great, we did all sorts but my favourite was the engine strips and rebuilds, wonder if they do anything like that in school today? 🤔
@@jimclements3190 .....I can pretty much guarantee they don't - they don't even have metalwork shops at our local comp....(or woodwork for that matter, or indeed a TD room or typing pool..!!). "Progress" I guess!
Great job Allen - such a nice simple little engine! I’d be keen to learn more about how you adapt the frames of your multi-cylinder bikes to the engines you create. For example, how do you fit four and five cylinder engines into frames designed for twins and triples? My key query is about the front down tubes and working out the routing of the exhausts.
This video has renewed my interest in an old stashed away project. I have a pushrod version of this (1962 C110) in my basement for 20 years now. I'm confident in my abilities for all the mechanicals but the magneto ignition is new to me. I have points in some of my cars but never worked on magneto ignition. That will be my learning curve whenever I get around to doing the rebuild. Looking forward to it!!!! Thanks Allen!
I grew up in a family of mechanics, always working on cars and motorcycles, taking engines out, rebuilding them of any brand. We also had a nice workshop at the time, not as sophisticated and complete as yours (which I envy), but it worked, wish I still had it today because I still have a complete VW T2 1600 AS engine that needs to be assembled…
This was the most pleasant video I think I've ever watched. The trip through your home and quick crochet lesson was totally and completely unrelated, but I enjoyed every second of it and glad you included it. I actually enjoyed the video so much that I watched it entirely and forgot why I was here in the first place lol. Thank you for your time, the effort and sharing this knowledge with all of us! In case you're wondering, it's reached Elizabethtown, Kentucky USA. 🙏
The unmistakable sound of a Honda 50 with no exhaust! Class build! Looking forward to the new 4 cylinder carb fitting Allen!! Thank you for another great video!!!
Thanks for yet another great video Allen. My dad bought me a blue Honda SS50 in 1970 that I always kept in immaculate condition and when I out-grew it I could not get myself to sell the bike so I handed it over to a Transport Museum. I have no idea where the bike is now but hope it is still in good hands.
That takes me back. I remember my brother doing just that to his 4 speed ss 50 nearly 40 years ago. Beautifully over engineered. A Swiss watch. What a clever man Mr Honda was. Thanks for sharing I enjoyed that. 👍
I said something similar in response to another recent video of yours, Allen. But I need to say again that these videos are just golden nuggets to us mere mortals. I had a Honda CD 50 when I was a teenager (You and I were born the same year, so you know how long ago that is), and I am brought right back to my childhood, watching this. Your videos are just so much more than an instructional on (Zen and) how to maintain a motorcycle. Someone ought to write a book about that (yes, I know 🤣) Anyway, just want to express my gratitude to you for sharing a slice of your life with us in your inimitable humble, yet supremely confident and humorous, English way.
What a great job. Bought back some great memories for me, had C50s as field bikes and as a lad I damaged to gear selector so pulled the engine apart on my dad's workbench. I struggled to get it all back together and eventually gave up.
The following day on return from school I found my dad had rebuilt the engine from the scattered parts and it worked perfectly. He was a great guy and he had my total admiration.
That's a true father. You were blessed
@@PAULSWorld131 Still miss him
At the other end of the scale ......
My CB 250 K1 was giving me no end of grief and then the geabox went. I hadn't much time or money to sort it when I got the offer of a Honda 90 'sport' - esentially the big brother engine to this one.
It was a great little town bike until one day it stopped.
Couldn't work out why: Spark -check, Fuel - yeah could smell that when I took the plug out.
I was starting to loosen the first of the head bolts when my mate pulled up and asked what was going on - I explained.
He shook the bike.
Silence.
No sloshing petrol sound.
The thing had such phenomenal mpg I had totally forgotten I needed to sometimes put petrol in.
Still
We get all this political bleating about Carbon this and electric that to save the environment
...... all too stupid to recognise that really frugal engines have been kicking around for over half a century.
@@PAULSWorld131 My dad was great too, but a drunk, not mean but a happy drunk. Everyone liked him, sad he's gone.
Really nice to see you using ZX1 oil in the re assembly process of the engine.
Just started watching and broke down in tears. Took me straight back to me and my best mate in the shed on numerous tweaking and re-builds in the early 80s. Unfortunately lost him last year to Cancer and this just hit me hard but in a brilliant way. Thank you.
Allen, that seemed as natural & effortless as a stroll in the park to you. Always a pleasure to watch.
Most people would take photographs when dismantling, you just chuck things in a box knowing exactly where they go back. The rebuild was a joy to watch. One of your best videos, ironic really, considering this humble little engine compared to your more well known projects. Your mechanical knowledge and expertise is just fantastic. Great video
I suppose once one has made a couple of 100cc v-twins out of these things, one knows them well enough to build them blindfolded!
Not knocking his obvious mechanical genius(ness?), but he DOES have a video of the dismantling. 😀
This guy rebuilds an engine more easily, than most people do an oil change :-D
LOL, got that right! I'm one who needs to photograph every step.
It was like watching a guy rebuild a watch.
Brings back nightmares, spent some time carefully rebuilding one of these little beauties, got it back in the bike for someone to ride for work, very carefully explained the need to "run it in" and bring it back for a service after a hundred miles, they brought it back broken, said it went like a rocket almost 50 mph and 60 down hill, piston scuffed, bore scuffed, rings broken, they had caned the nuts out of it.
Brilliant
How damn interesting! Turning 16 years old in 1970, I was blessed with a brand new Honda SS50 for my birthday. What a beauty she was ... blue with all the chrome on the mudguards and the slightly higher handle bar. I was the envy of all my mates! Having lived on a farm 16 km from town, the bike was like a gift from heaven! I cannot tell you how much convenience, joy and pleasure that little bike brought me! VERY cool video Allen! Regards from South Africa.
I would have been filled with embarrasment . We used to pass these bikes CYCLING
@@Interdiction Really? I cruised around comfortably on the level at 70 km/h, downhill anything up to 100 km/h. Those were just fantastic little motorcycles. In later years I owned a 175, then a 200, then a 450, then a 750 and finally, as I aged and my need for speed decreased, I now own two 150 cc scooters. 😉
I have a honda dax (st50). Same engine as this one. I bought it when i turned 18. Last year. I absolutely love that bike.
@@InterdictionI pass many parked vehicles when cycling, even when walking.
Same era, 1974 I had a brand new yamaha fs1e, my best mate had the same bike as you, great times, great memories 👍
Did a few miles with an ss 50 when i was 16. Brought back some fond memories of 78.
I was well above my pay grade watching this Allen. The thing I love about your videos is there’s no disasters, no yukking and no unparliamentary language!
My first bike I bought in 1978 was a seized SS 50 I payed £5 for the whole bike ! . Payed about £10 for new piston and ring's and got it running again so I know this engine well. Great vid .
My first bike was a SS50 5 speed I paid £65 for. I also later bought a scrap 4 speed for parts. Wish I had kept them both!
I was given my SS50 as a non runner by a neighbour for free, managed to get it started with a bump, didnt need to do anything else 😁
I'm struck by the overall high quality of the engine and how well it's survived since 1974. What nice little bikes they were.
These honda engines were jewels particularly the 50cc overhead cam. I wish I’d had this video when my pc50 blew when I was 16 in 1974.
@@babaganoush6106 My sister had a Trail 50 I think. 3 speed, no clutch. ran like a champ.
Yep, and still are, We get some of them in The Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride here in Chch , NZ. I have also seen a few in Classic motorcycle events too .
Many of these little bikes were only ridden a matter of hours every year for a few years.
there should be more of this sort of engine in the world. there are tons of cheap little engines, but this is about as small as you can get, while having 4-stroke + gasoline + independent oil. a genuine workhorse that is efficient, quiet and doesn't spray oil into the atmosphere. i wish they could be more ubiquitous, and more people had the expertise to keep them running forever
the manual transmission helped too because it could be push started.
people use car now some country in asia and sea use motorcycle daily
Those small Honda engines bring back a lot of great memories. Thanks for sharing.
I think most of us of a certain vintage broke our cherry on a 50 cc honda.
The sound of a little Honda 4 stroke running without an exhaust is unmistakable!
Always amazed how easy Allen makes everything look really enjoyable to watch
Mr. Millyard, you are an absolute marvel. I am in absolute awe of your skills, both as an engineer and craftsman. Your humility remains another of your trademarks and the down-to-earth way in which you comment and share your innovative, courageous projects speak for itself. Thank you very much!
It is amazing who people idolize and make heroes out of, and then there is you.
You are inspirational. Thanks for the videos, they are like therapy.
Fabulous little engine - little motors like this were the building blocks for the mighty Honda company that was to come - they deserved all of their subsequent success 🙌 👍
I agree, I have had a few bikes with those engines and they are just beautiful.
When dear Mr honda-san first designed this engine, and sold them in Japan, he found a problem, apparently he visited every owner in person and fixed the problem. Now that is service you only find in Japan... How we love the Japanese.
@@Yelwas don't we just . . .
Those little Honda engines are *SO* adorable!! And when you fired her up, reminded me of when I rebuilt my Honda 90cc (1967) engine -without any exhaust system - I love the popping exhaust note! Thank you so much for the video!
Yes that noise heard around canal towpaths and quarrys around the land in the 1970's. The first thing the kids did was remove the exhaust !
1970 CT 70 for me.
It sounded like popping bubbles, like a fart in the bath! 😂
@@zweispurmopped Yup. Made me giggle.
Superb rebuild and a brilliant tutorial, great stuff! In 1976 my Dad wouldn't let me take my SS50 engine apart. He knew who would be putting it back together (i.e. him). Also, despite the thrashings I gave it trying (and failing) to keep up with my mates on their fizzies and AP's, there was nothing wrong with it. Fantastic little engines.
i am glad that some one posted a vid on this engine with this much detail now i think i can rebuild my grandfather's bike.
Brilliant
@@AllenMillyard my dad is not giving me the engine sad, well ill try to convince him again
@@ohudraza1885 you probably know already but Lifan clones of Honda engines are available
Lotsa memories here. My first bike was a 1964 Honda 50 C110 (manual clutch). I put 25,000 miles on that bike using it on my paper delivery route. I once got a speeding ticket for 70 mph (I only weighed 110 lbs then)!
You're such an amazing engineer Allen,with a brilliant personality and love that you involve your wife. In these crappie times your videos are just what the head needs ✌
Spot on Dave.
Given the end results of this man's work, one would think he has full access to a state-of-the-art CNC machine shop at his disposal. Yet this project starts outside, in the backyard, on his knees using cardboard as a workbench. An ordinary Joe performing unordinary mechanical feats. All I can do is just watch and learn from this man's ability.
A fabulous little engine. My SS50 (4 sp) took me miles when I was 16 and to have a 4 stroke at that age was such a great education for a young lad.
Hi Allen, my first bike was a green 1969 Honda 50 and I loved it 😍 to bits, the freedom it gave me was amazing, no more bus’s and a girlfriend to keep the rear seat warm. It’s amazing how many friends come out of the woodwork when you get a motorcycle, even a lowly Honda 50, i couldn’t get enough of it, i was on it morning, noon and night, you’d have thought it was part of me, lol 😂 48mph and 75 mpg, it took 35p to fill the petrol tank 😂 , wish I still had her, my mother loved getting a backie on it, really put her in a great mood. I love watching these videos, it would have been great to have had these videos back then. At least I could service it myself and my mechanic brother could set the carb for me. Awesome video Allen.
😎👍👍👍🇬🇧
What a little gem of an engine. Nice to watch someone who knows what they're doing rebuilding an engine, for a change. There are a lot of amateur restorers on TH-cam who don't really know what they're doing. That's where engines like this, which don't work, with loads of gasket sealant, come from.
My father bought a new Honda 50 super cub when they first came out to replace his NSU quickly. What a difference, no pedals, an ignition switch with a key, indicators, mirrors and an engine that did not leak oil and best of all was reliable, a little treasure. It became the most popular bike in the world as Honda sold millions of them in South East Asia before they arrived in Europe or the UK. Your video is priceless and brings back many memories of friends and family who made comments like "Jap bikes will never last" the rest is history. Keep up the good work!
Those Japanese engineers were geniuses at these designs. I remember those engines on Honda 50 minibikes around 1970. Really great stuff!
Hi Allen, luckily the weather held off long enough to use the grass workbench (impressed with the cardboard worktop). What a lovely little engine that is, like a little sewing machine, looked very smart after being baked gently in the BBQ (Sorry..paint booth).
Brilliant video thank you. Looking forward to the next one. Cheers, Alex.
That why all the food he cooks on the grill taste and smells like High Heat Rusto-leum.
We surely need more engineers in this modern world, where are they?. great work Allen
I used to ride one of these back in the early 80s when I was 16, this is bringing back some memories and the amazing freedom it gave me living out in the country side! That cylinder base gasket with make for low compression, it hasn’t been put together very well before you got it. This would have been such a useful video 40 years ago too.
I thought you were super gluing everything then I realised that you probably repurposed the container.
This takes me right back to my teens in the early 80s. Very good.
These engines are so familiar to me. It powered my first bike (SS50 4-speed) and my beloved "little donkey" (C70, with a 4 speed gearbox fitted). This was my standby and work bike for many years in my 20s. It broke my heart when it was stolen and trashed.
That takes me back to my teenage years. Great job. The SS50 was a lovely bike to ride.
?-))
I had one too. Not sure it was lovely though! The CB125 that followed was one of my favourites. Now at 70, still riding but like the tractability of a 948 cc four!
hey boys and girls... what you just saw is the Einstein equivalent of ICE repair & rebuild. He makes it look so easy! IT IS NOT !!!!! Of the 8+ billion people on the planet I bet he is maybe 1 in 50 that can do this with such great ease and humility. All good mechanics want to grow up and try to approach this level of competence and expertise. ALLEN, YOU SIR are beyond words skilled. Thank you for showing the world what it looks like to know what you are doing!
I had a SS 50 back in 1977 , candy green, it became increasingly difficult to start, until it eventually refused to start .
After taking the bike into a dealership, I was or rather my father was informed that it needed a re bore and new valves and piston , but after the repair it would start at the first attempt . The Honda SS 50 was tremendous fun a great little bike.
Allen Millyard is the Bob Ross of motorcycle maintenance and rebuilding. Thanks for your videos Allen!
In 76 my dad bought me a 73 SS50 I rode it to work and even off road in a quarry the frame broke got fixed and still it took me everywhere, it was slow but so reliable and tough i have fond memories of it, it's nice to see one running again!
Such a pleasure to watch you work Allen
I loved watching this! My first bike (in 1983) was an SS50, so this brought back fond memories for me! Love all your videos, Allen...keep them coming! 👍😁
I was surprised how good the condition was inside the engine and I was also surprised on the thickness of the gasket. Another great job you’ve done rebuilding this engine and thanks for sharing.
Great video. I had a '68 Honda CD90 which had the same type of engine. I never got as far into it as you did, but I didn't need to; it ran like a Swiss watch. Two things are amazing about these little Honda horizontal singles: 1) they are sophisticated beautifully designed engines for their day (OHC, 4 speed, good internal lubrication) and foretold the greatness that was to come to Honda which carries on today, and; 2) rural communities in Asia still use those Honda singles for individual and family transportation. I have seen families of 4 all riding on Honda 50, 70 or 90s going about their errands in Indonesia. Honda used those reliable little bikes, and the as slogan "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." in the '60s to change the image of motorcycling and win over the mass market. Kudos to Honda, Kudos to Allen!
Hey Don far as I remember something like 50 million were made, had a 65 and ran it on methanol smelt nice but did not last that long
I love how informative and detailed everything is explained in these videos you post. Trying to inform myself on the ins-and-outs of these engines. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one confused on wtf crocheting is, I see it and feel like I'm trying to understand rocket science.
What a gem of a video! I did this very same thing to my 1978 model back in 1980. Mother was not too happy. My room smelled gas and oil. I still have the original piston on my bookshelf.
Hello Allen. This took me right back. I had a honda 50 years ago as a schoolkid. I rode it on some waste ground at the back of our house. I took the engine off and put it in a little go kart I had made myself. It was an older model and had the cam in the crankcases. I seized it and stripped some teeth off the cam gear. Getting it running again was a real challenge for a 13 year old schoolboy. I enjoyed watching this one torn down and running again. It looked to be in pretty good condition. Take care. Mart in Solihull.
Looking forward to this! Long ago I stripped down a Honda c50 in my bedroom much to my mum's annoyance!
I had a 1974 SS50 when I was a lad. I never appreciated what a lovely and intricate little machine it was until I watched this fascinating vid. Thanks Alan!!😁😁👍👍
My first bike was a ‘72 SL-70. Rode it WIDE OPEN every single day for a decade. HARD, no mercy. Replaced the plugs a couple of times, the clutch once, a clutch cable once, front & rear sprocket & chain a few times, and literally NOTHING else. Then, a local man bought it from us, put the turn signals back on it that I took off when new, replaced the knobbies with some street/trail tires, got it licensed and rode it to work every day for at least another decade! Those 50 & 70 (49 & 72cc) engines are some of the most durable EVER made. PERIOD.
A 1970's Honda 50/70 engine and doesn't look like its changed much in 50 years. Amazing how they got it right so long ago. This is an excellent and interesting how-to video. The sound of that engine brought instant memories...I remember Mini-Trails seemed loud for 50cc.
They still make this exact same engine btw, the Honda CD70 motorcycle is still sold in Pakistan ever since the 1970s, but the last underbone/supercub with this engine is the 2013 Honda EX5 Dream sold in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, etc.
And while the updated EFI engines look similar externally, all of the internal components are different. This is made to comply with emissions in countried that has euro 3+ emissions standards, on countries with little to no emissions Honda still make the old C-series engine.
A Honda c50 was the first engine I ever took apart. My father showed me the fundamentals of disassembly, overhaul and reassembly of four-stroke engines on a wee Honda. The lessons I learnt from him and these amazing little engines has stood me in good stead to this day. Happy times!
I have no idea how you make a living but if you are as knowledgeable and meticulous as your are with motorcycles you must be the boss. Great rebuild of that Nifty Fifty.
Crochet is far too complicated, building an entirely bike=piece of cake! You're truly amazing sir👍🏼👍🏼
Great video, you show how easy it is and not intimidating at all, to rebuild an engine.
I'm working on an old 1971 Honda CB175, that I got in boxes. It's great fun to see it come together, Just finished the engine reassembly this morning. The rest will have to wait a bit.
Back in `77, turned my L-regger into a cafe racer, c/w snazzy seat-tail unit etc and it didn`t half bark out through its 2 into 1 with megaphone. Used to turn heads....which soon turned back the other way when they realised it was only a CB175 approaching. Would redline the poor thing to death(pre acquiring a modicum of mechanical sympathy), and seemed to be replacing rings, pistons, valves and cyl head every month once it lost power with tell-tale oil vapour puthering out of the engine-gearbox breather. A mate back from Spain with some cheap smokes, popped into my garage to watch me assembling the engine, leaned over it as he popped a ciggie in his mouth, which promptly fell apart, depositing all the tobacco into the crankcases. Another strip -down ensued.
@@rattusnorvegicus4380 Now, that is a damn-fine Stranglers album.
Really well put together, and attention to detail. This will run for many years if looked after.
It’s so annoying a video like this that teaches something useful and when you sir as a creator take so much attention to do it isn’t getting popular as other stupid things that TH-cam recommends. Hats off. Learnt a lot for free. Can’t thank you enough
How on earth can you remember where everything goes and what needs oil and what looks busted is so amazing. Especially when it all just fell out..wow your relaxed nature made me almost beleive i could do this too...😂 thanks Allen your a legend.
brings back memorys of playing with these engines when i was a youngster spent many hours in my shed working on them :-)
Hi Allen. It seems so easy when you explain the action while being so precise when actually it is so difficult. I'm always amazed by people like you with such a high level of mastering their art
It's fascinating how you have the same enthusiasm for a little cub50 engine as you have for the behemoths
I tore down a Z50 engine as a teenager. I was amazed at how tiny the piston was and how much power It produced. This brings back memories of great times before responsibilities took center stage. Thanks!
Alan, these videos are exceptional and inspirational. Thank you so much for making them. They are just right and I am always well pleased with them. The genius of Honda san is evident and impressive.
His name is Allen.
@@robertmoore2527 I am truly sorry about this error on my part. Although I cannot change my past behavour, I will endevour to do better in the future.
You make it look sooooo easy 😂
I loved how the exhaust manifold nuts started tightening themselves as you revved it a bit
Oh does this ever take me back! Got a Honda QA50 from a friend of my mom - in pieces. 😳
Since I was 12-13 years old at the time & didn't have a reference we ended up taking the engine to a motorcycle shop to get put together. Rode the snot out of that little Honda & ended up selling it when I moved up to 4 wheel transport.
Wish I had this video back then - thanks for sharing! 👍
I love this type of video, you must have an excellent memory.
I had an SS 50 in 1978 bought from Startright in Leeds for £50 which was over 2 weeks pay in my apprenticeship at the time.
My bosses were British motorbike fanatics and had around 15 bikes between them they stripped it down and re built it for me, I loved it and so did the girls.
They did a rebuild after I crashed it as well 😞
Wow,Awesome video Allen!!! My 10 yr. old son has a Honda 70cc engine that's basically got the same layout as that 50cc engine of yours! I watched very carefully how you took each piece apart,cleaned,lubed and put em all back together again! Great job!!! Thanks for the info. Hope Tracy is making cupcakes in your next video!!! Lol. : > )
Thank-you Allen, yet again a really interesting video on the fascinating world of Japanese engineering/design and the unique Millyard ways..
Brilliant! And your sense of humour had me grinning from ear to ear when you talked about your wife’s crochet technology. This has got to be the best channel on TH-cam. More power to your elbow, Allen!
Being new in the world of small 50cc engines, this was so rich in learning about how they go together and function (At least this design)
My first bike was an SS50!
I really wish I still had it - great on fuel and quite quick for a 50 as it was unrestricted.
High, today i use the following motor-model, the type FMB139, but made in China. It is with 12Volt and an e-starter.Kindly Fiete
So was mine in 1973! Bored it out to 72cc later and was great to ride in Belgium (when it wasn't raining ! :)
@@truck57us High, i've 72cc too yet :-) Kindly But i've more than one.Fiete
Allen, it is indeed a pleasure watching you work. So refreshing from 99% of the Bloody Crap on TH-cam. Keep up the good work...
One time I watched a guy cut two different engines in half by hand with a hacksaw. He put both engines together making a super engine. That guy was a genius.
Lovely watching someone who knows what they are doing.
Wish I was half as handy as you.
Brilliant ! You make it look so easy Allen, I would never remember how everything went back together ! I would have to label everything and probably still get it wrong ! 😅 Thanks I so enjoyed the video.😁
Another great video, its always good to watch people who know what they are doing. This brought back many happy memories of me as a kid working with my dad on engines in his very small garage - great times.
Happy new year to you both from NZ.😉
Very true indeed great 👍
An ss50 was my first bike and I wish I still had it. I think that those engines are exquisitely designed.
Job well done on the rebuild. 1971, my Dad bought me my first Honda, with a 50 cc engine. Have owned many Honda's since then. Now they are 1100 cc bikes :)
Good video Allen, very enjoyable. I've never had a bike with one of these engines but I've watched many disassembly/reassembly videos of them online. I find the simple but tough design of these particular engines make for good viewing.
Cheers.
Thanks for the video Alan - like many others in the comments it brought back memories from my youth. My first bike as a sixteen year old was a nearly new metallic blue Honda 5 speed SS50 Reg XYO 76G. Unlike the later model (with pedals?) for a 4 stroke 50cc it was reasonably nippy. I think it could make about 55mph with a following wind going downhill. I am tall and sat bolt upright with just about room to tuck my knees under the handle bars. Not much room (or power) for a pillion. Was jealous of a school friend who had a 5 speed SS90. At the time I had a genuine Honda workshop manual and I learnt a lot from maintaining it and the occasional strip down. Seem to recall SAE 30 oil was recommended in the day. Unfortunately the bike and workshop manual are long gone but still have the service tool in my shed.
Allen
Anyone else feel that sense of calm, taking you to another place when watching Allen's videos? "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" in a nutshell. Thank you.
As a proud ss50 rider from the 70's, that was a most satisfying way to spend 20 mins on a Monday evening. Wonderful.
Enjoyed this video immensely, reminds me of the old Honda 50/55 pushrod OHV engines, worked on my share of those! Fairly simple engine, not much to them, and bulletproof.
Thank you, Allen!
I share your memories.
Push rods? Apart from the CX500 I thought all Honda engines were OHC or DOHC.
@@moestrei Yes definitely, the early 50cc Honda engine was pushrod operated.
@@tonycamplin8607 Thanks....I learned something today.
@@tonycamplin8607 The early Honda 50cc with pushrod valve gear was called the C100, sold in the UK from 1963 to about 1967 when it was replaced by the C50 with the overhead camshaft. The SS50 in this video was a "sixteener special" introduced in 1972 after the minimum age to ride a motorcycle other than a moped was raised to 17 in December 1971, that had pedals so as to meet the legal definition of a moped until the definition was changed in August 1977. The SS50's only real weakness was the piston rings, which would break if the engine was grossly over-revved (although I think the ones in this engine were broken by clumsy assembly technique; over-revving broke them at the ends rather than in the middle. I think the rival Yamaha FS1E was the only sixteener special on which nothing broke if it was over-revved; the engine would withstand a speed higher than the speed it would reach on full throttle with no load.
Allen absolutely loved that video. Love these engines as have owned c50 c70 and currently a c90. Great job. 👍
SS50 was my first bike / engine in the early eighties. And the first one I did rebuild. (More times than I could count) Went through several gearboxes and countless experiments to squeeze a little bit more power out of it. Not to mention the holy grail, the 75cc kit.
At forteen years old I probably would have been able to tear down and reassemble this engine behind my back with the lights off.
Good memories and I still do remember the smell.
Allen, don't ever stop sharing your work with us...or your garden observations or your love of your missus ❤
Great entertainment as always, that little engine sounds fantastic and started so easy. Thanks for sharing.
Great upload, amazing amount of parts for something so small, hours of fun doing what you’ve just done indoors on a coffee table, closest I can come is doing a Vespa PX200 which isn’t even close to the engineering marvel of this engine!!
👍 marvellous
Vespa's are great engines , just not as many parts . Not as good as a Lambretta though .
This was a real pleasure to watch. If I’d had this engine to bits, it would never live again. Allen’s bigger, more complex projects are just a form of wizardry to me!
Rebuilded and tuned this engine type so many times as a teenager, great memories, thanks.
That was brill Allen - I have no idea how you get those back together again and to hear it run was hilarious....brilliant vid mate!
It’s quite easy really 🤔
@@AllenMillyard Adults Lego, certainly kids play compared to the other things you do, but still great to watch.
@@AllenMillyard Fairly I'd say, when I attended secondary school in the mid 70s we had a lesson twice a week called Applied Technology and it was great, we did all sorts but my favourite was the engine strips and rebuilds, wonder if they do anything like that in school today?
🤔
@@jimclements3190 .....I can pretty much guarantee they don't - they don't even have metalwork shops at our local comp....(or woodwork for that matter, or indeed a TD room or typing pool..!!). "Progress" I guess!
@@TheMissendenFlyer Sadly, probably why we are a throw it away when it breaks and buy a new one society.
Great job Allen - such a nice simple little engine! I’d be keen to learn more about how you adapt the frames of your multi-cylinder bikes to the engines you create. For example, how do you fit four and five cylinder engines into frames designed for twins and triples? My key query is about the front down tubes and working out the routing of the exhausts.
This video has renewed my interest in an old stashed away project. I have a pushrod version of this (1962 C110) in my basement for 20 years now. I'm confident in my abilities for all the mechanicals but the magneto ignition is new to me. I have points in some of my cars but never worked on magneto ignition. That will be my learning curve whenever I get around to doing the rebuild. Looking forward to it!!!! Thanks Allen!
I love the pushrod engine
Start at just cleaning the point it might fire
Allen....After discovering your channel several months ago, your videos are breath of fresh air. You are much appreciated.
I grew up in a family of mechanics, always working on cars and motorcycles, taking engines out, rebuilding them of any brand. We also had a nice workshop at the time, not as sophisticated and complete as yours (which I envy), but it worked, wish I still had it today because I still have a complete VW T2 1600 AS engine that needs to be assembled…
This was the most pleasant video I think I've ever watched. The trip through your home and quick crochet lesson was totally and completely unrelated, but I enjoyed every second of it and glad you included it. I actually enjoyed the video so much that I watched it entirely and forgot why I was here in the first place lol. Thank you for your time, the effort and sharing this knowledge with all of us! In case you're wondering, it's reached Elizabethtown, Kentucky USA. 🙏
The unmistakable sound of a Honda 50 with no exhaust! Class build!
Looking forward to the new 4 cylinder carb fitting Allen!!
Thank you for another great video!!!
Thanks for yet another great video Allen. My dad bought me a blue Honda SS50 in 1970 that I always kept in immaculate condition and when I out-grew it I could not get myself to sell the bike so I handed it over to a Transport Museum. I have no idea where the bike is now but hope it is still in good hands.
That takes me back. I remember my brother doing just that to his 4 speed ss 50 nearly 40 years ago.
Beautifully over engineered. A Swiss watch. What a clever man Mr Honda was.
Thanks for sharing I enjoyed that. 👍
Such a simple engine, it's easy to understand why Honda made these by the millions! The video is great as any of Allen's is, a joy to watch!
I said something similar in response to another recent video of yours, Allen. But I need to say again that these videos are just golden nuggets to us mere mortals. I had a Honda CD 50 when I was a teenager (You and I were born the same year, so you know how long ago that is), and I am brought right back to my childhood, watching this. Your videos are just so much more than an instructional on (Zen and) how to maintain a motorcycle. Someone ought to write a book about that (yes, I know 🤣)
Anyway, just want to express my gratitude to you for sharing a slice of your life with us in your inimitable humble, yet supremely confident and humorous, English way.
This is fantastic! I have a 1973 in the shed. Never had it apart but it's had a good life and now will have more to come. Thank you!