A Johnny Pag DUI bike…

When I first became associated with CSC about 8 years ago, we had just started building the CSC 150 Mustang replica.   We had the usual cast of morons pounding us online for making such a small bike (“Ah need at least a 12 hunnert”), but I noticed a curious thing.   We were getting a lot of phone calls asking us if we made a 50cc bike.   One of the calls put it in perspective for me when the guy on the other end of the line asked if we had a DUI bike.

“A DUI bike?” I said.  “What’s that?”

Well, as it turns out, apparently there are states in the US in which you don’t need a license to ride a motorcycle that’s 50cc or less, and if you’ve lost you’re driver’s license as a result of a DUI conviction, you can still get around on a 50cc bike.  The bottom line is that there is a market for a 50cc bike in the US, and because of that, there are some interesting 50cc bikes out there.

Anyway, we have an interesting bike on the showroom floor right now.  It’s a 2003 Johnny Pag 49cc number that’s styled like a chopper, and it is pretty cool.  The finish is impressive (as you can see in the photos on this blog), and the engine caught my eye, too.  It’s a clone of the old Honda OHC engine that has seen duty in displacements ranging from 49cc on up to 110cc…

I had three Hondas with that same basic engine…a 50cc Cub, a Super 90, and an SL90.   There are companies all over Asia producing clones of these little OHC singles, and no doubt I’ll see quite a few of them next week.   Speaking of which, I suppose I better start packing.  I’m wheels up in just a few days, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing my friends in Chongqing again.