(image source)
I was looking at some recent images captured by our man on the Tokyo streets, Kuroneko and saw a shot that blew my mind. Thinking it was some sort of far out mod I googled it… “Honda Beat” and found this thing!
This cherry example is from the Honda Collection Hall and if I were a traveling bandit, I’d steal it. But I’m not. :(
The Honda Beat (FC50), a 2-stroker from 1983, was the FIRST scooter to have a water cooled engine. You can see the grill right between the headlights where the radiator is. There are a few more details on the Wiki page. I’d almost be willing to bet that there are no more than ONE here in the USA if there are any at ALL.
Oh Beat! I will long for you always!
4. February 2009 at 8:53 am
It’s so sporty. So aggressive. Yet the styling commonalities with the Elite and Helix are clear.
How did Honda go from the Beat, which is awesome, to the Elite and Helix, which look like oversized mobility scooters?
4. February 2009 at 10:04 am
Yeah the Beat is incredible both stylistically and technologically. In addition to the worlds first liquid cooled 50cc engine, it also has a 'hemi' combustion chamber, it was the first scooter with dual halogen headlights and it also had oil dampened suspension. In it's stock form, it had an expansion chamber exhaust that made this scooter capable of 7.2hp….really sick stuff. Check out this link for another side picture and a bit more info:
http://motorscooterguide.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18
4. February 2009 at 3:11 pm
Wow! Again, never available in the US. Honda keeps all the good stuff for itself.
5. February 2009 at 12:09 am
The styling makes me want to put on my “Thriller” jacket and cruise Sunset. There’s still nothing new under the sun though on water-cooled front. In the late 1800′s there was a water cooled scooter, the Hildebrand/wolf??? and There was an odd-ball liquid-cooled European scooter in the 1950′s, British marque I believe. I’ve got a Scootering someplace with an article on it. But I think Honda was the first successful scooter company to build more then a couple hundred water cooled bikes.
5. February 2009 at 9:08 am
Early 80′s some 50cc motorcycle speeds reach to over 80km/h in Japan,
(50cc speed limit is 30km), And Helmet was not “must”(After 86″
we have to use helmet on motorcycle),
1982″ all factory re-designed all 50cc model for 60km top speed,
And 50cc sports motorcycle market went to small in Japan,
These time Honda made this “Beet” with 7.2ph scooter style and high price,
Not so good sales in Japan,
http://www.geocities.co.jp/MotorCity-Pit/9393/beat-kata1.html
8. February 2009 at 6:07 am
That’s a great new picture of the Beat. I recall about 3 or 4 years ago there was one for sale in the US. I came across it on Ebay. But there are two sad parts to this story. The first is that I was broke. The second was that it was being PARTED OUT! As if there were others in the US that needed parts. Luckily the guy was had not sold any of the bits yet and was willing to sell me all of it in a lot and ship it to me. But alas, I was broke and decided against it. I regret it to this day. It also had a kind of power valve. It was more of a resonance cavity just outside the exhaust port, but it was a tech example ahead of it’s time. I have no idea what ever happened to that parts lot. Hopefully someone hoarded it and kept it together.
15. February 2009 at 1:32 pm
Suppose I shouldn’t mention I am thinking of getting one to sit between the Joker and the Maxam?
Saw this one too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tokyo_scooter_stuff/3277113523/
26. March 2009 at 10:41 pm
You absolutely should! :)
16. December 2009 at 3:47 am
i have had a honda beat. i am eric of the Philippines and man i tell you it is a hell of a bike. the looks is superb, from the front you'll see that it looks like a shark head. the bike is very easy to ride because it's automatic. it goes from 0 to 60kph in 4sec. it goes easy on the turns by bunking and it goes on one wheel because it has a special pedal for acceleration. money's worth buying this bike.