Suzuki SJ50QT

I think i am the third owner of my sj50qt. Never had a problem with it, had it for 3 years. Very cheap on fuel, tank lasts ages! Always starts, even after leaving it alone over the winter. I thrash it too, still remains intact. I weigh 85kg and it still manages to haul me up hills and can reach 65kmh on flat. I've had friends crash it and it comes out unscathed. Perfect for getting around town.

Would definitely recommend to a friend or anyone buying a scooter!

I have owned my 2005 Suzuki SJ50QT for over 1 year now and i have had nothing but trouble with it. I am the 3rd owner and in the time ive had it, i have done 2500 trouble filled k's on it. I do not thrash the scooter, i ride it carefully and always get it serviced. The problems i have been experiencing include everything from a broken speedo drive gear, to bogging down and cutting out while riding and at 7000km, even a busted oil pump and seized engine. The scooter will randomly bog down or cut out while riding along and make grinding or rattling noises as it does it. I have taken it to a mechanic over and over and they cant tell me whats wrong with it.

Now judging by other reviews, i would say that this scooter is usually reliable, but due to the constant problems i have been experiencing, i cannot recommend this scooter to anyone. 1 star.

My wee scooter has just passed 9500 km after nearly three years. I would unhesitatedly recommend it to anyone who was on the flat or who didnt mind slower speed on steeper hills. Totally reliable starting. I would like a slightly stronger headlight especially at full position as I have to ride curved unlit roads some nights. Also with what is politely called a fuller figure a broader seat might be more comfortable.. but, what the hell, I am 75 in two months and as an oldster I am very very happy with my scooter.

The Suzuki SJ50QT is very well built compared to other scooters, seat could be designed better [ broader as I am a retired person and seek greater bum comfort]Loads of locker room, Good lights and control switches, I found the gearing ratio excellent for a 50cc and good torque in all ranges. Silencer should be designed to split open laterally to provide access for de -carbonising.

My Suzuki SJ50 has just clocked 20 000 km and its still going strong Its still quite modern looking in comparison to todays bikes. Very reliable, starts first pop. Heaps of room in console (and has one) Very comfortable on long trips - I do 30 km a day, 6 days a week, and surprisingly economical.

Goes and Goes, Is comfortable on longer trips and with a top box fitted to the back I am yet to run out of room. Also it is quite zippy off the line making it safer at intersections. Build quality I think is very good at least compared to a friends 'Honda Today' bought for $300 more when new.

Would definitely get a Suzuki again. This has been an outstanding little go horse.

Suzuki SJ50QT Scooter

I have now covered over 1900kms on my 2005 model Sj50Qt Suzuki scooter. It has been mostly reliable starting every time, with only one instance where I needed to kick start it. The little engine is rated at 2.94kw which is not bad for a 50cc engine really. Power is good through the lower gears of the auto transmission, however top end speed and power lack, unless you have some serious revs going, especially up longer hills where your speed will drop significantly. It goes really well (mine goes off the speedo-past 70km/h) down hills and along flat straights, but uphill (depending on how steep) you'll be lucky to get 50km/h, as there is little or no torque in the higher revs. At the beginning I think that the dealer must have put some really bad quality oil in the scooter, as it used to smoke a lot, even after it was warmed up. To stop this I put some ELF fully synthetic 2T 2 Stroke oil in, which has stopped this 'over smoking', and is way quicker to warm up the engine too, it is also better for the engine (and the environment).

The brakes are very spongy, and Suzuki really should put a single disc brake on the front wheel, as this would dramatically improve stopping distance. In an emergency situation, both the front and rear must be applied with full force in order to pull up quickly, which can take a few seconds depending on your speed. Being a forced air-cooled engine, it is compact and low maintenance which is good, although a service to the roller-gears is recommended, as this seems to give it more pep low down. I have my next service at 2000kms, and on the first service, they changed the transmission oil and tightened up the brake cables, as they were very loose-and that's after only 1000kms.

Weighing around 70kg with a full tank, the scoot is great for around town, being reasonably quick at the lights, but it won't beat most cars. Anything Diesel though, and your away without a worry, as they can't catch up. Being light also saves you gas, as I would be getting on average 70-80kms per full tank. Suzuki claims that the scooter has a 4.2 litre fuel tank, however I would dispute this, as I can only get about 3.5 litres into it from the pump, so maybe it has 1 litre in reserve or something? Even when the fuel gauge is on empty I could still go for another 8km at least.

The 2 stroke oil is held in a separate tank to the side of the fuel tank, at the rear of the scooter under the seat, and my estimate would be that it holds 500ml. Under-Seat storage is massive. The space will hold even a large full-face helmet, and there is always the front pocket for drink bottles and other items.

The foot space is a little small, but then so is the scooter, and the panels are made mostly of HDPE plastics, which although light, look a little cheap. After only a few months of owning it, the exhaust (between the engine and silencer) started to rust, and will probably need replacing after 5000kms or so.

I use a D-lock when I park it out on the street, and someone has tried to force the steering lock, as it won't lock until you click it into place now, which is annoying because the scooter really isn't worth stealing! A new one costs around $2000!

It has a good stand too, although be careful not to push the kick starter down when it's running instead of the stand, as this will result in an unpleasant grinding sound.

The colours available are silver, burgundy red and aqua blue green metallic. Personally, I think the silver looks naff, but the red and the blue green colour are cool.

The controls are good, with simple logical indicators, and headlight with park, low beam and high beam settings. You have fuel level and speedo with odometer also, and a little horn on the left, and the electric start on the right.

The mirrors are not great, but offer enough visibility to navigate the city easily. They have an aerodynamic design, which is funny considering the scooter can only get up to 70km/h MAX.

The seat is comfortable for around town, but it does give me a sore back on longer trips, and it is not meant for two-up riding, however, this does not deter people from trying, although I wouldn't recommend it, as the little scoot only has enough juice for one, so two up hills is out of the question.

At about 1800kms my SJ50's indicator knob dropped off on a corner, much to my dismay. The dealer said they wouldn't replace it for free, as you can't just buy the knob; you have to buy the entire assembly! After a few minutes of convincing them that I was not impressed, they replaced it with a knob from a wrecked scooter. Yeah! I still wonder when it's going to fall off again though! I mean fair wear and tear aside, it shouldn't drop off!

All in all, the SJ50QT is a great little scooter for around town travel, and short trips to the beach. It has a decent load carrying capability, with the rack at the rear adaptable to many top-boxes, and the under-seat storage being huge for such a little scooter. You would be hard-pressed to find a better scooter for the money!