9. Suzuki JR50
Long before Yamaha introduced its PW50 (YZinger), Suzuki came out with the JR50, which gets our vote as one of the 10 coolest minibikes of all time.
Introduced for the 1978 model year, this 49cc tyke bike did its best to mimic the styling of Suzuki’s full-sized motocross machines of the day, but its Crank Case Injection (CCI), carbureted two-stroke engine featured a centrifugal clutch and a governor that helped develop Junior’s skills by allowing Dad to start him off slowly and then increase performance as the kid got a better handle on the JR50. Suzuki capitalized on the JR50’s success by using the engine in its ALT50 three-wheeler and, later, the LT50 quad.
While the JR50 may never have ruled the minibike scene, it deserves a spot on our 10 coolest minibikes of all time list for its longevity. Suzuki produced the model, practically unchanged save for bodywork and graphics, from 1978-2007, before ultimately replacing it with the DR-Z70 four-stroke. As part of its alliance with Suzuki for most if Y2K, Kawasaki sold a model known as the KDX50 from 2002-2007. It was simply a JR50 with green plastic and Kawasaki graphics, further proliferating one of motorcycling’s mini warhorses.
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