Re: Does anyone else own a Honda NS 50?
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:20 am
Wow! The bike looks great!!
I swear Mike, I love your posts dude- you have a way of posting that always makes me smile-
Keep in mind that this build started over **a year and a half ago,** when I bought the NS from board member Mookie. Ever since I brought my NS home, I've been working on it a little bit every night since.
-That road trip to get the NS almost killed my wifey and I, literally... We drove to Alabama in a blizzard / ice storm, averaged 40 mph on the interstate, and missed being hit by a semi by a matter of feet.
-Mookie had ditched the tank, rear fairings, fenders, under fender etc. and had made a Super Motard out of the NS. He still had the stock parts, but everything was pretty trashed. I did not buy the Motard plastics, because i knew everything would be going back to stock-spec.
I think I remember Mookie saying *HE* originally paid $60 (sixty) for the NS. (should give you an idea of the original condition as I got it)
Mike, you hit the nail on the head... As SO many people hate the stock NS graphics and trim-scheme; I absolutely love the graphics!!
**-Only Honda could put pink and melon colored graphics on a little 50cc, and pull it off.**
I remember the first time I saw an NS (I was probably 14 / I'm 32 now), and knew I had to have one. My first thought was "it's a little 2 stroke!!"
-I've heard the graphics being called everything from "girl" graphics, "Malibu barbie" colors, "hideous," and on and on... I like to call the graphics "Miami Vice" colors.
After searching for around a year, I finally found a NOS stock tank. My rear fairings had to be sanded, filled, primed and painted / clear coated. Special graphics are being made right now.
I have taken the Honda 1990's "pink" scheme and ran with it. I've collected a small batch of billet aluminum parts that will be going out this week to be anodized "NS" Pink. -Nothing big, just some "accent" parts that will only be seen when up close.
Zenak, those other paint schemes you have seen on the net are in fact Japanese spec NS50F's and NS50R's. Yep, you are correct, the main differences are the color scheme, the 3-spoke wheels and the disk brake up front. Another difference is the Japanese NS50F's and NS50R's have a factory tachometer alongside the speedo.
Mike, I really, really like your idea about using a CEV headlight bucket with integrated "hole" for an analog tachometer!! That would look great, man! Most definitely keep us posted if you choose to go that route!
As for the graphics on our US spec NS50F's... I think that this was the most-hated part of the NS50F's trim... Not many people liked the 80's - script "LIQUID COOLED" on the sides.
The majority of NS50F's still around today have these side decals removed-
I'll look around for a set of rear decals, but I am thinking that they are long gone...
I have fully restored quite a few Honda "minis" but my NS50F has by FAR been the hardest to source factory parts for (and also my favorite).
The main problem is the NS was only imported for one year, so not many parts made it over, although a lot of NS's were sold.
As for your Castor-fume filled ride thru Music City, Mike... I would love to! Hopefully later in the summer I will have some more free time, and we could meet up in Nashville. That would be so much fun!!
Feel free to email me directly anytime guys if you ever need help. TE37scag@aol.com
Talk to you "NS - heads" soon,
-j
)
I'm happy for ya dude! I figured it was a past-life road racer... The wheels say it all.
uhm. uh. like. 
W.O.W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
of course. 
I figured you werent paying attention motormike since it was still up after a few hours. Always looking out for good deals. I so would have bought it if I lived closed to nashville or even a suitable truck but alas....maybe I can talk you out of it once you swap all the goodies 
i was wowed when i found mine and my elite. there's a lot of those cheep Chinese ones new and not cheep. good find.