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 Peugeot - 50 BB
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Photo ou archives : D. Ganneau
6708

Capacity : 50
Model : BB
Production : 1965 -
Category : (R) Street Bike

PEUGEOT

50 BB Honda · 1965

Prelude to an alliance

The French had always considered their success in the 50cc sector their own undisputed territory. But in 1960 and 1961, Japanese production surpassed the one million mark – a statistic that could not be ignored.

Quick Action

The French had to act quickly, since the invaders were already at their gates. In 1962, Honda - the world's biggest manufacturer of powered two-wheelers since 1959 - established its first European lightweight engine factory in Belgium.

A Neat Hybrid

How Honda could produce 50cc fou r-stroke engines so cheaply really puzzled Peugeot. The easiest way to find out was to acquire a few engines, strip them down and subject them to bench and road tests - to· destruction, if necessary. That was bow this little prototype, with a Honda C110 engine in a virtually standard BB Sport frame, came to be built in 1965. Advantage was taken during the experiment to test Campagnolo mechanical disc brakes, which were being fitted to some Italian 50cc sport machines. These evaluations proved that the Honda engine was decidedly very strong, but Peugeot couldn't see how the Japanese could make it at that price! So the BB kept its old two stroke with a three-speed transmission controlled from the handlebars well after 1970. The irony is that Peugeot ended up fo rming a joint venture with Honda in 1982, to manufacture scooters! Earlier, Peugeot had already made large quantities of engines for Honda's Belgian mopeds.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 49cc ( 10x39mm) air-cooled horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke; flywheel magneto

Power Rating: 5 hp @ 9500 rpm

Valves: overhead

Fuel System: carburetor

Transmission: 3-speed, chain final drive

Suspension: telescopic forks (front); swing arm (rear)

Brakes: disc (from & rear)

Wheels: 2.50x17 inch (front); 2.75x17 inch (rear)

Weight: 132 Jb

Maximum Speed: 53 mph

Fifteen years before the first Peugeot-Honda joint venture, this neat little Honda-engined prototype indicated what could he achieved.




Le fichier Moto Passion réalisé par François-Marie Dumas réunit près de deux mille photos accompagnées d'un historique très complet des machines présentées.
Il sera progressivement mis à jour ici et toute information complémentaire est la bienvenue sur info@moto-collection.org.

Cette documentation unique, qui constitue sans doute l'encyclopédie la plus exhaustive jamais écrite sur l'histoire de la moto, a été réalisée avec l'assistance de nombreux spécialistes dont principalement Didier Ganneau, Christophe Gaime, Mick Woollett, Jean Goyard, Bernard Salvat, Christian Rey, Yves Campion, Helmut Krackowizer, Michael Dregni, Michel Montange, etc. que je remercie ici.

Disponible sur demande :
- Les fiches originales sur papier
- Les photos et archives signées de mon nom en haute définition ou les documents originaux.
Me contacter sur info@moto-collection.org pour les conditions et droits d'utilisation.