Short answer: assembly takes most families 20 to 30 minutes with the tools in the box. Mix fuel at 25 to 1. Set the limiter screw so the bike barely walks. Full gear on, flat open ground, and the first session is ten starts and ten stops. That is the whole first day.
Day one, in order
- Uncrate and finish assembly, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Mix a gallon of fuel at 25 to 1 and fill it.
- Screw the limiter in so top speed is walking pace.
- Gear the rider up and walk them through the controls with the engine off.
- Start it, let them sit on it running, then ride straight lines and stops.
Uncrating and finishing the build
The bike ships sealed in its factory crate exactly as it reaches us, about 90% assembled from the factory. What is left for you is the front wheel, the handlebars, a few bolts and the fluids. The tools come in the box, so you do not need a garage full of gear.
Most families have it together in 20 to 30 minutes. Some are done in 10. The free walkthrough at manual.pluggedby50cc.com shows each step, and it is worth having open on a phone while you work.
Before you call it finished, go around every fastener with a wrench. Front and rear axle nuts, handlebar clamp bolts, footpeg bolts, engine mounts. Factory bolts settle in shipping, and the first ride is exactly when a loose one shows up.
Setup checklist before the first start
- Both brake levers firm up well before touching the grip.
- Throttle snaps shut on its own when released.
- Chain has one to one and a half inches of slack at the midpoint.
- Tires feel firm, not squishy.
- Front wheel spins true with no rub on the brake.
- Limiter screw turned in for a low top speed.
Fuel, because this is where people get hurt financially
The 50cc is a two stroke. It has no oil sump, so every drop of lubrication comes from oil mixed into the gas. The ratio is 25 to 1, which is 5.12 oz of two stroke oil per gallon of regular 87 unleaded.
Oil into the empty can first, then the gas, then shake it hard for twenty or thirty seconds. Straight gas seizes the engine, usually fast, and that is not a defect so it is not a parts claim. The full chart is in our guide to the 50cc fuel mix at 25 to 1.
The first start
Cold start order trips up more first time owners than anything else on the bike. Fuel valve on, choke on, throttle closed, then kick. Once it fires and runs for twenty or thirty seconds, push the choke off, or it will load up and bog.
Start it yourself the first time. Let the rider stand next to it and hear it, then sit on it running with both feet down and the engine idling before they touch the throttle. Our step by step on how to start a 50cc dirt bike covers the whole sequence, including what to do if it floods.
Gear before anything moves
Helmet, goggles, gloves and over the ankle boots, every ride, no exceptions. Long sleeves and long pants under that. Rock the helmet side to side on their head, their eyebrows should move with it. If it slides freely, it is too big to do its job.
Where to hold the first session
Flat, open, soft ground. Dirt or grass, not pavement. Roughly fifty feet by fifty feet of clear space, away from roads, fences, parked cars and other people. No hills, no rocks, no trees to steer around for the first few sessions.
What the first ride actually looks like
Show them three controls and nothing else. Throttle, both brakes, kill switch. Have them squeeze the brakes a dozen times while stationary until it is automatic.
Then, with the limiter set low, first session goals are simple. Ride twenty feet in a straight line. Stop smoothly with both brakes. Repeat about ten times. That is a complete, successful first day, and anyone pushing for turns and speed on day one is building a rider who cannot stop.
Sessions two and three, wide slow turns. Sessions four and five, figure eights and a quarter turn more on the limiter. After that, gentle slopes and rougher ground. Follow the rider, not a schedule.
Breaking the engine in
A new two stroke needs a break in period. Vary the throttle, avoid holding it wide open, and let it cool between runs for the first few tanks. That happens naturally while a beginner is learning, which is convenient. The details are in how to break in a new 2 stroke dirt bike.
Things that go wrong on day one
They stall it. Normal. Restart and keep going. Your reaction sets whether it is a big deal.
Jerky throttle. Also normal, and it is why the limiter is low. Smoothness comes with practice.
They fall. Stay calm, check them over, let them get back on when they want to. Gear means most falls cost nothing but dignity.
They get scared. Stop. Try again another day. Forcing it is how a kid quits riding permanently.
Frequently asked questions
How long does assembly take?
Most families have it together in 20 to 30 minutes, and some finish in 10. It arrives about 90% assembled from the factory and the tools are in the box.
What fuel does a 50cc dirt bike take?
Regular 87 unleaded premixed with two stroke oil at 25 to 1, which is 5.12 oz of oil per gallon. Never straight gas.
How long should a first riding session be?
About 20 to 30 minutes. Beginners tire faster than they admit, and tired riders make mistakes. Stop while they are still enjoying it.
How fast should I set the bike for a first ride?
Walking pace. Screw the limiter on the carburetor in until the bike barely moves, then open it a quarter turn at a time as the rider proves they can stop on command.
What if it will not start out of the crate?
Nine times out of ten it is choke, fuel valve or old fuel. Work through the will not start checklist in order. If it is genuinely a part, we take the claim to the factory on your behalf in the first year and get the replacement sent free.
Getting one
The 50cc gas bike is $300. Shipping is free to all 50 states, orders ship the same day, and delivery takes 2 to 5 business days with tracking. Local to Tempe, Arizona, text 623 320 8984 first and pick it up in person. If you are still deciding, read how to choose the right 50cc dirt bike for your child and check the fit in our size guide before you order.
Plugged by 50CC is an independent retailer. We do not manufacture, assemble, modify or service the bikes we sell. Every bike ships sealed in its factory crate exactly as it reaches us, about 90% assembled from the factory, and final assembly and setup are completed by the buyer. Off-road use only. Riders under 18 should always be supervised by an adult.