Suzuki OR50 Rebel (Mame-Tan 50E)
1979—1980

I have tried to tell the Suzuki O R50 (Mame-Tan 50 E in Japan) model history on this page as I know it. I would be grateful of any contributions — sales brochures, magazine ads, magazine articles, pictures, specs, facts, corrections etc. Please scan the material in JPEG format (large enough that all the details are visible) and send them to me. Please tell me the source and the publication date if possible. If you send me pictures of your own bike, please follow these instructions. I would be grateful of any contributions — sales brochures, magazine ads, magazine articles, pictures, specs, facts, corrections etc. Please scan the material in JPEG format (large enough that all the details are visible) and send them to me. Please tell me the source and the publication date if possible. If you send me pictures of your own bike, please follow these instructions.

Suzuki OR50 Rebel, the little custom styled bike with the mechanics from the ZR50/X1, was exported from Japan from 1979 to 1980. The Mame-Tan (OR50) model came to the market already 1977 for its home market, as a 1978 year's model. In Japan the model was called Mame-Tan 50 Custom (some sources call it OR50 Custom). The first model had wire wheels, drum brakes and fibreglass fenders. As an option you could choose a paintjob with flames painted on the fuel tank. I believe the tachometer and the the front disc brake were options. I haven't managed to find any sales brochures of the first year's model to confirm this. The 1979 year's Mame-Tan 50E was just about the same bike as the European export version, OR50, with star cast wheels, front disc brake, chromed steelfenders and grab rail as standard. It increased the bike's dry mass from 66 kg (145 lbs) to 69 kg (152 lbs). Not only I have found a picture of the model (see below), I have even found a sales borchure from Japan of the model. You can find it here. I have also typed the Mame-Tan specs I could find on that page. The model was discontinued in 1981 and replaced by a bit less chopper-like but still custom styled version of the same bike, the ZR50L. With larger wheels and looking more like the GS450L, it was quite conventional bike compared to the ”almost-too-cool” OR50 Rebel. The OR50 was available in some countries, Sweden to name one, a couple of more years.

1978 Suzuki year code: C

Mame-Tan 50 (OR50) 1978 Overall Length: 1 680 mm (66.1 in) Overall Width: 660 mm (26.0 in) Overall Height: 1 020 mm (40.1 in) Wheelbase: 1 080 mm (42.5 in) Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in) Dry Weight: 69 kg (152 lbs) Engine type: 49cc air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke, Power Reed.5,5 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 0,51 kpm/ 7.000 rpm. Click on the image for larger format.

1979 Suzuki year code: N

Mame Tan 50 E (OR50) 1979 Overall Length: 1 680 mm (66.1 in) Overall Width: 660 mm (26.0 in) Overall Height: 1 020 mm (40.1 in) Wheelbase: 1 080 mm (42.5 in) Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in) Dry Weight: 69 kg (152 lbs) Engine type: 49cc air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke, Power Reed.5,5 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 0,51 kpm/ 7.000 rpm. Click on the image for larger format.

Mike Snyder from USA was kind enough to send some pictures of his 1979 OR50 Rebel restoration project (before restoration, as seen on the pictures below). Mike tells us: ”This is the original paint on the bike. The bikes were only available for two years in the States, 1979 and 1980. The '79 models were white with flame decals on the tank. The 80 models were maroon with white pinstriping. Everything I have found from overseas, show that the bikes were black, with chrome front fenders, where as all of mine has painted fiberglass fenders. When I repaint mine, I am going to go with the brightest yellow that I can find, and put flames in green, faded to purple.” Mike tells that he has three similar bikes. If I haven't got it all wrong, the '79 USA model is the same bike that was sold in Japan in 1978. It fits the description of the first Mame-Tan perfectly.

1979 OR50 Rebel, restoration project. Click to enlarge. Photos: Mike Snyder, USA



1980 Suzuki year code: T

Although the model already had star cast wheels, steel fenders and disc brake at the front in 1980, the version that was imported in America was a step backwards. The OR50 had cheaper (probably even lighter) wire wheels, fiberglass fenders and drum brakes, like the first Japanese model version. The US model also had different seat, with a back rest and a fiberglass housing under and behind the seat. Available only in Red in the USA.

OR 50 1980 Overall Length: 1 680 mm (66.1 in) Overall Width: 660 mm (26.0 in) Overall Height: 1 045 mm (41.1 in) Wheelbase: 1 080 mm (42.5 in) Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in) Dry Weight: 67 kg (148 lbs) Engine type: 49cc air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke, Power Reed. 5,5 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 5,0 Nm (1.1 lb-ft)/ 7.000 rpm. Click on the image for larger format.

OR 50 E 1980 Overall Length: 1 680 mm (66.1 in) Overall Width: 660 mm (26.0 in) Overall Height: 1 020 mm (40.1 in) Wheelbase: 1 080 mm (42.5 in) Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in) Dry Weight: 69 kg (152 lbs) Engine type: 49cc air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke, Power Reed. 5,5 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 5,0 Nm (1.1 lb-ft)/ 7.000 rpm. Click on the image for larger format.

Here's a nice set of pictures of the 1980 model, black with chrome fenders. The pictures were kindly sent by the (former) owner of the bike, Barbu Cristofor from Sweden. The bike is now sold. Barbru told that he didn't have enough space. We understand. The OR50 is a huge machine... :-) Thanks also to Thomas Mellin, Sweden, for sending a couple of these pictures to me first.

1980 OR50 Rebel photos. Click to enlarge. Photo: Barbu Cristofor, Sweden.

1979—1980 OR50 specifications: Overall Length: 1 680 mm (66.1 in) Overall Width: 660 mm (26.0 in) Overall Height: 1 020 mm (40.1 in) Wheelbase: 1 080 mm (42.5 in) Ground Clearance: 165 mm (6.5 in) Dry Weight: 69 kg (152 lbs) Gearbox: 5 speeds Carburetor: Mikuni VM16SH Ignition: Magneto with points Lubrication: CCI Engine type: 49 cc air-cooled two-stroke, single cylinder. 5,5 hp, 5 speed gearbox. Maximum speed: 70 km/h (43.5 mph) Front Tyre: 2.50x15 Rear Tyre: 3.00x14 Chain Type: 420x98 Front Sprocket: 13T Rear Sprocket: 43T Battery: 6N4B-2A Spark plug ND: W20FP-U Spark plug NGK: BP6HS Fuel tank capacity: 5,5 liter incl. reserv (1.5/1.2 US/UK gal.) Fuel reserve: 1 liter (0.3/0.2 US/UK gal.)

More: Suzuki OR50

More: Mame-Tan 50E brochures & adverts

More: All Suzuki models

Sources: MCBD, Mike Snyder, Barbu Cristofor, Allt om MC (Sweden)

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