The Roughhouse 50 is a 50 cc scooter sold in the United States by Genuine Scooters of Chicago. It comes from the company’s partnership with PGO Scooters of Taiwan and was styled more aggressively than the retro-looking Buddy and Stella that share the showroom with it.
Genuine Roughhouse 50 at a glance
| Distributor | Genuine Scooters, Chicago, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PGO Scooters, Taiwan |
| Model | Roughhouse 50 |
| Engine size | 50 cc |
| Style | more aggressive than the Buddy and the Stella |
| Partnership | Genuine and PGO, from 2006 |
| Market | United States, through Genuine dealers |
| Stablemates | Buddy, Blur 220i, Hooligan 170i |
| Also in the PGO range | the Buddy is sold as the Bubu in Taiwan |
No Wikipedia page is devoted to this model: it is described in a single paragraph of the English article on Genuine Scooters, and this page is based on that passage.
History of the Genuine Roughhouse 50
A PGO-built alternative to the Buddy
Genuine Scooters began working with PGO Scooters of Taiwan in 2006, when labour trouble at its Indian supplier LML threatened supplies of the Stella. The Buddy was the first fruit of that partnership; the Roughhouse 50 followed as a second, more youthful take on the same idea. Where the Buddy leaned on rounded retro lines, the Roughhouse was styled more aggressively, giving Genuine dealers a small scooter aimed at riders who wanted a sharper look.
Where it sat in the range
The Roughhouse 50 kept the small-capacity, automatic format that made the Buddy Genuine’s bestseller, but it was never the volume model. The company’s PGO-sourced line grew to include the Buddy, the Roughhouse 50, the fuel-injected Blur 220i and, from 2014, the Hooligan 170i with twin headlights. In the United States all of these machines carried Genuine branding, while PGO sold its own scooters under its own name elsewhere.
Design and features
- Aggressive styling: a sharper, less retro look than the Buddy and Stella.
- Small-capacity engine: a 50 cc unit in the twist-and-go mould of the rest of the PGO range.
- Taiwanese build: manufactured by PGO Scooters, Genuine’s partner since 2006.
- Part of a family: sold alongside the Buddy, Blur 220i and Hooligan 170i.
Genuine Roughhouse 50 versions
- Roughhouse 50: the standard 50 cc model.
- Black Cat Fireworks edition: a co-branded special based on the Roughhouse.
The Roughhouse 50 sits alongside the Buddy and the Blur 220i in the range of Genuine Scooters.
Video: Genuine Roughhouse 50cc Scooter Top Speed
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Genuine Scooters, English Wikipedia: PGO partnership, styling, place in the range, special editions
- PGO Scooters, English Wikipedia: manufacturer and US branding
