1969 Honda Z50 Mini Trail

In Japan, Off-Road, Small Displacement by Tom WackerLeave a Comment

Designed and built originally as an attraction at a Japanese amusement park, when Honda officials saw the reaction of all ages, they decided to market the bike to the world. Starting in 1964, the Z50 turned out to be a very successful seller for HMC. Commonly called the ‘Monkey Bike’ based on how adults looked riding this teeny bike it featured folding handlebars and seat with very light weight.

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The Honda Z50 Mini Trail used a 49CC air cooled single cylinder overhead cam motor that produced 3 HP with a three speed semi automatic clutch with a weight of 127 LBS to produce a top speed of 30 MPH. The AK1 featured 8 inch wheels, folding handlebars and seat, no lights and cable pulled brakes on both ends.

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This particular Honda Z50 AK1 Mini Trail is in Sturgis, South Dakota (at Gypsie Vintage Cycle) and is listed as a nearly restored early Z50. This looks to be an AK1 variant and looks very good in the photos. The bike has a Buy It Now price of $3,800