This collection of six Honda Z50Rs monkey bikes is now being offered for sale as a set out of Florida. As the bikes are all evenly matched, the only logical course of action is for someone to buy them and race their friends in a grueling annual off-road race they’ll call the Monkey Dakar.
This set of six includes two 1987 models, two 1985 models, a 1984 model, and a 1982 model, all powered by the same 49cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine mated to a 3-speed transmission with an automatic (centrifugal) clutch that makes the bikes easy to ride for beginners.
This set of six Honda Z50Rs are all powered by fundamentally the same engine with the same 3-speed transmission. This means they offer a level playing field and when raced together will offer a true test of rider skill over superior machinery.
The original “Monkey Bike” was introduced to the U.S. in 1968. It was small, with folding handlebars – it had initially been designed for amusement park use in Japan.
Due to its popularity wild and unexpected popularity Honda put it into production, and it launched a monkey bike boom that lasted from the 1960s well into the 1980s.
Introduced in 1979, the Honda Z50R was a departure from the more road-oriented Z50A. It was designed with a sportier look, and its primary intent was for off-road and mini motocross use by kids and younger riders. The bike took on a more rugged appearance, with knobby tires and the styling of a mini enduro.
The bike was powered by a 4-stroke, single-cylinder 49cc engine that sent power to the rear wheels via a 3-speed transmission with a simple automatic clutch.
The Honda Z50R uses a steel backbone chassis, a swing arm rear with dual shock absorbers, telescopic forks up front, front and rear drums brakes, and a simple, air-cooled 49cc single cylinder engine.
Its small size and user-friendly nature made it a favorite among young riders – it played a vital role in introducing many individuals to the world of motorcycling who would later go on to become professional championship winning riders both on the asphalt and off.
The collection of six Honda Z50Rs you see in this article are being offered for sale on Bring a Trailer out of Sarasota, Florida with no reserve for off-road use only with bills of sale. If you’d like to read more about them or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
