Honda Z series
Encyclopedia
The Honda Z-Series refers to the lineage of mini bikes manufactured by Honda Motorcycles. Though Honda
's official model designations are typically Z50A
, Z50J
, Z50M
, Z50R
and ZB50
, they are more commonly referred to as the "Monkey" or "Gorilla" because of the way people are said to look when riding one of such bikes. Sales of the bike began in March 1964 with the Z50M model.
and ease of transportation. Their outstanding feature is a 50cm³ 4-stroke
-engine
with an over head camshaft. Some have a centrifugal clutch
and three gear
manual transmission
, while others have a 3-speed semi-automatic easy-shift transmission
for learners.
The original model of the Honda Z-series was originally produced as a children's ride at a Japanese amusement park
, but was eventually refined and put into mass production
, hitting the European market in 1967. Since then Honda has produced a wide variety of Honda Z-series mini bikes, with annual model updates still in effect. Starting from 2008, the well-known 50cm³ engine will be adapted and fitted with an injection kit instead of carburetor. Today, cheaper replica
versions of this bike are being manufactured under the Jincheng Motors China name, amongst others.
Original Honda Z-Series bikes are becoming increasingly rare, and are typically used as restoration projects by Honda Mini Trail enthusiasts in attempt to preserve their historic value
.
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
's official model designations are typically Z50A
Honda Z50A
The Honda Z50A was the second generation of Honda's Z50 Series of mini bikes. Though its predecessor, the Z50M, was available in Europe and Japan a few years previous, in 1968 the Z50A-KO "Hard Tail", sometimes referred to as the "High Bar" or the "Slantguard", was the first of the Z50 series to be...
, Z50J
Honda Z50J
The Honda Z50J refers to a popular motorcycle produced by Honda Motorcycles belonging to its Z Series family of mini bikes. It began production in 1973 for the European and Japanese markets. In its first few years of production, it was the same as its American counterpart, the Honda Z50A...
, Z50M
Honda Z50M
The Honda Z50M was the first Z50 Series of mini bikes produced by Honda. It was released in 1967 to the European, Japanese and Canadian markets, becoming one of Honda's first practical mini bikes. Although the Z50M was theoretically road worthy, it did not have various safety components and was...
, Z50R
Honda Z50R
The Honda Z50R refers to a motorcycle produced by Honda Motorcycles belonging to its Z Series family of mini bikes. It began production in 1979 as Honda's answer to the increasing demand for mini dirt bikes to be used on the track, as opposed to their traditional trail bike used more for leisure,...
and ZB50
Honda ZB50
The ZB50 is a small 50 cc motorcycle produced by Honda belonging to its Z Series family of mini bikes. The ZB50 is very similar to the Monkey-R and Monkey-RT which were marketed only in Japan in 1987 and 1988....
, they are more commonly referred to as the "Monkey" or "Gorilla" because of the way people are said to look when riding one of such bikes. Sales of the bike began in March 1964 with the Z50M model.
Design
Most Z-series bikes are small, light, collapsible motorcycles made for convenienceConvenience
Convenience is anything that is intended to save resources or frustration. A convenience store at a petrol station, for example, sells items that have nothing to do with gasoline/petrol, but it saves the consumer from having to go to a grocery store."Convenience" is a very relative term and its...
and ease of transportation. Their outstanding feature is a 50cm³ 4-stroke
Four-stroke cycle
A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two...
-engine
Reciprocating engine
A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all types...
with an over head camshaft. Some have a centrifugal clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
and three gear
Gear
A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque. Two or more gears working in tandem are called a transmission and can produce a mechanical advantage through a gear ratio and thus may be considered a simple machine....
manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
, while others have a 3-speed semi-automatic easy-shift transmission
Semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
for learners.
The original model of the Honda Z-series was originally produced as a children's ride at a Japanese amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, but was eventually refined and put into mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
, hitting the European market in 1967. Since then Honda has produced a wide variety of Honda Z-series mini bikes, with annual model updates still in effect. Starting from 2008, the well-known 50cm³ engine will be adapted and fitted with an injection kit instead of carburetor. Today, cheaper replica
Replica
A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. An inverted replica complements the original by filling its gaps. It can be a copy used for historical purposes, such as being placed in a museum. Sometimes the original never existed. For example, Difference...
versions of this bike are being manufactured under the Jincheng Motors China name, amongst others.
Original Honda Z-Series bikes are becoming increasingly rare, and are typically used as restoration projects by Honda Mini Trail enthusiasts in attempt to preserve their historic value
Historic value
In the study of collectibles, historic value means an increase in value because of historical aging.Collectibles - Rares - Rarity...
.
Series production timeline
- 1967 March start of sales (Z50M)
- 1968 July next release (Z50A)
- 1970 April (Z50Z)
- 1974 February (Z50J)
- 1978 August (Z50J-1) and start of sales for the Gorilla
- 1979 (Z50R)
- 1979 Monkey Limited (Z50J-1)
- 1981 March Black Monkey (Z50J-1) and Black Gorilla (Z50J-III)
- 1984 October Gold Monkey
- 1984 April next Gorilla release (Z50J-III)
- 1985 May next Monkey release (Z50J-1)
- 1987 March Monkey R
- 1988 Gorilla White (Z50J-III)
- 1988 Gorilla 10th Anniversary Z50JJ Empire Candy Blue
- 1988 Monkey RT
- 1990 January Monkey Special
- 1990 Stop of sales for the Gorilla
- 1991 February Monkey Baja (Z50J-1)
- 1992 Monkey (Z50R)
- 1996 Monkey Limited (Z50J-1)
- 1997 February Monkey Special
- 1998 February restart of sales for the Gorilla
- 1998 Stop of production for the Honda Baja