These Monkeys featured all-chrome frames, fuel tanks and fenders, and the bikes became known colloquially as the Christmas Specials.
They’re definitely the rarest and most special of all the Z50 series, which was introduced back in 1964 and produced in various forms right up until the present day (a variation on the Grom model called, appropriately, the Monkey).
The original Z-series Monkey Bike was a collapsible small motorcycle, which was intended to be carried in the trunk of a car to a destination for off-road riding. The early Z-series featured an overhead-camshaft flat-single motor of 50cc with a centrifugal clutch and 3-speed gearbox. Later models had a conventional clutch lever and 4-speed gearboxes.
Amazingly, the original Z50M model was first built in March 1964 for a Japanese amusement park, as a kiddie ride. They proved so indestructible in this ultimate testing ground that the factory refined the design slightly for road legality and began selling them outside of Japan starting in 1967.
The 50cc motor produces 4.5 HP, the motorcycle has a seat height of 22 inches, and the first models had no suspension. Telescopic forks were soon added, as was a rear swingarm by 1974 with the Z50-AK3 model. The early Z50s had 5-inch wheels, but these soon grew to 8 inches in production.
This amazing, brand-new-in-the-box pair of 1986 Honda Z50RDGs have been held by the original dealer in storage for 32 years.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0119-348600/1986-honda-z50rdg
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