Honda Monkey goes off the shelf after 50 years
A motorcycle need not be large in size to be fun is something the Honda Z50 also known as the Monkey proved. It was first revealed as a light-weight motorcycle for Japanese amusement parks. Further, Honda worked on fine tuning and made changes to make it production ready. After having started production in 1967, Honda has finally pulled the plug on the Monkey.
The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer, to commemorate this occasion, held a lucky draw which attracted 45,333 entries. Out of these submissions, 500 were selected who got the last units of the Honda Monkey before the production was called off. What make the Honda Monkey a popular motorcycle, was its miniature size, small engine and easy maneuverability, all of a which was a hit in the streets of Japan.
The Honda Monkey was powered by a 50cc single-cylinder motor that put out 4.5PS of power. The Z-series of motorcycles from Honda also saw alterations in the form of built and features. However, the compact dimensions of the motorcycle was left untouched. The last update that the Honda Money received was in 2004 which saw the introduction of a 4.5-litre fuel tank.
We at India did not get to see the Honda Monkey officially but instead have the Navi, a motor scooter based on the Activa. While the Honda Navi cannot be seen as an equal to the Monkey, it does offer reasonable amount of fun. Have a look at our Honda Navi versus Activa feature.