T150 1996 HONDA Z50 GOLD EDITION The Monkey Bikes date back to the mid-1960s, when Honda unleashed the Z50M on the European, Japanese, Canadian and American markets. Tiny, it was well received and begat the Z50A, which was an entire series all to itself with models like Z50A-K0, K1 and so on. The entire Z-series was based on a prototype called the Z100, which was produced as a children’s ride for Tama Tech, Honda’s amusement park in Tokyo’s suburb of Hino, which encouraged children to become interested in motor vehicles in the early 1960s. The concept was simple: a small, lightweight and portable mode of transportation, namely aimed at kids, but often used by adults, for various limited transportation needs. The Monkey name was applied because riders often looked gargantuan in comparison to the motorcycle. Seeing the size juxtaposition, people said the riders looked like monkeys, and the Monkey Bike name stuck. Through its lifetime, however, the Monkey Bike was released in an ocean of special editions, and in 1984, the Japanese market received just 5,000 Gold Editions. Fitted with all the road-going apparel, such as signals, headlights, license plate brackets and more, it was an instant collector’s item, like most of the others, but it was finished in an iconic gold that truly stood out. For 1986, Honda repeated the same formula with a limited-edition gold Z50, again building some 5,000 copies. This 1986 Z50 Gold Edition presents beautifully, with the gold finish in impressive condition and the painted surfaces on the 49cc engine and chassis looking likewise. The black seat presents in like-new condition as well. The engine is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission, and the Nippon Seiki gauge, the only gauge on the bike, shows a max of 60 KPH and just over 5 kilometers on the odometer. THE SOUTHWEST COLLECTION
