Honda’s Monkey has a history nearly six decades old, a fact that no doubt contributed to the enthusiastic reception that this current iteration—unveiled to U.S. customers less than a year ago—has enjoyed. Already fostering its own motorcycling subculture, the Monkey is offered in two new colors for 2020, and its faithfulness to the 1961 Z100 prompts many a trip down memory lane.
It all started in 1961, at Tama Tech, a Honda-owned amusement park founded on the same philosophy that drives Honda today: mobility through fun, two-wheel vehicles. There, Honda’s 49cc-powered Z100 was featured as part of an attraction designed to help park goers experience the joys of riding. So popular amongst guests of all ages and sizes that the bikes quickly earned the nickname of “Monkey,” a term originating from how the larger riders looked while riding around. So popular was the attraction that, in 1964, Honda began producing a street-legal version called the CZ100, for European and Asian countries. The craze had started, and it wasn’t long until America would get its first taste of Honda miniMOTO fun.
Waiting is the hardest part, but America’s delay for a true Honda miniMOTO machine ended in 1968, when the first Z50A was made available in the U.S., complete with 8-inch wheels, knobby tires, adjustable seat, and loveable styling. The best part? A folding handlebar meant parents could stow the bike in the trunk of a car and drive their children to the local riding spot—and probably even go for a ride themselves. Memories were being made, one ride at a time.
Outfitted with a headlight and taillight, the 1969-1970 Z50A served as Honda’s quick adjustment to the widespread popularity of the model and opened the door to a wider range of riding. The trend continued, each Z50A being tweaked to fit the needs of its growing fanbase, and in the process, capturing the hearts of Americans. Fun, accessible mobility, through a likable design, tiny dimensions, and low weight, had caught on.
The Z50A’s design continued to evolve with features such as dual rear shocks, introduced in 1972.
From there, Honda’s North America-bound Z50A models evolved into machines bred for off-road riding, while Europe’s Z50J carried the torch as a fun machine for getting around town. But already, the Z50 and its Monkey namesake, had been cemented in millions of hearts by giving countless riders their first experience of twisting the throttle on a powered two-wheeler.
Today, the desire for an easy-to-handle motorcycle that puts a smile on not only the person riding it, but even those who aren’t, is alive and well, as evidenced by the success of Honda’s Grom. A master of fun, the current Honda Monkey builds on that passion, while celebrating the Z50A models that paved the way for so many riders through the 1960s and ’70s, and opening the door to the next generation of enthusiasts.
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