- The Z50 was the followup to the original Honda Monkey, and it’s more fun to ride than the proverbial barrel of primates.
- Delivered to Honda dealers in December of 1986, this little chrome-plated motorcycle is the ultimate Christmas Special.
- This Bring a Trailer auction ends on Wednesday, December 20.
If you were a Honda motorcycle dealer in 1986, then Christmastime was extra special. Having spent all year selling Nighthawks and Interceptors (and perhaps even some Big Red three-wheeled ATVs), top-performing dealers discovered that Honda had sent them a present: the shiny and chrome Honda Z50RD, commonly referred to as the Christmas Special.
The Z50RD was special version of the Z50R, a pocket-sized motorcycle that was barrels of fun. This one is up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. It’s zippy, seasonally appropriate, and who doesn’t love some pocket-sized Honda mobility?
Originally launched in 1979, the Z50R was supposed to be a modernized version of the Honda Z-series bike. These were commonly referred to as the Honda Monkey Bike, because a full-size rider looked slightly ridiculous when riding them, elbows and knees all sticking out.
To go back just a little further, the Monkey Bike’s existence was sort of an accident. Honda built a bunch of kid-sized motorcycles for Tama Tech amusement park, a Honda-owned playland that operated from 1961 until 2009. The kids loved them, but adults went ape (sorry) for the little bikes too, and Honda decided to put this tiny motorcycle into production.
The Z50R that the RD was based on had a 49cc engine with an overhead cam, knobby tires, a front and rear suspension, a three-speed automatic transmission, and a motocross-style handlebars. It’s a perfect dirtbike for ripping around your cul-de-sac until the neighbors come over to complain and then take a turn and everyone has a happy holiday.
The Z50RD is basically the most-collectible version of the Z50R, but the two are mechanically identical. The difference is that there is a Harley-Davidson’s worth of chrome on this little bike, pretty much everything but the seat and the hand grips.
This example is located in Michigan, and is registered for off-road use only. Total mileage is unknown, but that’s not really important. It’s in nice cosmetic condition, and the seats and grips are new.
Being so rare, a Z50RD is likely to fetch a high price relative to its small size. It’s a collectible motorcycle you can practically fit under the tree, so it’s hard to think of a better holiday feeling than being the winning bidder here. Head on over to Bring a Trailer to bid, and bring your Santa sack with you.
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.