Honda to cease Monkey production
After 50 years, the curtain is falling on one of the company's most iconic bikesHonda will cease production of its iconic 50cc three-speed Monkey motorcycle, with the final one to roll off the production line in August 2017.
The decision has practically been made for Honda, with domestic consumption falling for small motorcycles and scooters in Japan, and it is also becoming increasingly difficult to meet tighter emissions laws.
And the Monkey has now been usurped in the popularity stakes by the also-diminutive but more powerful Grom.
The Monkey was originally made for a ride at the Tama Tech amusement park in Tokyo, which opened in 1961. The first road-registerable Monkey, the Z50A, was released in 1967, and went on sale in Australia a year later.
The Z50A lasted until 1978 before being replaced by the Z50J (1978-1981) and then the Z50R (1982-1999). In 1991, the Monkey was updated with a semi-automatic gearbox.
In February 2017, Honda launched a 50th anniversary Monkey.
Click here to check out the only Monkey currently for sale on Bikesales.
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