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+--- Thread: Monkey Mods (/showthread.php?tid=6722)
Monkey Mods - 2017EX_imp - 04-22-2020
Late last year I bought a blue 2020 Monkey Z125 from my local dealer. I had a deposit down months in advance, and during that time I had an idea in my head as to what I wanted to do in terms of personalizing it. As with all of my bikes, whatever I do to my machines, has to be clean, not overdone, and completely reversible at anytime in the future should I need or want to. Consequently all the OEM parts I replaced have been carefully stored away.
The stock exhaust was replaced with a Takegawa original look sports exhaust. Pictures below were taken before I replaced the OEM exhaust. I found fit and finish to be excellent, and the sound was much more pleasant without being obnoxiously loud. The stock catalytic converter under the engine was eliminated by the Takegawa system, which cleans up the look, results in nothing to get splashed during an oil change, and increases ground clearance. Stock mounting points and heat shields are used with this system. Here is a video of this system being installed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5jxIgNzhcQ . Samurider carries this system, and it can be purchased from Webike as well: https://japan.webike.net/products/23878206.html
I wanted to be able to work on the Monkey and do oil changes with it upright ( as opposed to on the side stand ) so I bought a Pitbull rear lift stand, and Kitaco spools. The spools were screwed onto the lower rear shock studs. The system worked properly, but the Kitaco spools were aluminum, and I did not like the idea of the weight of the bike being supported by that material. Then I found this Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdS2n4rX...ex=89&t=0s The Ridea spools have an aluminum outer cap, but the body of the spool that screws onto the shock stud and supports the weight of the bike, is all stainless steel. I found fit, finish, and function of the Ridea spools to be excellent. Ridea spools can be found here: [url=https://japan.webike.net/products/24098966.html]https://japan.webike.net/products/24098966.html . I recently bought a Pitbull front fork stand, so now using front and rear stands, I can work on and/or store the Monkey with both wheels off the ground.
I never did like the look of the "lobster tail" plastic rear fender extension. After researching several different rear fender elimination kits, I decided that Yoshimura had the best design and look for me. There only drawbacks to the Youshimura were: 1.) The connector and a length of wire from the original license plate light harness had to be cut off and spliced onto the pigtail coming off the Yoshimura LP light. 2.) The included license plate frame was covered with shameless advertising that I did not like. A Kitaco harness adapter allowed the OEM LP lamp and harness to remain intact for storage, and it can be found here: https://japan.webike.net/products/24065874.html . The Yoshimura fender eliminator kit can be found numerous places, but I got mine here: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/yoshimura-fender-eliminator-kit-honda-monkey-2019 . Other than that, it took some hunting to find a plain license plate frame skinny enough to work with the rest of the Yoshimura assembly.
A Kitaco stainless grab bar was also added to the Monkey. It has an OEM look, fit, and provides a solid grab point to move the bike around by hand with. No, I had no thought of it being for a passenger. I looked at several different designs, but liked the design and stainless aspects. Fit and finish were excellent. Mr. T at Samurider got it for me, but it can also be purchased from Webike: https://japan.webike.net/products/23875453.html
Lastly, the white "Monkey" sticker on the left side panel was really not to my liking. So, I had a vinyl graphics and sign shop called Fast Signs, make the Z125 side panel sticker for me. I could have gone all white just like the OEM Monkey sticker, but felt that making the Z red, tied in nicely with the red & white Honda wing tank emblems. A couple of OEM "Monkey" stickers were carefully packed away with all the other stock parts I removed and replaced.
There were many more small detail touches I added to the bike, but I have covered the major ones here. Hopefully other members who have Monkeys will find the info interesting, if not useful.
RE: Monkey Mods - Cormanus - 04-22-2020
Looks like a great job, 2017EX. And a fun ride.