The most desirable object in the world.....

[ChipBeck_imp]

.....to a 6th grader 50 years ago. In 1968 I was 12 years old and I had a Briggs & Stratton 3hp mini bike that I loved UNTIL I saw Honda's first Mini Trail. I've never wanted anything so intensely. Tacked the brochure up on my bedroom wall. But they cost $250 which might have well have been $100,000. I didn't have it and my parents weren't buying in to my desire. Two years later I was bigger and finally got a Trail 70. But I've never quite gotten over that yellow and white 1968 Z50.

When my son was 5 years old I bought him a 1996 Z50 but it was quite different from that 1968. I wish I'd kept that bike too. Anyway, I finally found and purchased a 1968 yellow/white Mini Trail and over the next few months that 50 year old little bike will be restored to brand new. I'll never ride it. But it will finally get that monkey (bike) off of my back!! I'll go in my living room next to the 1973 Husqvarna 250WR. Below is a photo of a '68 Z50 like the one I just bought. Cheers!

Chip

 

[Inhouse Bob]

Way to scratch that itch. Sorry you can't really ride it. Rosebud!

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Nice! Been there, done exactly that! Mine was a pristine blue/white '70 K1 (your '68 is more collectible). It lived in my living room until I replaced it with a CB50R. I rode it a few times, which must have been quite a spectacle (I'm 6'6").

 

[ChipBeck_imp]

Way to scratch that itch. Sorry you can't really ride it. Rosebud!

Exactly!!!!

Chip

 

[Henrik_imp]

This was my first bike as a kid back in 1975

And now I have this one, which I do still ride from time to time for fun:

 

[Houtman_imp]

.....to a 6th grader 50 years ago. In 1968 I was 12 years old and I had a Briggs & Stratton 3hp mini bike that I loved UNTIL I saw Honda's first Mini Trail. I've never wanted anything so intensely. Tacked the brochure up on my bedroom wall. But they cost $250 which might have well have been $100,000. I didn't have it and my parents weren't buying in to my desire. Two years later I was bigger and finally got a Trail 70. But I've never quite gotten over that yellow and white 1968 Z50.

When my son was 5 years old I bought him a 1996 Z50 but it was quite different from that 1968. I wish I'd kept that bike too. Anyway, I finally found and purchased a 1968 yellow/white Mini Trail and over the next few months that 50 year old little bike will be restored to brand new. I'll never ride it. But it will finally get that monkey (bike) off of my back!! I'll go in my living room next to the 1973 Husqvarna 250WR. Below is a photo of a '68 Z50 like the one I just bought. Cheers!

Chip

Nice story and good luck with your toy !

 

[Mtneers]

.....to a 6th grader 50 years ago. In 1968 I was 12 years old and I had a Briggs & Stratton 3hp mini bike that I loved UNTIL I saw Honda's first Mini Trail. I've never wanted anything so intensely. Tacked the brochure up on my bedroom wall. But they cost $250 which might have well have been $100,000. I didn't have it and my parents weren't buying in to my desire. Two years later I was bigger and finally got a Trail 70. But I've never quite gotten over that yellow and white 1968 Z50.

When my son was 5 years old I bought him a 1996 Z50 but it was quite different from that 1968. I wish I'd kept that bike too. Anyway, I finally found and purchased a 1968 yellow/white Mini Trail and over the next few months that 50 year old little bike will be restored to brand new. I'll never ride it. But it will finally get that monkey (bike) off of my back!! I'll go in my living room next to the 1973 Husqvarna 250WR. Below is a photo of a '68 Z50 like the one I just bought. Cheers!

Chip

Nice story and good luck with your toy !

Nice story and good luck with your toy !


Must be an itch several of us had. I had one of these when I was 12. Bought this one and restored it. Sleeps in the garage with my ‘14 Standard and ‘15 Goldwing. My sons won’t even let me think about selling it.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[bflint]

Mini-bike memories

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I love the Z-50's (and CT-70's, SL-70's and XR-75's) from the early '70's. I really hope we see the new Monkey 125 make its way stateside. If so, I think a bunch of us aging mini-bike lovers will find one in their garage.

 

[ChipBeck_imp]

I love the Z-50's (and CT-70's, SL-70's and XR-75's) from the early '70's. I really hope we see the new Monkey 125 make its way stateside. If so, I think a bunch of us aging mini-bike lovers will find one in their garage.

There's the Grom.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Quite true, but the styling leaves me cold.

 

[Guth_imp]

Next time I visit my family down in West Texas I'm going to see if I can dig up any photos of the Mini-Trail that we used to have. I remember seeing one such photo of my brother riding the bike. I could swear that bike was yellow and white, like the '68 K0 models, but I also recall it having the headlight and taillight of the '69 K1 models. (It also had the round, 'winged' Mini-Trail badge on the tank as opposed to the later oval badge.) This has actually bothered me for years as the '69 K1 Z50's were supposedly yellow and silver.

However, in the book "Honda Mini Trail Enthusiast's Guide" by Jeremy Polson, the author notes that some of earliest K1 models were built with remaining K0 parts, so it seems that it would have been feasible for such a bike to have been sent to a Honda dealer. There's no telling if I'll ever be able to hunt down that photo. But I sure would like to find it as this has pestered me for years now. Only time will tell. Of course, the next time I visit, I'll likely have forgotten all about this — the thought sitting dormant in my mind as with so many other memories (that are occasionally summoned by this forum, lol).

 

[the Ferret]

well this should make y'all jealous. My friend Tom that own's Beechmont Motorsports is a serious motorcycle collector., and displays some of them in his shop Here's a couple mini's in his office

and mounted in the showroom

also notice the mint CR 250 Elsinore. There is also a CL 450 in that corner and a TL250 Trials bike

 

[Offroad]

I dreamed about the mini trail too! There was one Rupp in the neighborhood, but the 5 hp genetic was the fastest (you had to reach down and hold the governor open ;-)

By the time I was big enough to earn enough to pay the $250, mowing 5-7 yards a week, I was almost too big for it.

Still loved it. Being the first mini bike with GEARS, made it very powerful and like a real motorcycle!

Being older I was actually able to take advantage of the fold down handle bars and fuel shut off to load it into the trunk of my parents car! What an ultimate toy to take wherever you went...compare that to a video game...ha!

I was the neighborhood mechanic. We used to change out one shared front sprocket to make them approach 40mph! Still couldn't beat that 5 hp one with the governor open :-(

 

[use2b_imp]

The mini-trail 50's had not come out yet for me so it was a toss up between raquel welch and a Yamaguchi 50 . I settled for the latter.
my younger brother did get a Red Z50 and that thing was amazing

 

[Offroad]

Towards the end of my ownership, I made some reversible mods and tried to turn it into a chopper!

I made sissy bars from two badminton poles, I took off the seat and made one out of plywood, no padding, which lowered it....I took off the muffler and made a funnel / megaphone out of aluminum siding.

The neighbors didn't like me very much. ;-)

So when you see the muffler on my 1100 you'll know I'm truly reliving my childhood ;-)

If no one wants to follow me at the rally I'll understand.

 

[the Ferret]

Mini Trails didn't come out until I was 18. By then I was riding a CL 77 305 Scrambler

My first.. at age 15, 1965 HD badged Aermacchi 50

my sons first @ age 5, 1982 (IIRC) Honda Z50

my grandsons first @ age 3... Yamaha PW 50 w/training wheels

 

[peterbaron]

well this should make y'all jealous. My friend Tom that own's Beechmont Motorsports is a serious motorcycle collector., and displays some of them in his shop Here's a couple mini's in his office

and mounted in the showroom

also notice the mint CR 250 Elsinore. There is also a CL 450 in that corner and a TL250 Trials bike

...now we all know why Ferret always have the best motorcycle stuff ....and :biker: year round...lol..


pb

 

[dbarkdoll_imp]

.....to a 6th grader 50 years ago. In 1968 I was 12 years old and I had a Briggs & Stratton 3hp mini bike that I loved UNTIL I saw Honda's first Mini Trail. I've never wanted anything so intensely. Tacked the brochure up on my bedroom wall. But they cost $250 which might have well have been $100,000. I didn't have it and my parents weren't buying in to my desire. Two years later I was bigger and finally got a Trail 70. But I've never quite gotten over that yellow and white 1968 Z50.

When my son was 5 years old I bought him a 1996 Z50 but it was quite different from that 1968. I wish I'd kept that bike too. Anyway, I finally found and purchased a 1968 yellow/white Mini Trail and over the next few months that 50 year old little bike will be restored to brand new. I'll never ride it. But it will finally get that monkey (bike) off of my back!! I'll go in my living room next to the 1973 Husqvarna 250WR. Below is a photo of a '68 Z50 like the one I just bought. Cheers!

Chip

Ummmmm hogwash. If it's got two wheels and kicks over, I say ride the bejesus out of it. I know I wouldn't be able to resist.

 

[ChipBeck_imp]

well this should make y'all jealous. My friend Tom that own's Beechmont Motorsports is a serious motorcycle collector., and displays some of them in his shop Here's a couple mini's in his office

and mounted in the showroom

also notice the mint CR 250 Elsinore. There is also a CL 450 in that corner and a TL250 Trials bike

Yes it certainly does Mick. That red/white 1968 Z50 looks perfect. Amazing.

This is my then 5 year old son Charley on his 1996 Z50. And I almost forgot I use to have all that brown hair!!

Chip