Honda 125 Monkey Bike
Honda’s venerable Z50 Monkey bike was arguably the
world’s most popular entry to motorcycling for youngsters in the 60s, and
likely the most widely used pit bike in history.
Following the huge success of the 125 cc Grom,
Honda appears poised to launch a big brother to the Monkey with the same
engine. Mechanically, the Gromlin (not the official name, but it should be)
owes more to the Grom than the original Monkey bike, but the Z50 styling is
spot-on and the engine is already certified for use in major markets worldwide.
The frame, wheels, brakes and suspension are straight from the Grom, while the
new Monkey’s subframe accommodates the traditional twin shocks. Look close and
you will see the tubular new swingarm also replicates the original Z50 layout.
The patent drawings show some variations on the
original concept shown in Thailand and Japan back in 2015, suggesting this is
truly the evolution of a production model. Despite the familiar Monkey profile,
the Gromlin is obviously a larger machine, given the engine size and 12-inch
wheels. So, it won’t likely slide easily into the back of your Datsun 510
Wagon, but will into the rear of, say, a Honda Ridgeline.
The high exhaust pipe is another styling nod to the
original Monkey, but now the skid plate hides something big, which we must
assume is the catalytic converter. The fuel injection system hides behind the
air filter housing on the right, with a similar cover on the left.
