Planet Minis

motoluver

Hi, i have a quick question. Can anyone tell me the difference between the z50j and z50a. I could be soon in possession of a 1974-1976 honda z50j. I plan on restoring it and have been looking at part's for z50's and noticed that the majority of the parts are for z50a's only???

Thank's hope you can help

-------------EDIT-------------

Also the difference between hardtail's and soft tail's, and could someone please explaine what all the k0s, k01 k02 etc mean's.

motoluver

Anyone???

d0n

Ive never heard of a z50j

SprNtrl

Im pretty sure the Z50J is the Z50 for the Japanese Market, and the Z50a was the Z50 for the American market, hence the J and A in the moniker.

The Z50Js came/come with full lighting (blinkers, and what not), along with other small asthetic pieces, and the late models have 4 speed and manual clutch, and the Z50As did not have full lighting (only headlight, and taillight) and only came in a 3 speed semi-auto flavour.

I'd wait till Z88r chimes in to get a real answer lmao......

motoluver

Could it be an australian thing only???
Also what's the differene between the softtails, hardtail's and the k0's etc...

motoluver

Ok thank's i didnt see this messege, because i was typing mine hehehe.

SprNtrl

The difference between the hardtails and softtails is quite obvious. The soft tails have a full rear suspension setup, while that hardtails are just that, no suspension. I also believe that the hardtails have a smaller frame and seat height compared to the softtails. The K0, K1, K2, etc, is just the naming convention Honda gave the Z50.

motoluver

Thank's

Z

Z50J1 and Z50J2's are the very similar to the US K3-1978 Softtails but had turn signals, a speedo and horn among other differences. The Z50J's as we know it today are still made in Japan and are referred to as the Honda Monkey, and the 6V slightly differs from the 12V versions. The Chinese Monkey replicas are patterned off the 6V Monkeys, not the 12V monkeys.

This is a Z50J1 on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-...47731616QQrdZ1

This is a later Z50J 12V Honda Monkey:

Z

Z50A's can be a number of different bikes.

Japanese Z50A are the early hardtails with either a low or up exhaust.

Z50Z's were similar to the US K2

In the USA, Z50A's can be as follows:

http://hondatrail70.com/z50id.htm

Z50A's were made in the USA from 1968-1978, so you need to know which bike you are dealing with before you make a purchase.

motoluver

Thank's for the reply, it is the exact same as the first bike you posted (the one on ebay). But the one im looking at is in much worse condition eg. No speedo, no headlight, no blinker's, no brake light. It's going to cost a lot to restore and register but i will still do it, love the look of them. I realy thought it was between a 74-76 model tho?

Z

www.hondatrailbikes.com has the blinkers and rear taillamp bracket. The speedo and headlamp bucket will have to be sourced from a collector here in the USA or out of Japan. Z50J1 and J2's were made between 1972-1976 in Japan if I'm not mistaken.

motoluver

Thank's i thought all honda motorcycle's were designed and built in japan? On the flywheel cover undeer the "honda" logo it says Made in japan...

d0n

The Honda Z50J refers to a popular motorcycle produced by Honda Motorcycles belonging to its Z Series family of mini bikes. It began production in 1973 for the European and Japanese markets. In its first few years of production, it was the same as its American counterpart, the Honda Z50A. But in 1978, when Honda dropped the Z50A from its American motorcycle lineup, the European Z50J continued to evolve until 1999. Fewer Z50J are being produced each year and are being sold only as limited editions.

Z

Don,

I don't know where you copied this from, but it's not completely factual.

The Z50J continues to be manufactured today, and they make 2 models, the standard and the limited edition replica bikes, and the standard edition usually comes in 2 different color combinations. The limited editions get produced in lots of 3000 yearly, usually more then demand dictates, and the standard models are produced in larger numbers.

In 1979 when Amercan Honda dropped the Z50A for the Z50R, the 6V Z50J continued in Japan until the early 1990's when the Monkey Baja was launched for two years, then the 12V Z50J was launched, and in 2000, Honda dropped the Z50J from the VIN and changed the VIN to AB27, but the bikes are virtually the same.

My 2003 Monkey is one of those AB27 VIN'd bikes.

d0n

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Z50J