The Honda Z50A is a small

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

with a

single-cylinder A single-cylinder engine, sometimes called a thumper, is a piston engine with one cylinder. This engine is often used for motorcycles, motor scooters, go-karts, all-terrain vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, portable tools and garden machinery ( ...

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

overhead cam An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...

engine and a

semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a "theoretical" multiple-speed transmission where part of its operation is automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input would be required to launch the vehicle from a standstill and to ...

. It was made by

Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...

from 1968 to 1978 and it was the second generation of the Z50 Series of

minibike A minibike is a two-wheeled, motorized, off-highway recreational vehicle popularized in the 1960s and 1970s, but available continuously from a wide variety of manufacturers since 1959. Their off-highway nature and (in many countries) typically enti ...

Z50A designs

The 1968-1971 Z50As were known as the "Hard Tail" because of their lack of rear shock absorbers. 1968 was also called a K0, a 1969-1970 is called a K1 and a 1970-71 are referred to as K2s. Rear shock absorbers were added to the Z50A in 1972 and it was referred to as a K3.

History

The 1968 sometimes referred to as the "High Bar" or the "Slantguard", was the first of the Z50 series to be released to the American market. The bikes had white handgrips and 8 inch wheels. They came in with a two tone paint job. In 1972, after frame cracking became a growing issue, Honda incorporated rear suspension on the bike. The Z50A "Soft Tail" remained on the American market until after model year 1978, when it was replaced by the Z50R. In Europe and Japan, the Z50A was renamed the Z50J in 1973, and remained on the market until 1999.

References

Z50A Minibikes 1968 introductions {{motorcycle-stub

Z50A designs

History

See also

References