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Vintage Pocket Rocket! 1975 Honda z50 Mini Trail

Honda 50’s are very fun! Whether you’re a youngster learning to ride a motorcycle or a kid at heart trying to squeeze your adult body onto a mini bike, they are a blast. This one is from 1975 and can be found here on eBay with a current bid of just over $2,000. Located in Allendale, Michigan, the ad doesn’t say if this is a survivor, but it sure looks like it is to me. In my mind, $2,000 is pretty strong bidding. Heck, you could go down to your local Honda dealer and pick up a brand new Honda CRF50F for about $1,600. I guess the nostalgia of an older bike has some value though and this one is awesome! Have a look.

Most Honda 50’s were in fact 49cc’s, but I guess “fifty” sounds better for advertising and recognition purposes. The seller says this one starts up, shifts smoothly, and runs awesome. The brakes are said to be good and the tires “look great.”

As the ad indicates, there are some imperfections on the tank. I’m not sure exactly what would explain the marks, but you can tell it hasn’t been abused. I guess 45 years of riding will leave a few dings here and there. The seller doesn’t say if the paint is original, but I’m guessing it is. It would be a shame to give this one a repaint, but I guess that’s up to the buyer.

Unfortunately, the bike doesn’t have a title and is being sold on a bill of sale. Any prospective buyers should research what it takes to get a replacement title in their state. Overall, this looks like a really nice survivor bike that deserves a good home. Hopefully, a youngster will be able to enjoy it (or an adult being young at heart). Have you ever ridden a 50? Share your memories of these great machines.

Comments

  1. Bmac777

    My friend came across this exact scooter in a basement on a roofing job we were doing in 2000. It was a beautifully preserved time capsule that he got for $50.
    Since it had sat for 20 yrs he had the engine and carb rebuilt at a Honda dealer for $400 I think ( more than he ever spent on any car maintenance lol). It was a fun little bike.
    I was framing an 8500 sf new home and we would all take turns racing through all the rooms and leaving smoke show marks on the subfloor, 5 of us 35-45 years old laughing and feeling like we were 12.
    Everything faded except for a 20 ft wide Q in the middle of a 40 ft great room.

    Like 10
  2. stillrunners

    Yep – I have a bunch of them – my older sister got one for graduation in 1969 as we were into motorbikes – not sure how much she actually rode it as my brother was always sneaking it out and running the gas out of it. Trying to get a blue one together for her 71st birthday and she just told me today – she has finally retired from Delta as a stewardess..

    Like 11
  3. Johnny

    I can see myself breaking my neck on this bike already. I was just thinking tonight. I think I,ll go out tomorrow and tinker on my 79 trail 90. These are fun bikes to ride. Though I haven,t riden mine in about 40. Its still in nice shape. My neighbor has been tyring to buy it and told me if I eve r decided to sale it.He wanted first chance. He said he wouldn,t ride it. Its too nice.He,d just look at it and enjoy it that way.Because its a antique.

    Like 2
  4. HoA Howard A Member

    Hey, haven’t heard from Scotty G lately. Normally, he would post stuff like this. I think all the writers are good, but I especially like Scotty’s posts. His “green like mom’s oven mitts”, had me in stitches. More Scotty, please.
    When I went to Fla. in the 70’s, they rented these on Daytona Beach. With a strict 5 mph on the beach, the cops had a field day handing out tickets to people on these. Again, every farm building or garage has one of these in a pile. They were throw-away bikes, but many got their 1st taste of riding with these. These were the 1st bikes we got hurt on. Took many a lump, but was all in good fun. Few of these actually survived.

    Like 4
  5. Chad Member

    It’s interesting how these bikes are priced. Several nice examples have been auctioned on Bring A Trailer recently, each fetching around $2,500. Some in pristine condition can go for as much as $7,000.

    I used to ride the 1972 model when I was a kid. It was a fun bike to run up and down mountains in Montana and had plenty of power for the kid I was then. It survived being run into irrigation ditches and several small wipe-outs.

    A great bike.

    Like 1
  6. MBorst

    We had 2 of them about 1969-70. I’m think this one was around $350 new ! Had a customer of mine pull his out a few years ago, I didn’t know he had one. I made him an offer but he had a guy from work come to get it for around $100 bill 😥

    Like 0
  7. Chris Munn

    I bought one 44 years ago for my mate’s kid. I rode it to work for a few weeks until me friend picked it up.
    I could never find it after work. The pricks I worked with it hid it…
    Lockers, behind doors, inside commercial fridges, under tables.
    Kiwis will do that. Happy days.

    Like 2
  8. JimmyJ

    Not the same bike but i bought my son a 03 xr70 when he was about 7 and of course he hurt himself first time out. Long story short the best money ive ever spent was buying him dirtbikes he moved to a kx 60 then rm80 now a crf150r hes eyeballing my 250r as he’s growing like a weed!
    He doesn’t play computer games cuz were busy rippin er up!
    If you have a young kid or grandchild i strongly recommend teaching them how to ride
    Nobody does anything dangerous anymore as were all snowflakes now.

    Like 3
  9. MBorst

    That’s what I want is an old xr70 one of my neighbors had one. Must have been about 1970. Dirt bikes or horses and a rope.

    Like 1
  10. R.Lee

    JimmyJ You are spot on about riding and kids.

    When a young lad the youngest brother had a Qa 50 and my other brother had a Trail 70. I had the 125 Elsinore. We did not know what a tv was. I had more fun on my brothers QA50 as I could manhandle it.

    My first bike was a 1965 305 Honda, stripped and made into a dirt bike. Flat track was what we did back then and we emulated Motorcycle racers Mert Lawill, Springsteen, Malcom Smith, Roger Decoster, Nixon, Roberts, Lawson many I can’t remember off hand. Motocross tracks, for me Maico 450, dirt stock car, LakeHill, Pevely, Belleville, were everywhere back before insurance company lawyers.

    My last Flat Ride was the XR750, 130+ crossed up on the straight, one handed with one hand under the tank, what a ride. Wish I still had that bike. But LIFE intervened and the Baby and Wife called, probably saving my life.

    What could have been…. Hell Bent For Leather

    Like 0

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