One bike sticks out like a sore thumb this week; a rare Honda Monkey Gold Edition, currently for sale through Iconic Motorbike Auctions. It’s in the company of three café racers?a Yamaha XS650, a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, and a Honda CB550.

For sale: 1984 Honda Monkey Gold Edition Honda’s modern classic mini-bikes are enjoying their moment in the sun right now. But while there’s something appealing about a teeny tiny Honda with vintage style and modern reliability, there’s something even more appealing about a rare classic.
You’re looking at a rare 1984 Honda Monkey Gold Edition. It’s as cute as a button, and it’s currently for sale over at Iconic Motorbike Auctions.

If you grew up in the USA, you probably know the Honda Monkey by its US-specific monikers; the Honda Mini Trail or the Honda Z50. Whatever you call it, the Monkey is the quintessential mini-bike, sporting a tiny engine, a squat build, a chunky seat, and mini ape bars. And if you’ve been lucky enough to ride one, you’ll understand how much fun a 49 cc four-stroke with a four-speed transmission can be.
But there’s also a brilliant backstory to the Monkey’s development, that we admittedly didn’t know about until now. According to Iconic, ?[The Monkey] started life in 1961 as a ride at the Tama Tech amusement park, a former venture owned by a Honda subsidiary that was all about promoting the ‘joys of driving’.”
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