Author Topic: Honda Z50 (Read 2442 times)

BenelliSEI · « **on:** December 07, 2021, 02:43:37 PM »

My son picked up a pair of these for his kids. They are a hoot! Unfortunately a previous owner installed an important clip, on the kick starter shaft, incorrectly. It popped off, resulting in “no start”. Clever design. Parts everywhere…….
Anyone have an old manual for these?

MauiK3 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2021, 03:23:25 PM »

How old are they?

Stev-o · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2021, 04:16:28 PM »

Hey John...are they Z50A's?

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/968546/Honda-Z50a.html#manual

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2021, 09:04:03 PM »

I believe they are. ‘74 - 78?

MauiK3 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2021, 08:14:41 AM »

How cool!

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2021, 01:41:23 PM »

Quote from: Stev-o on December 07, 2021, 04:16:28 PM

Hey John...are they Z50A's?

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/968546/Honda-Z50a.html#manual

Steve..... Thanks! Most helpful.

MauiK3 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2021, 03:35:55 PM »

Following

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2021, 05:05:19 PM »

Gaskets, seals and “0” rings ordered…..

RAFster122s · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2021, 01:09:02 AM »

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-honda-z50a-monkey-bike/

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2021, 04:56:48 AM »

They do go for silly money when perfectly restored. The ones here are very original and definitely “riders”!

RAFster122s · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2021, 12:18:00 PM »

Another on BAT
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1968-honda-z50a-4/

MauiK3 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2021, 01:09:35 PM »

Wow, crazy money indeed.

HondaMan · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2021, 05:04:30 PM »

AHHHH!!!!
Those are the ones that tried to kill me!!! :O

One day at my 2nd college girlfriend's farm, her family pulled out a couple of those for us to play with. I immediately (dope) went zipping across the nearby farm field as fast as it would go (dumb) and could faintly hear someone yelling something at me (deaf): a second later the bike plummeted about 3 feet below me, hooked over the front of both of my boots with the handlebars, and made me into a perfect Superman into the far side of...a little ravine hidden beneath the weeds (blind...). It was perfect: the weeds were the same height all the way across them, masking the hole. I planted my face right into the far side of the ravine.

My neck STILL hurts when I remember this...

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #13 on:** December 15, 2021, 08:40:26 AM »

What’s really extraordinary is how fast they will actually go. I had the ‘78 on the smooth road, outsid our gate. Flat out in third gear felt like 200mph!

Probably more like 45......

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #14 on:** December 17, 2021, 01:45:02 PM »

Pulled the engine from the ‘’75 Z50A. Unlike my 750s, takes 1/2 an hour, and literally falls out!

My son (and his son) will restore the roller over the winter. It was popping out of gear, so I suspect the little spring that holds the detent roller arm against the shifter drum is broken or weak. It ran well, but rattled and leaked oil. Probably needs a piston, rings, and a cam chain too. Cheap and cheerful.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #15 on:** December 17, 2021, 01:55:50 PM »

DrATV.com is a great source for parts for most of the small Hondas

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #16 on:** December 17, 2021, 02:20:46 PM »

There is a guy in Toronto that restores and sells these little bikes. He stocks and sells almost every part, and is just around the corner from my son’s office! I make lists and just send them along. Parts miraculously appear.......

RAFster122s · « **Reply #17 on:** December 17, 2021, 02:43:42 PM »

Even better!

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #18 on:** December 18, 2021, 06:01:59 AM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on December 17, 2021, 02:43:42 PM

Even better!

Yes.... fun project.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2022, 05:52:31 PM »

Kick starter repaired. Just a small spring, but dead center of the engine cases (of course)! Starting to button it up but “while I’m there” lots of other stuff to do……

RAFster122s · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2022, 01:37:41 AM »

John, she let you have the motor on the kitchen bar?
Brave man…I live alone, I can get away with that stuff…
Taking a ride tomorrow (later today now)…warmed back up to 70s today, 75 tomorrow afternoon (43 or 42 tonight).

Glad you were able to split the cases and change out the spring. Splitting cases on the S90 motors requires you to make some specialized tools, they aren’t easy to separate at all. Hopefully the kickstarter issue I discovered on my 11/1969 build (past the production run according to those who know…it was a serviceman’s bike in Japan before coming back to Washington state, then in TX for a bit before I bought it) won’t require splitting the cases.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2022, 06:45:49 AM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on January 07, 2022, 01:37:41 AM

John, she let you have the motor on the kitchen bar?
Brave man…I live alone, I can get away with that stuff…
Taking a ride tomorrow (later today now)…warmed back up to 70s today, 75 tomorrow afternoon (43 or 42 tonight).

Glad you were able to split the cases and change out the spring. Splitting cases on the S90 motors requires you to make some specialized tools, they aren’t easy to separate at all. Hopefully the kickstarter issue I discovered on my 11/1969 build (past the production run according to those who know…it was a serviceman’s bike in Japan before coming back to Washington state, then in TX for a bit before I bought it) won’t require splitting the cases.

Only got in the house so I could send the photos to my g’son! Otherwise, in the shop.......
Kind of fun working with an engine I can carry under one arm!

My issue was with the actual kick start shaft. There is a “hair pin” style spring that was incorrectly installed. Only way to get to it was opening it up all the way. Next I have to get into the older motor. It ran fine, but made some pretty ominous rattles. It will need more parts, for sure.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2022, 06:33:47 AM »

Covers aren’t perfect, but nice enough for “field work”.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2022, 08:36:04 AM »

They look good to me... You glass bead blast them and then paint them? You have been busy. Does the farm have any work needed or is it your recovery time from spring, summer and fall?

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #24 on:** January 10, 2022, 01:04:31 PM »

Quote from: RAFster122s on January 10, 2022, 08:36:04 AM

They look good to me... You glass bead blast them and then paint them? You have been busy. Does the farm have any work needed or is it your recovery time from spring, summer and fall?

I just rubbed them down in the parts cleaner, with one of my wife’s curly pot scrubbers. They look like a wad of lathe shavings, but don’t scratch or scar. Light coat of filler primer followed by a single coat of the same engine paint I use on the CB750 engines. Duplicolor 1615 Aluminum.

Plow the driveway and occasionally hauling in a bit of firewood. Pretty quiet this time of year. Truthfully, we are really a “hobby farm”. I just do enough to keep our farm tax status......

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Author Topic: Honda Z50 (Read 2442 times)