The History Of Honda's Z50 Mini Trail

My passion for moto started when I first rode on a cousins 1969 50 in the early 70's. A few yrs later I was given a 1978 mini trail 50. Solid little bikes that were indestructible. Good memories & good times.

paul walker wrote:

Very Kool ! That looks like my cousins 1969 50. He still owns it today unrestored.

paul walker wrote:

H4L wrote:

Very Kool ! That looks like my cousins 1969 50. He still owns it today unrestored.

Yeah. My dad worked at Champion and brought an identical one home for “testing” during the summer of 1969. Like you, it fueled a lifelong addiction!

Thanks for the awesome history lesson, Tblazier!

I never got one when they came out in 68. So I had o wait until I was in my 50s to get one. Got it off eBay and restored close to what it was when new.

I was 9 years old in 1969 when I got my Mini Trail 50. I loved that bike. After 3 years it was totally worn out. Next, I got an SL70 which became my first race bike. My next bike was an XR75.

Vital needed this, Awesome video TB!
Some of my best days have been burning laps with friends on z50s. I never pass one up. I scooped up this crusty 80’ a few weeks ago, fresh set of points and she purrrs!

ferg722 wrote:

Vital needed this, Awesome video TB!
Some of my best days have been burning laps with friends on z50s. I never pass one up. I scooped up this crusty 80’ a few weeks ago, fresh set of points and she purrrs!

Got one almost identical to that one I think I am going to sell.

Also have an older one with the fold down handlebars, but not a hard tail like some of the ones pictured above.

I first got interested in moto the day I saw a neighbor on one of these things sometime in the 70s.

A couple years later I fell in love completely watching a friend ride an XR75. Those things were just so cool.

OldTiddler wrote:

I first got interested in moto the day I saw a neighbor on one of these things sometime in the 70s.

A couple years later I fell in love completely watching a friend ride an XR75. Those things were just so cool.

My first bike was a 1975 xr 75. Man I wish I still had that bike !

OldTiddler wrote:

I first got interested in moto the day I saw a neighbor on one of these things sometime in the 70s.

A couple years later I fell in love completely watching a friend ride an XR75. Those things were just so cool.

Dreamed of all those bikes as well as the SL70. You can see what i ended up with. Loved every minute along the way no matter what.

tblazier wrote:

I reuploaded and fixed the link to the video on this one.

Here's my 69' bad boy....

Vet57 wrote:

Here's my 69' bad boy....

Those original ones are so damn cool

These little bikes had a ton of personality right up to 1999....i doubt anyone will ever be collecting XR/ CRF50's....

A favorite...Torsten and Joel.

Got a 99 for my son this year. Anyone have a how to on limiting the rev’s? Can’t seem to figure out the washer trick.

TBlazier never disappoints. Thanks for all the great trips down memory lane. My first bike was a toss up between the Z and the MR50. After seeing the bigger kids bouncing up and down on the XR75 I had to go MR 50. Always smiled riding friends’ Z 50 though.

nascarnate326 wrote:

Got a 99 for my son this year. Anyone have a how to on limiting the rev’s? Can’t seem to figure out the washer trick.

Cut an old spoke to fit between the top of the slide and the cap as a throttle stop.
You can adjust it by screwing the cap out as his skill level increases or cut the spoke a little shorter. 👍[img]0305.MOV[/img]

backinthesaddleagain wrote:

TBlazier never disappoints. Thanks for all the great trips down memory lane. My first bike was a toss up between the Z and the MR50. After seeing the bigger kids bouncing up and down on the XR75 I had to go MR 50. Always smiled riding friends’ Z 50 though.

Thank you for the kind words

Fully road registered.
105cc 5 speed
Picture is from the local “Xmas toy run”

paul walker wrote:

I raced one in Livermore fairgrounds when I was 10 I think. Got 2nd out 6 or 7 kids. No trophy but a ribbon instead.

Thats where i got my start, this is my best bro Chris Neal on his dads mint Z50 back in the day, he taught us both on that bike. GOOD TIMES!

TB is talented! Thanks for that and all the other enormous amount of stuff you are always doing.

ocscottie wrote:

Thats where i got my start, this is my best bro Chris Neal on his dads mint Z50 back in the day, he taught us both on that bike. GOOD TIMES!

Love this pic Scottie

You guys probably won't like what I'm doing to my z50, but here goes. I found it in a barn at my grandpa in law's covered in dust. It looked like it hadn't been touched in 20 years. I put a Lifan 125 in it and I'm currently working on putting klx110 forks on it with ten inch wheels and a longer swing arm for the playbike class at the Elsinore Grand Prix. I'm keeping all the original parts for it though to restore it back to original one day.

Here is a picture from when I originally found it.