We’ve covered these sorts of monkey bikes on Visordown before, and while they don’t come up for sale all that often, you can’t deny they aren’t one of the cutest things on two wheels!
Clearly the bike is trying to ape (geddit!?) Honda’s all-conquering Dakar replica from the 1990s and early 2000s, the XRV650 and XRV750 Africa Twins. It had the paint, the dual headlights with crash-bar surround, and the boxy tail unit was all there. It didn’t have the large capacity V-twin engine of the original XRVs, nor the expansive continent-crossing fuel tank or off-road prowess. But none of that matters, because it is still a bike that once you see it, you can’t help but think, “I want one!”
This machine is listed on the American auction website Bring a Trailer, and while it’s not an original Honda-built Z50J Baja Limited Edition, it is still a very funky and eye-catching version of the super-popular 50cc Monkey bike.
It’s also going to be an expensive addition to the garage of whoever buys it, as at the time of writing (and with 15 hours left on the auction) the bidding has reached a heady $16,750 (or around £13,137). Whichever way you skin it, that’s a big price to pay for a bike that will struggle to top 50mph.
For context, an official 1991 Honda Z50J Baja Limited Edition was sold at auction by Bonhams last year. That bike can be seen above, and while it doesn’t feature the same bulbous, almost caricature-like bodywork, it is an official model built by Honda and that example sold for a much more reasonable €8,625 (£7,270).
For us, the bike at the top of the page is a bit steep, but if you want a closer look, you can check out the listing on the official website.
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