this 1974 honda z50 monkey bike was restored but never got it running, I bought it as is while picking up another machine. this failure was a 1st for me, such an odd problem.
I often wonder if the people who get rid of these machines don’t then watch the Mustie videos, and don’t kick themselves for fixing this stuff themselves. I wold suspect that Mustie subscribers would at least give the repair a shot, having watched and hopefully learned Mustie’s thought processes (and creativity!!)
I think it could go either way. If the problem stumped the previous owner for a long time, they may be happy just to see it running and driving. But yeah, there has to be some sour grapes sometimes. LOL
@@gearheadgregwi True, I never needed any tools till I was 29 when I did not have my own bike, car or even a house. Then I got married and got my own place in a year, followed by a scooter and a car shortly. Then I saw how much repairs cost on all these things. I had seen my father working on one or the other thing every weekend back at hometown. Every time I see mustie's video, I remember my old man tinkering with something. He had only a highschool education and only basic science knowledge, but he could repair a bunch of house appliances like a CRT TV, a radio, a mixer-grinder. He also maintained the couple of bikes he owned throughout his life. Now I'm proud to say that I'm following in his footsteps and maintaining a bunch of things in house as well as the family scooter. And besides scratching the itch to fix things, I have saved a bunch of money.
Also for some people checking the oil and tire pressure is a terrible chore. For others rebuilding a carburetor and making an old engine run is great fun and satisfying.
As an 8yo in the mid-1970s my first motorcycle was a Z50. My old man and I found it abandoned (probably stolen, beaten to death and left for dead) and buried under a bunch of brush while out looking for worms for a day fishing. He threw it in the trunk of the Mercury, threw some tools at me and said "have fun." I learned so much from that little bike and still have fond memories: I ride a 2017 Tuono Factory these days but when I see a vid or pics of a little Z50 I'm transported back in time to 1975, puttering around followed by a cloud of blue smoke lol.
Happy Easter everyone, Happy Easter Mustie1! I think this bike is cool. Always remember Mustie1 makes it better. Good as used, and safety 3rd. Expect as always sparks, gas, and maybe some Smoke! Sunday is made for Mustie1. Thanks Mustie1 for always giving it all on all the motors!
@@kenwolf1056 pretty sure its supposed to be a yellow, but it looks more like highlighter/safety vest yellow rather than the schoolbus yellow of the original tank.
I purchases one in 1969 when I was 12 years old with money I earned mowing lawns and shoveling snow. I love it and still have so many fond memories of riding it all day long. As a side note, Honda recommended using Premium gas. The Sunoco down the road had 110 octane for 17 cents/gal.
Great video, brought me back to my childhood! When I turned 8 in 1973 my parents got me a Z50. I had so much fun riding in the forrest and our small village, of cause against German laws! I still have the bike, still running, just I got a bit to heavy for it. Thanks for the memories!!!
In 1973 my dad took me to a Honda shop to buy me a little 50 like this one . I remember the price tag was $250 dollars ,and I was overjoyed till my mom walked in to see where we were and said not a chance in hell and to avoid a scene we left . Oh how heart broken I was . Seeing this is a trip down memory lane .P.S when I got older you better believe I own multiple toys like this now only much bigger now .
I love when you take us to go through your,"stash" such a treasure trove of "stuff ' and a reminder to not throw anything away!!, cause you never know when you're going to need it!
My wife doesn't understand all of my 'junk' and labels me a 'hoarder'. She just can't understand that this is the unrefined resource required by makers and tinkerers.
@@jeffcard3623 remind her of the money you save by keeping all that stuff to use on projects that you would otherwise have to buy. And tell her you're not hoarding. You just appreciate the quality of the things that were made back in the day 👍
Mustie's garage is epic. Maybe I missed it, but have you just done a tour of the grounds, Mustie? It would be interesting to see the whole shebang. It might take days to film it though.
That was my first bike! My Dad brought it back from overseas when he was in the Navy. His ship had just been in the evacuation of Saigon, and I got to fly out to Hawaii and sail back to Alameda with him on a Tiger cruise. I still remember when he opened the door to the storage space he had it tied down in on the ship, one of the happiest moments of my life. Mine was red and gave me a lot of joy for years!
When I was 10 my next door neighbor had one of these. Would have to have been a '70 model. But it was my first experience on a minibike. Just restored a SL125 from 1973. I'm amazed at how pricey they've become.
I wanted one of these as a kid. When I saved enough from my paper route I decided to build my own custom mini bike instead. In hindsight I should have bought this mini bike because the value has gone up by a factor of 100.
My step brother came for the summer to my home he had one we road all over the place two up on it I was 13 he was 15. I saved all my money from paper route and got a Honda 70 street that was 50 years ago. Thanks for your time and memories.
30+ years ago I ran across a Red '73 AK3 "Mini- Trail" at a yard sale. They were moving out of state and needed to get rid of it. He had bought it new in San Jose to haul around in their class A motorhome, using it to run to pick up the paper, milk etc. I think he said it probably had maybe 40 miles on it. Anyway, as I recall we settled on $400.00 and I brought it home. I ride it almost daily as we have 37 miles of private roads, so no worry about being street legal. Several times I've been offered big money for it as it's bone stock, origional, and never been down. I think it'll be with me 'till I die (I'm almost 80) as it's so much fun. The only thing I've replaced are many sets of tires, and the seat as the origional vinyl finally began to crack. Mine has "Honda" written across the back in silver. Anyway I had my wife follow me in her car and as near as we could determine top speed was 27 mph. It always starts on the 1st kick and idles so quietly and smooth you can't tell it's running from 20 ft. Anyway most fun I've had for $400 bucks! Enjoyed the heck out of the video, keep up the good work!
These have a centrifuge oil filter built into the clutch. The clutch needs to come apart and cleaned. This causes the clutch to stick and not disengage while kicking it over and makes them hard to start. You get that skipping feeling when you kick it.
ok. For decals. Spray a ton of water on both the tank and decal. This will allow you to move it around. Once you have it where you like it. Let it dry. Done. :)
I had a 1970 starting in'75. Beat the snot out of it. They still had front-only shocks with the rear just solid. I let the rear sprocket bolts get loose and they stripped out the hub. The points cover didn't have that round access cover, it was all one piece, so of course it broke after a jump. I didn't know what JIS screwdrivers were and everything had those screws holding things on, so they all got stripped heads after a while. They had a key switch - it was on the left side of the frame under the front of the tank. It took me all over the place when I was in grade school and I was lucky to have grown up where I had some room to ride it. Best $100 ever!
I remember going full tilt across a field on that exact same bike when I was just a lad and hitting a gopher hole. When I came to, my buddy was standing above me saying hey man are you alive. Good times lol
Hey Mustie, Considering that you aren't practiced at applying decals , I think you did an EXCELLENT job with the gas tank decals !!!! They look great !!! I really enjoy watching you work on these machines and admire your knowledge and fine instincts as well as you taking the time to explain the details and nuances of what you are doing and why you are doing it , moment to moment. You are one very talented guy !!! Thanks for making these videos for us to enjoy !!! ---Mark
My friend down the street had a roached out mini trail 50 back in the mid-80s. It was the first motorcycle I had ever ridden…I was probably about 8 years old. It didn’t run or shift worth a damn, but we didn’t care! I don’t think enough kids today get to experience this kind of stuff. It’s too bad. Thanks for the smiles!
I had a Z50 as a kid. Regretted selling it. I now have a 1964 Honda sportscub 54cc. Hasn’t run in decades so thought I might get some hints here while reminiscing.
Next decal you do just spray on windex and apply the sticker right over the wetness. Apply sticker then squeegee out the windex. Windex is mostly alcohol. You can move the sticker around before before you squeegee.
Great video very fun to watch. I got a new one for Christmas back in 1969 they were call Honda Mini Trail 50s at that time it was awesome when I was 10 years old. The next year I got a 1970 Honda CL 100 it was even more awesome. Now I drive a 1975 Honda CB 750. Damn I think I dated myself oh well the Honda 50s have started many of young folks on the way to riding motorcycles. Thanks for showing and Happy Easter!
Hey Mustie, The best way to do the decals is to make up a mixture of a couple of drops of dishwashing soap and water in a spray bottle. wet the side of the tank you want to lay the graphic on with the mixture. Peel the backing paper off and lay the vinyl graphic over the water mix. this will allow you to move it around without it sticking. then use a squeegee to push the water out starting at the center. As you do this it will let the graphic stick. Any bubbles you get can be removed with a straight pin piercing the bubble slightly. Let the area dry over about a day and it will be solid as a rock.
I was going to say the same thing. I just put new decals on a 250 Big Red. I sprayed it with Windex, laid the decal over the Windex and squeegeed the Windex out. No air bubbles or wrinkles.
Decals. Usually, it is helpful to have an aerosol spray bottle of dish soap solution and spray a light coat on the surface first. Then remove the backing and apply the sticky side. That allows you to position it, then use a small squeegee to press it on and push the solution out from underneath.
I thought the rear springs didn't come until 1976.. at least in my part of the world. I had a 1977 and I loved it. We had weight restrictions of 55kg to get it registered as a moped, so our model had plastic fenders, small 2,5 liter tank and a rubber head light. Only 1.7 hp.
This was my first bike in the mid 70's when I was a little kid. 56 years old now and still riding. I think Mustie can fix anything, but a broken heart!
Mustie1, Nice purchase and excellent diagnosis of the air and the clogged jet! I know from my experience that when we ride the old bikes, it’s just like we were that age again (in our mind) while we are riding! Makes me feel great!
Pro tip…. As a motorcycle mechanic, the air/fuel mix should be 1 1/2 turns out as a rule to start with. Adjust as needed for high and low rpm acceleration. When you make adjustments give it time to run so you can check results properly.
My dad bought me a Honda SL 70 trailbike when I was 8 years old. I wish I could find one and restore it. I even put a kiss sticker on the tank LoL, I had so much fun with it. :)
Hey Musty a problem with those Honda carbs was the mixture needle and bore would become worn. A new needle would make a marginal difference. I worked on an 80cc for days and finally went to the local bike shop. The mechanic said without the needle bore is worn out and that was not repairable. On this carb it was a pressed in part with no service part available. I didn't own the bike so a new carb was not purchased 😐. The diagnosis made sense as mid throttle operation was absolutely junk.
Hi Mustie, had a Honda CD 50 moped, a metallic red small motorcycle style late '70s model lol, had TT handlebars, specially made, due to a slit in the right to fit the throttle mechanism. Had one horsepower only so slow uphill, but really fast downhill with tires correctly inflated. Handling of a CD50 is rock solid. Sadly I sold it after two seasons - for more than I paid for it. A legendary engine, also available as a 90 ccm. Have fun with your Honda! (got my motorcycle licence on a Honda 400 Four, a fantastic bike. Had four lessons, passed).
Nice video as always Darren👍I hade two of these when I grow up, one 1974 and one 1976. The 74 was the same blue as yours, and the 76 was white. Here in Sweden Honda called it Z50 Monkey Bike. They was awesome to ride, and I loved them❤
For Christmas 1968 my neighbors 3 miles away (farm country) got a PAIR of Honda 50 Mini Trails. I had a Rupp Roadster. There was no doubt which was the better bikes. We rode around in pastures a lot, and when mine broke down they would tow me to the machine shed shop. In 1970 I bought a new SL100 Honda and owned Hondas until 1993 when I quit motorcycles and never got on one again. But we sure had a lot of fun riding those Mini Trails.
Next time you're in a sticker dilemma, just squirt the panel down with water, that will allow you to position the sticker without it sticking. When the water dries, the adhesive will take over and it will look perfect! Cheers brother!!!
I was looking for this comment. I hate doing it that way as it seems so counter intuitive to wet the surface, but it works! So resist the urge to compulsively dry everything and spray some water on the surface first. I know people who even say you should have some soap in the water, but I have never been able to overcome my clean obsession with decals to test that...
Use windex. It activates the glue and allwoys you time to position the decal and dries off quickly as you use a plastic bondo spreader to work out the bubbles. Been doing that for decades on large decales and vinyl art work on Arcade and other games professionally.
Sir I’m 65 years retired and love watching your videos I have a 2005suzuki edgier great running four wheeler I watch you to get punters on how to fix things thank you for all the pointers you have and can give me to fix things
first m/c I ever rode was this one. It was my buddies, his dad and the bike and two small boys heading out in an MGB to a farm to race around a cow paddock, great time !!
My brother and I had 2 in the 70's, One blue with white accents and one with red with white accents. Both were used when we got them. Not sure about the blue one but the red one was a 1971. The blue one broke not sure chain or sprocket. It never got fixed but that red one , I rode it till the back tire was a slick. I would get in trouble for using all the lawn mower gas. The neighbors had a Honda 50 also and a Yamaha 75. We would ride the younger brother on the 50 in front the other brother on the 75 in the middle and me in the rear . That how we would "race" . All I remember is the hours of fun we had on those bikes. My parents sold both of them at a yard sale I think they got 25$ for both. Yep 25$ ! End of story right. Nope. Years later while at work, the bosses son comes into the shop with a trailer full of junk and scrap metal. On the back of the trailer was my red Honda. I told him that's my mini bike, no way he said, no worries it doesn't run its junk. I walked over checked the tank , had a small amount in it. I took it off the trailer opened the petcock put on half choke 2 kicks and it was running. Rode down the parking lot turned around and rode past him wide open in 3rd gear. I should of never of started it. He wouldn't sell it to me. I never saw the bike again. Sorry for the ramble.
My buddy had the Honda 50 when we were kids. Half the neighborhood boys took turns trying to beat the lap record in the field. Thanks for the fond memories.
For applying decals I pull the back off drag it through a pan of warm water with one squirt of Dawn in it. Then you can put it wherever you want and eventually the dawn dries off and voila! Stuck!🎉
Thanks Mustie. Very cool collection and I believe I’ve seen just about all of the videos. Thanks for what you do. Your sharing has definitely built a confidence in me around repairs and maintenance.
I had a blue one as well , man what fond memories !!!!!! My Dad refurbished it when I went on a class trip, upon my arrival , one kick and it would purrrr like a kitten.
Great an hour+ long Easter video. Happy Easter everyone :D You fixed the ST90 Monkey bike a few months ago, and now the Z50 monkey. It really looks great too, thanks to sellers fixing so much already :)
my parents bought me one for my 11 th. birthday. February 2024t it was 50 years old. I sill have it, but it lives in my living room. and it still runs. some childhood memories you can't let go.
That’s a cool bike… 88 kit, heavy duty fork, springs, and adult shocks…. Lots of fun, not overpowered, but has the power it should’ve had to begin with, big difference. Lol!!!! my 79 Z50 R is a blast.
Laying decals, you can use water with a half a drop of dish washer liquid ikn a sray bottle. spay the tank or under the decal. that will will let you pull it up and move it around, once it is down you can push the water out from under it and it takes the air bubbles with it... after application a hair dryer will help remove wrinkles and shrink it to the shape.. good job for your second time.. heheheh
The decal that you have is different than the one that's on the original pack and anyway look at the gap between the bottom of the word Honda and the stripe👍👍👍😁
One piece of advice, if I May: cut the draw strings out of your hoodie's hood. Nothing like having your head drawn briskly towards a spinning pulley to make you regret having something around your neck that could get caught in a machine. Awesome job on the decals, by the way, that was masterful work!
When I was 15, before internet, I had one of the later ones with full manual gears. The previous owner had drilled the carb and intake bigger to ”make more power”, everything was messed up, parts missing and so on. I didn’t know that much more either but I got it running a way better. I just wish RU-vid would have been around in the 90s but what’s the fun in that? 😂 I miss those days, just riding aimlessly until something broke down again. Then fix it and repeat. 😂
Your tank grommet worked well. I noticed in the "parts box" that came with it there was a pair of rubber grommets that I thought were for wire protection but they also look like they would fit the tank slots as well. Wonder if they were actually the tank grommets?
I remember seeing that also, was hoping he would look over his pile of parts that came with the bike again, but it seemed like the house within the house to hold the tank in place worked real
I always wanted one of those as a kid but was too poor to ever get one. I didn't even have a bicycle as a youngster. I went through grades 1-12 as a "free lunch" kid, that's how poor we were. I wanted to play on the basketball team in 7th grade but didn't have any good sneakers (mine had holes in them). I therefore was forced to steal a pair of Converse All-Stars. I just put them on and walked out of the store, leaving my old shoes in the box. I was on the golf team in high school as a 2-handicapper, using clubs I got out of the lost and found! I had 12 clubs, all of different brands. My team finished 2nd and 3rd at State my junior and senior year, respectively. I was supposed to pay $40 a year for a season golf pass but couldn't afford one. I was at the course so often they either thought I was paid up or didn't care that I was sneaking on the course. I enjoyed your video! Liked the ones on boat motors, too, though I know next to nothing about those. You certainly got those old dinosaurs in running condition too.
I'm almost positive that the air breather for the carb is the brass tube sticking up from the bottom of the float bowl. That is also the overflow if the needle gets stuck open. That tube bypasses the bowl drain screw as well. 👍🏻
@@seanote1906 mine too! My buddy had a Briggs & Stratton minibike with the tiny wheels smaller than this one. We had thick woods around our house so we crashed through the branches and made trails and got LOTS of cuts and bruises and poison ivy.
I grew up with one of these, I put three million miles on it before I got too big for it. I have two in my barn I have to rebuild for my grandkids. Giddy Up.
My sister had one of these and we used to ride it in my residential neighborhood because it was quiet and my dad gave us zero grief because the neighbors wouldn't complain...lol Damn thing was bulletproof. My grandma did a wheelie and broke her leg on the damn thing.... Lucky she was a viking, and was back to work a month or so later... She was the only thing more indestructible than that 50cc monkey bike
Had an orange 74, so many good memories. My much older sister got it for her kids after I out grew it. They rode it for years. Wish I had it but it's lost now.
Spray bottle with three drops of dawn dish soap. Spray tank, put decal on tank and squeegee out till smooth the soap allows movement of decal so you can get all wrinkles and bubbles out. Then just use hair dryer to get remaining bubbles out. I’ve done that for years, works great.
I completely understand I'm 56 and I had a friend who I thought was a friend at the time who had one exactly like that one same car everything but he would never let me ride it not even once so it was fun to watch you enjoy it
My very first bike. Can't actually remember the year, but it was red, and the motor was all but bullet proof. I learned how to change the oil (1 Qt.) and spark plug. I also learned how to use a blowtorch to straighten the handle bars when I would occasionally put the bike on it's side. Next bike for me, the CR80.
What fun! My friend had one when we were kids and he would let me ride it. I could never get enough of it and my mother would not let me have one. Later I wanted the larger 70 but never got that one either. I'm 67 now. Maybe someday!
When I was a kid I was one of the kids that didn't have motorcycles. One of the kids in that crowd hit a raised manhole cover riding in tall grass and flew 156 feet in the air. Everyone that was there said he looked just like superman while he was sailing. So maybe our Moms were right? He lived but he did get pretty messed up.
great you saved 1 more // people over 65 are looking for something to ride , or drive // as we have fixed income and all price go sky high to live on // the market is wide open to sell a way on good and cheap way to get around , all winter we old people need to get to the bank, the store ,and shopping a V W 1500 cc is good all year //need a kit car 1966 V.W. air cool Beetle ,to drive all year . your the man that can start building them .
