The Honda Monkey is officially back!
Due in Oz in July, this is a bike you can actually use day-to-day. It even has range on its side.
Despite a tiny 5.6-litre tank, official economy figures suggest a range of about 375km.
We revealed some of the bike’s dimensions last issue, and now we can confirm that the wheelbase is up from 875mm on the original to 1155mm, power from the air-cooled single-cylinder engine is 6.9kW at 7000rpm, and its weight is claimed to be 107kg ready-to-ride.
While owners of the original Z50 might bemoan the bike’s growth in stature, and the lack of folding bars, this new Monkey finally looks like a machine with a real, practical purpose.
There’s no way this bike is going to be crammed into the boot of a car.
Three colour options have been revealed so far. One is the yellow of the Tokyo bike, the others are red and black. Whichever colour you choose, it’s part of a two-tone design with a white lower half to the tank.
Other tech includes LED lighting all round, and an LCD instrument display. It even has an IMU to prevent the rear wheel from lifting..
As a second bike, or even as your main inner-city commuter, the Monkey might actually make a lot of sense.
Honda Monkey 125 rideaway price of $5999
Ben Purvis
