Austin's Honda Z-50 Motorcycle
Hi my name is Austin. Take a look the bike my Grandpa and I are rebuilding...
My Grandson Austin's 1976
Honda Z50
The story begins in a very rare weak moment in my Life. Around 5 or six years ago I was encouraging my Grandson to learn how to ride new things and test his limits like riding his toy Gator ride on and bicycles and other things kids like to do. By the way Austin has just turned 10yrs old this year 2009.
One day after running his toy "John Deer Gator" battery dead Austin came into the house and we started talking about motorcycles. All of a sudden right out of the blue Austin says," Papa, I want to learn to ride a motorcycle can you help me"? This blew me away so I asked him a few questions and one important one like can you ride a bicycle? His response was typical of him, he looked at me and without skipping a beat and says rather matter of factually, "Ok if I learn to ride a bike will you help me learn to ride a motorcycle"?
Feeling confident it would take him quite a while to master the bicycle I offhandedly remarked to him, "When you can ride a bicycle and handle it comfortably, I will buy you a motorcycle and teach you everything about it and teach you how to ride"...
Well that day of reckoning came last spring. Austin was on a visit here and he walked up and caught me blindsided and looks me in the eye with that almost 10 year old smile and says, "remember when you said if I learned to ride the bicycle you would buy me a motorcycle"? I was so shocked that this little squirt had a memory like a CD Rom. I asked about the bicycle riding and if he was a good rider and he replies he was comfortable. Then I asked the key question. Austin, "in you bicycling have you ever fallen down"? He looks at me rather somber and says yeah. So I asked the next question. Austin when you fell down what do you do and does it hurt? He now looks a bit defiant and says YES it hurts sometimes. I usually get right back on. the other times I go get a band aid and play Xbox. I started to mull this information over and then he pipes up again and says My birthday is soon and it would be soooo Koool to get a motorcycle for my birthday!
So that is how this little project got started. Austin is short like his grandpapa and unlike his Papa he is skinny as a bean pole.. I asked him about Quads first then motorcycles. Nope that was a no go. He said motorcycle rather firmly.
I thought about maybe a little mini bike with a small B&S motor. Nope, not a motorcycle he said. I looked at a motorcycle looking minibike for sale at local auto parts stores but it was way to big physically for him. Ahhh then I thought what about one of them their "Pocket Bikes"?
Austin and I set down one day and looked at different styles of bikes to get a feeling for what he wanted. To Austin the pocket bikes were ho hum and didn't look like a real motorcycle. We kept looking and Looking but just couldn't find the best small motorcycle.
Then it came to me, I loved the little Honda CT70s as a kid and remembered the little 50s would be the envy of all the kids in the neighborhood. I did some research and found the little 50 was almost perfect. I selected a style I liked and figured Austin would like and did some Photoshop changes and sent that picture along with some other pictures of bikes to Austin for approval. Austin sent back some notes and selected the Photoshop 50 but he wanted it painted differently so he gave the directions and I was off to find this elusive motorcycle.
After looking at a ton of used bikes and the $$$on a new bike I decided I would buy a used one and rebuild it with him to his specifications. That way I could teach him all about the bike while rebuilding his.
So after looking I found a "Deal" on local Craigsmist. This was a well worn 1976 Z50. It was a runner according to the ad but of course like all ads "Caveat Emptor" or buyer beware. I contacted the seller and made trip out to look at the bike. The above mentioned motorcycle was for all intents a purpose an 1976 Honda Z50A motorcycle. It was rough looking, it had some strange parts installed but when the choke was closed and the run switch on run the bike started first kick and ran very well. I did not ride to verify the trans but shifted it into gear and verified the clutch and such worked. The price was right and I brought it home.
Go ahead and look at the pictures and notes to follow my rebuild of this little rascal.
The Honda Z50A 1976 Mini Trail
bike was sold in 1976. It was available in only one color: Parakeet Yellow.
The fuel tank stripe is now orange, yellow, and black with the word "HONDA." The
chain guard is black. The word "Z50" (in red and white) appears on the left side
cover. The chain guard is chrome and so are the fenders. The grips were black
and the plastic levers were silver aluminum. The engine was a 49cc OHV single
cylinder. It had a 3-speed transmission with an automatic clutch. The serial
number began Z50A-6100001.
Here is my used bargin bike. As you see a lot is not stock. It has the following: Wrong fenders for the year. Aftermarket Darth Vader Stealth Bomber style fuel tank. Seat was beat up tires worn out chain rusted up. it had a funny looking windscreen bungied to the handlebars. This thing is far from prety.
The side cover is custom built from a 1/4 inch piece of tinfoil covered fiberboard.
Yup it does say Honda
A mean machine complete with a Harley Davidson headlight.
Take a good look at Ugly up close and personal
The rebuild begins
This is the front hub from the center of the front wheel. Note the black paint and general crappy look. After the brake hub s were done I did both front and rear hubs and they came out looking as good as the brake panels.
Here is the inside of the brake hub after I cleaned, blasted, and sealed the metal. all of the brake hardware is new including the brake cam.
Here is the outside of the brake hub. This looks beautiful. You can't believe this was on the bike.
Here is the upper portion of the forks with the steering stem all clean and repainted.
In the lower fork leg after overhaul. Excuse the mess on and under the bench.
The frame complete after mods for the new seat and paint.
Frame, Swingarm, Chain guard, and Top fork plate all painted and ready for assembly.
Just some more photos of shiny parts.
Here are the wheels all done. They were bead blasted cleaned and sealed. Then a couple of coats of paint. Compare these to the pictures of the bike in the beginning.
There you go 2 new tires and tubes and the rebuilt rims.
Hi I am Austin. Papa and I have got the bike to this point and we are going to be doing the engine next. Come back and view our progress.
Ok I guess I can pose for another photo opportunity after all I can't disappoint my Fans.
Stay tuned.
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