HONDA The Power of Dreams

In March 1997, a new Monkey styled like a racing bike joined the lineup. It was the Monkey R, with “R” for “Racing.”

Although it was a Monkey, it was not an outdoor leisure model, but a road sports model with the image of a racing bike that charges around the race track.

Everything about the Monkey R was new, including its newly-designed twin-tube frame, similar to Honda’s other super sports models.

Even the engine was “R”-specced: although it was an air-cooled, 1-cylinder OHC engine, similar to other Monkeys, its maximum output was raised from 3.1 PS to 4.5 PS.

The Monkey R’s exclusive specifications went even further. It was equipped with a fully-functioning telescopic suspension at the front and a swing-arm mono-shock suspension at the rear. The front and rear wheels were Comcast wheels, incorporating the advantages of Comstar and cast wheels, and were fitted with tubeless tires. It was also equipped with a front disc brake, a first for the Monkey series.

The Monkey R’s styling was cute and unique, with a larger-than-life size and feel of speed that betrayed its small size. The riding position was designed for sport riding, with low-set handlebars and back steps.

The R-spec model was created for the Monkey, usually a recreational bike, due to the excitement surrounding Honda’s success in road racing at the time.

For the first time since Honda returned to the road racing world championship in 1979, after much effort in engine and frame development, Freddie Spencer gave Honda the 500cc class rider champion in 1983. Since then, Freddie Spencer enjoyed overwhelming fame and fortune, winning the WGP 500 cc and 250 cc championships in 1985, and many WGP riders began to participate in the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race, drawing large crowds and raising the popularity of road racing in Japan. Honda responded by developing a wide variety of production models that reflected the technology cultivated in racing.

In September 1987, six months after the launch of the Monkey R, the NSR50 was launched. This was a road sport model powered by a 2-stroke 1-cylinder 50cc engine, developed as one-third the size of Honda’s NSR500 factory bike. Despite its small size, authentic equipment and styling quickly made the NSR50 a hit model.

In 1988, the Monkey RT was added to the lineup. This model was designed for touring use with upward tilting handlebars, new patterned tires suitable for unpaved roads, and a rear carrier.

Based on the Monkey RT, the ZB50 was an export model sold in a few countries including the U.S. It was equipped with a 3-speed automatic centrifugal clutch in place of the Monkey RT’s manual transmission.