2019 Honda Monkey Review – First Ride

I woke up on a helicopter filled with equally groggy journalists as we approached the fabled Isle of Monkey. The Jurassic Park theme song boomed in my head as the lush green mountains drew ever closer. Over the years I’d heard hushed mutterings about the Isle. Tales of sun-scorched tourists on droves of golf carts, but nothing could have prepared us for what lay ahead. Once the helicopter touched down, we disembarked and set off to explore the island on our own troop of simians, a septet of 2019 Honda Monkeys.

Chances are, here in the states, that you recognize the 2019 Honda Monkey, but you might know it by a different name. The Honda Z that started it all was actually part of an attraction in 1961 at a Honda-owned amusement park, Tama Tech, located in Tokyo, Japan. Just as the Monkey is now, the 49cc-powered Z100 was introduced to park-goers as a way to showcase the fun of motorcycling in a safe environment on an unintimidating motorcycle. Attendees jested that the larger guests looked like monkeys on the machines, and the nickname stuck.

Honda’s Z series of motorcycles were introduced in the United States as an off-road only model in 1968. This model came complete with eight-inch wheels, knobby tires, an adjustable seat, and folding handlebars. Honda sold 50,000 Z50As the first year in the U.S. Due to the instant popularity of the Z50A, Honda’s 1969-70 models were outfitted with a headlight and taillight to broaden the usability of the little machine. Throughout the years the Z series has seen many iterations, some of which are included in the collage above, though many of those models were unavailable in the States.

Spending a day on the Isle of Monkey, bombing around twisty stretches of scenic pavement while dodging tourists and golf carts was the best way to test the 2019 Honda Monkey. When attending new model intro after new model intro, you get to be friendly with your fellow journalists. Getting to ride in a group of new and old friends, rounded out by Honda North America’s friendly faces on the 2019 Monkey was an absolute blast. Wheelies, stoppies, brake slides, and off-road hill climbs were abundant (don’t worry, I kept all of the oil on the inside of the bike this time).

Honda looked closely at its successful Grom platform to borrow crucial components when building the 2019 Honda Monkey. The two miniMOTOs share the 31mm inverted fork, frame, and SOHC 124.9cc air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine with a slightly different side cover.

The 220mm single disc brake with dual-piston caliper up front and 190mm and single-piston caliper in the rear are also shared, as is the option to purchase an ABS-equipped model for $200 extra. ABS is activated by front wheel lockup or excessive pitch, which is decided by an inertial measurement unit. ABS is only available on Pearl Nebula Red models and is only equipped to the Monkey’s front wheel. The rear will still let you get all slideways with liberal brake application. Kind of like a mullet; all business up front, all party in the back.

There isn’t a lot to talk about when considering the performance of the motorcycle. The brakes are strong enough to prompt rear slides and stoppies, the suspension is cush around town and has enough damping to hit small jumps without the bike bottoming with my 175-pound self on it. Power comes on nice and smooth making the bike ideal for blasting around town. Once you start railing it through canyon roads and bringing up the speeds, you’ll start to notice that the components weren’t built for that, so slow it down Speed Racer. Relax and revel in the number of bystanders who can’t keep their eyes off of your sexy lil’ Monkey. Naturally, if you’ve got a need for speed, the aftermarket will be there. Many parts created for the Grom will bolt on, and we’re told Yoshimura already has a pipe made for the Monkey.

To say the 2019 Honda Monkey is an attractive motorcycle would be an understatement. The color-matched frame and 1.47-gallon two-toned metal tank with the Old Wing Honda logo look fantastic. The entire motorcycle has a quality feel and finish to it, from the real chrome high fenders to the modern LED headlight. There are just two visual complaints I could make: One being the bulbous comically large airbox, and the other being the monstrous turn signals and blah taillight (another victim of DOT regs).

Of course, all of that pretty metal is going to cost you. The non-ABS Monkey has a claimed weight of 232-pounds (236 lbs for the ABS model), only three more than the non-ABS Grom. More importantly, is how all of those premium finishes are going to hit your wallet. The standard Honda Monkey in Pearl Nebula Red or Banana Yellow is going to run you $3,999. If you’d like ABS with that front wheel, again, in red only, you’re looking at $4,199. If you’re into this bike, the price is really the only thing that might make you second guess yourself. The Monkey demands a $600 premium over the standard Grom, though the attention to detail, use of quality materials, and off-the-charts cool factor are enough for me to say it’s worth it.

You’re not going to be folding the handlebars down on this one and sticking it in the trunk, but with a bike that looks this good, why would you want to? The 2019 Honda Monkey is here to usher in another generation of riders as its preceding Z series familia has done for many years. Honda says the Monkey will be a brand ambassador for them and doesn’t plan to build more than 17k of them for the initial run. When asked if the Monkey becomes a smash hit, would they consider building more, the response was a resounding yes. Here’s to a world overrun by miniMOTOs with Monkeys, Groms, and Super Cubs (oh my!) filling the streets of Everytown, USA.