Still have my "vintage" 74 Mini Trail 50, Upgraded to a 150 and 5 speed! Hauls Ass even better then ever, and I can still ditch the coppers, by jumping off and picking it up and climbing over the neighbors fence and disappearing, just like I did when I was a kid! Funny thing, As a kid, I would get a $12:00 ticket from said coppers for riding my Honda to my friends house 3 miles away, while kids these days get away with all that and much more with nothing more then a look!
150 /5spd I'd be in jail Was a few times & the cops left me there so dad didn't kill me !! Years B4 that QA50
Cute. I like the retro 1970s styling and color scheme, reminds me of my old 1971 Honda CB175 streetbike. It had the same pattern metalflake orange and white scheme. Otherwise, it resembles the old Trail 90 my then GF rode.
The worst feeling bike to ride at low speed was the 70 Honda 750. But notch it up to 30mph, crank on the power and it handled like a comic speed racer. Just something about the top heavy balance that came into its own when pushed hard. If only it would have had modern tires!
I only hope tires have improved for these, they do not last very long, and were at one time very hard to come by! Many times I had to get my tires from the Lawn Tractor supply shop, and while they worked, they didn't last much longer. Pro tip, don't know if there available in all areas, but Kenda has a ATV tire that's very close and will last quite a bit longer! The aftermarket is your friend here with these little pocket bikes, Lifan is where you get the "Big Inch" Engine/Trans, there are several companies that make speed parts for these engines. and I will dig up the list of parts suppliers for HD, replacement parts, and retro/restoration parts, for any who wish! Get One, there the most fun you can have on 2 wheels!
There are "kits" where you can buy the entire bike, minus the Engine/Trans assembly! You can choose the version and colors, and also lighting and handle bars. Cost about $500 to 700, and the engines can run as cheep as $250 on up, depending on displacement and options! OR, you can buy a complete bike with options for around $1200 on up! A lot of folks balk at the Cheep Chinese engines, but the LIFAN brand are exact copies of the Honda and parts are way more available and cheaper. A plus is that the Chinese parts are a perfect interchange for obsolete parts for the old Honda, making restorations more possible and less expensive! This has been a Major boon to those of us with old MiniTrail 50's and Trail 70's that have had them since our childhood and continue to ride them. both my sons have Trail 50's that I bought them used and abused and rebuilt with them! I keep mine for part nostalgia and part Bug Bike, they are so small and light, get really good mileage, and are very quiet with a stock type exhaust, and they can fit in the trunk of most cars! My Wife can pick it up and carry it a short distance, or lift it over a fence! With the 150cc engine, there is plenty of power to haul my 220pound ass up hill with a 70pound pack on my back!!! With just me on the bike, top speed went from about 40 mph to around 55, depending on rear sprocket! I keep mine "geared" pretty low for more climbing power. Mileage is about 60 MPG depending on load and altitude! These may not be for every one, but for those who can use one, they are simply awesome and very reliable ( as all Honda products are) and the price is pretty reasonable for what you actually get! Pro Tip, change all the light bulbs to LED, and "convert" the headlight to a High Output LED, and you have extra capacity to run other needful things like a phone charger, GPS, Laptop, HAM set, etc.!!!!! You also have a small portable mechanical power source, think wheel run equipment!
If I weren't such a Big Guy, I'd consider one as a flivver to take along behind my campervan on roadtrips. Be great for grocery runs into town from a campground. But I'd look ludacris trying to ride one.