Honda probably can’t be credited with originating the minibike craze that swept the country in the 1970s, but its Z50 “monkey bikes” introduced generations of riders to the joys of off-roading on two wheels. In production since 1967, the Z50 will be killed off in August, but as Japanese Nostalgic Car tells us, not before Honda sends the model off with a limited-production, not-for-U.S.-sale 50th Anniversary Edition.

The first Z50 model, the Z50M, was sold in Canada and Europe (and later, Japan) but not the United States. Finished in Shasta White with a Magna Red headlamp housing, forks and frame, the bike lacked front or rear suspension, instead relying on tire pressure alone to cushion the rider. Power came from a 49cc, air-cooled, four-stroke single, rated at a new-rider-friendly 4.5 horsepower. An automatic clutch simplified shifting of the bike’s three-speed transmission.

Minibikes have a novel history in the U.S., but are valued differently overseas.