Thread: Z50 colors & fenders

I am trying to find out for sure on the orignal colors of Z50 KO.
I know they were Yellow & Red, but was the tank silver or white or ivory? Were the fenders on the KO chrome or painted. It seems like all of the KO's I see have painted fenders.

Tanks were ivory or that honda off-white color. All K0's had painted fenders and no hole for the tail lamp mount since they didn't have lighting. Bars were taller and seat was longer then the K1's.

Thanks,

I may have a line on a good KO to buy & restore. I am trying to size up what needs to be done to it. It seems to be almost all original but some one painted it like a bumble bee includinng the fenders. Not a big deal to repaint but if I had to strip & rechrome fenders or try to replace maybe a problem.

I have a Z50 K1 & CT70 that I am working on now.

Oh, what color are the fenders supposed to be? Same as wheels & cases?

Yes.

it was only like the first 1200 KO's that had the taller bars. Otherwise the rest were the same size as the K1 and K2 but they also didnt have the hole for the Dimmer switch. Also the first 1200 hundred had alittle different color red than the later I was told.

First 1125 were "high bar".Other production features of early KO's were:

Fenders were non riveted

Flat panel six rib seat( no cushion at rear,very early bikes only)

Main frame tube was thinner,and had extra gusset on top(perhaps this change occured when they revised the steering tube)

Rear fender was "high kick' design,changed to later flat fender after VIN# 103193 with shank bolts and grommet at lower mounting point

They were all Scarlet Red,no shade change. R&D made production revisions because riders were sliding off the seat popping wheelies,the frame was bending from jumps, handlebars bent easier due to height, and the fender mounts cracked from vibration due to solid mounting. These was also a camshaft design change at 108925.

Then of course if you believe the urban legend that Mr Honda himself burned his leg on the exhaust riding one,prompting the revision from slant to straight guard

When I got my K1 in December of 69,I had to go to my dealer in January to get new brake levers since I had broken the plastic ones already.He had both the K0 and K1's on the floor and not knowing any better at the time,I just thought you could get them with or without the lights.Little did I know the K0's were last years model.Quite the site seeing about 12 of them in a row in our little Nothern Illinois dealership.