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Demographics of monkey owners

24K views 69 replies 45 participants last post by  3crows 
#1 ·
I know many of these smaller 125cc bikes are often considered beginner bikes but I think these bikes tend to attract folks who are trying to get back to the roots of riding.

I've been riding 35 years. (30 street) I've owned everything from the Monkey to 160+ hp super bikes. I currently have 5 bikes and my monkey gets the most usage.

I commute, run errands, and hoon around on back roads with the Monkey. I love it.



this pic was before the tail lights and turn signals.
 

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#38 ·
Age: 58
Height: 5'-11"
Weight: 240

Experience: 13 years riding. Never before. Owned 47 bikes in 13 years, tried many just to find out if I'd like them.
Traded a brand new 2018 BMW GS Adventure Premium fully loaded in on two new Monkey's and a whole bunch of cash back.
Decided going to the Arctic Circle just wasn't going to be for me.
Lost more money on this trade deal than the two Monkey's cost but that's OK.

I plan to customize each one differently. A Yellow and a Red.

I prefer low and slow and quiet! Tired of hod rods, loud bikes, fast bikes, and bull crap of Harley riders vs. BMW. Just tired of goof balls I guess. Instead of giving up riding I'm going to just "Monkey Around".

Hope to be riding my Yellow on the Tail of the Dragon in 2 weeks.
 
#40 ·
Damn. Just realized I didn't put up my info. 41 yrs Riding for the last 35 or so. Live everyday to the fullest. Live outside New Orleans in Metairie. Always down for fun rides. Keep my Pop's around while I can to let him enjoy the same things. He's the reason I ride these bikes anyway. Love anything with two wheels. Have had more fun on the smaller bikes. Met some really cool people I would have never met otherwise. I spend most of my time chasing the dollar bill. But when I do have time, I love to play with the toys. I have a New Monkey the dirty banana, 14 Grom ( My bike built in memory of a dear friend that passed. Uzit') a Cfr50F, 15 Softail Deluxe all cholo lowrider style, 13 Ruckus have had at least 5 or so of them. They always seem to come back to me in one way or the other.
 
#41 ·
35 here. I’ve been riding a Ruckus for the last few years to commute to work. I recently moved to a new spot that has higher speed limits and needed a little more power, so I sold the scooter and got the Monkey. I’ve never wanted a full sized motorcycle and this thing gets talked about constantly at work and gets more looks than the Ruckus did. Better gas mileage, too. I mostly drive about 35-40mph and calculated 144mpg on the first tank! Love this thing.
 
#46 ·
62 here, have been riding since 1971 (48 years? is that possible???), and just bought a red 2019 ABS weekend before last. Have ridden everything from a 1965 Suzuki 80 Hillbilly to a 153hp 2005 Yamaha FZ-1, mostly sportbikes since the mid-eighties, but also as varied as Ducati 900SS, Triumph Bonneville, and Yamaha Turbo. I've typically had 3-4 bikes at any given time, but am now down to the Monkey and a 1980 Yamaha XT250 which is more of a non-ridden collector's item (and currently for sale). Due to some health issues, yet still wanting to take an occasional putt around town, I decided to pick up the Monkey, being light, with a low center of gravity. Even with adjusting to the tiny bit of horsepower, it seems the perfect bike for what I want right now, especially since I really wanted one of these when I was a kid, and never got one!
 
#48 ·
51, riding for +40 years. Live in Mordor (aka Caracas - Venezuela). I ride in some time of my life more that 30 different bikes, from classics to Racing Japanese.
The Monkey is the final (maybe?) in my garage, accompanying a 2005 Ducati Monster S2R (with multistrada 1000 engine, and other toys), a 2007 Triumph Scrambler, a 1976 Moto Guzzi Hidroconvert 1000, a 2009 HD Nighster and a 2007 Piaggio MP3 (the daily rider, has a huge trunk).
 
#49 ·
Always knew Ii was dinasaur material. 68 revolutions round the sun. 1st stated riding a neighbors home bilt mini.. Straight piece of pipe for the handle bars and a push pul controller off a lawn mower for the throttle, and a piece of metal that rubbbed on the rear tire for the rear brake..Soles of you shoes were the othes brakes. Ridden in 5 foreign countries: Mexico, Canada, England, France, Germany. My old XV 920 Yamaha was the largest ridden and 3 hp Briggs and Sratton the smallest
 
#51 ·
I’m in my 60’s and been riding since 1969. Back then my neighbor had a PC50 we drove everywhere. In 1971 I bought a new CB175. I’ve owned several bikes over the years. Currently have a few ranging from a 2018 Goldwing to a 1977 CT70. The 2019 Monkey brings back great memories. Looking forward to warmer weather!
 
#52 ·
32yrs old, been riding since 2003.
Have had monkey copies (8) over the years, as well as a Honda chaly jap import from 70's with a TJR Honda nice 143+r motor in it.

Needed a new work bike that was good on the fuel, so got the new monkey, put the shadow away for a winter rebuild and just ride the monkey now.
 
#53 ·
46 years old.
Been road riding 21 years.
Started of on Motocross in my youth.
Have owned over 80 bikes from honda C70 to hayabusa.
Been into monkey bikes about 12 years.
Started with a z50r for my son, which I found out you could road ride.
Have had many monkeys, mainly copies from 50cc to Tb184cc.
Now ride a Yamaha xt660z, z50jz-1(140cc),cf70 chaly low rider and a Grom.
 
#54 ·
53, riding for 48 years. Crestview, FL - about 30-40 min east of Pensacola. Bought a 2020 red with ABS. Idea is to teach my daughter to ride in our back yard so thought ABS was a good idea. Other skoots: '17 KTM 1290 Super Adventure /R, '14 KTM 690 Enduro /R, '19 HD Sportster Iron 1200, '75 Yamaha Enduro 250. Monkey gets more of my time than any of them right now.
 
#57 ·
Born in late ‘58, started riding on a Kawasaki Coyote in early ‘69, so 51 years in the saddle. Many rides along the way...some standouts were a Steen 100, Trail 70, Elsinore, CB350, Triumph Thunderbird, Yamaha AS2125, RT1 360. If it has a motor, two wheels, and is/looks reasonably vintage I’m in. I loved the Monkey when it debuted in ‘19 but garage was fully occupied with my AS2 and RT1 so didn’t scratch the itch until last week-after selling both, bought a ‘21 Blue Monkey, loving it.
Reading this thread I realize I’m in good company....median age looks to be mid-50’s, nobody under 30’s has chimed in yet....obviously the Monkey touches a nerve for us who remember the originals! Land vehicle Vehicle Moped Car Spoke
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#58 ·
49 yo...riding most of my life. Also own a 2018 Suzuki Vstrom 650 XT. Had a Grom and sold it to get the Vstrom. Vstrom is great but really missed the Mini bike action.
Recently picked up the blue 2021, and man, it's great to be back in the Mini bike gang. of course Mods going on bike; Led Turn signals, all in one brake light, foot pegs, exhaust, seat frame plugs/screws, steel braided brake lines, shift shaft support and shifter...ahhhh, really love these lil buggers...never gonna sell this one....cheers and ride safe !!
 
#60 ·
Almost 64, riding for 49 years. I got fed up with big, heavy motorcycles and after building a Lifan 125 powered Honda Passport started riding small bores exclusively. Currently there's the original '80 Passport, a '65 CT-200 "Trail 90" (also Lifan powered), a KYMCO K-Pipe and the Monkey in my stable. The "big bikes" have been relegated to places in the back of the garage.

What originally got me into small bores was a stupid expensive XR-50 with a BBR aluminum frame and all the goodies. While playing with the fiddy I spent a lot of time on eBay looking for stuff, came across the Passport with a starting price of .99 and took a stab at it. No one else bid on it and it was mine!! Gas was $4 a gallon at that point so it cost me $80 to go to Illinois to pick it up. Originally built as a runabout to tote with the RV one Sunday on a lark I rode it to southern Indiana for lunch and had a ball. Road trips followed and it's been to the Smokies as well as weekend trips to Mammoth Cave and Chicago to see the Allman Brothers in 2013, among others.

I don't miss the "real" motorcycles at all. Going to small bores really pissed off my riding buddies but I figure if they're so shallow as to be upset for my choice of bikes they weren't really friends, anyway.:p
 
#61 ·
I'm 27 and have been riding dirt bikes and trials bikes since I was 18. After seeing how much fun some of the trials guys were having on the groms, I was convinced that I wanted a grom for a streetbike. I wasn't a fan of the SF, but OG's are extremely rare in Australia because they were never sold officially. While researching and looking for an OG, I saw that Honda was cooking up a Grom-based Monkey. I loved the styling and put a preorder on one at the dealer before they even started shipping. My yellow monkey was from the first shipment to Australia in August 2018.
 
#62 ·
Hi all, My wife and I are 56. I have been riding 50 yrs my wife about 20 yrs. Dirt bikes and trials bikes mostly. We just got two 2021 monkeys late last fall. We ride the back roads, dirt roads, easier trails all around Montana. We love to camp and ride. We have been married for 36 yrs. And riding is a great way to spend time together. The monkeys fit our lives GREAT. Easy to handle and supper FUN. COME ON SPRING!!
 
#63 ·
30 years old here. Riding for about 10. Like most I’ve owned various bikes, CBRs, GasGas trail bike, Enduros, Harleys etc. They were all fun but were a bear to ride. I wanted something simple. Ended up getting the Monkey and it’s a blast. There’s something fun about just absolutely ripping the bike and backing into turns while still going the speed limit haha. I will say I’m guilty though. This bike is so much fun but I missed being more relaxed on longer trips, so I just bought the 2021 KTM Supermoto. I feel they compliment each other nicely. KTM for a long spirited ride, Monkey for a short spirited ride without jail time. Single cylinder bikes for life
 
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