---
title: "John Lennon’s 1969 Honda Z50A Is Going to Auction"
description: "Imagine this trail bike's value. It's easy if you try."
date: "2018-01-03"
modified: "2018-01-03"
authors:
  - name: "Eric Brandt"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/eric-brandt"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/17331/john-lennons-1969-honda-z50a-is-going-to-auction"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "For Sale"
  - "Honda News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "People"
tags:
  - "Auction"
  - "Beatles"
  - "H&H Classics"
  - "honda"
  - "Jealous Guy"
  - "John Lennon"
  - "motorcycle"
  - "Music"
  - "National Motorcycle Museum"
  - "Tittenhurst Park"
  - "trail bike"
  - "Z50A"
---

# John Lennon’s 1969 Honda Z50A Is Going to Auction

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/01/john-lennon-2.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The late great [John Lennon](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/1188/john-lennon-was-a-terrible-driver>) had a 72-acre estate called Tittenhurst Park in the late 1960s around the time that the [Beatles](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/16162/sir-paul-mccartneys-aston-martin-db5-is-going-to-auction>) broke up. To get around on that big estate of his, he had a charming little 1969 Honda Z50A trail bike. If you’re a [jealous guy](<https://youtu.be/wADRRYNHhOA>) who wants this unique piece of music memorabilia, you can bid on it as it’s being auctioned off by [H&H Classics](<https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/83/lot/39768/?url=%2Fm%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F83%2F>) at the National Motorcycle Museum March 4.

This quirky little bike is a mini off-roader powered by a 49cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine which made 1.95-horsepower at the rear wheel at 5,000 rpm. The tiny engine was mated to a three-speed transmission. This Z50A, in particular, has a red and silver two-tone paint job giving it a real classic Honda look complete with what appear to be the original tank emblems.

![message-editor%2F1515002868697-johnlennonhonda.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1515002868697-johnlennonhonda.jpg>)
*H&H Classics*

![message-editor%2F1515002881989-johnlennonhonda2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1515002881989-johnlennonhonda2.jpg>)
*H&H Classics*

![message-editor%2F1515002889251-johnlennonhonda3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1515002889251-johnlennonhonda3.jpg>)
*H&H Classics*

![message-editor%2F1515002898332-johnlennonhonda4.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1515002898332-johnlennonhonda4.jpg>)
*H&H Classics*

[Lennon’s](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/12624/rolls-royce-celebrates-sgt-peppers-50th-anniversary-with-john-lennons-phantom-v>) Z50A is being auctioned with no reserve and it’s expected to sell for about 30,000 pounds ($40,527). It’s been in the same family since June of 1971 when [Lennon](<https://www.thedrive.com/vintage/4581/you-can-buy-john-lennons-1956-austin-princess-hearse>) sold it before moving to New York. It’s numbers matching and it’s “largely unrestored and original” [according to the auction listing](<https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/83/lot/39768/?url=%2Fm%2Fview-auctions%2Fcatalog%2Fid%2F83%2F>).

It’s hard to determine this Honda’s actual value and even harder to say what will happen to its value in the future, but regardless, it’s a pretty cool piece of music and motorcycle history. If it was yours, would you ride it or preserve it?

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/brandt004>)