Just because no one asked for it doesn’t mean it isn’t a delight to see in action: YouTuber and animatronics creator Matt Denton recently completed his monthslong project to construct a rideable replica of LEGO’s iconic Technic 8810 Cafe Racer set. Using copious amounts of PolyLite and polycarbonate materials, Denton carefully designed and 3D printed faithful recreations of the plastic building blocks that he could actually snap together before bolting to an electric “monkey bike” frame.
First released in 1991, the 80-piece LEGO Technic 8810 Cafe Racer quickly became one of the toy line’s most recognizable models. Instead of assembling a full-scale iteration of the motorbike, however, Denton opted for a scaled down version using an e-bike kit that included a motor controller, screen, disc brakes, tires, and brake levers. The size and design is meant to mirror a (comically) tiny two-wheeler monkey bike, a nickname affectionately first applied to the Honda Z series. Originally installed for a children’s ride in Japan’s Tama Tech amusement park in 1961, the Z motorbikes hit wider markets a few years later.
While monkey bikes were perfectly suited for its initial amusement park demographic, adults found that piloting early iterations like the Honda Z100 could be a bit difficult. Piloting one usually required leaning forward in a way that looked apelike—hence the subsequent “monkey bike” moniker. And Denton’s own test drive lives up to the name.
[Related: LEGO built a full-scale, drivable McLaren P1 model.]
As DesignBoom notes, each 3D-printed brick was specifically customized to fit over the e-bike’s frame and wiring to conceal anything that did not support the overall LEGO look. Denton even designed a water bottle and bottle holder to cover the battery, as well as 3D-printed a transparent lens cover for the working front headlight. For the wheels, he repurposed a pair from a previous LEGO mini go-kart project.
“The steering on this properly janky,” Denton says while taking his ride for its first test loops inside his workshop. Because its front forks are perfectly straight, the bike essentially refuses to self-center, which also meant he needed to constantly maintain stability. Despite these difficulties, Denton managed to ramp up the power a bit, and even took it outside for a spin on a tennis court while maxing out at 10 mph. A quick cameo from Adam Savage also earned the Mythbuster alum’s seal of approval.
“I would pay five bucks to do this!” Savage said while testing out the bike.
As for the original monkey bike, Honda retired its Z series in 2017 due to Japan’s revised emission regulations. But its legacy lives on today in many other similar minibikes such as the company’s Navi models—and DIY projects from hobbyists like Denton.