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The 250 cc (15 cu in)Honda C71 and C72 Dream, and the identical C76 and C77 bikes with 305 cc (18.6 cu in) displacement, were the first larger-capacity motorcycles that Honda mass-exported. They were characterised by a pressed steel frame and alloy overhead cam, twin-cylinder engine, and were very well equipped, with 12 volt electrics, electric starter, indicators, dual seats and other advanced features not common to most motorcycles of the period.
These bikes started out as the Honda C70 Dream. Soichiro Honda had dubbed many of his earlier bikes 'Dream' after his dream of building complete motorcycles.
The C70 was a 250cc pressed-frame motorcycle, with a very similar frame to later machines, released in 1956. It was usually seen with a single seat and rack, with clip-on pillion pad.
The C75 was the 305cc version of the C70. It had a square head-light and shock absorbers, leading link forks, pressed-steel handlebars and were somewhat unusual in appearance. The engine was dry sumped, and had six-volt electrics. The design of both the frame and engine was heavily influenced by bikes built by NSU Motorenwerke AG, which Soichiro Honda had seen on his visit to Europe in 1955, including the Isle of Man TT races.
The C71 and C76 were later developments, from 1957 or 1958 onwards. The C71 was the 250cc bike, while the C76 was 305cc. Not much had changed visually, but they were fitted with electric starters. Dual seats were common on export bikes, but the single seat/rack combination was available. They were exported to Europe and the US, and other markets. A C71 was shown in the Netherlands in 1958, and shown at the Earls Court show in either 1958 or 1959, while the C76 became the flagship bike for the Honda range released into the US in 1959.
There was a version specifically built for the US market called the CA76, which came equipped with conventional tubular handlebars, although the standard pressed-steel bar C71 and C76 were also sold in the US. In the end, only a small handful were exported around the world. These were the first of the Honda 'Dreams' sold outside Japan. Also available was the 'Dream Sport' bikes with high exhaust pipes, the CS71/CS76 and CSA71/CSA76. [1] All sold well in their home market, and have attained cult-status amongst Japanese collectors.
The CE71 Dream Sport is a closely related version, and very rare. The dry-sumped engine, in the same pressed frame, with tubular handlebars, low sports exhaust pipes and dual seat, with an angular fuel tank similar to the CB92. They were exported to the US and Europe. Just over 400 were made and they were all recalled, with most scrapped.
Another rare version was the CB71 – another sports version of the dry sump bikes. It was only available in Japan, and it only in limited numbers. It was very reminiscent of the CB92 – pressed frame, flat 'ace' handlebars, fly screen, low megaphone exhaustpipes, cut down rear mudguard, cycle-style front guard, angular fueltank with the 'wrap-over' rubber kneepad of the CB92.
The final development of these bikes, the C72/C77, was available from 1960. A 1960 C72/C77 would be a very rare bike; most came out in 1961. The American market CA72/CA77 was available in 1961. These bikes were made until 1967, although it seems that because of the way US bikes are dated, many are referred to in the US as 1968 or even 1969 models. These bikes saw a completely redesigned engine: a wet-sump design with many internal differences, essentially a new motor, with electric start and 12v system.
The C72 and C77 had pressed steel handlebars, while the CA72 and CA77 had high tubular bars. Beyond that there were only minor differences, different indicators were fitted to the non-US bikes to suit the countries laws. Bikes built up to 1963 had a different fuel tank shape to later bikes, and the pressed steel bars were discontinued at about the same time (all models using conventional tubular bars) but otherwise the bike stayed much the same for the rest of its run. There was also a version of the bike called the C78/CA78, but visually there were no substantial differences to the C77/CA77.
Pre-1963 CA77s were considered as well-equipped touring/commuter bikes — not particularly sporting, but reliable and comfortable, with a turn of speed much better than many larger-capacity bikes. Like the earlier dry-sump bikes, there were high-exhaust sports version, the CS72 and CS77, and the corresponding American market CSA72 and CSA77.
The C72/C77 was exported to Europe, Britain, Australia and other markets, and sold in some numbers, although as it was comparatively expensive, not as well as hoped. Post-WW2 anti-Japanese sentiment was still rife, and in the UK, manufacturers like BSA and Triumph attempted to convince dealers not to sell Japanese bikes. Also, the style was considered to be somewhat unusual to European eyes, and by the mid-1960s quite old-fashioned.
A re-development of the engine was used in the seminal CB72 and its 305cc cousin, the CB77, both of which were ground-breaking sports motorcycles of their day. The CL72 and CL77 Scramblers also used the same engines. In addition, the engine was studied, and developed and enlarged by the Laverda factory as the basis of their 650cc and 750cc twin cylinder engines.
These days, these Honda models are considered collectibles, and have a strong following in the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club.
The Honda Hawk GT (NT650) motorcycle was designated as model RC31 and was designed by Toshiaki Kishi, and was the second Honda with "Pro-Arm" suspension bike after the RC30 VFR750R. The RC model designation is for bikes up to 750 cc, though the Honda Pacific Coast (PC800) has an engine of more than 750 cc and a model designation of RC34.
The Honda CB750 is an air-cooled, transverse, in-line four-cylinder engine motorcycle made by Honda over several generations for year models 1969–2003 as well as 2007 with an upright or standard riding posture. It is often called the original Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM).
The Honda XR series is a range of four-stroke off-road motorcycles that were designed in Japan but assembled all over the world.
The Honda Super Cub or Honda Cub is a Honda underbone motorcycle with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine ranging in displacement from 49 to 124 cc.
The Honda GB500 'Tourist Trophy' is an air-cooled single-cylinder solo café racer motorcycle. It was first marketed in Japan in 1985 in two 400 cc and one 500 cc versions. In 1989, Honda introduced a third 400 cc version for Japan; and in 1989 and 1990 a 500 cc version was available in the United States.
The Honda CL77 or Scrambler 305 is the off-road or scrambler version of the Honda C77 Dream and the CB77 Super Hawk of the 1960s.
The Honda CB500 Four is a standard 498 cc (30.4 cu in), air-cooled, 8-valve, SOHC, transverse inline-four motorcycle made by Honda from 1971 to 1978. It was introduced at the London Racing and Sporting Motorcycle Show in February 1972, and sold in the US market until 1973, replaced by the CB550 in the 1974 model year, while continuing in the European market until 1978. The CB500 Four is styled like the CB750, but smaller and lighter, with a claimed of 50 bhp (37 kW) output and a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h).
The sister bike to the Honda CB450, the Honda CL450 was the dual sport or "scrambler" model of Honda's 444 cc (27.1 cu in) DOHC parallel-twin engined motorcycle. The differences between the models were mostly cosmetic; the CL450 having off-road-style high-level exhaust pipes and braced handlebars, for instance.
The Honda CB1100F is a standard motorcycle that was made only in 1983 by Honda, based on their line of DOHC air-cooled inline four engines. Honda introduced the similar CB1100 in 2010.
The Honda CD175 is a 174 cc (10.6 cu in) motorcycle made from 1967 to 1979 by the Honda Motor Company. Described by Honda as a "great new all-rounder, at home around town or putting the highway behind you", it was the touring model in Honda's 175 cc motorcycle lineup that also included the sportier CB175 and the off-road CL175 version. The CD175 shared some components and design elements in common with other models from Honda including the early-model pressed steel backbone frame, sometimes known as "T bone".
The Honda CT series was a group of Honda trail bike motorcycles made since 1964. The CT designation is a slight exception in Honda nomenclature in that "CT" does not indicate a series of mechanically related bikes, but rather a group of different bikes that are all for casual off-road use.
The Honda CB77, or Super Hawk, is a 305 cc (18.6 cu in) straight-twin motorcycle produced from 1961 until 1967. It is remembered today as Honda's first sport bike. It is a landmark model in Honda's advances in Western motorcycle markets of the 1960s, noted for its speed and power as well as its reliability, and is regarded as one of the bikes that set the standard for modern motorcycles.
The Honda CB550 is a 544 cc (33.2 cu in) standard motorcycle made by Honda from 1974 to 1978. It has a four-cylinder SOHC air-cooled wet sump engine. The first version, the CB550K, was a development of the earlier CB500, and like its predecessor, had four exhaust pipes, four silencers and wire-spoked wheels.
The Honda CB200 and CL200 Scrambler are standard and dual-sport motorcycles made from 1973 to 1976. The CB200 replaced the CB175 model and has very similar specifications. The CL200 shares many parts with the CB200 but has an upswept exhaust system to avoid off-road hazards.
The Honda CB650 is a 627 cc (38.3 cu in) standard motorcycle produced from 1979 to 1985. It featured a four-cylinder, SOHC, air-cooled, wet sump engine, with two valves per cylinder. The CB650 was a development of the CB550, itself derived from the even earlier CB500. The CB650 was the last of Honda's successful series of air-cooled SOHC fours that began in 1969 with the Honda CB750.
The Honda Sport 90, Super 90, or S90, is a 90 cc Honda motorcycle ultra lightweight new design motorcycle, the engine based on the Honda Super Cub, and was made from 1964 to 1969. The motorcycle continued in production In various forms for example the S90Z in Indonesia.
The Honda CB900F is a Honda motorcycle made in two iterations which appeared some twenty years apart. Both generations of the CB900F are straight four-cylinder four-stroke 900 cc (55 cu in) roadsters.
The Interceptor is a British motorcycle made by Royal Enfield between 1960 and 1970. The 700 Interceptor introduced in 1960 was a modified version of the company's 692 cc (42.2 cu in) Constellation model. In 1962, the company introduced the 750 Interceptor which evolved constantly until the end of production in 1970. In 2018, the Interceptor model was reintroduced as a 648 cc (39.5 cu in) parallel twin.
The Honda C92 Benly is a 125 cc (7.6 cu in) parallel-twin motorcycle made by Honda from 1959 through 1965. Running concurrently were the CB92 Sports and the slightly larger C95 150 cc (9.2 cu in), called the CA92 and CA95 in the US. These twins took their styling and design cues from the larger-displacement Honda C71, C76, C72, C77 Dream series.
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The main difference between the Dreams was in the exhaust system. The Touring model had Honda’s standard low pipes, while the Sport offered higher pipes, along with a different kickstart lever, footpegs and side covers to accommodate them.