Japan: Honda History:
At Home In Japan Part 2
by Rick Darke, All images © Rick Darke
Benly CB92 125cc Super Sports
I've chased a few Dreams on Ebay, all without success. Most were reminders of the well-worn but still dependable CA160 and 305cc CA77 that were my main transportation for a time in high school and college years. Undoubtably convenient, these full-bodied machines were hardly flashy, and I can recall looking with longing at other riders on sportier CB models. While visiting in the Honda Collection Hall in Tochigi, Japan in December 2003, it was a small revelation to find that the CB lineage dates to the 125cc CB92 of 1959, which looks a lot like...a Dream. The Collection Hall displays a like-new example of this first Honda Super Sport to carry the CB appellation. While the bobbed rear fender, slender front fender, and angular tank make a speedy impression, the frame and forks are the same ample pressed steel types typical of docile CA's. Still, the sporty attitude of this taut little machine is immensely appealing.
CS92 (foreground)
The Honda Collection Hall is a wonderful place to trace the evolution of Dreams to Super Sports to Scramblers. In foreground is a CS92 of 1959 oddly combines full touring fenders and upswept exhausts.
CB250 (domestic)
USA Honda fans familiar with the candy colors of the CB/CL350's introduced in 1968 might be surprised to know that this "toaster-tank" CB250 was the equivalent offering for Japanese domestic buyers in 1968.
RC71 1958
Racers occupy the entire third floor of the South Wing at Tochigi, and they are breathtakingly beautiful. The first that caught my eye was the RC71 of 1958. In simple silver and black, it sports a true tubular frame but the C71-based engine still serves as a structural member, as in Honda's full production models of the day.
CR110 Cub racing 1962
Honda The CR110 Cub Racing model of 1962 was a 50cc DOHC production road racer. The street-legal version shown here was built in limited numbers in response to new regulations for clubman racing.
CR72 Dream racing 1962
Featuring Grand Prix technology, the CR72 production racer of 1962 was developed for clubman racing, and made an impressive showing in the 1963 Isle of Man TT.
RC160 1959 first DOHC four
The RC160 of 1959 was Honda's first dual overhead-cam 4-cylinder 250cc road racer. Raced in successfully in Japan in 1959, this precurser to the better-known RC161 is the beginning of a line of 4-cylinder DOHC 250cc racers that eventually proved dominant. In 1962, Honda's DOHC 250cc RC163 won all nine races in the World Championship series. Honda was still winning in 1966, with the DOHC 250cc RC166 winning 10 out of 10 World Championship races.
