Honda C71,
C76, C72, C77 Dream
The Honda C72 & CA72 (and the identical
C77/CA77 bikes with 305cc capacity) were first
larger-capacity motorcycles that Honda mass-exported,
and were significant motorcycles of their time.
They not only introduced Honda as a brand to
be reckoned with, but were the first 'proper'
motorcycles to emerge from Japan. They were
characterised by a pressed steel frame and alloy
overhead cam twin cylinder engines, and were
very well equipped, with 12v electrics, electric
starter, indicators, dual seats and other advanced
features, not common to most motorcycles of
the period.
The bike that eventually became the C72/C77
started out as the Honda C70 Dream. Soichiro
Honda had dubbed many of his earlier bikes 'Dream'
after his dream of building complete motorcycles,
and the new bike followed this naming pattern.
The C70 was a 250cc pressed-frame bike (very
similar frame to the later bikes) released in
1956, and was called the Dream for the Japanese
market. It was usually seen with a single seat
& rack, with clip-on pillion pad. It was
a well-equipped bike. The C75 was the 305cc
version. They had a square head-light &
shocks, leading link forks, pressed-steel handlebars
and were somewhat unusual in appearance. The
engine was dry sumped, and had 6v 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. A C70 is shown below, note the lack
of starter motor:
The C71/C76 were later developments, from
1957 or '58 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 & 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 flag-ship bike for the Honda range released
into the US in 1959. A 1960 C76 is shown below:
There was a version built for the US market
called the CA76, which came equipped with conventional
tubular handlebars, but the standard pressed-steel
bar C71 & C76 were also sold in the US.
In the end, only a small handful were exported
around the world, with most people wary of these
unusually styled bikes from Japan. These were
the first of the Honda 'Dreams' sold outside
of Japan. Also available was the 'Dream Sport'
bikes with high exhaust pipes, the CS71/CS76
& CSA71/CSA76. 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 & dual seat, with
an angular fuel tank similar to the CB92. They
were exported to the US & Europe, a bit
over 400 were made & they were all recalled,
with most scrapped. A few survive.
Another rare version was the CB71 - another
sports version of the dry sump bikes. It was
only available in Japan, and it seems 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. It was possibly a special-order
racing-only bike.
The final development of these bikes was a
significant one - the C72/C77 was available
from 1960, and the American market CA72/CA77
was available in 1961, although a 1960 C72/C77
would be a very rare bike, most came out in
1961 too. These bike 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 engine with many internal differences,
essentially a new motor, with electric start
& 12v system.
As before, the C72/77 had pressed steel handlebars
& the CA72/77 had high tubular bars, beyond
that there were only detail difference, mainly,
indicators were fitted to non-US bikes &
different indicators were fitted to German bikes,
to suit their 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 it's run. There
was also a version of the bike called the C78/CA78,
but visually there were no substantial differences
to the C77/CA77.
Above - A pre-'63 CA77. As before these bikes
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 &
CS77, and the corresponding American market
CSA72 & CSA77. A CS72 is shown below:
The C72/C77 was exported to Europe, Britain,
Australia & 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 & Triumph attempted to blackmail
dealers into not selling Japanese bikes. Also,
the style was considered to be somewhat unusual
to European eyes, and by the mid-1960's quite
old-fashioned in appearance.
A re-development of the engine was used in
the seminal CB72 & it's 305cc cousin, the
Honda CB77, both of which were ground-breaking
sports motorcycles of their day. The CL72 &
CL77 Scramblers also used the same engines.
In addition, the engine was studied, and developed
& enlarged by the Laverda factory as the
basis of their 650cc & 750cc twin cylinder
engines.
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