Honda Hall Prod Bikes

HONDA HALL PRODUCTION BIKES: I visited Japan in the spring of 2010, suffice to say the 'Honda Collection Hall' located at the southern end of the Twin Ring Motegi race complex was an absolute must on my itinerary. This section covers Honda's vast array of production motorcycles. For coverage of Honda's racing motorcycles click here for their racing and production based cars click here and for their robotics, click here.

Honda, the name says it all. The company changed the face of motorcycling forever, clean, oil tight, reliable motorcycles of every imaginable configuration and capacity. Honda started with a very simple 'two stroke' engine suitable for powering bicycles and that is where my coverage of Honda's production bikes starts...

1946: THE 'BICYCLE AUXILIARY ENGINE': Designed for ease of mounting to post second world war bicycles, the engine offered a simple clutch and belt drive. Designed by Honda, the engines were modified 'radio generator engines' as used by the Military. The single cylinder engine displaced 50cc with a single piston valve and produced 1PS.


A HUGE FUEL TANK	ROPE START PULLEY	SIMPLE MUFFLER AND DRIVE

1947: THE 'MODEL A': Produced before the establishment of the Honda Motor Company, this was the first product to bear the HONDA name. The Model A was designed to easily retrofit to standard bicycle frames, it continued in production until 1951. The single cylinder engine displaced 50cc with a single rotary valve and produced 0.5PS at 5,000rpm. Other features included a cantilever crankshaft, v-belt clutch and a variable transmission.


AN IMPROVEMENT ON THE 1946 DESIGN	THE EXHAUST PIPE EXTENDED TO AT LEAST THE WHEEL HUB LINE

1949: THE 'MODEL C': The first 'model' to incorporate a Honda designed frame and engine. The Model C was a class winner in a USA-Japan race held in Tokyo. The single cylinder engine displaced 96cc with a single rotary valve and produced 3PS at 3,000rpm. Other features included a cantilever crankshaft and girder type front suspension.


GIRDER FORKS, MASSIVE SPRINGING TO SEAT AND HARD TAIL	ENGINE SIMPLY CLAMPED TO THE FRAME

1949: THE 'DREAM D' - HONDA'S FIRST 'COMPLETE' MOTORCYCLE: The Dream D incorporated a pressed steal frame which simplified manufacture and was powered by a 'two stroke' engine. The single cylinder engine displaced 98cc with a single rotary valve and produced 3.4PS at 4,500rpm and incorporated a two speed transmission and kick starting.

1951: THE 'DREAM E' - HONDA'S FIRST 'FOUR STROKE' MOTORCYCLE: The Dream E incorporated a pressed steal frame which simplified manufacture. The single cylinder engine displaced 146cc with an OHV head and produced 5.4PS at 5,000rpm and incorporated a two speed transmission and kick starting.

1952: THE 'CUB F': 'Red Engines with White Tanks', these units were very popular retrofit assemblies. Honda established a network of bicycle dealers and the assemblies were despatched to the dealers in simple cardboard boxes for sale. The single cylinder engine displaced 50cc and produced 1PS at 3,600rpm. Other features included a pedal type starting method and chain final drive.


ALL THE MASS AND FUEL LOW AND BEHIND THE RIDER WITH THE SHORTER LENGTH CHAIN DRIVE

1953: THE 'BS MOTOR 31': Featuring an inverted engine, this engine drove a simple rubber wheel which made contact with the bicycles rim. These engines were marketed through Bridgestone Tyre Dealers, over 300,000 were manufactured from 1952~1958 inclusive. The single cylinder engine displaced 38.5cc and produced 0.85PS at 4,000rpm.


THE 'BAM BEE' MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND FUEL SEPARATED		RUBBER WHEEL DRIVE

HONDA'S PRODUCTION BIKES: For more of my coverage of Honda's Production Bikes please select from the following pages:

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