c1960 Honda C77 305cc 'Dream' Motorcycle

Description

Soichiro Honda's eponymous company was founded in 1948 and gradually established itself as one of the first and certainly one of the finest exponents of motorcycle manufacturing in Japan over the next decade. It wasn't until 1959 that Honda began exporting bikes to the rest of world, with America naturally a key market, and two new models - the Benly and the Dream - were launched that year. The smaller C92 Benly was a parallel twin displacing 125cc, with a relatively sophisticated overhead cam design, while the C71 Dream was essentially a more powerful 250cc version. Joining these two grown-up motorbikes was the step-through C100 Super Cub, a 50cc single-cylinder model designed to compete with European scooters. In 1960 Honda dramatically expanded the model range and the Dream line-up for North America consisted of the larger capacity 300 and 305 series alongside the original 250, each available in Sport or Touring guises with a choice of low or high-rise handlebars. The C76 300 featured a more powerful 305cc engine, upswept exhaust pipes and bigger fuel tank and remained on sale for one year only, being replaced in September 1960 with the revised C77 305. The Dream was available in white, black, blue or red, the stylish appearance accentuated by chrome side panels on the fuel tank and optional whitewall tyres. The C77 Dream remained in production until 1963 with only a few minor improvements, including the addition of a small tyre pump under the seat for 1961. With interest in early Japanese motorcycles at an all time high, the Honda C77 Dream is now a sought after collector's piece and represents a significant milestone in the development of the Honda Motor Co.