c1965 Honda Dream 305cc Motorcycle

Description

Founded in 1948, over the next decade Soichiro Honda’s eponymous company firmly established itself as one of the finest exponents of motorcycle manufacturing in Japan. It took until 1959 for Honda to begin exporting bikes and two new models - the Benly and the Dream – were launched that year with the American market very much in mind. The smaller C92 Benly was a parallel twin displacing 125cc of 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 dry sump 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 with the revised wet sump C77 305 in September 1960. 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 and sold in two versions; the Touring was equipped with a standard low exhaust pipe while the optional Sport featured high pipes, plus a different kick starter, foot pegs and side covers. Honda continued developing the Dream through the 1960s, incorporating several minor but nonetheless useful improvements; post-1963 models had a revised petrol tank design and remained in production until 1969. 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.