Topic: My awesome find!!

[TwoTired]

In the year 1968. You walked into a Honda shop, new bikes were neatly in rows, on the showroom floor..
 The flagsip of the line was the DOHC 450, and newly introduced for 68 was the 350, in I belive the SuperSport Cb , and the CL model..

 I find it a bit hard to swallow that they continued producing a single carb 305cc Dream, fot the N. American market.. now any unsild stock of 305s, in many states, were fair game to be titled as the year they were sold..

Yeah.  What does a book published by North American Honda know?  

Anyway, just as incredibly, you could walk into a showroom in 72-73 and find the CB350 Four alongside the CB350 twin, both in concurrent production.

Some people buy to a price point.  You don't think the 305 dream was cheaper to manufacture (they had already amortized the tooling and likely had a parts stock ready for assembly).  Why not also sell the Cb350 Twin, newer and more expensive with tooling costs to recover at a higher price point.
The dream was dealer purchased for $250 and sold for about $500.  By 69, they likely sold them closer to cost.  But, there was no incentive to lower the profit margin on the 350 models.

Besides what other bikes had the styling of the Dream?  Certainly not the Scramblers of the era!

Cheers,

[scottly]

Yeah.  What does a book published by North American Honda know?  

The portion of the Honda document you posted listed a sell date of 1963-1969, not the manufacture date. They were probably almost giving away unsold stock in '69, as the design was "dated" at best. Isn't the rectangular headlight a clue? That seems to ring a bell...

[Hush]

When I was at High school back in 1970 something  one of the senior boys had one of those, it was considered ugly compared to the Suzuki Hustlers and Yammie 200 electrics but it was an awesome piece of metal, had the same screen and hard bags as yours too.
One day years later I was dumping some garden rubbish at the local tip and a guy rocked up alongside me with a trailer load of those bikes in pieces, 4 engines 2 complete bikes etc and as he tipped his trailer the TD24 buldozer crunched the lot into the ground!
I've always tried to save bikes, even the basket cases and that seriously left a deep impression on me.

[scottly]

One day years later I was dumping some garden rubbish at the local tip and a guy rocked up alongside me with a trailer load of those bikes in pieces, 4 engines 2 complete bikes etc and as he tipped his trailer the TD24 buldozer crunched the lot into the ground!
I've always tried to save bikes, even the basket cases and that seriously left a deep impression on me.

You didn't throw yourself in front of the dozer to stop the wanton destruction of vintage Honda??!! Shame on you; bad karma is headed your way...

[TwoTired]

Yeah.  What does a book published by North American Honda know?  

The portion of the Honda document you posted listed a sell date of 1963-1969, not the manufacture date. They were probably almost giving away unsold stock in '69, as the design was "dated" at best. Isn't the rectangular headlight a clue? That seems to ring a bell...

The book also says:
"Prior to 1968, American Honda did not indicate changes to vehicle design or specifications within the official model designation.  Thus, major variations are distinguished by "Early" and "Late" descriptions as well as frame and engine serial numbers in this publication."
...
"In 1974, Honda officially adopted a "Year Model" policy.

The bike was sold in 1969.  It's a 1969 Honda CA77 Dream Touring 305 (Late), as declared by Honda, rather than someone's warm recollection.  "Early" ones were released in 1960.  "Late" ones were released in 1963 and sold 'til sales fell off.

It doesn't matter what the manufacture date is, as even after 1974, the manufacture date often preceded the model year designation.

Cheers,

[bill440cars]

  Getting past whatever year it is, it is still a really nice example of a Vintage Honda Dream. I never was wanting one of those myself, but DO have the respect for them as a decent bike and the following they have, is something else.

  Congratulations on getting it too!    

[754]

If you guys had a sandcast 750, not sold till 70 or even 71, would you call it a 70 or 71..

 Ok maybe it is a 69, but it had 3 years experience when sold...

[scottly]

"In 1974, Honda officially adopted a "Year Model" policy.

Wasn't that about the time Honda got sued for selling older model bikes as current models?

[754]

 Yeah, but I dont see anyone bragging about that....

[bill440cars]

   Seems like this has come up before, if not here, on other forums. But the thing IS, we all know (or should) that Hondas have  been known to have been sold and shown to be Newer than they were and You best KNOW what year the bike actually is, because it could have an effect on buying parts that will fit! (In Some cases, anyway!) Am I not right?  An example is that I've heard folks claim to have a '69 Super Hawk, when in reality, it's most likely an earlier model that was titled as a Later one. I don't know EXACTLY when they stopped making those, but the 350 came out in '68, to replace it, so.............

[scottly]

As you said before Bill, it is a very nice example of a 305 Dream, regardless of "year"!!! That's all that really matters.

[bill440cars]

As you said before Bill, it is a very nice example of a 305 Dream, regardless of "year"!!! That's all that really matters.

                          Yep!

[tango911]

dont get me wrong i dont mind if its an earlier model , the older the better.   when i get home from vacation, ill get the vins and have the 305 guys run it.   ill be sure to post my findings.   Either way, i think the dream is the bomb!!

now i just need to get he buco bags re gelcoated and put back together.

[JBMorse]

I love it!  My gf really really wants a Dream.  She made t-shirts for Christmas presents last year and to sell this year because of her infatuation.  I gotta find her one soon!  Hopefully the CL350 project will hold her over...


I think they're totally cool, but for me the ultimate 60s Honda is the Superhawk.  That funky Dream styling has a lot going for it though.  The way my father remembers them is that there were tons of them around, but nobody took them seriously, at least not the styling.  But looking at one now, I see a lot of class and originality in them.  
A vendor at a vintage show this year told me he likes the 60s Hondas better than the 70s ones for their more unique, Japanese styling.  The 70s Hondas tried to look like British bikes.  At least that's his idea (I rather love the styling of my CB500/4).
I hope you have fun riding it! You should take it on tour, the 305 is a "touring" bike, right?

[tango911]

I started dirtbiking early this summer again on a xr250, and at the same time i started browsing CL for a vintage street bike. The Honda dream really caught my eye because of its unique design.  I also didnt want a bike that everyone else had (as far as a collectors item).  So far every bike night ive been to I havent seen another "Dream", and almost everywhere i go, even bike nights with mostly harleys with in 5 mins there are several people around it either remembering when they or a friend had one or wondering what it is.  So its already been worth the 2k i purchased it for. I cant wait to get the Buco bags done and wired up. Not sure the year they are either but are of the era i suppose.

As far as a bike to ride around town or commute with, I have purchased and reconfigured a CB550, that only ran on 3 cylinders at the time. Its been a really fun project and soon I will be looking for a vintage 750 down the road.

thanks for all the comments and discussion,
Tango

[Grnrngr]

I love it!  My gf really really wants a Dream.  She made t-shirts for Christmas presents last year and to sell this year because of her infatuation.  I gotta find her one soon!  Hopefully the CL350 project will hold her over...

Too bad you're on the other side of the country...there's a '66 on cl here for $350, seized and kinda ruff, but if I had the extra bux, I'd do it just for the memories of my dads....

[Old Scrambler]

Nice T.........its a '61 or so CA72 or CA77 (tank, short tail-lense and curved shock /fender brackets.)

My 1st bike was a '64 CA77 Dream - bags and all -hit a car that ran a stop sign.

My 2nd bike was a '66 CA77 Dream (time to recover) - Traded it for a new '67 Black Bomber and traded that (after a thorough custom build with ally fenders and glass tank) for a new sandcast CB750.

Then I got a job selling Hondas..............Everybody is correct.........your 305 Dream was probably made in '67 if it was shipped for sale in the US (no turn-signals.)  Honda made a few for Canada and their own domestic market (with turn-signals) in late '67 but that was it.  Run you motor and frame numbers through Mr.Honda (Bill Silver) on the 305honda board for the best indication of the build-date. Yours is not the only one with a '69 title date. 

[tango911]

i posted in the honda305 my vin number just to see what someone comes up with.  Would be nice to know.  Now to go work on the cb550 and glace at the Dream ever so often 

[Gaither]

Tango

Super nice "vintage find" - - lucky for you! I like the white Bucos too.

('Wish my small, black Shoei bags were white - may paint 'em this winter.)

[tango911]

Tango

Super nice "vintage find" - - lucky for you! I like the white Bucos too.

('Wish my small, black Shoei bags were white - may paint 'em this winter.)

yeah thanks man,  im trying to find someone to gelcoat my bucos.  I have the lights/bulb fixture and wiring ready.