1964 Honda C200 90cc
DVLA Registered (DAP – – -B). MOT to 20th June 2011.
Excellent Original Condition
Original Toolkit, Handbook, History File
15,450 miles, believed genuine
Starts Easily and Runs Well.
The C200 is a rare machine these days; they were only made for 3 years.
Despite its rarity, spares are easy to locate, due to the excellent Honda spares suppliers in the UK. It also shares its engine with the common Honda C90 step-through.
The combination of rarity, good spares availability, Honda 4-stroke reliability – as well as very attractive styling – make it an ideal vintage motorcycle to own and use.
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It comes with a large history file, including all MOT’s since 1979. The mileage then was 13,901. Given the condition of the motorcycle, it looks like the current mileage of 15,438 is genuine.
The bike is not concours. There are scratches here and there, and blemishes in the paint. But, for an original unrestored 46-year-old machine, it is certainly in excellent condition.
I had it MOT tested recently; it has a year’s tax (exempt from duty) and a new battery, so it’s ready to jump on and ride.
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ROAD TEST BRIEF SPECIFICATION
Engine: Honda 87 cc (49 x 46 mm) ohv single. Crankshaft supported by journal ball bearings; caged roller big-end bearing, cast-iron cylinder head and barrel, compression ratio 8 to 1
Carburation: Keihin PWI8HA with direct shutter for cold starting.
Electrical Equipment: AC generator, Coil ignition with six-amp-hour betted charged through selenium rectifier, Approximately 5 1/2in diameter headlamp with 25/25-watt main bulb; flashing indicators; neutral indicator light.
Transmission: Four-speed gear box in unit with ending; rocking-pedal foot control, Gear ratios: bottom, 25.2; second, 16′, third, 11 .8: top, 9.51 to 1. Multi-plate clutch, Primary drive by spur gears, Rear chain enclosed in pressed-steel case. Engine rpm at 30 in top gear, 4,400. Fuel Capacity: approximately 1 .9 gallons
Tyres: Nitto 2.50 x 17 in front and rear.
Brakes: Approximately 5 inches in diameter, front and rear, with finger adjusters.
Suspension: Hydraulically damped pivoted front and rear forks.
Dimensions: Wheelbase, 47 in, Ground clearance, 7 in, Seat height, 30 in, All unladen.
Turning Circle: 11 feet.
Weight: 115lb fully equipped and with approximately one gallon of petrol.
Price: £124. 18s. including British purchase tax.
Road Tax: £1 a year.
Concessionaires: European Honda Motor Trading GmbH, 2, Manorgate Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. PERFORMANCE DATA
Maximum Speed: 53 mph (with following wind) 51 mph (average of runs in both directions).
Acceleration: Quarter-mile from rest, 29 seconds with a terminal speed of 48 mph (average of runs in opposite directions).
Fuel Used: 175 mpg at 30 mph: 112 mpg at 40 mph.
Braking: 37ft from 30 mph (surface, dry tarmac).
Speedometer: Accurate.
ONE of the most successful two-wheelers ever produced must surely be the Honda Fifty. In the face of this high standard, how does the new 87 cc C200 measure up to its smaller brother?
Good use has been made of the extra 38 cc, not by increasing top speed, but by giving better acceleration and greater punch throughout the range. Briefly, the C200 is a delightful little machine. It is smart, agile, easy to ride and utterly reliable.
Starting was first time every time, although it was necessary to open the air slide very gradually during the first mile to keep the engine from dying. This, of course, was much more apparent in cold weather when it was easy to stall the engine before it got really warm.
A typical four-stroke single, the power unit idled with grandfather-clock precision and an almost inaudible wooffle was all that could be heard. At all speeds the exhaust note was subdued in the extreme.
Mechanical noise, too, was unobtrusive; the all-iron barrel and cylinder head help to keep the noise level low. Action of the engine-speed clutch on the test model was below par in that the drive was taken up very suddenly . Although an experienced rider would get used to this very quickly it could be unsatisfactory for a learner. Gear changing, up or down, was normally attended by a slight clonk. This discouraged fast changes; but the C200 make no pretensions to being a sportster.
The engine would buzz to peak revs smoothly and with complete lack of fuss and at normal cruising speeds – 45 to 48 mph – power delivery was notably sweet and effortless. Although the Ninety is no faster than the sports 50 cc model, it has a great deal more punch, In fact, it could easily be mistaken for a one-two-five – except, perhaps, on the score of fuel consumption which, at 175 mpg when riding at a steady 30 mph, was almost unbelievably good. The above-average acceleration in city traffic confirmed the impression that the machine is ahead of its size in performance.
The Ninety was extremely comfortable. It was pleasant to have such a convenient sit-up-and-beg riding position. All the controls are handy, positive and light in operation and the clutch is especially light. Such a combination of comfortable riding position and well-behaved engine made the bike a rare pleasure in traffic; it was just about as manoeuvrable as a two-wheeler could possibly be.
Unlike some rocking gear pedals designed for contortionists with big feet, the Japanese versions always seem to be made with the average foot and ankle joint in mind – and this goes for the C200. Another Japanese knack is in realizing that people who buy lightweights are not all endowed with luxurious personal padding; they put the sponge in the bike’s seat instead!
[text and picture Copyright Bruce-Mainsmith, from website http://www.dropbears.com/h/honda/c90c200.htm%5D
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HONDA MOTOR Co HISTORY
Founded in 1948 in Hamamatsu, Japan, Honda Motor Company owes its’ success to the technological ingenuity of Soichiro Honda and the unique management philosophies of Takeo Fujisawa, co-founders. Their successful partnership was largely due to their similar thinking and shared corporate goals.
Honda excelled in developing new, innovative products, while Fujisawa took on the task of creating an organizational structure in which every human resource and skill would be utilized to the fullest extent. The corporation still endures today instilled by the vision, values, and philosophy created by the founders.
Soichiro Honda developed a special interest in wrenching from a very young age. As a boy growing up in Japan, he often helped his father repair bicycles. At the age of sixteen he served a six-year apprenticeship with an auto repair shop in Tokyo, eventually opening his own auto repair shop where tinkering with engines and entering racing events became a hobby. The business was a modest success. Ever the visionary, Soichiro Honda knew that his customer base was limited to the local and surrounding areas. He thought if he were to enter the manufacturing end, he could expand into international markets. In 1937 he bought some machinery and opened a piston ring factory. The business did not do well at first, because he lacked knowledge and experience.
On the advice of a friend, Soichiro Honda attended classes at the Hamamatsu School of Technology, learning just what he needed to build reliable piston rings. It was said that Soichiro was never concerned with getting a diploma, as he trusted the acquired experience more than book knowledge. Soon the company began to prosper. In an unfortunate chain of events however, fire bombings during World War II and a powerful earthquake destroyed his business.
By 1946 a war torn Japan was struggling to rebuild itself. Transportation was difficult and gasoline was expensive and scarce. Spotting a potential market, Soichiro Honda established the Honda Technical Research Institute and began building motorized bicycles (motorbikes) with war-surplus engines. It wasn’t long before war-surplus engines became unobtainable, but the demand encouraged Soichiro Honda to begin the manufacturing of his own engines.
In 1948 the company was renamed Honda Motor Company and began producing motorcycles. Soichiro Honda was an inventive genius, but had no experience in marketing. In 1949, he met Takeo Fujisawa. Fujisawa agreed to invest privately held funds and to manage additional fund raisings. The partnership they formed established the company and set many of the standards by which Honda still operates today. It allowed Soichiro Honda to focus his energy on his pursuit of technology, while Fujisawa would manage the company, taking charge of finance and marketing. Fujisawa had difficulty finding distributors to carry Honda’s products, which were noisy, two-stroke engines that had an unpleasant high-pitched sound. He communicated to Soichiro Honda that it would be important to concentrate on building a better model, preferably a four-stroke engine or risk failure. By 1951, Honda had developed a new four-stroke engine with an innovative design that had double the horsepower of competitor’s engines.
In 1958, the 50 cc Super Cub, an easy to handle, inexpensive, safe-looking motorcycle with a step-through frame was introduced, which fit Mr. Fujisawa’s marketing plan for an untapped market. Fujisawa’s idea was to target small businesses that needed reliable transportation to make local deliveries. Perfect for getting around the crowded streets and running errands, it was such a success that a new manufacturing facility was built with a capacity of ten times the previous year’s sales.
Despite research reporting otherwise, Takeo Fujisawa believed the American market should be entered. He saw the American consumer as affluent and the American market as the pacesetter for international products. His philosophy was to face the toughest challenges first. Despite finance and export impositions by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the American Honda Motor Company was formed in Los Angeles in 1959. Expecting the bigger bikes to sell in America, they managed to set up a few dealers, but they had not researched the riding styles in the United States. Motorcycles were driven farther and faster than they were in Japan. The initial production exported to The United States experienced mechanical problems, which required some reengineering in Japan.
Meanwhile, the 50cc Super Cubs that had been so popular in Japan had a chance to be introduced in the North American market, despite the perceived little demand in the market for small bikes. The small sales team began to ride the bikes around Los Angeles while doing errands. They immediately attracted attention and the orders began racing in, not from motorcycle dealers, but from sporting goods stores and Sears! Honda had misread the U.S. market for small, lightweight motorcycles. Then in 1963, the advertising campaign “You Meet the Nicest People on A Honda” was developed. Honda had changed the stereotypical negative leather-jacketed biker image of motorcycling and established its place in American business. The end of 1963 saw more than 100,000 units sold in the United States, outselling all domestic and foreign manufacturers combined.
The new C-200 was built with a push-rod 90cc engine and tuned for user-friendly street use. It incorporated the lines of the Dream series with a front fender that had a reverse curve at the back end. They were also called CA200 and were produced from 1963 to 1966. Color choices were plenty at the time, with white, black, and scarlet red for the U.S market and blue was available in Canada and some other countries.
At the wonderful Honda Museum website, Bob Logue illustrates a C200 in white, which was not a colour available in Great Britain.
Honda History and white C200 picture with thanks to Bob Logue – http://www.hondamuseum.com/
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ORIGINAL HONDA TOOL KIT & HANDBOOK
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PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE BIDDING
OWNER: BuyVintage Online Auctions
LOCATION: Brighton, E.Sussex, United Kingdom
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DELIVERY is not included in this auction.
This means that it is not my responsibility,
BUT I can put you in touch with a delivery chap and organize collection;
you liaise with them direct re delivery and pay them separately.
Great Britain – delivery is ONLY £50 for this motorcycle to main parts of England;
extra to extremities such as Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, etc (and may take longer to arrive)
(Please email your postcode if you want to confirm price).
THIS BARGAIN PRICE DELIVERY IS ON A PART-LOAD BASIS.
(Collection when they’re in my area; delivery when in yours).
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If you want it fast, please organize your own collection.
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AFTER PURCHASE: Please email me your phone numbers; I prefer to speak to all purchasers personally.
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I’ve been selling obscure vintage vehicles on ebay since 2002.
Sharing similar interests, I’ve become good friends with many of my customers.
Please feel free to email or phone with any comments or questions…
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VEHICLE CONDITION: Vintage vehicles are wonderful beasts
– but each has an individual personality and they sometimes have bad days just like you and me.
You will need basic mechanical skills (or a local mechanic) to use one on a regular basis.
Two-strokes invariably need basic servicing before starting them, if they’ve been left to stand for more than 3 weeks or so.
These are rare vehicles whose values are not necessarily based on running order.
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE ABOVE, PLEASE DO NOT BID.
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