Honda CB77
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Honda Superhawk CB77 was a 305cc twin-cylinder motorcycle, produced from 1961 until 1967. Honda also produced a 247cc version called the CB72 Dream Sport, while in various advertisements referred to the 305cc CB77 as a Dream Super Sport. The CB77 is commonly known as the Honda Superhawk or Honda305. (Not to be confused with the much later Honda VTR1000F Superhawk.)
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[edit] Attributes
The motorcycle was known for its robust and precise motor and the overall high quality of fabrication and assembly. One innovation of the motorcycle's design was the motor being a stressed member of the frame, strengthening the frame and improving the handling over designs with a conventional "dropped-in" motor.
The Superhawk proved so agile, powerful (the 1963 CB77 "Super Sport" made 28.5 horsepower) and well behaved that it easily outperformed many of its contemporaries with higher displacements. Some argue that the advent of the CB77 Superhawk was the beginning of the end to the British bike domination in the field of street and casual race motorcycles.
[edit] Related bikes
[edit] Dream
The CB72/77 is related to the CA72/77 models as well as to the CL72/77. The CA72 and CA77 (CA77 is also known as the CA78) were called Dream. Honda Dreams of the 1960s had a similar motor to that on the CB72/77, with the main difference being that the CA72/77 had a pressed frame while CB72/77 had a tube frame with the motor acting as piece of the frame. The motor of the CA72/77 featured a 360 degree crankshaft and single carb. The Honda Dreams were touring bikes with a more relaxed sitting position and more sheetmetal and ornamentation and offered a more docile experience than the blood stirring Superhawks.
[edit] Scrambler
Another close Superhawk relative of the era was the Scrambler. Two main versions were produced - CL72 and CL77 - both using the motor essentially identical to that in the CB72/77. The main difference was the gearbox ratios, to allow for the Scrambler's intended use as an off-road bike. Although not as capable as a modern off-road bike, the CL72/77 Scrambler did have a high-performance, dual-carburated motor, high-clearance exhaust pipes and knobby tires.
Today this Honda triumvirate, CB72/77 Superhawk, CA72/77 Dream, and CL72/77 Scrambler, enjoys a wide following of bike collectors and restorers, with websites, forums and mailing lists.
[edit] Variants
[edit] Police
Honda produced a limited number of the CB77-based Superhawk Full Dress Police bikes, designated CYP77. Most were sold in Asia, although a few examples ended up in other parts of the world. Confirmed original examples are known in Norway, England, Canada and the U.S. The CYP77 bikes were outfitted with a solo seat, a rack with a ticket box, front and rear crash bars, a speed trap speedometer (the officer could fix the highest speed reached in his speedometer, while giving chase) and a cable driven mechanical siren, that reportedly sounds like the police sirens from the 1930s gangster movies.
[edit] CP77 Superhawk
In most cases, the CP77 Superhawk is essentially a completely stock CB77, however, some believe that the CP77 was intended as a "special options" platform bike for export to different non-US markets. Known and confirmed CP77 examples exist with various options not generally seen in regular production bikes, such as turn signals. Most of the known CP77 bikes are in Canada, although they do turn up in other countries.
[edit] Trivia
Robert M. Pirsig rode a 1964 Honda Superhawk CB77 during the trip that led to his popular book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
