1965 Honda CL 1965 Honda CL77, All Original Low-Mile Survivor, Two Owners from New

Description

1965 Honda CL77
14,589 Original Miles
Frame Number: CL77-1026499
Engine Number: CL77E10265-14
The 1965 Honda CL77
, also known as Honda 305 Scrambler, was the off-road version of the CB77 Super Hawk, it was released in 1965 and sold until 1968. Unlike many scramblers of the time, the Honda had a smaller engine that was more advanced than much of its competition, it was powered by a 305cc parallel twin with a single overhead cam and a red line of 9,000 rpm.
Although the United States was the primary target market for the CL77 it was sold in many other markets also and it remains popular worldwide to this day – it’s one of the Hondas that helped establish the company’s reputation for reliability.
The cosmetic condition of this machine is just as it looks in the photos. Every finish on the machine is original. As far as I can tell, no part of the bike has been painted or re-finished.
The running condition of the machine is flawless, starting on the first or second kick.
This bike has been part of my collection for a while and is ridden on a regular basis. It’s basically a well-maintained and well cared for bike that runs and rides with absolutely no issues. Leave it the way it is (preferred) or restore it eventually after having some fun with it. I just happen to like unrestored bikes.
The paint on the tank, side covers, etc. are original, and have never had any type of paintwork or touchup, as far as I can tell. The paint and chrome on the frame and associated parts is also original, and aside from some minor age freckling, is in very nice condition. The bike has never been in any type of accident or been dropped at any time.
The seat is also in original condition and is in beautiful
original
and preserved condition. The factory Honda CL77 tool set is also present.
The CL77 runs and rides the way you expect a machine with this type of mileage to run. All of the mechanical components have been checked over to ensure they work properly including the clutch and brakes. The fuel system was completely gone through this season and functions perfectly. The charging system also works perfectly. The tires currently installed are old and should be replaced if you plan to do anything but light riding and a show or two, but right now, there is absolutely nothing you will have to do to this motorcycle to ride and enjoy it this season.
PLEASE NOTE: I am the second owner of this machine, and have every piece of paperwork associated with the machine since new, including the original sales invoice, registration, owner’s manual, etc. It will be sold on a BILL OF SALE ONLY from me, but with the documents provided in the previous owners name, you should have no issues titling it in your home state, if you desire. The registration documents are, to me, a part of the bike’s history and too valuable to give up just to get a license plate on the motorcycle.
Please don't forget to take a look at all of the photos in the ad! Feel free to contact me anytime at
SIX THREE ZERO, FOUR THREE ZERO, THREE EIGHT FIVE FIVE
with any questions!
If you'd like any additional photos of any particular part of the motorcycle, please let me know. I’m happy to email or text it to you. And if you would like to inspect the bike or ask any questions, please email or contact me by phone or text at SIX THREE ZERO, FOUR THREE ZERO, THREE EIGHT FIVE FIVE, anytime.
I have a motorcycle collection made up of Italian, American, German, and Japanese big bore motorcycles, some of which I will be selling soon. If you have specific questions, just want to learn more, or are looking for something in particular, please let me know. I’m also always looking for other vintage motorcycles to add to my collection, so if you have something interesting to share, please contact me at
SIX THREE ZERO, FOUR THREE ZERO, THREE EIGHT FIVE FIVE
.
TERMS:
0 DEPOSIT DUE WITHIN 48 HOURS OF AUCTION CLOSE. BALANCE OF AUCTION AMOUNT MUST BE PAID BY CASH IN PERSON, BANK TO BANK TRANSFER, OR CERTIFIED FUNDS (WITH VERIFICATION) ONLY WITHIN 7 DAYS OF AUCTION CLOSE.  SORRY, NO C.O.D., NO PAYPAL, AND NO EBAY BANK TRANSFER.
The description of this vehicle is written to the best of my knowledge. However, I am by no means an expert on vintage HONDA motorcycles. This motorcycle is being sold as is, where is with no warranty, expressed, written or implied unless there is a warranty in effect from the factory. Please don’t hesitate to ask for more photos and, if possible, come and look in person before the auction ends. ALL SALES ARE FINAL! If you have any questions, please contact me before the auction ends.
If you have any questions, please contact me.  If you live close to Chicago, I encourage you to come and inspect the motorcycle in person.
Thanks for your interest!
Specifications:
Honda CL77
Years produced:
1965-1967
Claimed power:
27.4hp @ 9,000rpm
Top speed:
85mph (est.)
Engine type:
305cc air-cooled SOHC parallel twin
Weight (dry):
319lb (145kg)
Price then:
7 (1967)
MPG:
40-60mpg (est.)
The following excerpt of article courtesy of
Margie Siegal
, and published in Motorcycle Clssics…. “
Honda CL77: The Gentleman’s Scrambler”
Getting to the CL77…
It was during World War II that American riders really became familiar with British motorcycles. This was also when American riders started getting introduced to British offroad competition events such as trials and scrambles, the ancestor of today’s motocross. As off-road riding surged in popularity in the U.S., trials and scrambles joined enduro and desert racing as popular weekend motorcycling activities for riders here.
But competitive motorcycles for these forms of competition weren’t available from the dealer showroom floor. Early on, American enthusiasts competed mostly on heavily modified but still heavyweight V-twins. British singles — which also needed a lot of work to be competitive —  became available later, but prior to the first Honda imports in 1959, any small, lightweight motorcycle available to the average American was typically low tech and gutless.
When Honda entered the U.S. market in 1959, it spent a lot of time and energy expanding the market for motorcycles in the United States, convincing Americans that nice people rode around on two wheels. Honda’s success opened the door for other Japanese manufacturers, who started offering high powered models designed specifically for the American. As interest in offroad riding continued to build, Honda turned its attention to designing lightweight, powerful bikes that would excel in the dirt.
The first CL77s were imported into the United States in 1965. They were a dual-sport version (then known as scramblers) of the CB77 Super Hawk, a 305cc overhead cam parallel twin. The Super Hawk had been on the American market since 1961, two years after Honda had established its import arm in Los Angeles.
When it first showed up, the Super Hawk created a stir in enthusiast circles. In 1961, double-leading-shoe brakes and electric starters were rare features, and overhead cam engines were typically only seen on race bikes. Period testers were surprised by the Super Hawk’s oil-tight power train and 105mph top speed, and impressed by its engine’s ball-and-roller-bearing supported crankshaft.
In 1962, Honda brought over a 250cc scrambler, the CL72, and enlisted Honda dealers Dave Ekins and Bill Robertson, Jr. to ride the new model on a 963 miles off-road blast from Tijuana to La Paz, in a forerunner of the Baja 1000. They made it in just under 40 hours. The 250 scrambler soon became available at retail, but for several years the only 305 Hondas available in the U.S. were the low-compression touring Dream and the high-compression sporty Super Hawk, neither of which performed well off road.
In 1965, Honda finally decided there was an American market for a 305cc scrambler. Cycle World immediately tested the bike and liked it, even though it was not the production racer they had hoped for.
Cycle World
referred to the CL77 as a “gentleman’s scrambler,” stating, “It is, in fact, the appeal of scrambler-type styling that sells the CL77.” Period testers found the CL to be too heavy for competition and not as fast as the CB, but perfectly adequate for both off-road fun and reliably getting to work.
The four-stroke engine was almost identical to that used in the CB77 Super Hawk, with the same aluminum cases and chain-driven overhead cam. A lower compression ratio to aid low rpm power was allied to long, upswept pipes to assist ground clearance, and reliability was ensured by full-flow oil filtration.
Unlike the Super Hawk, which used the engine as a stressed member of the frame, the CL had a heavy duty single downtube cradle frame, topped by a small silver gas tank and protected underneath by a steel skid plate. The front brake was smaller in diameter than the one on the Super Hawk and the steel wheels were 19 inchers, with deep ribs to resist dents.  Large air filters and a battery were tucked up under the seat. The CB’s electric starter was omitted in the interest of saving weight.
Later models of the Honda CL77 got bigger front and rear brakes and a better muffler, but not a whole lot of other changes. The bike was a best seller as it was, and Honda didn’t want to mess with success until it had a worthy successor. The last CL77s were built in 1967, although, as was common at the time, some CL77s were registered in 1968 and titled as 1968 models. By then, Honda had introduced the new 325cc CB350, including a scrambler version, the CL350.
Learning to ride…
Honda twins like the CB77 and CL77 were the motorcycles many people learned to ride on, rode to school on and used for on and off-road weekend fun. In the Sixties, college campuses were crowded with small Hondas. Thirty years later, they were among the first collectible Japanese motorcycles, leading another generation of motorcycle enthusiasts to again appreciate the greatness of the Honda Motor Company.