Frequently Asked Questions

This is a 1959 Honda Benly Super Sport CB-92, a very rare and desirable tiddler. Yes, a few of them were imported into the U. S. in those heady days of the beginning of Honda's assault on the motorcycle market in 1959. As far as I know, Honda never imported the CA-92 because it was superseded by the CA-95, the ubiquitous Benly Touring 150. The CB-92 was sold as both Super Sport and Super Sport Racer models in the U. S., probably in 1959-61. The Racer had a special cam, megaphones, and a racing saddle. The weights, compression ratios, and eighteen-inch tire sizes were the same on both models. Apparently the cam and open exhaust added one horsepower to the fifteen of the standard Super Sport. My earliest Honda brochure, 1962, shows the various 125cc Hondas, but they have all been crossed out by the dealer, indicating that they were no longer being imported in '62.

Tiddler FAQ

Historical Overview

Q. What tiddlers were available in the U.S. prior to the Japanese invasion of 1960?

A. Harley-Davidson built its line of 125cc and 165cc two-stroke singles. Cushman sold the Eagle, Highlander, and other scooter models. Sears sold the Allstate line of motorcycles and scooters. Mustangs were built as simple motorcycles with small diameter wheels. Simplex and Whizzer built motorbikes. Vespa sent its scooters from Italy, and a few Lambrettas may have been imported in the Fifties, too. Small numbers of 175cc-350cc BSA's and Triumphs were imported. A small, scattered number of models were imported from various other British and Italian brands.

Q. What Japanese brands came to the U.S. in the early Sixties?

A. Honda began shipping its models at the end of 1959, with the aggressive plan of setting up many dealerships. Suzuki followed closely behind Honda, but the company kept its territory much more closely inside California, spreading very carefully and slowly to other parts of the country. Yamaha may have actually entered the U.S. market slightly before Suzuki. Yamaha was much more interested in racing and distribution expansion than was Suzuki. It is no coincidence that many early Yamahas were named after California racetracks such as Ascot and Catalina. Yamaha also already had a booming piano and guitar business, so they had a jump on the competition in the development of a U.S. dealer network. Yamaguchi arrived and left early to the U.S. market. The company hardly had time to develop a strong dealer network for their sporty 50cc models before the factory back in Japan was bleeding red ink. Tohatsu stayed a little longer than Yamaguchi, but not much. They later developed a substantial market in small to moderately sized outboards for U.S. fishermen. Pointer sent a small number of six models to the U.S. in approximately 1961-64, although some sources say it was only 1961-62. Mitsubishi imported a very small number of its Silver Pidgeon scooters, probably no later than 1962. Rabbit imported a small line of technically advanced scooters from about 1962-66. Bridgestone entered the U.S. market in 1963 with their fan-cooled 50cc Super 7 and a companion step-through model. The company developed models with advanced features and commensurate higher prices than the competition. They quit building bikes in 1971 to concentrate on manufacturing tires, which was their primary business anyway. Hodaka was born from the ashes of Yamaguchi. Pabatco, the U.S. importer in Oregon, contracted with the Japanese engine builder for Yamaguchi, Hodaka, to build a 90cc two-stroke engine that the Pabatco people could install into a single trail model designed specifically for the U.S. market. The Ace 90 began to be marketed in 1964 in a manner similar to the VW Beetle as one model that receives constant developmental updates. Kawasaki was the last to enter the U.S. in 1966, but they didn't step gently into the market. They roared in with motorcycles designed for American riders. Their machines were slightly larger, heavier, and more performance oriented than the competition. You could sum it all up this way. Honda was interested in racing, reliability, and massive sales. Suzuki was interested in deluxe features and niche marketing. Yamaha was interested in racing, high performance, and technical development. Kawasaki was interested in street performance and sales. Their respective images might be: Honda = Honda; Suzuki = Mazda; Yamaha = Ford; and Kawasaki = Pontiac. You did know that Yamaha developed the engines for the Toyota 2000 GT, the Ford Taurus SHO, and the Lotus Elise, didn't you?

Colors

Q. What colors were available for the Honda models?

A. From the time the Hondas began arriving in the U.S. in late 1959 until the introduction of the all-new 350's in 1968, practically all Honda models were offered in only four colors. Depending on the model, black or red was far the most common color. White was the third most common and blue was the least. Some models, such as the first generation CB-450 and the earliest CL-160's, came only in black. Some models were offered only in a choice of black or red. The sole exception to this black-red-white-blue color selection seems to be the yellow that was offered as the only alternative to red on the ubiquitous Trail 55 and Trail 90 models. The CB/CL 350's ushered in a new era of styling heavily influenced by Triumph, leaving many of the previous Oriental distinctions behind.

Q. How can the colors be used to identify the various Yamaha Enduro models?

A. Yamaha introduced the DT-1 to an anxiously anticipatory American trail riding public in 1968. The instant success of the DT-1 led to increasing numbers of variants in the following years. From the beginning, Yamaha offered these models with black frames and silver fenders. Only the gas tanks and side covers carried the distinctive color patterns on the Motocross models. The headlight brackets and shells were also color-coordinated on the Enduro models. Each displacement of each model year displayed its own color that was unique to that model. The colors were traded back and forth among models throughout the years, but not within any given year; i.e., all '68 DT-1's were white and all '68 DT-1MX's were red. The white 125cc model was added in 1969. The 1970 125cc Enduro was not white, but the '71 model was, while the '71 125cc MX was red. The first letter of the model number denotes the displacement: A (125cc) - C (175cc) - D (250cc) - J (90cc) - R (360cc), The third digit, after the T for Trail, denotes the consecutive year for that displacement. For instance, an AT-1C is a 1971 125cc, denoting the third production year of the 125cc displacement in the series. If you know the displacement and any appropriate trim details, you can properly identify the year and correct paint of any of these classic Yamaha Enduro and Motocross models.

Parts Sources

Q. Where can I find parts for old Hondas online?

A. Vintage Honda Parts Ohio Cycle Honda Part Codes

Q. Where can I find parts for other Japanese brands online?

A. The Rice Paddy Bike Bone Yard Cool Retro Bikes Speed & Sport, Inc.

External Links

Try these links for further information on a particular brand.

Allstate BMW Bridgestone Classic Japanese Honda Parilla Parilla (UK)