It’s been a while since we checked in with the Honda Collection Hall and its regular exercising of vehicles in its massive collection. The museum much pride in the fact that, unlike many automotive galleries out there, everything in its care actually runs. To prove it, they take cars and bikes out for a spin around the Collection Hall’s backyard (race cars stretch their legs on a larger track). The videos that result are entertaining, in kind of a James May-putting-together-a-Monkey way, each laden with trivia facts equally academic.
The 1997 Dream 50, a street motorcycle inspired by Honda’s 1960s GP-winning racing bikes built in the late Nineties. According to the video, it has the smallest mass-production DOHC engine in the world.
The 1990 CBR400RR, which had a gear-driven twin-cam engine.
The 1988 NSR250R, the first mass produced bike to come with magnesium wheels.
The 1978 Prelude, the first Japanese car with an electric sunroof.
The 1986 FTR240, built for flat-track racing (hence the name) with a low center of gravity and short wheelbase.
1979 Honda CB750F, a more streamlined version of the popular CB750 (see below).
Th 1997 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, at one time the world’s fastest production motorcycle until the Suzuki Hayabusa.
1973 Bials TL125, built for trials riding, a popular form of motorsport in Japan in which riders scale mountainsides, hopping from rock to rock at low speeds.
The 1961 Dream CB72 Super Sport, a classic sports model that helped seal the fate of the British motorcycle industry.
The 1971 Benly CB50, smallest of Honda’s CB sports models.
The 1974 Life, successor to the N-Series cars and featuring a new water-cooled engine.
The 1983 TLR200, a bike built for both trials and long-distance touring.
The 1981 RS125RW-T, which helped Honda win the 1981 All-Japan Road Race Championship.
The 1967 RC181, which helped Honda further establish dominance in the motorcycle world, winning a WGP constructors championship and the Isle of Man TT in the 500cc class.
The 1976 RCB1000, built for endurance racing and winner of 24 of 26 races over the three years it competed.
The 1966 RC116, which won the 1966 WGP 50cc class.
The 1988 NSR500, winner of 10 riders and nine manufacturer’s championships.
The 1968 RA301 was not as successful as Honda’s earlier F1 efforts like the RA272, but it was the last to race in the company’s first age of Formula One.
The 1964 4RC146 didn’t win any races, but it was the final version of the 125cc WGP racers, which took the championship in both 1963 and 1964.
The 1988 Lotus Honda 100T, last of the turbo Honda F1 cars.
The 1991 McLaren Honda MP4/6, the machine that gave Ayrton Senna his third F1 championship title and Honda’s sixth consecutive constructor’s title.
The 1971 Super Cub C50 Deluxe, a special edition model with a floral print seat commemorating 10 million Super Cubs built.
The 1984 Road Fox, a 3-wheeler that tilts from a joint just fore of the rear wheels. Similar vehicles are used for delivery companies all over Japan, but this model was stripped of its plastic cladding and cargo area for a dune-buggy look.
The 1964 S500, Honda’s first passenger car.
The 1968 S800M, last of the S-Series until the S2000, identifiable by its large side marker lights.
The 1969 Dream CB750Four, also known simply as the CB750, was the world’s first superbike and one that came to define motorcycles of this format.
The 1962 Honda50 CA100, the US export version of the SuperCub, the one that changed the image of motorcycling in the US with the ad campaign, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.”
Oh boy, a couple of hours will go by before I know it, aaaagain. Thanks for the great Honda videos!
Always impressed that Honda Japan keeps their collection fully running and fully operational. That MP4/6 sounds so incredible compared to todays F1 cars and the early S cars are just amazing to see and hear.
The MP4/6 is the quintessential F1 car for me. While amazing, the new cars just don’t have “it” for me. It was interesting to watch Lewis Hamilton take MP4/4 around the patch. When asked how it compared to todays machines, he un-eloquently said “naaahhh”. Unrefined and crude by today’s standards? Maybe that’s why F1’s losing it’s luster. Whatever. This is one sexy machine!
This video just makes my sweat glands go into overdrive. Thanks for the moment of brilliant inspiration. Much obliged.