LOT 185
1967 Honda CB160 Frame no. B160-1046891 Engine no. B160E-1046800
Sold for US$690 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 185
1967 Honda CB160 Frame no. B160-1046891 Engine no. B160E-1046800
Collectors' Motorcycles at the Barber Museum|5 October 2019, 12:00 CDT|Birmingham, Barber Motorsports Museum
1967 Honda CB160
Frame no. B160-1046891
Engine no. B160E-1046800
Frame no. B160-1046891
Engine no. B160E-1046800
Make no mistake, Soichiro Honda will go down in history as the man who truly changed the face of motorcycling forever. Honda founded his enterprise in 1947, using war-surplus Tohatsu generator motors clipped to bicycles. After his supply of engines dried up, he designed his own 50cc 2-stroke clip-on motor, the first Honda Cub. Sales boomed, but Honda wanted more, and in 1954 he made the unheard-of plan of visiting the European industry. and learning as much as he could, directly from the best motorcycle factories in the world. He met with Triumph's Edward Turner and then visited the Isle of Man to see the TT races, and spoke with other helpful emissaries from Europe. Realizing that fine production tolerances could only be achieved using European and American tooling, Honda was granted enormous government grants and bank loans to create two state-of-the-art factories. He had deeply studied the world's best lightweight racing motorcycles and taken them as his template for a new series of production motorcycles. That was 1956, the first twin, the C70 Dream.
Launched in 1964, the CB160 followed the pattern of previous Honda parallel twins - though its crankshaft was of the 360-degree layout rather than the larger twins' 180-degree type - and used the recently introduced tubular spine frame and telescopic forks. Small as a '125' yet packing a 16.5b horsepower punch, the CB160's excellent power-to-weight ratio and fine handling endowed it with performance at least equal to that of most British 250s. With a 161cc overhead-camshaft engine, electric starter, 4-speed, rev counter and twin-leading-shoe front brake, the CB160's specification and degree of refinement was unmatched by any of its home-grown rivals. It is now one of the most desirable of early Japanese classics.
This CB160 Sport comes from a large collection of Vincents and a few other sundry motorcycles found in 2019 after 30 years in a dry warehouse in Chicagoland. It requires restoration and thus is sold 'as-is' and without warranty as to completeness and condition. But note its odometer reading of only 480 miles.
Launched in 1964, the CB160 followed the pattern of previous Honda parallel twins - though its crankshaft was of the 360-degree layout rather than the larger twins' 180-degree type - and used the recently introduced tubular spine frame and telescopic forks. Small as a '125' yet packing a 16.5b horsepower punch, the CB160's excellent power-to-weight ratio and fine handling endowed it with performance at least equal to that of most British 250s. With a 161cc overhead-camshaft engine, electric starter, 4-speed, rev counter and twin-leading-shoe front brake, the CB160's specification and degree of refinement was unmatched by any of its home-grown rivals. It is now one of the most desirable of early Japanese classics.
This CB160 Sport comes from a large collection of Vincents and a few other sundry motorcycles found in 2019 after 30 years in a dry warehouse in Chicagoland. It requires restoration and thus is sold 'as-is' and without warranty as to completeness and condition. But note its odometer reading of only 480 miles.
Footnotes
As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.
Saleroom notices
The title will be in transit.
Additional information
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