American Honda, located in Torrance, California, has a museum that is open weekdays during normal business hours. Unfortunately, unless you live near Torrance, you don’t want to visit during the week. The 405 traffic is horrendous. Luckily, Honda throws a Cars, Bikes & Coffee event every couple of months where they open the American Honda Collection Hall on a Saturday. They also invite attendees to show off their cars and bikes (all brands and eras welcomed).
Jimmy Mac On Two Wheels made the trip down to Torrance from our headquarters last Saturday. The hall is an hour’s drive on a Saturday morning or a two-hour drive on weekdays. That reason alone makes it smart to go on the Cars, Bikes & Coffee Saturday. The car and bike show was a bit of a disappointment due to its size (small) and vehicle selection (mostly Hondas) but getting into the hall was well worth the trip. The next Cars, Bikes & Coffee event is on August 17th, 2024. You can get more information by clicking here.
Jump start: The world’s most famous motorcycle daredevil, Evel Knievel, got his start on a motorcycle just like this one. He performed jumps and wheelies to promote motorcycle sales for a Honda dealership.
Time machine: The 1959 CB92 Bently Super Sport 125 was years ahead of its time. A very collectable model, Honda didn’t import many of them and those few were snatched up by racing enthusiasts.
Humble beginnings: There should be a business school course taught on American Honda Company’s success that continues to this day. Honda is a California success story any company CEO can learn from.
Then and Now: Honda has a reproduction (or maybe the original?) of the Chevy pickup used by the company in the ’60’s.
Future president: Then California Governor, Ronald Reagan, meeting with the brass at Honda’s American headquarters. Wonder if Honda let the future president borrow a Trail 90 to ride on his Santa Barbara ranch?
X-ray vision: I love cutaway engines. Honda has a number in the collection. Click (any photo) to make it bigger.
More info, please: Come on, Honda! Listing this bike as a “1970 CR750” leaves a lot to be desired. Is this a replica of Dick Mann’s 1970 Daytona 200 winner or the actual bike? The CB750 was never intended as a race bike. Honda won the 200 and didn’t come back next year.
More info 2: Id’ed as a ’73 CR250 Elsinore is an over-simplification. That is not a stock tank, the swingarm is custom and the shock position is modified. Is this a Gary Jones championship bike? Replica? Would love to know the back story.
Loyal following: The Honda MB5 was only offered for one year but this little 50cc cafe racer wannabe still has rabid fans and is a cherished collector’s item. One sold at auction last year for $4.200.
Totally nuts: The 2009 P-Nut (Personal Neo-Urban Transport) joins other concept vehicles at the hall. Look close at the center driver’s seat flanked by two rear seats to give the occupants enough leg room. I don’t know if I’d buy one, but it would be tempting.
Custom gold: Honda supplied a few Gold Wings to custom builders and these are two of the results. This is not your grandfather’s Gold Wing.
Missed the mark: Sorry, but even Honda can’t win them all. I’m glad this prototype didn’t get made because Honda would have sold millions of them and I’d have to see them in front of me all the time.
Power to the people: The museum even has a section for Honda’s generators and lawn care equipment. Heck, they could have unique halls for all their product categories. Isn’t the 1964 E40 the cutest little generator you’ve ever seen? How about that big-screen Sony TV?
Early product: Don’t know much about the 1960 Cuby engine. I assume Honda’s reliable engines were in demand for hundreds of applications and the Cuby filled that demand. I’ll also bet that Briggs and Stratton management laughed at this little guy. Who got the last laugh?
