Hi Folks,
I'm new to the forum; joined just about two weeks ago. I will soon post a write-up here with some pictures of my bike. For now I will introduce myself by saying that three weeks ago I purchased a very early CA95 - like this one on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CA ... 43adf92326 Mine is the same color as this one. However, the only place it's visible is buried in hidden places (like under the fuel tank)! Mine is really, really rough. Have started to gather some parts for it, but will need many more used/new parts and advice. Will post more details and pictures of my bike as time permits. I am so happy to have found you folks. Thanks for being here! Enough about me, let's check out/discuss this rare early CA95 on Bay.
Best regards - Dane
Early CA95 on eBay
Hello Dane and welcome to the forum. Great bunch of people out here.
Looking forward to learning more about your acquisition. Sounds like yours was one of the early "Tokyo Rose" colored bikes. Do you have frame and engine serial numbers? That would help give us an idea of what you have.
Regarding the eBay bike, it seems like a fair price for an original early CA95. It'll be interesting to see where this goes.
Looking forward to learning more about your acquisition. Sounds like yours was one of the early "Tokyo Rose" colored bikes. Do you have frame and engine serial numbers? That would help give us an idea of what you have.
Regarding the eBay bike, it seems like a fair price for an original early CA95. It'll be interesting to see where this goes.
Thanks for the warm welcome. My ID numbers are as follows: CA95E-A010240 (engine) and CA95-A010218 (frame). I plan to contact the eBay person to try and learn more about that bike. Plus it would be good to add to the knowledge-base on the early CA95's. I have a keen interest as mine is early too. As you can see from the attached pics, mine needs lots of help and $! The seat on my bike was thrown in by the seller. It is not original to my bike and the wrong shade of red, according to what I've seen/heard. Only indication so far that I can see of its original (Tokyo Rose, Passionate Pink, whatever Honda officially called it) color is under the tank. Will preserve this area with a clear coat (for posterity) when I have bike painted back to that color.
- Attachments
-
-
-
-
-
Thanks for sharing the pictures. Wow, that is an old one. Judging from the pictures, you have a few more parts to get than I did for my '65. Looking at the paint under your tank, it appears that the original pink just faded into white. Given the rust, perhaps this bike was left outdoors? Just a guess.
I don't have a frame serial range for that VIN, but it appears that yours is from the same batch as the one in the eBay ad. I suppose you already knew that, though. So, you have a 1960 apparently. Your frame is only 45 away from the one in the ad.
Given how many parts you'll need for your bike, it might be cheaper to bid on the eBay bike.
I don't have a frame serial range for that VIN, but it appears that yours is from the same batch as the one in the eBay ad. I suppose you already knew that, though. So, you have a 1960 apparently. Your frame is only 45 away from the one in the ad.
Given how many parts you'll need for your bike, it might be cheaper to bid on the eBay bike.
Yup, bidding on the eBay bike did cross my mind! My bike's never been painted and did fade to white, then rust. I would like to learn more about the history of these early bikes. I guess we have little knowledge now.
My CA95 will be a long-ish project as I have a couple SL175's ahead of this to restore. Plus, I have other vintage bikes that I ride and maintain. This CA95 will be the biggest restoration I've underaken.
The only parts I got with my bike, besides the seat, were a dented but uncut front fender and a rear wheel; complete with worn-out brake drum.
Last weekend I was in Phoenix and picked up for $50 a good front fork assembly with no headlight, toasted speedo, a bobbed front fender, decent wheel, and handlebars.
The spare front/rear rims I now have are original DID, but will need new chrome and new spokes, but are much better than what are currently on the bike.
For the time being, I'll be content to gather-up parts for my CA95. Hopefully, folks on the forum here might have parts they don't need and will consider parting with to help me complete this project. As can be seen, I need lots of stuff! (At some point I'll prepare a wish-list.)
My CA95 will be a long-ish project as I have a couple SL175's ahead of this to restore. Plus, I have other vintage bikes that I ride and maintain. This CA95 will be the biggest restoration I've underaken.
The only parts I got with my bike, besides the seat, were a dented but uncut front fender and a rear wheel; complete with worn-out brake drum.
Last weekend I was in Phoenix and picked up for $50 a good front fork assembly with no headlight, toasted speedo, a bobbed front fender, decent wheel, and handlebars.
The spare front/rear rims I now have are original DID, but will need new chrome and new spokes, but are much better than what are currently on the bike.
For the time being, I'll be content to gather-up parts for my CA95. Hopefully, folks on the forum here might have parts they don't need and will consider parting with to help me complete this project. As can be seen, I need lots of stuff! (At some point I'll prepare a wish-list.)
My bike (being restored) is also "Tokyo Rose" but according to my reasearch is a 1963 C92. Frame #C92-3507109 and engine #C92E-3507140. The bike is now in Israel and must have an interesting history. The rear tire is 350x16 and "Made in Egypt".
Last edited by DanUhr on Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Okay folks, here is what I learned about that early 1960 CA95 that was on eBay last week. The auction had 1327 visitors and was bid up to $3,699, but wasn't sold on eBay because it didn't meet the seller's reserve. (And no, ByTheLake, I didn't try to buy it!) The bike hasn't been relisted, but I did get the following info from seller before the auction ended.
Seller said that Robin Markey judged his bike at the last AMCA meet and told seller that he knew of 7 of these bikes total. (Ultimately, I will try to ensure Robin knows about my bike, and see where that takes me.) Seller's bike ID numbers (as listed in eBay auction) were as follows: CA95E-A010178 (engine) and CA95-A010173 (frame). Seller's auction indicated that his bike has a date-tag on its wire harness that reads 1/60 (i.e., January 1960). He said that mine is also definitely early 1960's production.
I sent seller some pics and he said the paint on his entire bike was the ashy looking pink that I have on my frame when he got it, but he was able to polish it back out to the original pink color using a buffing wheel and paint polish. He said these early Benly's are super-rare, and just recently started to get recognized as the collectables that they are. He told me to be careful when repainting, one of the known bikes was repainted in the ashy pink color. Evidently the other owner didn't know that it was supposed to be bright pink like his; thought that oxidized pink was the right color!
Seller told me what many of you folks probably already know - there are some rare parts on these early bikes, such as: star shaped cable adjusters, small tail light lens, convex mirrors, small ball on ends of clutch/brake levers, Benly tank badges, tire pump and locking bracket (said he was offered $1k bucks just for that once), brass engine tag, chromed front brake drum lever, Yazaki speedometer, etc... I asked and he said that he's never seen another Yazaki meter for sale, anywhere. (Ed note: Of these items, my "needy" CA95 needs the badges, a speedo, and tire pump w/bracket!)
Seller indicated that he bought his bike for $1.5k, and put over $2.0k into the preservation process; to get it to where it is now. I asked him for some pics, but he said that he was not interested in taking any additional pictures. That was a bummer, but I do know someone who knows someone who has of the 7 known to exist. So someday I might have a chance to get pics of that bike, or better yet, see it in person!
Seller said that Robin Markey judged his bike at the last AMCA meet and told seller that he knew of 7 of these bikes total. (Ultimately, I will try to ensure Robin knows about my bike, and see where that takes me.) Seller's bike ID numbers (as listed in eBay auction) were as follows: CA95E-A010178 (engine) and CA95-A010173 (frame). Seller's auction indicated that his bike has a date-tag on its wire harness that reads 1/60 (i.e., January 1960). He said that mine is also definitely early 1960's production.
I sent seller some pics and he said the paint on his entire bike was the ashy looking pink that I have on my frame when he got it, but he was able to polish it back out to the original pink color using a buffing wheel and paint polish. He said these early Benly's are super-rare, and just recently started to get recognized as the collectables that they are. He told me to be careful when repainting, one of the known bikes was repainted in the ashy pink color. Evidently the other owner didn't know that it was supposed to be bright pink like his; thought that oxidized pink was the right color!
Seller told me what many of you folks probably already know - there are some rare parts on these early bikes, such as: star shaped cable adjusters, small tail light lens, convex mirrors, small ball on ends of clutch/brake levers, Benly tank badges, tire pump and locking bracket (said he was offered $1k bucks just for that once), brass engine tag, chromed front brake drum lever, Yazaki speedometer, etc... I asked and he said that he's never seen another Yazaki meter for sale, anywhere. (Ed note: Of these items, my "needy" CA95 needs the badges, a speedo, and tire pump w/bracket!)
Seller indicated that he bought his bike for $1.5k, and put over $2.0k into the preservation process; to get it to where it is now. I asked him for some pics, but he said that he was not interested in taking any additional pictures. That was a bummer, but I do know someone who knows someone who has of the 7 known to exist. So someday I might have a chance to get pics of that bike, or better yet, see it in person!
Interesting, thanks for the update. At $3700 and the reserve was not met? I wonder what the seller was looking for. I understand that he has a rare Benly, but there's still only limited collector interest in CA95s at this point. If he had an equally rare Dream he might get his price, but that's a tough sell for a Benly. Rarity doesn't always drive value, either. Would a "rare" color/config of an early Chevy Chevette be valuable?
It is nice to see such a complete early bike, though. Thanks for the update and the story. It's interesting to learn more about the early Benlys that were sold in the US.
It is nice to see such a complete early bike, though. Thanks for the update and the story. It's interesting to learn more about the early Benlys that were sold in the US.
Grunt wrote:If you can get a picture of the the original speedo face Classic Instruments could make an exact copy. They can make any kind of face you want and update old units with newer internals.
Classic Instruments calls what Grunt describes in his post as "retrofitting". They have a detailed form to complete. Looks like a great resource - thanks!
I contacted the seller of that early CA95 on eBay*, but he says his speedo face is not too good and looked very much like mine (pictured below), before he replaced plastic face. He suggested that my speedo might be salvageable and that I remove the plastic face on my speedometer to see if it looks okay. He will give me a picture of his speedo, but I want to disassemble mine before I ask him.
*By the way, the seller's early CA95 is back on eBay again - Best Offer or Buy-It-Now for $4,999.
- Attachments
-
If at some point you decide that the speedo may not be salvageable (before tearing it apart) send it to me. I have cleaned up a couple of speedometers in my industrial grade ultrasonic cleaner. The lens should be glass and will clear up fairly well. The rest of the mechanism may loosen up to. Just a thought. PM if interested.