Where were the CA95s Manufactured?

[ByTheLake]

Originally Posted by DanUhr

The early model shown above is a pinkish red. Was this an original color?

Nah, that nail polish red color appears to be a poor paint job. Honda offered Red, Blue, Black and White on the CA95. It's common for the original red bikes to fade to a pale orange over time.

[rhodemon]

Au contrair, mon ami By The Lake, indeed that was an original color, for 1959 only! Today it's commonly called Tokyo Rose, but in the Cycle Magazine CA95 Road Test of October 1960 they called it Passionate Pink.

This article is the best one I've ever read on the Benlys and is packed with information on the bikes. The magazine was very impressed with the little Honda!

I own two of this early machines, and know of 5 or 6 more scattered around the country. Will post pictures when I get a chance.

[Jetblackchemist]

The carburetor bowls changed at some point too, from round to rectangle, and the exhaust from flat side to round. Unless its the angle of the pictures or my eyes playing tricks on me...the cylinder fins look different too, the early bikes steel cylinder fins look rounded and the later looks more squared off...there is a definite square corner in one and not the other...is that the case angle or my eyes? I dunno.

[VegeKev]

Just a quick addition I found today.
Type in "1960's Honda Factory Tour" to your browser and theres a 28minute youtube video about the Honda factories.
It mentions that all motorbikes from 125cc and up were produced at the Hamatsu? factory....along with marine and some industrial machines.
Vid dates from 1966.

Kev.

[Steverinomeiste]

Thank you BTL for posting the pics showing the differences between the early and lates. My early tank pads look good but they are pretty stiff. I think I will start treating them with some armor all to soften them up before they start to crack.
I would love to be able to post pics within the body of the text like you do. Is it doable with my trusty old windows XP?