04-22-2021, 07:40 AM
I consider myself an amateur historian on motorcycles. I have loved motorcycles since I was a kid, and have quite a collection of historical reference books on them (20 books at last count..4 of them dedicated to Hondas alone.)
This month's Road Runner magazine came in the other day, and much to my amazement in the back they featured a Honda I had never seen or heard of before.
Made domestically for a few months in 1956 and 1957, there are only 5 known to exist IN THE WORLD today. One in India, one in Myanmar, 2 in Japan and one in England.
In 1957 it commanded a price of 187,000 Japanese yen (almost $11,000 in today's dollars adjusted for inflation). A ton of money in post WW2 Japan.
Called the Dream MF 350 is was a 344cc single that boasted 20 hp. It had a host of features that were technically years ahead of it's time. An overhead camshaft, a 7.5:1 compression ratio, (much higher than other bikes of it's era). Ram air style air intake around the steering head. A gear indicator, electric turn signals, rubber dampers in the rear wheel, and the rider could go from top gear directly to first. It's acceleration and top speed of 75 mph were impossible to beat in Japan, even faster than the 22 hp Harley-Davidson based Rikuo 750 V twin and the 19 hp Cabton Indian based 600 parallel twin. With a light tune up the MF could hit nearly 95 mph.
and to top it off.... it's simply stunning to look at
![[Image: 439821558c2311f1c9f57cf47bdb00b2.jpg?1]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/202104/439821558c2311f1c9f57cf47bdb00b2.jpg?1)
![[Image: 454d9507dca8bf47ae71f23fb4df0c77.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/202104/454d9507dca8bf47ae71f23fb4df0c77.jpg)
![[Image: 1ca28cb0c5662fda3dc170fcd9b07c8c.jpg?1]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/202104/1ca28cb0c5662fda3dc170fcd9b07c8c.jpg?1)
How impressive was the mind of Soichiro Honda?
This month's Road Runner magazine came in the other day, and much to my amazement in the back they featured a Honda I had never seen or heard of before.
Made domestically for a few months in 1956 and 1957, there are only 5 known to exist IN THE WORLD today. One in India, one in Myanmar, 2 in Japan and one in England.
In 1957 it commanded a price of 187,000 Japanese yen (almost $11,000 in today's dollars adjusted for inflation). A ton of money in post WW2 Japan.
Called the Dream MF 350 is was a 344cc single that boasted 20 hp. It had a host of features that were technically years ahead of it's time. An overhead camshaft, a 7.5:1 compression ratio, (much higher than other bikes of it's era). Ram air style air intake around the steering head. A gear indicator, electric turn signals, rubber dampers in the rear wheel, and the rider could go from top gear directly to first. It's acceleration and top speed of 75 mph were impossible to beat in Japan, even faster than the 22 hp Harley-Davidson based Rikuo 750 V twin and the 19 hp Cabton Indian based 600 parallel twin. With a light tune up the MF could hit nearly 95 mph.
and to top it off.... it's simply stunning to look at
How impressive was the mind of Soichiro Honda?