120323
SELLER SAYS: 1965 CPY77 Police Motorcycle 305cc for sale. Twin cylinder, twin carbs. Fully restored by Bill Smith “Mr Honda”. 433kms since restoration. Imported into Australia with all correct documentation including history & import approval to be part of a collection. Recommissioned several months ago & running & riding like a new one. All police lights work correctly. Rear wheel dynamo, police siren works correctly. Complete correct tool kit in Honda tool roll. Can supply RWC for WA buyers. Can assist with transport for interstate buyers. Contact Lenny on 0488 450 154 (Bassendean, Perth WA)
EDITOR TERLICK SAYS: What a marvellous piece of moto-history we have here. Honda’s base-model 305cc CB77 was itself a game-changer in the world of motorcycling, showing that Japan was capable of building a sports bike that could take on and beat Britain’s mid-size twins — complete with reliable leak-free motors and electric starts. I’ve seen a couple of articles that claim the CB77 was Japan’s first true sports bike and that it challenges the CB750 Four in terms of historical significance. Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to the CB77 was the fact that many police departments around the world (including at least one in Australia) switched from their mostly British stable across to Honda. I’ll bet that upset a few traditionalist at the time! The demand from police forces was enough to get Honda to produce police bikes straight from the factory. They were the CPY77, one of which you see for sale here. When I asked Google to help me learn more about these bikes, it directed me to one for sale a few years ago, at which time international auction house Bonham’s described them as “exceedingly rare”. A little more research confirmed that the Bonham’s bike and this bike of Lenny’s are in fact the very same bike. (See the Bonham’s advert/article here). I also tracked down an excellent YouTube video, not so much about the police special but telling the broader CB77 story in some detail. Well worth a look, you can see it here.
