Honda 305 Dream
 Date of Manufacture: 1966 Engine Size: 500CC Honda: Born in 1906, Soichiro Honda was the son of the village blacksmith in Hamamatsu, Japan. At age 16, Honda left home for Tokyo where he apprenticed to become an auto mechanic and later returning home to open his own auto repair business. Business was good allowing Honda to begin a successful part-time career in auto racing securing him an average speed record which remained unbroken for 20 years. A serious accident, however, ended his racing career. Japan was rapidly industrializing when Honda opened a factory producing piston rings. An earthquake leveled the plant completely in 1945, finishing the work of allied bombs one year prior. Japan, like most other war ravaged industrialized nations, had a shortage of transportation which had to be both inexpensive to purchase and to operate. As luck would have it, Honda happened upon 500 army surplus engines which he bolted to the frames of regular bicycles resulting in the first Honda motorcycle. Honda being a self taught engineer, built his first two wheeler in 1947 after World War II. Those first 500 motorcycles sold fast prompting Honda to produce his own engine and purpose-built frame. The Honda motorcycle was still belt driven until 1949 when Honda released the 'D' model, or 'Dream', with a two speed gearbox and chain drive. In 1950, Honda's quality, dependability and the establishment of a large dealer network made Honda the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the country accounting for almost half of Japan's motorcycle production. 1967 Yamaha YCS1 Adler M200 Ariel Square Four Benelli Tornado BMW R27 BMW R51 BMW R51/3 BMW R75/5 BSA Gold Star Ducati 750S Ducati 851 SP1 Ducati Monza Ducati Pantah Ducati Sebring Garelli Mosquito Harley-Davidson H-D XLCR 61ci Hercules Wankel Honda 305 Dream Indian Boardtracker Indian Chief Innocenti Lambretta IZH Planeta Sport Jawa OHC Kawasaki Mach III Mars Stella Matchless G80 CS Moto Guzzi Eldorado Moto Morini MV Agusta Nimbus with Bender sidecar. Norton Dominator NSU 250 NSU Max Puch Rickman-Triumph Metisse Rudge Scott TT Suzuki T-10 Triumph Bonneville Triumph TRW Velocette Thruxton Victoria Aero Victoria Bergmeister Vincent Rapide Series C Whizzer
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