Katana 1100 meets CB 77

[John Kat]

I thought you might appreciate a picture of my smallest capacity bike side by side with my largest.
The Honda is a 305 cc CB 77, the bike Robert Pirsig rode before writing his famous book: "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance".
I had one these in my twenties and was fortunate enough to buy this one about twenty years ago.
The other is a 1982 1100 Katana with an 1150 bottom end.
Who would have thought in 1962 that a bike like the Kat would come out 20 years later?

 

[zuluwiz]

My personal reaction is that , the tank aside, I like the looks of the Honda better than the Katana. No contest on the performance of course.

 

[scratch]

They are both sweet... cheers to you for keeping history alive!

 

[steve murdoch]

John, i hope you don't mind....similar pic, only in red.
My '65 CB77 and '79 CBX. The little bikes are a blast to ride.

 

[John Kat]

John, i hope you don't mind....similar pic, only in red.
My '65 CB77 and '79 CBX. The little bikes are a blast to ride.

Ha quite amazing!
In fact my original CB77 came in red just like yours.
Believe it or not the only period bike I've never ridden is the CBX...
Too bad.
I like the spoke wheels you've added: very classy!

 

[Charlie G]

I was 8 when these came out and just learning to ride a motorcycle. A couple of high school kids who had motorcycles, one of which had a 305 would come over house and talk motorcycles with my step dad who had a BSA 650. The tank of the CB always looks wrong to me. I guess I prefered the lines of the BSA. I'd have a Kat before any other bike given the ways and means. Nice shot John.

 

[John Kat]

I was 8 when these came out and just learning to ride a motorcycle. A couple of high school kids who had motorcycles, one of which had a 305 would come over house and talk motorcycles with my step dad who had a BSA 650. The tank of the CB always looks wrong to me. I guess I prefered the lines of the BSA. I'd have a Kat before any other bike given the ways and means. Nice shot John.

I remember when I was a younster that a guy let me ride his 650 BSA.
I really loved the noise and the torque the engine made.
The Katana is a bit of an acquired taste, it can feel very ackward at low speed as it's very heavy and the riding position is ridiculous.
As the speed increases it comes into it's own and soon a grim will come along your face.
To make the bike more practical, I modified my oldest Kat with 17" wheels , EMC shocks, and a Bandit 1200/GSXR 11K front end.
Now it becomes really fun!

 

[Guest]

Ah, wish I had pics to get in on this, I have my 83 1100 ES and my "wife's" 67 CA77, both in blue! The dream is a hoot to ride, it is alas currently disassembled due to 2 broken rings.

 

[John Kat]

My dream would be to find one of these.
It's a CB 92 only 125 cc but a true rarity.
One of my pals had one...

 

[Charlie G]

Love that wind screen. Nice design overall.

 

[steve murdoch]

Love the suede seat cover on that CB92.
This short clip shows a '60 CB92 with an electric start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic5iWpbPlrk

 

[John Kat]

Love the suede seat cover on that CB92.
This short clip shows a '60 CB92 with an electric start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic5iWpbPlrk

They all came with an electric start I believe.
I owned a C92 in those days that I used to meet my girlfriend 20 kms away.
The engine used to howl like there was no tomorow until it finally died ending in a long push home...