Motorcyclists of the 1950s and early 1960s suffered an image problem due to the rise of motorcycle gangs. The so-called gangs were comprised of returning veterans trying to fit back into society after World War II and Korea.
However, Honda wanted to appeal to a new demographic for the bikes and scooters it had been selling in the US. So, in 1963, the Japanese manufacturer launched a marketing campaign around the slogan, “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda.” Some historians believe it’s the most influential motorcycle ad of all time.
The resulting change in perception from the ad helped tee up the CL77 in 1965. The CL77 Scrambler, such as the pristine version now recently offered on eBay, appealed not only to bad-boy riders in the city but also to wholesome off-road riders.
Scrambling in the Dirt
Scrambler is motorcycle lingo for dual-sport, a bike that can be ridden on the street or off-road. The term was reportedly coined in England in the 1920s, when a race commentator referred to an off-road competition as “quite a scramble.” The name stuck.
Scramblers usually have taller seat heights and less flash. Off-road riding means dirt, and dirt means crashes. That’s not ideal if you’re wearing a clean shirt and your bike is loaded with chrome parts.
The CL77 Scrambler was an iteration of the earlier Honda C77 Dream and Superhawk.
Scramblers can also be identified by the use of smaller gauges and beefier suspensions. While some modern-day versions of scramblers incorporate cast alloy and aluminum rims - opens in new window or tab., the vast majority use spoked wheels for better handling in off-road conditions.
Built to Clear Obstacles
The Honda CL77 Scrambler weighs about 335 pounds. The bike features air-cooled, four-stroke 305cc overhead parallel-twin cams. The gas tank holds three gallons. The CL77 redlines at 9,000 RPM, reaching a top speed of 85 miles per hour.
Twenty-six millimeter Keihin carburetors - opens in new window or tab. let the bike breathe, while the bike’s long upswept exhaust pipes allow sufficient ground clearance to get over any possible off-road obstructions. A 52-inch wheelbase and 19-inch spoked wheels both front and back provide resiliency in the dirt. Scramblers would not see modern touches like alloy wheels until the late 1970s.
The CL77’s tubular steel frame allowed Honda to save weight. Honda eventually swapped in an electric starter, replacing the kick-starter seen on earlier models.
Vintage Snuff-or-Not baffle kits are available on eBay.
The bike also had a unique feature called “snuff-or-nots,” a manually operated metal disc in the exhaust pipes the rider could turn to increase or quiet the sound of the motor. Even nice people occasionally want the 305cc engine to emit mean, full-throated notes. When the 1966 CL77 hits 9,000 RPM, it gets legitimately loud.
A slightly larger version of the bike, the CL350, was taken to victory in the second official 1968 Baja 1000 race, giving the bike further street cred among racers.
Today, the CL77 is a sought-after collector motorcycle. This excellent 1966 example has merely 7,000 miles on the clock, with fresh paint and original Honda badges. It looks gorgeous but be prepared to get dirty when you take this vintage scrambler off the beaten path.
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