Several months ago we took in this 1964 Honda CA95 Benly, commonly nicknamed the “Baby Dream.” We were tasked with getting it running again after it sat inside for quite some time. If the motor was found to be in good condition, we were then to carry out a complete restoration.
The CA95 was produced from 1959 to 1965. It’s a parallel twin, single carb, 155cc motorcycle with electric start that is part of the Honda Dream series. It was offered in numerous colorways, including white, blue, red, yellow, and silver. The Honda “Benly” originated from the Japanese word “benri,” which means convenient, handy, or useful. Although not as popular as some of the other Dream models, such as the 305, the “baby dream” still played a key role in strengthening Honda’s reputation for reliability and quality, as well as bringing motorcycling to the masses. Given the relative rarity of the CA95 compared to the other models, sourcing parts was a challenge in and of itself.
Making it run was our first goal, and to do this, we essentially hot-wired the little Benly. We installed a new set of points and hooked up a 12-volt battery (we know it’s a 6-volt system; stay with us!) and coil. We bypassed the rest of the electrical system by running a wire straight from the points to the coil. This simply triggered the coil. For the purpose of this test, the only function of the battery was to give the coil power, so it was not hooked up to the rest of the bike. After this, we kicked it, and it sparked!
With the Benly sparking, we now needed fuel, so we began scrutinizing the carburetor. We discovered a missing slide needle. We made a very crude and temporary needle by cutting a slot about halfway down on a needle that was far too long. Again, the goal at this point was just to test the engine. Whenever we approach projects like this, we always aim to avoid excessively purchasing parts before determining that it is a viable piece. We cleaned the jets and float bowl area. After installing the carburetor and hooking up our auxiliary fuel tank, a few kicks later, the Benly was running again! To our surprise, it was not just running, but running unexpectedly well, considering the coil and needle we were using.
Once it was running, we wasted no time completely stripping the motorcycle. We began the process of identifying what parts needed to be ordered and sourcing them, which was at times a tedious task. We took the frame and other miscellaneous parts to be powder coated at Performance Powder Coating. While waiting for the new parts to come in and the frame to be powder coated, we took care to meticulously polish any parts that we needed to revive versus replace.
We sourced a new set of stainless steel spokes from Buchanan’s Spoke and Rim, polished the hubs, and laced them up with new wheels. We now had assembled wheels with tires mounted, a new exhaust, a new seat, and a whole pile of other miscellaneous parts. To our surprise, we were able to find all of the chrome parts we needed, new old stock, and avoided a chrome shop. These days, we find very few chrome shops are still around, and if they are even accepting new work, the turnaround times are often 6 months to 1 year. Not to mention the shock of the bill!
Next, we removed the top end of the engine, sandblasted the head, sandblasted and painted the cylinder, and reassembled the motor. After also cleaning up the bottom end, this 155cc looked great. We reinstalled it in the frame with the new exhaust, seat, and shocks. The Benly was starting to look like a motorcycle again!
Throughout the reassembly process, we found several parts that we did not know were missing, such as the inner mounting plate for the left side panel and an air pump that was mounted on the frame. Coincidentally enough, an old friend brought us another project bike (a Triumph) to get running. He happened to notice the Benly we were working on and mentioned that he had two of them if we needed parts, which we did! He was able to supply us with most of the additional parts we were missing, which was a lucky happenstance!
The fuel tank proved challenging, as there was a large dent in the top left corner that needed to be fixed before powder coating. However, the powder coater advised we couldn’t use any filler or lead to repair this, as it would melt out during the baking process involved in powder coating. After searching all over for someone to repair the tank, we gave up and started exploring other options, such as a new/used tank or paint. We ultimately decided to paint the tank so the dent could be repaired like normal. The reason we did not go this route in the first place was concerns over matching the powder. The painter assured us that would not be a problem. After getting the tank back, we were thrilled with this decision, as it was an exact match. Thanks again to Matt’s Color Lab for the exceptional paint work, as always.
Now that the Dream was all back in one piece, it was time to ride it for the first time. After just a few short laps in the alley, a few things became obvious. It ran great, it was a lot of fun to ride, and we really needed to replace the clutch, as it was slipping badly.
Replacing the clutch was not a huge deal on this motorcycle. After new fiber plates and fresh springs, it was now time for a second test ride. Ride two was a success; our clutch was no longer slipping, and the bike was running, idling, and starting fantastically! Over about a week’s time, we rode the bike several more times and determined it was ready to give it back to our customer.
We’re thrilled with how this project turned out and would be happy to take on other Honda Dream projects in the future!
Have a project you’re interested in having us work on? Call (740) 747-2299 during normal business hours!
