Honda Superhawk CB72, CB77, CP77  


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Honda SuperHawk Electronic Ignition: CB72, CB77, CP77, CYP77

Tank Badges


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Honda Tank Badges
Once you examine one closely, it becomes clear that Honda really meant to send a message with the badges installed on its motorcycles during the sixties. The exquisite detail and impeccable workmanship of the engraving on the gilded wing, the bold lettering of the model designation, the stately black background and the clear plastic encapsulation - holding the Honda Wing in elevated suspension - all combined into a strong emblem.

The message was clear: Honda's superb design and workmanship were delivered in a product not only technically advanced, but also aesthetically pleasant. Again, form and function were unified and even the decorative tank badge contributed to the bike's allure by conveying and reinforcing what was already evident in all other features of the bike. 

SuperHawks, Scramblers and Dreams were each fitted with several different variations of the tank badge. The most visible difference was in the captions which included: "Honda 250," "Honda 300," and "Honda Dream 300." The Vintage Honda Survey is collecting more information in order to correlate the captions to the years and the relative scarcity of each type. For now, it appears that most bikes ended up with the "Honda 300" badge, as pictured above.

Unfortunately, the plastic badges were fragile - easily cracked, chipped, warped by the heat and discolored by sunlight. Few original examples survive in perfect condition. Eventually, Honda had discontinued the plastic (or acrylic, as they are sometimes referred to) badges, in favor of the metal replacement variety. The metal badges are available through the dealers. They are nice, but they are just not the same.

In recent years, reproduction badges began to appear. The quality of some reproduction badges had finally caught up with the times, to the point that some are virtually identical to the originals.

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