This is a 2004 Honda Dream CB50R that has remained in its factory crate since new, and impressively, it’s also remained in the possession of its original owner since new.
The Dream CB50R is a rare race-only version of the Honda Dream 50, which itself was a modern, road-legal version of the Honda RC110 Grand Prix Racer – one of the most important and groundbreaking motorcycles in the company’s history.
Fast Facts: The Honda Dream CB50R
- This 2004 Honda Dream CB50R has remained sealed in its original factory crate since new, and remarkably, has stayed with its first owner the entire time. It is a rare, race-only variant of the Honda Dream 50, which itself paid tribute to the legendary Honda RC110 Grand Prix racer from the early 1960s.
- The RC110 was Honda’s purpose-built entry into the new 50cc World Championship announced in 1961, with an advanced single-cylinder engine with double overhead cams, four valves, and the ability to rev to 17,000 rpm. Despite its sophistication, two-stroke rivals proved faster, and Luigi Taveri secured just one victory that season.
- In the late 1990s, Honda released the AC15, also known as the Dream 50, to commemorate the RC110. It had period-correct grand prix styling including a long fuel tank, clip-on handlebars, and a low riding position. The track-only Dream 50R followed in extremely limited numbers, lacking lights and road-legal equipment.
- This particular Dream 50R produces 5.6 bhp at 10,500 rpm and 3 lb-ft of torque at 8,500 rpm from its air-cooled single, driving through a 5-speed gearbox. Weighing just 81 kilograms dry, it is now being offered from Grapevine, Texas with factory literature, spare parts, and an off-highway title.
The Honda RC110 Grand Prix Racer
When the Fédération Internationale Motocycliste announced in 1961 that they would start a 50cc World Championship for motorcycles in 1962, it was almost guaranteed that Honda would take part.
Honda developed the RC110 with an advanced single-cylinder engine with double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and by the end of development it was capable of revving all the way to 17,000 rpm. Image courtesy of Honda.
The Japanese company had already made a name for themselves in the field of technologically advanced small-capacity racing motorcycles, and the new 50cc class had their name all over it.
In 1961 alone, Honda had won the 125cc class with Australian rider Tom Phillis at the controls, Luigi Taveri took 3rd for Honda, and other Honda riders finished 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th.
In the 250cc class things were even better for Honda, Mike Hailwood took the championship win on his Honda with Tom Phillis in 2nd, Jim Redman in 3rd, Kunimitsu Takahashi in 4th, and Bob McIntyre in 5th – all riding Hondas.
It must have seemed almost like a slam dunk for Honda to join the field of the new 50cc class given their track record. They developed the Honda RC110 specifically for the series powered by an advanced single-cylinder engine with double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and by the season’s end it was capable of revving to 17,000 rpm.
Despite looking great on paper, the RC110 was faced with one major problem – many of its competitors were using two-stroke engines that gave them an edge over the four-stroke Honda. By the end of the season Luigi Taveri had managed just a single victory at the 1962 Finnish Motorcycle Grand Prix.
This win combined with his three podium places was enough to net him 3rd place in the championship that year, behind Suzuki in 1st place and Kriedler in 2nd.
This is a 2004 Honda Dream CB50R that has remained in its factory crate since new, and impressively, it’s also remained in the possession of its original owner since new.
Though it never achieved the dominance of its larger-engined Honda siblings from the era, the RC110 (later renamed the RC111) has always enjoyed a special place in Honda history.
A slightly lower powered version of the RC110 was developed for privateer club racers, it was called the Honda CR110 Cub Racer and it was offered in two major versions – the road-going 5-speed with lights and a muffler producing 7 bhp and the pure racing version that was capable of 8.5 bhp.
Much later in the late 1990s, Honda would release the AC15 (also known as the Honda Dream 50) to commemorate the successful 1962 Honda RC110 single cylinder race bike. It was given distinctly 1960s grand prix styling, with a low profile, long fuel tank, clip-on handlebars, and a low riding position. A race-only version of this bike, the Dream 50R, was built in very limited numbers.
The Crated Honda Dream 50 Shown Here
The Honda Dream 50R you see here has been carefully preserved in its factory crate since it was delivered new in 2004.
Honda would produce the Dream 50R in extremely limited numbers, and unlike the road-legal Dream 50 version, the Dream 50R was strictly race only, and couldn’t be registered for road use (in most regions) as it lacked essentials like a headlight, taillight, blinkers, etc.
With its air-cooled single cylinder engine fitted with a double overhead cam, four-valve head, the Dream 50R produces a modest 5.6 bhp at 10,500 rpm with 3 ft lbs of torque at 8,500 rpm.
Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox and chain final drive, and the bike tips the scales at just 81 kilograms (180 lbs) dry.
With its air-cooled single cylinder engine fitted with a double overhead cam, four-valve head, the Dream 50R produces a modest 5.6 bhp at 10,500 rpm with 3 ft lbs of torque at 8,500 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox and chain final drive, and the bike tips the scales at just 81 kilograms (180 lbs) dry.
The Honda Dream 50R you see here is now being offered for sale out of Grapevine, Texas with factory literature, parts, and an off-highway Texas title in the seller’s name.
If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here on Bring a Trailer.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
