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The Honda C-100 Dream: my opinion on this "little beauty"

This section has been inserted in order to tell about the trips I made from January, 1998 until November, 2001 in my Honda C-100 Dream.  The link Dreaming at the end of the page takes us to other related pages.

This small and sturdy motorcycle is a classic made by Honda.  It is produced since the fifties, and has been since serving as a workhorse and as a leisure vehicle as well in many countries around the world, especially in Southeast Asia.  There, it is used as a means of transportation for many thousands of people.  Those bikes are used daily in the streets and rural areas of Thayland, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.  There, it is known as "Mule of Asia" for being versatile, simple and easy to drive, and very reliable.  I would put it as the most reliable motorcycle I had so far.

Arriving in Caldas Novas - GO - Brazil (coming from Goiania) afternoon of 24/07/99. The foam piece placed underneath the bag is aimed to protect the seat and to hold better the luggage. The front basket holds another piece of luggage.

I bought my Honda Dream in January/98, and from the first day I drove it in local roads.  This is the routine I reserve to all brand new motorcycles I buy.  I was impressed with its capacity to carry luggage and packs.  In my opinion this is Honda's 'little beauty'.  Alongside the Honda XL 125 they are, in my view, the best small bikes I had.  With my C-100 I could get one of best "cost x benefit" ratio among all bikes I had so far.

Here I am leaving my father's farm towards Caldas Novas. Morning of 03/07/99, Vereda Farm, Hidrolandia - GO.

C 100 Dream

(Technical Data)

Motorcycle	Honda C 100 Dream
Engine*
Engine Type	Air-cooled 4-stroke OHC single
Engine Displacement	97,1 cc
Bore & Stroke	50 x 49,5 mm
Carburation	PB 16 (venturi diameter 16 mm)
Lubrication system	Forced pressure wet sump combined use system
Compression Ratio	8,8:1
Max. Torque	0,78kgf.m at 6.000 rpm
Max. Power Output	8,5CV at 7.500 rpm
Transmission	4 speed / Enclosed roller chain
Clutch	Centrifugal clutch semi-automatic with 4 gears
Starter	Neutral kick
Fuel and oil capacity
Fuel Capacity	3,5 litre
Engine oil capacity	0,9 litre
Chassi
Type	Monoblock
Suspension Front	Telescopic fork/100 mm axle travel
Suspension Rear	Single damper unit swingarm/63 mm axle travel
Brakes Front /diameter	Trailing drum /110 mm
Brakes Rear /diameter	Trailing drum /110 mm
Front tyre	2.25-17-4PR (I use  2.50-17-4PR)**
Rear tyre	2.50-17-4PR (I use 2.75-17-4PR)**
Electrical system
Ignition	Capacitor Discharge (CDI)
Battery	12V - 4Ah
Headlamp	25/25W
Dimensions and Weight
Length x Width x Height	1.835 x 670 x 1.035 mm
Wheelbase	1.180 mm
Ground Clearance	135 mm
Seat Height	750 mm
Dry Weight	86 kg

(*) The values for power and torque were obtained accordingly to the JIS rules

 

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I have been making three trips monthly in my Dream (each one about 350 km long) mainly in the following routes: Caldas Novas - Goiania - Caldas Novas; Caldas Novas - Hidrolandia - Vereda Farm - Hidrolandia - Goiania - Caldas Novas; Caldas Novas - Piracanjuba - Professor Jamil - Crominia - Goiania - Caldas Novas; and lately Goiania - Caldas Novas - Goiania, all of them are one or two-day trips.  All of them in the State of Goias - Brazil.

Myself and my Dream 03/0799 at the Vereda Farm entrance, this farm belongs to my father and is located at Hidrolandia - GO.

Preparing the new generation:

Marcela and my Dream: Caldas Novas - GO, in front of Bell English School, 11/12/00.

It is interesting to mention some details of usage/maintenance of our Honda C-100 Dream, as we have been doing:

• Oil change every 1.500 km, and transmission lubrication every 400 km driven;
• spark plug change every 10.000 km;
• first front tyre change at 29.000 km. I normally use nitrogen to inflate the tyres;
• the back tyre has been changed five times (last time in 07/04/01 - odometer showing 38.000 km).  The first one was changed after 7.500 km (original size 2.50-17-4PR - new size - 2.75-17-4PR) .  From then on I utilized this size only;
• only six lamps changed during the completion of 46.000 km driven in forty five months (two healamps, two auxiliar lamps and two back lamps);
• The front brake pads are the original, those from the back were changed at the 30.000 km service.  The final drive relation still is the original one;
• I have been able to reach an average of 55 km/litre in urban traffic (when driving within ED - Economic Drive - up to 60 km/h  in fourth gear) and about 40 km/litre when riding in roads at speeds between 80 and 110 km/h  (maximum speed); if driving between 60 and 80 km/h in roads I could achieve an average of 50 km/litre;
• all the service routine was carried out by one mechanic, my friend Odilon, who works for Moto For, one of the main Honda dealers in Goiania-GO-Brazil.

My Dream with luggage: arriving at Caldas Novas - GO - Brazil, at the horizon we can see the Caldas Novas Sierra.

Obs.: This bike belongs to the CUB (Concept Upper Basic according to some people, or Cheap Urban Bike for others) category.  This is a concept introduced by Honda at the end of the 40's,  and from then on developed in the following decades.  Since then Honda has produced millions of such bikes, in many different countries and with many different engine capacities (50 cc, 65 cc, 90 cc, 100 cc e 125 cc), they are present in five continents.  The very basic characteristics of this category are: the retro style, the monoblock frame and the unique fairing design.  All japanese brands, and even the newcomers nowadays have similar models.

This motorcyle has my age, and it is the cornestone for the modern motorcycling. It represents the basis for the huge number of different models produced nowadays worldwide by Honda.

Some interesting links about the subject:

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