1955 Honda Other

JB5515966

Clear

1955 Honda Benly JB. Restored to running and show condition in 2012 at the benly shop in Carpinteria, CA.This bike was located in a basement in Hokkaido in 2005. The benly shop restored four pre export (pre 1958) Benly's at this same time. One was a Benly J and two were Benly JB and one was a Benly JC. This is by far the most correct, accurate and original Benly JB I have ever seen anywhere in the world. This includes the Benly JB that currently sits in the Honda Museum in Motegi Japan. A careful look at the photos will support this claim. This Benly JB still has its original owners manual as well as an original dealer sales brochure. Also with this Benly JB is an original parts book with exploded views of assemblies of the Benly J-JC series (see photos). This bike has a current California title and registration (see photos). To my knowledge, the benly shop is the only USA based member of the Asama vintage bike club in Japan. An issue of the Asama vintage bike club quarterly magazine will go with this Benly JB55. This Benly was licensed in Japan when I found it in 2005. I still have the Japanese license plate and it will go with this Benly JB as well. Of note, look at the passenger seat on this Benly JB. It is correct for the 1955 Benly JB. It is original, exceptional condition and no other Benly that I have ever seen anywhere has this fantastic piece.Very few even have the correct reverse pivot clutch and brake levers. This one does and they are perfect. Of the very few of these bikes that still exist today, few even have a tail light lens. This one is perfect. Few have the heat shield on the exhaust header. This Benly, and the one in the Motegi Japan Honda museum have it. This one is a perfectly restored original piece. The same piece on the Benly JB in Japan appears to be a replica. If you have dedicated your attention for a decade or two you may have come across one of these machines at some point. I have not seen another correct, complete, running, restorable Benly JB55 ever. This one has its correct serial number engine for this frame as you can see from the following VIN.Frame: JB5515966Engine: 3J5515998 I have ridden this bike several times. To be candid, these bikes are not the least bit rewarding to use as any sort of daily rider. The 125cc pushrod motor was rated around 3.5 horsepower. I think that was an optimistic rating by Honda back in late 1954 when this machine was first offered to the Japanese market. This motor has been completely rebuilt along with 4 other motors that were rebuilt at the time of this restoration. All new gaskets were made using special custom made steel rule dies. This motor starts easily and idles smoothly. It is today exactly as it was when new which is to say that it is very under powered by today's riding standards. This bike today is one of the most accurate examples in the world of what Mr. Soichiro Honda was personally designing when his new and very small company was still in its infantcy. This bike is a stunningly beautiful example. Do not however expect this, or any, early Benly to be the great daily rider that many of the more common 1960s Hondas are. I have one additional completely restored Benly JB motor in a custom engine display stand that will be available to the buyer of this bike at a very reasonable additional cost if desired. Please look at all the photos carefully. I am happy to email you additional photos on request. I will assist with shipping anywhere in the USA. It currently costs approximately $750 to ship a bike from California to the East Coast. I would like to offer my time to anyone who would like to see this bike (and other rare factory race Honda's) in person. That is by far the best way to get familiar with any bike. Just ask and I will help make arrangements for you to visit the benly shop at your convenience. Thanks for your interest in this bike Ron Mousouristhe benly shop