Honda CT series
Encyclopedia
The CT-series designation is a slight exception in Honda nomenclature in that 'CT' does not indicate a series of mechanically related bikes, but rather a group of different bikes that are all for casual off-road use.
The CT designation has been used for the Trail Cub series of bikes since 1964. Alongside, a ST-series
bike was re-named CT70 for the Canadian and US market from 1969 to 1994. Honda also uses the CT designation to cover an Australia-only series of "farm bikes" for agricultural work. In 1981 Honda released a CT250S Silk Road "trekking bike", and in 1983 a Japan-only CT50 Motra minibike
. These last two vehicles are mechanically unrelated to other CT-series bikes, and each other.
The Trail Cub series is an off-shoot of the popular Super Cub line, and the bikes are known by several names. In Japan they were introduced as the Hunter Cub, while in the Canada/US market they were called the Trail Cub or just "Trail" followed by a number indicating engine size, such as "Trail 90". Individual models may also be known by model number, such as CT90 and CT110. In Australia the CT110 has acquired the popular moniker "Postie Bike" due to its long association with the Australia Post
.
These small 17" wheel bikes are intended for relatively slow off-road travel. They have 4-stroke engines ranging from 49 cc to 105 cc, and automatic clutches. All bikes have either 3- or 4-speed transmissions, plus a second choice of HIGH or LOW bands to apply the same gears to road travel or slower off-road travel. The early bikes achieved this by having two drive sprockets at the rear wheel, which required the rider to dismount and thread the chain onto the desired sprocket. Later bikes placed the two-stage choice within the gearbox, and required the rider to only move a lever.
This bike represents a relatively large increase in engine size from 54 cc to 87 cc, and the introduction of a 4-speed transmission. This bike also introduced adjustable steel-tube handlebars, rather than the fixed, pressed-steel covered, Super Cub style bars of previous bikes.
This model sees two important improvements to the series. In 1968 the stepped-chainring is replaced with a convenient secondary gearbox that only requires a turn of a small lever placed near the rider's left heel. In 1969 the Super Cub style leading-link fork is replaced with a modern telescopic fork of greatly increased travel.
This Trail Cub would become one of the most popular models, staying in production for 13 years.
The bike was last sold in the USA in 1986. Honda lists domestic production from 1981 to 2000.
As of 2008 the bike is still sold in Australia and New Zealand as an agricultural vehicle. Also as of 2008, Honda's Australia website carries this statement: "The CT110AG bike is not a Road Registerable Bike and cannot be ridden on the road. Only to be used on private property." Honda's New Zealand website lists the bike as "Road registerable." The CT110 is now sold as road registered direct to the public by Honda in Australia, a change for 2010.
The CT110 has a long association with the Australia Post
as a mail carrier
vehicle, leading to the popular moniker "Postie Bike". Australia Post was still receiving hundreds of new CT110 as recently as 2010.
Additionally, for the 2010 model year Honda Motorcycles Australia made for sale a road-registerable version of the CT110 which it designated as the CT110, as distinct from the AG suffix on the agricultural model. This eased reliance of prospective owners on ex- Australia Post motorcycles, which generally live a hard life and are sold off at auction once they have served their duty (typically three years or 30,000km of high load, constant stop-start operation).
The CT50 Motra is a minibike
produced in 1982-1983 for the Japanese domestic market. It has a boxy rugged appearance, with an angular steel-tube and panel frame supporting large racks fore and aft. This utility/military style is emphasized by a lack of decorative chrome, and by a solid yellow or green paint scheme for all bodywork and wheels.
It is unrelated to the Trail Cub series, and should not be confused with the 1968 CT50 Hunter Cub.
The Honda ST70 Dax was sold in Canada and the USA as the CT70 "Trail 70" from 1969 to 1994 . It is a minibike
distinguished by a pressed-steel "T-bone" frame, and equipped with folding handle-bars.
The slightly larger ST90 Dax was sold in the USA as the Trailsport, but was not given a CT-series designation. This was probably to avoid confusion with the concurrent Trail Cub CT90 "Trail 90".
The last model of CT110 Trail Cub (described above) is also marketed as a Farm Bike in Australia. It is not mechanically related to these bikes.
The CT125 was also exported to the USA for 1977 only.
dirt bike. It has slightly more ground clearance than the CB250RS, and an upswept and close-fitted chrome exhaust that is kept clear of both debris and luggage. The Silk Road was offered with a single saddle followed by a chrome baggage rack. A removable pillion seat can be fitted to this rack. Its 6-speed transmission is geared as a regular 5-speed plus one extra-low gear.
Overview
A description of the CT-series is necessarily convoluted because it spans several decades during which Honda altered its naming system, re-used previously issued CT designations, assigned different model names for different markets, and sometimes used multiple names for the same model within single markets.The CT designation has been used for the Trail Cub series of bikes since 1964. Alongside, a ST-series
Honda ST series (minibike)
-References:* 1969 Infobox specifications from these Honda pages on 2008-02-26:******* 1971 Infobox specifications from these Honda pages on 2008-02-26:*** 1976 Infobox specifications from these Honda pages on 2008-02-26:**...
bike was re-named CT70 for the Canadian and US market from 1969 to 1994. Honda also uses the CT designation to cover an Australia-only series of "farm bikes" for agricultural work. In 1981 Honda released a CT250S Silk Road "trekking bike", and in 1983 a Japan-only CT50 Motra minibike
Minibike
A minibike, sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniature motorcycle. Most minibikes use two-stroke engines and chain drive.- History :...
. These last two vehicles are mechanically unrelated to other CT-series bikes, and each other.
Trail Cub / Hunter Cub
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
.
These small 17" wheel bikes are intended for relatively slow off-road travel. They have 4-stroke engines ranging from 49 cc to 105 cc, and automatic clutches. All bikes have either 3- or 4-speed transmissions, plus a second choice of HIGH or LOW bands to apply the same gears to road travel or slower off-road travel. The early bikes achieved this by having two drive sprockets at the rear wheel, which required the rider to dismount and thread the chain onto the desired sprocket. Later bikes placed the two-stage choice within the gearbox, and required the rider to only move a lever.
1960-1962 C100H/C100T/CA100T "Trail 50"
The '105' bikes are largely identical for their '100' predecessor. There is a slight increase in engine size from 49 cc to 54 cc, and 1963 sees the introduction the distinctive upswept exhaust with large chrome heat-shield.1964-1966 CT200 "Trail 90"
The 1964 CT200 is technically the first "CT-series" Honda.This bike represents a relatively large increase in engine size from 54 cc to 87 cc, and the introduction of a 4-speed transmission. This bike also introduced adjustable steel-tube handlebars, rather than the fixed, pressed-steel covered, Super Cub style bars of previous bikes.
1966-1979 CT90 "Trail 90"
The CT90 begins the now-familiar Honda nomenclature of prefix letters indicating bike family, followed by numbers indicating engine size.This model sees two important improvements to the series. In 1968 the stepped-chainring is replaced with a convenient secondary gearbox that only requires a turn of a small lever placed near the rider's left heel. In 1969 the Super Cub style leading-link fork is replaced with a modern telescopic fork of greatly increased travel.
This Trail Cub would become one of the most popular models, staying in production for 13 years.
1968 CT50 Hunter Cub
In 1968 Honda announced a new CT50 Hunter Cub for the home market. This light-weight bike featured the new dual-range gearbox, coupled with a 3-speed transmission. It retained the Super Cub style leading-link fork.1980-2008 CT110 "Trail 110"
The CT110 is the final model of the Trail Cub line. It is largely identical to the CT90 except for an increase in engine size from 89.5 cc to 105 cc. Very late model CT110 have a completely enclosed chainguard like a Super Cub.The bike was last sold in the USA in 1986. Honda lists domestic production from 1981 to 2000.
As of 2008 the bike is still sold in Australia and New Zealand as an agricultural vehicle. Also as of 2008, Honda's Australia website carries this statement: "The CT110AG bike is not a Road Registerable Bike and cannot be ridden on the road. Only to be used on private property." Honda's New Zealand website lists the bike as "Road registerable." The CT110 is now sold as road registered direct to the public by Honda in Australia, a change for 2010.
The CT110 has a long association with the Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
as a mail carrier
Mail carrier
A mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman , postman/postwoman , letter carrier or postie is an employee of the post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses...
vehicle, leading to the popular moniker "Postie Bike". Australia Post was still receiving hundreds of new CT110 as recently as 2010.
Additionally, for the 2010 model year Honda Motorcycles Australia made for sale a road-registerable version of the CT110 which it designated as the CT110, as distinct from the AG suffix on the agricultural model. This eased reliance of prospective owners on ex- Australia Post motorcycles, which generally live a hard life and are sold off at auction once they have served their duty (typically three years or 30,000km of high load, constant stop-start operation).
CT50 Motra
The CT50 Motra is a minibike
Minibike
A minibike, sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniature motorcycle. Most minibikes use two-stroke engines and chain drive.- History :...
produced in 1982-1983 for the Japanese domestic market. It has a boxy rugged appearance, with an angular steel-tube and panel frame supporting large racks fore and aft. This utility/military style is emphasized by a lack of decorative chrome, and by a solid yellow or green paint scheme for all bodywork and wheels.
It is unrelated to the Trail Cub series, and should not be confused with the 1968 CT50 Hunter Cub.
CT70 "Trail 70"
The Honda ST70 Dax was sold in Canada and the USA as the CT70 "Trail 70" from 1969 to 1994 . It is a minibike
Minibike
A minibike, sometimes called a mini moto or pocketbike, is a miniature motorcycle. Most minibikes use two-stroke engines and chain drive.- History :...
distinguished by a pressed-steel "T-bone" frame, and equipped with folding handle-bars.
The slightly larger ST90 Dax was sold in the USA as the Trailsport, but was not given a CT-series designation. This was probably to avoid confusion with the concurrent Trail Cub CT90 "Trail 90".
CT125/CT185/CT200 Farm Bikes
Honda has built a series of Australia-only CT bikes for agricultural work. As a general description these are variants of Honda dirt bikes, equipped with larger saddles, a fully enclosed chainguard, and front and rear racks.The last model of CT110 Trail Cub (described above) is also marketed as a Farm Bike in Australia. It is not mechanically related to these bikes.
CT125 "Trail 125"
The 1976-1985 Honda CT125 is a 125cc fourstroke motorbike which was designed for farm use. The bike is actually an XL125 with a more 'comfortable' seat. These bikes are very reliable because of the small fourstroke engine. The CT125, which takes its engine from the TL125 with different gear ratios, also has lower gearing than the XL125. The first two gears are spaced very close together for low speed operation. The CT also came with a chrome rear rack, a steel handlebar/lever protector, engine guard, sidestand guard, a smaller 19" front wheel (XL125 had a 21"), and a unique enclosed chainguard that completely covers the drive chain. The seat is also shorter and the bike is only designed to carry one person, not two. Also specific to the CT125 are the large mudflaps front and rear. The frame is painted Shiny Orange as is the tank and sidecovers. The XL had a black frame. The CT125 also has a welded on bash plate on the bottom of the frame.The CT125 was also exported to the USA for 1977 only.
CT250S Silk Road
The 1981 CT250S Silk Road was Honda's attempt at a "trekking" motorcycle, marketed between its mechanical siblings, the CB250RS road bike and the XL250Honda XL250
Honda XL250 is a four stroke 250cc motorcycle from Honda introduced in 1972 and manufactured through most of the 1980s. It's a renamed Honda SL250. When it appeared it was the first modern four stroke enduro motorcycle and the first mass-produced 4-valve motorcycle...
dirt bike. It has slightly more ground clearance than the CB250RS, and an upswept and close-fitted chrome exhaust that is kept clear of both debris and luggage. The Silk Road was offered with a single saddle followed by a chrome baggage rack. A removable pillion seat can be fitted to this rack. Its 6-speed transmission is geared as a regular 5-speed plus one extra-low gear.