Honda C92, CB92, C95 Benly

1963 Honda C92 125cc Benly

The Honda C92 Benly is a 125 cc (7.6 cu in) parallel-twin motorcycle made by Honda from 1959 through 1965.^[1] Running concurrently were the CB92 Sports and the slightly larger C95 150 cc (9.2 cu in), called the CA92 and CA95 in the US. These twins took their styling and design cues from the larger-displacement Honda C71, C76, C72, C77 Dream series.

Description[]

The name Benly comes from the Japanese word benri, meaning convenient.

The frame was a pressed-steel, fully-welded design with the front end carrying the steering head and the rear end forming the deeply valanced mudguard. The front forks were pressed steel and carried the front mudguard. Front suspension was of the leading link type. Rear suspension was by fully enclosed telescopic dampers. Front and rear brakes were six-inch single-leading-shoe type in full-width hubs. Wheels were 16-inch.^[2]

The engine was a straight- or parallel-twin, four stroke with two valves per cylinder operated by a chain-driven overhead camshaft. The compression ratio of the C92 was 8.3:1, and the C95's was 9.7:1. Honda's claimed horsepower for the C92 was 11.5 hp (8.6 kW) @ 9,500 rpm and 16.5 hp (12.3 kW) @ 10,000 rpm for the C95. The claimed torque was 0.9 kg⋅m (8.8 N⋅m; 6.5 lb⋅ft) @ 8,200 rpm for the C92 and 1.25 kg⋅m (12.3 N⋅m; 9.0 lb⋅ft) @ 9,000 rpm for the C95. They had a 10.1 l (2.2 imp gal; 2.7 US gal) fuel tanks, and single 18 mm (C92) or 20 mm (C95) carburettors. The primary drive was by helical-cut gears to a multi-plate clutch running in oil which lubricated both the engine and the four-speed gearbox, and a fully enclosed chain final drive. The electrical system was six volts and an electric starter was a standard fitment on all models.^[3]

C92 and C95[]

Honda CB92 125cc

Cosmetically, the C92 and C95 (called CA92 and CA95 in the US) differed mainly in their handlebars. The European bikes had flat pressed steel bars and the American bikes had raised tubular bars but when the C95 was brought to Europe, it was equipped with the raised tubular bars. There was also a CS92 which had a high-level scrambler style exhaust system.^[4]

Cosmetically, it had briefer mudguards and small chain-guard. The fuel tank was larger, holding 10.5 litres (2.3 imp gal). The rear suspension had exposed springs. Both brakes were 8 inch with the front being a twin-leading-shoe type. Both wheels were 18 inch. The engine had higher compression pistons of 10:1. Quoted HP/rpm was 15/10,500 and torque in kg.m/rpm was 1.06/9,000. The crankshaft of the CB92 was supported by three main bearings instead of two in the standard engine.^[5]

See also[]

• List of motorcycles of the 1950s

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Honda Benly.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Honda CB92.