When it comes to transportation, we have different tastes and desires. Some of us want to go fast, others want to be seen, then there are those of us that just want to have fun. If you find yourself in that last group, then this lot of 5 Honda CT70 projects might just be the find for you! For the money, you’ll be hard press to have more fun than you will on one of these Hondas. You can find this lot here on eBay in Shreveport, Louisiana with a current bid of $3,600.
With a top speed of 40 mph (maybe 45 down a hill with a strong tailwind) you won’t be going anywhere too fast on one of these little bikes, but you’ll be having so much fun you won’t care. Popping through the gears with the throttle wide open, you almost forget that you’re on a trail bike with barely more than 4 horsepower. That is largely in part because of the tiny 10 inches tires and the ease with which you can pop wheelies on one of these, the rest can be attributed to the rev-happy nature of Honda’s 72cc engine.
When they were new, the CT70 was an automatic hit for Honda. Chances are if you were a kid in the 1970s, you either had one or wanted one of these! And that’s probably why CT values have skyrocketed in the past few years. Just a few years ago, you could be a nice rider for a thousand dollars or less, not expect to spend three times that. Thankfully, you can still find projects for quite a bit less than that, but even their values are starting to go up. This makes this lot seem like a great buy to me, well at least if you are the type that’s inclined to get your hands dirty doing restoration work.
Fixing up all five of these bikes might sound like a massive undertaking, but they are actually quite simple and you can buy absolutely every nut and bolt to make one like new! The only real concerns I have are about the condition of the frames and the lack of titles. Depending on where you live, getting titles might not be that big of a concern, but you’ll want to make sure before bidding. So, do you have fond childhood memories of zipping around on a Honda CT?
Well, I’m not so sure about prices skyrocketing,,it’s not a squarebody GM,,,but if you’re going to do it,,,it being a hobby like this, this is the way to do it.
I read, Honda made an astonishing 380,000 OF THESE, from ’69 to ’82. I remember, and anyone that went to Daytona Beach in the 70’s, there were vendors that rented these on the beach. With a strict 10 mph speed limit, the cops had a field day handing out tickets. I still think the cops rented these under cover for revenue. I wouldn’t worry about titles, it’s just a fun toy designed to be beaten to a bloody pulp back in the woods, and then it was the next kids turn. Great find, looks like someone throwing in the towel.
Wow, I had forgotten completely about riding these on the beach in Daytona during our annual Florida vacations! Thanks for jogging a great memory!
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2014/04/03/daytona-beach-florida-1970s
I remember these growing up in Pa. Dirt/Trail Bikes, Never remember seeing on on the street, and if you did the Cops would chase you into the woods. Most of them I remember were at the dirt tracks and drag strips. You’d be crazy to take these on the streets. Looks like a lot of fun when done. YOU DON’T NEED NO STINKING TITLE.
Ride mine to the beer store all the time
Most fun you can have on 2 wheels
Mmm, for me, a Kawasaki Z1 is the most fun on 2 wheels,,,
Just saw one of these sell with the manual clutch at Mecum in Orlando last week for $6500
Sam Shive , you are absolutely right about the cops chasing us into the woods ! My neighbor had a different brand mini bike I had the Honda trail 50. I was 10, so that was a good start. We would ride the mile down our street to some property Mr. Upjohn (pharmaceutical owner) had and was developing. It’s still a beautiful wooded posse but with condos , apartments and homes hiding in the woods. Very animal friendly.
What upsets me is we had to run from the cops ! My Uncle being one (sometimes helped). Today’s kids ride all those scooters down the middle of the road !
I remember getting my CT for my b-day,
In late March, ’73, and I had so much fun in the woods of Montana. What I remember most, was 2 things; 1, was that it was an automatic transmission, something odd for our neck of the woods at the time. #2, was that it had blinkers for the street; something I did my best to not scratch, but to no avail… I had ripped them off in the first year! Good times…
Still have my 69 Z50A, still has original tires😂
My friend Steve had a Mini Trail 50. We used to take turns riding it around his court (what we called a cul de sac back in the 60’s!) and on my turn I took his little brother for a ride. Round and round, faster and faster …. didn’t realize my circle was slowly widening until ….. Boom! Right into the rear quarter panel of his mom’s big ol ’67 Caddy Sedan!!!! I was NOT the popular kid that day!!! I still blame the little bro though….he kept slapping my back yelling at me to go faster!!! Ha! Fun stuff….
I have seen these in like new condition sell at auction for over $10k.
Howie,, SHHHH !