I bet most of you reading this have never seen a Honda Test Track before. Apparently, this was a primitive dyno machine for motorcycles from the 1970s. It can be found here on eBay with an asking price of $2,750. Located in Leverett, Massachusetts, it looks like the perfect addition to a motorcycle collection. Can you imagine this in the corner of a rec. room or showroom with a vintage bike strapped to it? If you are familiar with this equipment or have any other details, please drop us a comment below. Let’s take a closer look at this performance relic.
I believe this is the front of the machine. The ad says the belt drives the fans, which would blow air rearward to aid in cooling the engine and simulating air-flow. I would imagine this thing gets exciting with a race bike on it. I don’t know if this particular equipment would be used by individual dealers or if it was reserved for the Honda race team at the time?
I’m sure this machine never envisioned a 2020 Honda CBR1000 squeezing its 190mm rear tire on that belt or keeping up with its 13,000 RPM redline!
Here are the connections for the two straps that would keep the test bike from launching into orbit. Can you imagine the operator of this dyno looking at a modern one with its computer controls and sensors? I’m not sure what data was extracted from this one back in the 70s, but it sure is wild to imagine. What about you?
Nice work, Montana! I saw this listing a few weeks ago and wondered how my Motocompo would fit onto it or what the heck I would possibly use it for, but I wanted it. I sort of still do. I could find exactly zero information about it – hopefully, one of the readers has some info on it.
Finally, my life has meaning, I’m not sure what this qualifies as. I suppose someone could use it to test motorcycles after repair, oh, don’t get me started( wait, I got me started) on that crooked industry and since this IS a motorcycle related thread, let me tell you what a ripoff that industry has become. From no parts, to shoddy replacements for big bucks, terrible. Starter failed on my DRZ, what a blatant waste of money that bike was, and someone on SS has no business feeding into that baloney. Oh, they’re great when new, but in true Asian fashion, they have a limited life, and 10 years in, they figure they got their use out of it, make it fail, repeatedly. The starter was the last straw,( in a series of repairs) and a local ATV/cycle shop, I think is buying it, for HALF what I got into it, but such is the hobby, pay or get out. That’s ok, price of removing a headache? Priceless!
Now, what were we talkin’ about?
Planned obsolescence , the manufacturers have that all figured in
Oh, I know, we can thank Brooks Stevens for that, posthumously, of course.
the Term was coined by Brooks Stevens but it was implemented long before him . Youtube “the Lightbulb Conspiracy” eye opening stuff
Used at dealerships to teach newbies how to operate a motorcycle. https://www.bike-urious.com/1970s-honda-test-track/
Well done, Mike. It’s no dyno!
Hey Howard!!!……..Lots of motorcycle junkyards out west. I’ll bet an electric starter wouldn’t be hard to find, seriously. Hate to see you distraught over machinery. I don’t buy any old motorcycle other than a Honda or BMW. Maybe I’ve just been lucky……..As far as a dyno machine? Out of my comfort zone……….truly not in the realm of retirement downsizing.
Hi Gregg, oh, it’s not the starter, I think like $40 bucks on Ebay, and I’m no stranger to repairs, done it for 50 years, it’s just, it all boils down to money, and how far you can bilk the public today. The bike was purely voluntary, and wasn’t all bad, fun machine, even though poorly designed, but it trickles into the rest of our lives, stuff we really need, and that’s a shame. A battery, the size of a pack of hot dogs for $85 dollars, a fuel pump for my old S-10,$200 bucks with a 1 year warranty, and fails in the 13th month, and so on. The only salvation, is to plod over to Ol’ Paint, my trusty 40 year old squarebody Jimmy, pump the gas 6 times, and zoom, off we go. I think people will, if not already, tire of that crap, and these crooks will be driving Swift trucks,,not that there’s anything wrong with that. Now I’m looking back to my roots, and a basic, 40 year old H-D is looking mighty attractive again. I wouldn’t touch a used Honda( or anything Asian) again for anything.
All too true Howard, now 6 years into retirement I’m starting to change my attitude toward collecting anything. I love machinery and my Dad being a mechanic we never bought anything that ran. We had fun (and I learned a lot) when we bought vehicles for $10 then towed them home and fixed them, drove them ourselves, or supplied our friends and relatives with good cheap transportation. My Dad had a reputation, and whenever he sold a vehicle there was a line………..Today it’s not the same. I’m seriously thinking about selling my last 2 motorcycles. I’ve concentrated on my Corvair and love it, plus sweetie pie can come with and enjoy a ride with the top down. Sold my last snowmobile a month ago also…(Bob Dylan playing ‘The times they are a changin’ in the background) LOL
I think it’s being described backwards. Until I see a bike on it- I’m of the belief that the fan boxes are for sucking and filtering exhaust. The side-rollers allow wallow in the back wheel. The pad is where the front crown of the headlight cowling would press against to stop all forward movement
I guess I’ve wasted 50 years on motorcycles. Riding cross country, down to Mexico and up to Canada. Not to mention touring Europe. I’ve ridden on motorcycles that were over 40 years old and under 3. Yes, I’ve learned to work on them beside the road. Happens with cars too. Then there’s Uber if none of this works for you.
My NSR 250 would look amazing on this!
Perfect for my Schwinn Stingray
I think it is a test stand built by Dave Kent of Creative Car Craft in Hawthorne Ca. It was ordered by the chief Honda engineer. Same guy had something to do with the Bonneville streamliner built in the 70’s.
I rode several street bikes on these contraptions @ the Honda expo held at a AMA motocross event in St. Louis in 1975…I was 10 years old at the time and had been riding since I got my ‘Mini-Trail’ for my 5th birthday…It was a blast to ‘ride’ a Goldwing through all the gears and past the legal speed limits on those treadmill gizmos… It was a great time to be a kid….Still love my Hondas.
I think Brad has it right, but am wondering why Darrell doesn’t confirm that, having enjoyed using the machine….?
OK Back to the nuts and bolts of this thing. I believe the Honda engineer was named Ericsson. Had his hands deep into a Honda streamliner for the salt flats in the seventies. The units were built by creative car craft, Dave Kent, At his shop in Hawthorne, California.
First time I’ve seen it.
Obviosly, Honda was and is on the right path.