Original Japanese Hero Honda CD 100 - Collectible?

newcoolgadgets · 12th October 2008, 14:24

There is an ad in the local daily today advertising an original and immaculate condition Hero Honda CD 100 for sale. The bike is owned by a Parsi guy, and is supposedly from the first production year of the bike. I am yet to see the bike, but I am interested in finding out if the first production HH's are worth collecting or not. If I am not wrong, the Hero Honda CD 100 was the first 100cc four-stroke bike in India and it revolutionized the Indian two-wheeler market and eventually led to the death of the scooter as the prime mover for the middle class in India.

How much should I expect to pay for a reasonably good piece. What should I look out for? Comments, suggestions and inputs welcome.

hollywoodhogan · 12th October 2008, 15:34

dude, in my opinion its not a collectors item, at least not for another 20 years. it perhaps did change the way india commutes but just another ordinary motorcycle that happened to be at the right place at the right time. do not overpay for this bike. besides the SAME bike is STILL being produced so no way its a collectible.

Mpower · 12th October 2008, 18:46

Since the bike hasn't changed much in 20 years, I would not pay a huge sum for it. SO its just a well maintained old bike, thats it.

Cyrus43 · 12th October 2008, 18:56

I have the Third IND SUZUKI AX 100 to be sold in India. The Bike is in Granny Dhabhar's name and is still in original aint and chrome. It is also still on the original 6V Battery with ALL original bulbs. It will NEVER be sold.

now about the CD 100. Let me tell you a fact about that bike. It is by far, the MOST user friendly bike EVER!! Rip it, and it will still give you around 60-70kmpl. If you want to use it here and there, go in for it. BUTTT, it aint a collectible by far!!

greenhorn · 12th October 2008, 18:59

whether it is a collectible is in the eye of the collector. Most people , when confronted with a fiat 1100 in running condition and original parts would still say junk it.
Would the gentleman who posted above agree with that

?

Its up to you, if you like the bike that much, and if the price is right

dhaval · 12th October 2008, 20:24

AFAIK, this is the original "fill it. shut it. forget it." bike. One of the best sellers that time. Dont know if it is a collectible item or not but if its a well maintained one, lay your hands on it (why you want to but??). I think the current CD100 SS shares the same spares as the CD100, so maintenance should not be a problem.
Keep us posted mate.

s0uljah · 12th October 2008, 20:28

My dad took delivery of this in 1983 I think, used for close to half a year and sold to a colleague who in turn sold it to another friend. I still get to see it once in a while. Still runs like a gem so from that angle its worth buying.. collectors item it is not.

Sankar · 12th October 2008, 20:37

The old Hero Honda's used to deliver some awesome mileage!

An acquaintance has an old HH and it gives him around 80kmpl, and he rides it with no special care so as to extract max mileage.

newcoolgadgets · 12th October 2008, 21:01

Hmmm....interesting. Are you guys sure that the first CD100's are the same that are produced now? The engine, frame, body style, electricals are the same? I am not a huge CD100 fan, so I am not inclined to pay a ransom for the bike. But I do appreciate a good piece of motoring history, and therefore wanted to know if this qualifies as a collectors item.

Btw, I do remember reading on another thread (Edmund's 800?) about the first few Maruti Suzuki SS800's becoming modern classics and a collector's item. Now the Maruti 800 wasn't a technological marvel either and the CD100's have a similar part in India's automobile history, don't you think?

Cyrus, kudos on the AX 100! I too have an '86 Priya (again, not a collectible) and a '91 T5 (a collectible, I believe) in mint condition and I am not selling either. Greenhorn, The same goes for my '87 Premier Padmini, which surprises a lot of people when I tell them that I never intend to sell it!

greenhorn · 12th October 2008, 23:36

I think an RX 100 would be a good collectible - I'm still looking for one , all i get are RX 135's and RXG's :(

newcoolgadgets · 13th October 2008, 20:55

Yes, RX100 is another one on my wish list too! Infact, here's my wish list of collectible two-wheelers produced in India is:

Vespa 150
Lambretta GP200
Royal Enfield Bullet
Yamaha RD350
Yamaha RX100
Suzuki Shogun
Vespa (LML) T5 (already have this one!)

sreerama · 9th December 2008, 00:54

I think among all rxz 5 speed would be collectable. I even find rx100 easily but very difficult to find RXZ 5 speed. I think even if i do find it would be about 30k.

12th October 2008, 14:24	#1
newcoolgadgets BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Nagpur Posts: 183 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	Original Japanese Hero Honda CD 100 - Collectible? There is an ad in the local daily today advertising an original and immaculate condition Hero Honda CD 100 for sale. The bike is owned by a Parsi guy, and is supposedly from the first production year of the bike. I am yet to see the bike, but I am interested in finding out if the first production HH's are worth collecting or not. If I am not wrong, the Hero Honda CD 100 was the first 100cc four-stroke bike in India and it revolutionized the Indian two-wheeler market and eventually led to the death of the scooter as the prime mover for the middle class in India. How much should I expect to pay for a reasonably good piece. What should I look out for? Comments, suggestions and inputs welcome.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 15:34	#2
hollywoodhogan BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 423 Thanked: 14 Times	dude, in my opinion its not a collectors item, at least not for another 20 years. it perhaps did change the way india commutes but just another ordinary motorcycle that happened to be at the right place at the right time. do not overpay for this bike. besides the SAME bike is STILL being produced so no way its a collectible.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 18:46	#3
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Since the bike hasn't changed much in 20 years, I would not pay a huge sum for it. SO its just a well maintained old bike, thats it.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 18:56	#4
Cyrus43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,019 Thanked: 221 Times View My Garage	I have the Third IND SUZUKI AX 100 to be sold in India. The Bike is in Granny Dhabhar's name and is still in original aint and chrome. It is also still on the original 6V Battery with ALL original bulbs. It will NEVER be sold. now about the CD 100. Let me tell you a fact about that bike. It is by far, the MOST user friendly bike EVER!! Rip it, and it will still give you around 60-70kmpl. If you want to use it here and there, go in for it. BUTTT, it aint a collectible by far!!
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 18:59	#5
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,397 Times View My Garage	whether it is a collectible is in the eye of the collector. Most people , when confronted with a fiat 1100 in running condition and original parts would still say junk it. Would the gentleman who posted above agree with that ? Its up to you, if you like the bike that much, and if the price is right
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 20:24	#6
dhaval BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 404 Thanked: Once View My Garage	AFAIK, this is the original "fill it. shut it. forget it." bike. One of the best sellers that time. Dont know if it is a collectible item or not but if its a well maintained one, lay your hands on it (why you want to but??). I think the current CD100 SS shares the same spares as the CD100, so maintenance should not be a problem. Keep us posted mate.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 20:28	#7
s0uljah Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: BLR Posts: 2,222 Thanked: 26 Times View My Garage	My dad took delivery of this in 1983 I think, used for close to half a year and sold to a colleague who in turn sold it to another friend. I still get to see it once in a while. Still runs like a gem so from that angle its worth buying.. collectors item it is not.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 20:37	#8
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,053 Times	The old Hero Honda's used to deliver some awesome mileage! An acquaintance has an old HH and it gives him around 80kmpl, and he rides it with no special care so as to extract max mileage.
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 21:01	#9
newcoolgadgets BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Nagpur Posts: 183 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	Hmmm....interesting. Are you guys sure that the first CD100's are the same that are produced now? The engine, frame, body style, electricals are the same? I am not a huge CD100 fan, so I am not inclined to pay a ransom for the bike. But I do appreciate a good piece of motoring history, and therefore wanted to know if this qualifies as a collectors item. Btw, I do remember reading on another thread (Edmund's 800?) about the first few Maruti Suzuki SS800's becoming modern classics and a collector's item. Now the Maruti 800 wasn't a technological marvel either and the CD100's have a similar part in India's automobile history, don't you think? Cyrus, kudos on the AX 100! I too have an '86 Priya (again, not a collectible) and a '91 T5 (a collectible, I believe) in mint condition and I am not selling either. Greenhorn, The same goes for my '87 Premier Padmini, which surprises a lot of people when I tell them that I never intend to sell it!
	() Thanks

12th October 2008, 23:36	#10
greenhorn Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: KL-01 Posts: 7,745 Thanked: 4,397 Times View My Garage	I think an RX 100 would be a good collectible - I'm still looking for one , all i get are RX 135's and RXG's :(
	() Thanks

13th October 2008, 20:55	#11
newcoolgadgets BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Nagpur Posts: 183 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	Yes, RX100 is another one on my wish list too! Infact, here's my wish list of collectible two-wheelers produced in India is: Vespa 150 Lambretta GP200 Royal Enfield Bullet Yamaha RD350 Yamaha RX100 Suzuki Shogun Vespa (LML) T5 (already have this one!)
	() Thanks

9th December 2008, 00:54	#12
sreerama BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 88 Thanked: 11 Times	I think among all rxz 5 speed would be collectable. I even find rx100 easily but very difficult to find RXZ 5 speed. I think even if i do find it would be about 30k.
	() Thanks