Vintage Honda friction drive

Happy Valley

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From 1953, built in conjunction with Bridgestone bicycles, a lovely bike with a 38.5cc engine and an inverted friction drive that used a rubber wheel driving on the underside of the rim.

HONDA 1953A.JPG

HONDA1953B.JPG

HONDA1953C.JPG

Nice compact unit, low center of gravity, separate fuel compartment, rear rack unobstructed and rim brakes unaffected. Those were the days.
 
The engine is inverted as well, plug wire is on the bottom. I wonder if it has a mechanism that the rider can engage and disengage on the go?
 
Yeah, I assumed it's a 2 stroke and with a engage/disengage feature. I thought it an interesting and different take on FD.
 
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