How rare IS a numbers matching...

[Scruffy]

My "free" CL72 is the first old metric I've found with matching engine and chassis numbers... not a few numbers different so close enough. I mean the EXACT same numbers.

And does ending in 0001 mean it was the first for that model year? Or just that they ran out of the first number string and changed 1 digit somewhere in it and started over?

Kind of hoping it does not mean first of the model year, because the missing bits (both fenders, seat, tail light and bracket, center stand, correct exhaust, handful of fasteners, one side panel, correct handlebar) means I need to find parts worth more than the restored bike. You don't cut up a first of the run... and here I originally got it to make a sign or mailbox stand out of...

 

[DesmoBro]

it would be a rare mailbox stand...

 

[noexit]

If it's a 0001 and matches, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the first of the year, but would be surprised about some one giving it to you as a mailbox stand.

 

[VonYinzer]

Lots of bikes have matching numbers. Depends on the manufacturer. My R5 does. My old CB350 did IIRC. Anyhow, google is your friend. I'm sure someone somewhere has listed the serial numbers for that model and what they mean as far as production run significance. If by chance it IS a first model, you should find a restorer/collector to sell it to. You may not have the parts to put it back to original but they will and they will gladly pay you a nice sum of money for the frame and motor. The rest of the parts have no serial numbers so as long as they're the correct style/year it won't matter from a restorers standpoint that they arent the EXACT originals.

 

[noexit]

Lot of bikes have matching numbers, but I've never seen a matching numbers old honda. Even my 1980 GL1100, the newest Honda I own, has a engine number ending in 2028 and a frame number ending in 1880. I've owned and seen a ton of Hondas, and the engine numbers are almost always 50 to 200+ digits higher than the frame numbers. This has been discussed extensively in a lot of forums.

 

[Hoofhearted]

To some people matching numbers are important. Restorers mainly. To others it doesn't matter a whit. Years ago when I was in Ireland there was a big time sponsor in Northern Ireland. He bought a Honda GP bike. It was one of their designs that didn't do squat on the racing scene. He bought it for 7000 Stg. Turned out the engine and frame nos. were 0001. He raced it a couple of times but it didn't do much and it was parked in the back of the workshop. When Honda were setting up their museum they went looking for all the bikes they considered, at the time, worthless because a new racer was coming out next year. By the time Honda finished negotiating with him for the bike they paid him 250,000 Stg.

Not saying yours is worth anything like that but anything with 0001 in the numbers has a certain something. Were it mine I'd go to the trouble to restore it. Not a mad rush resto but restore it back to original. But a mailbox stand wouldnt be in the plans.

 

[jsharpphoto]

In vespas, matching numbers are a bad sign. They mean that either the VIN or the engine number is fake, because the two were produced in different places, and assembled in a third. None of them ever rolled off the line as a matching set.

What a lot of people look for is matching production years. An engine from 74 in a frame from 71 is a little bit of a bummer to some people. Not everyone cares though.

 

[frogman]

http://www.motorera.com/honda/h0250/scram250.htm

Donno much about the old sloper Honda's but I don know that a CL 72 is rare in of itself, they didn't make many or for very long. Unlike the 250 dreams.

What's the number? And matching numbers on Honda's that old only happens at the beginning if ever so I have been told. They didn't start matching numbers till the late 70's.

And yeah if its in any kind of restore-able shape its better put back together than hacked up money wise.

 

[Basement rat]

MY CB has matching, I dont care much about that fact.

 

[noexit]

Here's some info from another list where I get a lot of good Honda info:

It is exceedingly rare for a Honda to have matching engine and frame numbers. They are usually + or - 5 or 10 difference. The engines were built in one plant, brought to the plant where the bike was undergoing final assembly. Engines were plucked off the storage racks and installed into frames. Now if an engine were damaged say after it got into the customers hands and engine cases replaces, the frame number might get stamped into the engine cases. I know at least one case (pardon the pun) where that was true on a CB750K0.

So an early CL72, possible to be matching numbers. As they say though, pics for it didn't happen.

 

[NortonGuy]

I would say you have something important enough to preserve and do some research on. Any old bike that has it's original major parts and/or matching numbers makes it much more important in more ways than one.

Hondas are great bikes with a fabulous heritage and history, you might have something historical there.

Bikes built up from piles of different parts can be the most fun and useable, but the old bikes that are original and have some matching numbers or interesting history are fun to research and restore too.

One old Norton 650 I bought had a serial number ending in 03, when I ran it's number through the factory records it not only showed that it had all it's original major components, but it turned out to be the third Norton 650 Norton ever built, and so far as I have found the oldest one known, which made it a nice and interesting surprise. I also through luck and a watchful eye ending up with the second 750 Norton engine built, an equally interesting artifact and piece of Norton history.

And that is why I jumped in here, from my experience with Norton motorcycle serial numbers, when I read your post I thought you may have stumbled onto an important Honda artifact.....