Fred Hawley’s Honda CL77s

A reader shares his current and past Honda CL77 Scramblers, which provide the fondest memories of his teenage years.

Reader Contribution by Fred Hawley
Published on August 9, 2019
article image
by Fred Hawley
Fred and his 305 Scrambler today.

Rider: Fred Hawley, Middletown, New Jersey
Age: 69
Occupation: Electrical engineer
Rides: 1966 Honda CL77, 1978 Honda CB550, 1975 Honda CB750, 1975 Yamaha XS650, 1981 Yamaha 750 Virago and 2006 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster

I have always had a passion for motorcycles ever since I was a young boy growing up in the Sixties in Stratford, Connecticut. That’s not surprising considering my dad owned several Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I still remember my dad picking me up from grammar school on his Harley — very cool for an 8-year-old boy. On my 16th birthday I was ready for my first motorcycle. Seeing Honda’s ad campaign “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda,” I set my goal on a Honda CL77 Scrambler. My dad insisted I first learn to ride his 1,200cc Harley — not an easy task for a skinny 130-pound boy.

After learning to ride Dad’s Harley, I headed over to my local Honda dealer with $700 cash, earned from my paper route, to buy a new 1966 Honda CL77 Scrambler. At this moment, I knew my life was about to change. Riding my 305cc Scrambler to high school every day, I instantly transformed from a nerdy kid to a cool dude on a 305 Honda. The following year my brother Ray turned 16 years old and purchased a new 1967 Scrambler. This photo shows me and Ray in 1967 on our Scramblers. Ray’s bike is totally stock while mine has new paint, a custom seat and, of course, straight pipes.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-880-7567