I'm considering either restoring an old Honda Dream or purchasing one that has already been restored. Before I do, though, I want to determine if it's going to meet my needs.
How does the Dream perform on longer trips? Can it run 500 miles a day for four or five days straight? Does anyone have any experience with an older Honda 305 on a long trip?
I realize that an older motorcycle might not be as comfortable as a new one and will need more maintenance, but I guess I'm wondering if they need so much maintenance that they're impossible to use on a regular basis and should be used only for "joy rides."
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate any insight or experience you can share.
Dream As a Touring Bike?
I wouldn't say its a "touring" bike but it can perform well if you know its limitations. Last summer I did 1250 miles around Lake Superior in 7 days. Longest day was just over 200 miles if I remember right. I guess 500 miles might be doable if you were able to take the saddle time in a bike like this. It had no problem keeping up with traffic for the most part. Hills would slow it down a little but all the hills that we encountered in Canada had 2 lanes so we could be easily passed. The only problem I really had was a broken clutch cable.
In more remote parts of Canada we would drive for miles on end at full throttle. Not like we were really going all that fast but it sure was fun on bike like that. The main thing is that the bike is a little cramped and requires frequent stops to get off and stretch your legs or stops to get gas because of the smaller tank. The bike really itself really isn't the limiting factor its more the rider. One thing to keep in mind is the maintainence. I think I changed oil twice on the trip just to be cautious. Another thing is that there are parts on the bike that are 40+ years old, you just need to keep that in mind. Besides that you have to get used to the people you meet along the way asking you if that's the same bike that the Shriner's rode. Kevin 
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kevin. I appreciate it.
What kind of mileage have you been getting on your bike? How many miles do you go before each fuel stop? Also, slightly off-topic, do you think people mistake your bike for a Shriners' bike since it's red? Since they wear the maroon, people might mentally associate the two.
No plan, really. I'm just trying to set realistic expectations. Can I expect a 40-year-old CA77 to be a solid, reliable daily driver that can also go out on the occasional road trip? Or will be a troublesome, maintenance nightmare that can only be ridden for very short trips around town on bright, sunny Saturday afternoons? Like everything else in life, I suspect my actual experience with the machine will fall somewhere between these two extremes. I'm just trying to figure out what I should expect so I'm not disappointed when I actually get the motorcycle. I don't mind doing some maintenance on a motorcycle. I suspect that's part of the fun of owning a vintage bike... the mechanical and electrical subsystems are simple enough that you can work on them yourself. However, my primary interest is in riding the motorcycle. If I have to spend as much time maintaining the motorcycle as I do getting to ride it, I may need to reconsider my dream of owning a Dream. So I guess the heart of my question is this: Is the amount time required to maintain a vintage Japanese motorcycle greater than the time that can be spent riding? Are they reliable enough that you can actually take them somewhere without fear of it breaking down in the middle of nowhere? You will have much less trouble than a vintage British bike and little more maintenance than a modern Honda. If you can handle adjusting points and lubing chains, you should be fine. Just remember the age of the bike and don't expect a readily available replacement anything in the middle of anywhere.
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