1974 Honda CL175 Scrambler

The CL175 is proof that motorcycling's best days don't require displacement. Honda's Scrambler line put high pipes and semi-knobbies on their small twins, creating bikes that looked adventurous and were genuinely capable on dirt roads.

At 17 horsepower, you can use all of what's available without going to jail. It's light enough to pick up when you drop it. Simple enough to fix yourself. Cheap enough to not worry about. The small-displacement scrambler is motorcycling's best-kept secret.

Mine is a proper survivor. High pipes have a nice heat patina. Paint is faded to a pleasant version of its original color. These bikes were meant to be ridden on backroads, and they should look like it.

The small-displacement Hondas of this era were built to last — they just need someone to appreciate them.

This is the perfect third motorcycle. The one you ride when you want to feel alive without risking your life. Maintenance is Honda-simple: valve adjustments, points, and oil. Parts are getting scarcer but Honda twins share components across models.

The electric start works (unlike some of its contemporaries). Join the vintage Honda community and you'll find people who've kept these bikes running for 50 years.