Honda has made so many different models over the years, it would be very difficult to go over each model. If this is an interesting topic which you want to study in depth, I suggest that you buy a Honda Motorcycle Identification Guide which is available for about $40 from the Honda Parts Department.
This page will go over the most basic classic model designations of the 1960's and 1970's that sometimes confuse the novice collectors. You can click on the small thumbnail picture and it will pull up the full sized image

1960's Model Designations

C something Step Throughs

These were the 50 cc step through models. The world's best selling motorcycle. Many are still being built in Asia for daily use. The model designation numbers can be confusing
It would be hard for the average person to tell the difference of many of the models. Up until 1962 the number used was C 100. After 1962 the number used was CA 100. However you also had C 102 and CA 102 models. There was also a CA 100T which was a trail model.

Later, starting in 1970 You also had C 70 models which were 70 cc step throughs that in the earliest years looked very much like their 50cc Brethren. The C70 "Passport" was resurrected in 1980-1983.

1960's C 100

1970 C 70M

CB

CB BIKES CAME TYPICALLY WITH THE ENGINE AS A STRESSED PART OF THE FRAME. THEY HAD LOW EXHAUST PIPES AND WERE GEARED FOR HIGHER TOP END SPEEDS THAN CL MODELS.

1968 CB 160

CL

CL MODELS HAD HIGH UPSWEPT PIPES SOME OF THE SUB 305CC 1960'S MODELS USED THE ENGINE AS AS PART OF THE FRAME. LATER MODELS HAD FULL "CRADLE" FRAMES, LIKE THE 1973 CL 200 PICTURED HERE. THESE WERE CALLED SCRAMBLERS AS IN STREET/TRAIL/OFF ROAD. DO NOT TRY IT! NOT SUITED FOR OFF ROAD THEN, OR NOW. BIGGER GAS TANKS, HIGH EXHAUST AND SLIGHTLY LOWER OVERALL GEARING WERE THE ONLY MAJOR ENGINEERING DIFFERENCES!

1973 CL 200

CA

CA MODELS WERE OFTEN CALLED DREAMS, THEY HAD LOW PIPES, SINGLE CARBURETORS, A LEADING LINK FRONT FORK, ENCLOSED CHAINS, AND FLARED FENDERS. THEY WERE HEAVIER, WITH A MUCH SOFTER RIDE, AND WERE DECIDEDLY SLOWER. THEY HAD TERRIBLY WEAK BATTERIES THAT ARE HARD TO FIND NOW. SOME PEOPLE REFER TO THE CA95 AS A DREAM, BUT TECHNICALLY IT WAS A BENLY TOURING

1969 CA 160

CD

IF YOU WANT TO GET REAL DEEP, THERE WAS ONE MODEL THAT WAS CALLED A CD. IT WAS ONLY 175CC MADE FROM 1968-1970. IT IS EVEN REFERRED TO AS BOTH CA AND CD IN THE HONDA IDENTIFICATION GUIDE. THIS MODEL WAS A FOLLOW ON TO THE "DREAMS" IT HAD SEMI FAIRED FENDERS, A MORE SQUARE TANK, BUT CONVENTIONAL FRONT FORKS. THEY HAD ONLY A 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER 175CC MODELS THAT HAD 5 SPEEDS

1969 CD 175

1970's Model Designations

CL

CL MODELS CEASED TO EXIST AFTER 1974.

CB

CB DESIGNATIONS IN SOME ENGINE SIZES, ESPECIALLY THE 400, 550, 650, AND 750CC MODELS, CONTINUED INTO THE 1970'S AND IN SOME CASES THE 1980'S.

1980 CB 750F

SL

SL MODELS CAME IN 1969-1973 IN 70,90,100,125, 175 AND 350CC ONLY. THEY WERE THE FIRST SERIOUS OFF ROAD HONDAS. THEY HAD UPSWEPT EXHAUST PIPES, BETTER SUSPENSION, LOWER GEARING, BUT WERE STILL STREET LEGAL. THEY WERE STILL MUCH HEAVIER AND LESS WELL SUSPENDED THAN THE OTHER 2 CYCLE BASED JAPANESE COMPETITION.

SL 350

XL

XL MODELS WERE THE NEXT GENERATION OF STREET TRAIL MODELS. THE VERY FIRST XL WAS THE 250 IN 1972. XL'S CAME IN 70,75,80,100,125, 175, 250, AND 350 CC. THEY HAD TURN SIGNALS AND WERE STREET LEGAL, SOME OF THE 350 XL MODELS CONTINUED INTO THE 1980'S.

1976 XL 125

XR

THESE MODELS INTRODUCED IN 1979. THEY CAME IN 70, 80, 100, 185, 200, 250, AND 350CC. THEY WERE FOR OFF ROAD, THEY HAD HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS BUT GENERALLY WERE NOT STREET LEGAL. SOME XR MODELS CONTINUE INTO PRESENT DAY WITH DIFFERING ENGINE DISPLACEMENTS.

1979 XR 185

CR

THESE WERE THE FIRST TRUE MOTOCROSS HONDAS. THEY WERE WORLD CLASS FROM THE BEGINNING IN 1973.

1973 CR 250M