Hey RP#62...

[f6gal]

What do you think of this (note production date)?  Pre-production model?  It was seen at the Honda Plant in Marysville Ohio



Also, if you're interested, there's a thread on FB with quite a few VIN pics.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2232984346/posts/10160115159104347/?comment_id=10160116803144347&notif_id=1663522592280965&notif_t=group_comment_follow

[hubcapsc]

#13 (?) was at this year's meet-in-the-middle ride...

-Mike

[f6gal]

I've never seen a production date of 2/96 before... always 4/96 or later.  

[RP#62]

That's a new one on me too.  The earliest one I had seen prior to that was one with a VIN of 1HFSC3401VA000009 and a manufacture date of 3/96.  The owner indicated that he had just bought a used 1997 Standard w/history and only 7500 miles on it. "Supposedly this bike was given by Honda to Cruiser Magazine as a demo.  They custom painted and powdercoated the forks, wheels, springs etc.  After it had been demo'ed, Honda was supposedly going to recall and crush it because of warranty issues (bike had been stripped down).  However, It was then aquired by Kenny Lyons (Land speed record holder) who set speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1998 (130.620 Mph); 1999 (133.040 Mph); Muroc Dry Lake 1998 (130.620 Mph) and 1999 (141.550 Mph). I was also told that out of the first 10 Standards produced there are only 7 left.  In the Dec '97copy of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine, there is a five page write up about this beast, its custom paint job."

I think I had heard or read before that Honda had produced a handful of bikes prior to the normal production run for demo purposes and some had been purchased by Honda employees.

-RP