HONDA The Power of Dreams

In 1991, a playful, off-road bike-inspired Monkey BAJA joined the Monkey line-up.

BAJA is a desert race across the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. Although there are several races, the BAJA 1000 is the most well-known, covering a distance of 1,000 miles. American Honda Motor has actively participated in this race, winning the motorcycle class many times.

In contrast to the road racer-styled Monkey R released in 1987, Monkey BAJA was inspired by BAJA off-road racing bikes.

As the BAJA 1000 is an all-night race through pitch-dark wilderness, racing bikes are equipped with powerful dual headlights. For this reason, the Monkey-based model was equipped with dual headlights. Other features included a sharp design for the fuel tank and seat. Above the dual headlights was a meter visor that doubled as a number plate. The upright handlebars were fitted with knuckle guards to protect the rider’s hands from pebbles, and various other features were included to mimic a full-sized off-road model.

In addition, to make the Monkey BAJA more of an off-road model, its weight was reduced compared to the base Monkey.

The Monkey BAJA was developed by a team that loved off-road bikes. Of all the off-road models, the team chose to pay homage to the bike that Honda had raced in the BAJA. They had chosen the 250 cc XLR BAJA released in 1987, which helped to create the Monkey BAJA’s image.

The Monkey BAJA was loved by fans as a Monkey with a unique character inspired by the history and tradition of BAJA racing. In 1992, a model with new livery was released.

In 1993, the final model with minor improvements was released.

The Monkey BAJA, with its distinctive styling, stood out from the other Monkeys, and even its catalog was playful.

In 1962, Honda introduced the Dream CL72 Scrambler, a true off-road model. This was a motorcycle powered by the engine from the 250 cc Dream CB72 Super Sport, but with a specially designed semi-double cradle frame and suspension for off-road riding.

In the U.S., where off-road races are popular, a plan emerged to test the CL72 for its endurance. It was a big plan, to traverse the Mexican Baja California Peninsula in one shot. Two young associates from a Honda dealership were the riders in this project.

In an endurance test for the CL72, they covered 963 miles (around 1541 km) in 39 hours and 59 minutes.

This test resulted in the CL72’s durability becoming widely known, and expectations grew for a race to be held on the Baja California Peninsula. This led to the first BAJA 1000 being held in 1967.