My dad have this bike. I have been sitting on it since i was five, and i remember the sound. Pure badass of a bike. Dad have said it's rare in Norway, a few of them are still i Norway, and dad has one of them. When time passes on, i'll drive it and i'll never sell it. Pure MUSCLE!
When I was 16, my first job was a bike mechanic. I used to build these right out of the crate. 40 years later, and it's still THE best motorcycle ever created.... period!! Not even the H2 comes close to it. Don't look at how beautiful this bike is..... listen to how beautiful it is.
The old CBs are really very cool! And the CBX was a dream bike for many. Did you see our new film about the CB750? ua-cam.com/video/hcdUgUu66bk/v-deo.html
@Lone Ranger the most you would pay was 4200 but they could not move them so therefore you might even be able to buy it for 2500. Doable but I know what you mean
FINALLY a rare chance to enjoy this perfectly tuned, massive bike with a stock muffler. Instead of the screaming, ear-piercing free exhaust, you are allowed to hear all six barrels in perfect harmony, just like Honda wished us to experience it. Thanks for sharing
Well said. I had a Z1300 in the 80's with stock pipes on and the sound was a pure nasal drone delight. Can't understand why anyone would put "look at me" loud pipes on their machine.....
I had one. Rode it from southern Oregon to reno many times in the early 80s. Great ride. Sold it when I got married. We split a year later...no kids just us. I'll never forget she asked me what I was going to miss about "us." I told her it was my cbx.
I had a Z1 before the CBX came out. The sound of this thing when you were out where you could hear it was so good it gave you goose bumps. One friend had one and promptly laid it down, breaking into the cases. Then they camouflage out with the cafe with side cases. Just too killer. This was IT in the very late ‘70s. Very cool bike.
Eines der ästhetischsten Motorräder der Motorradgeschichte! Aus einer Zeit, in der Schönheit noch Bedeutung hatte und das " klassische" Motorrad allmählich von der Bühne verschwand....
I rode and owned a 73 Z1 and an 81 CBX......both bought new....the Z1 was the beast of the day taking on all manner of muscle cars and spanking them on my private strip of back road.....had about 70000 mi. on it when I had to lay it down in 76 when a drunk crossed the line on a twisty turny....the CBX I sport toured across the county twice .... It ate up some of the most delicious stretches of back road on this continent....always with that mechanical symphony humming under me when you turn up the wick...had close to 137000 mi when I sold it in 88 to pay for my wedding....I miss them both like long lost loves.
I only seen one of these remarkable Bikes. I worked with a guy who had one, and He loved to open it up on the way to work. Thank you for sharing this. It's been a pleasure to see these in their original state.
Many years ago (I had a Yamaha RS125), I saw a Moto Martin CBX in a dusty back street on London. It was one of those moments after which nothing would ever be the same again. I never rode or owned a CBX, factory or funky... But that Moto Martin CBX just changed the way I saw motorcycles. It was.... Other.
Brilliant! Love hearing the music of the CBX. The early CBX was an absolute thrill to ride back in the day. My first ride was the red one. Taking her through the curves, I was mesmerized by the sound, the smooth power, and the engine that felt like an electric motor was spinning the crankshaft. The downside I was warned about, don't show her respect, and you are in for trouble. Those 35mm forks, single piston brake calipers, small rotors, and a very conventional rear end were state of the art in 1978. I had TWO of these, a 1981 in silver, and the pearl white 1982. Both of them, brand new. The elongated aluminum swingarm, and monoshock rear suspension? Happiness. Oh, and a more stable front suspension, 39mm forks, twin piston calipers, and dual ventilated rotors complemented the longer bike. By the way, that RR SUSP AIR PRESS light was there for good reason. The voltmeter? Equally important, the jackshaft-driven alternator is a work of engineering. It has axial brushes for the rotor; quite different from conventional alternators in that the commutator has a long path for those brushes. This was done to make that alternator (yes, a real alternator) very short in length. As such, the brushes wear quickly. Honda fitted that voltmeter so the rider could monitor the charging system.
A motorcycle magazine reviewer lent me one for a couple of hours in the late 80s. What a monster, it was beautiful, felt like a king riding that around . . . and the sound was sublime. The view either side of the fuel tank was to die for. Very enjoyable, up to that point the largest bike I'd owned was a GS1000 Suzuki.
When I got my 1978 cycle magazine with the CBX on the cover. That was big news. those were the golden years of new machines coming out of Japan every month. Turbos, water cooling, suspension upgrades, factory installed fairings, tubeless tires,Lots and lots of improvements and major designs.But the very next month, on the covering Cycle was the Yamaha XS 11 which upstaged the CBX in performance. Then the very next month the Suzuki GS 1100 E was on the cover, and that was the tops in the 1/4 mile and it could actually go around bends at speed...I was there when it happened, I still have the magazines with the test performance data.. and when the magazines did do a road test. They didn’t just write a few paragraphs with a few pictures like they do today. They did multi page evaluations, they would tear the engine apart and split the cases on just about new machine.. especially motorcyclist magazine which I feel was the best magazine of the day.. I was heavily involved in amateur road racing during those times riding RDs. I do remember a guy name Frank actually showed up at Nelson ledges road race track with a CBX. I believe he won his race, what a sound with those open pipes... it actually sounded better than a TZ 750 with unsilenced pipes.. my best friend had 2 of the CBX machines. A 1979 or 80. I believe it had an 85 mph speedometer. And he had the 81/pearl white, I was riding a Moto Guzzi sp1000 In those days. My friend with the CBX and I often Traded off. I probably rode his 2 CBXs at least 1000 miles.. my first impression was how smooth it was, and how it felt like I was sitting up high on top of the machine rather than being part of the machine and sitting down into it.. The motor seemed massive, but actually it was only 20 MM wider than the CB 750 engine. I remember seeing that guy that road raced a CBX jetting his bike at the track ..Rather than pull the carburetors, since the motor did not have down to frame, the engine was a stressed member, so jetting was actually easy. He simply unbolted the engine from the frame, all bolts removed except the bottom rear bolt, then he would lower the engine down wile the lower rear bolt while loosened,allowed the engine to Pivot, that allowed him to pull all six float bowls to change jetting.. I believe he had to run the inner two cylinders richer on jetting to compensate for lack of cooling airflow to those cylinders. I remember when the CBX was out and it was big news, at least for a month. When my friend bought his white touring version of the CBX. It was a left over. And that was before the Harley Davidson tariff ruined motorcycle sales for ever even to this day. The CBX was just not a quick seller being so expensive maybe. I believe list price was $5400 for the touring version with bags and faring which were standard for that machine. my friend bought his brand new pearl white 1982 CBX for $4900 as a left over. The dealer that I happen to work for at the time was glad to get rid of it to get it off of his floor plan which cost him 1% per month to the bank in interest. my friend ended up selling his CBX to a guy that collected jaguar XKEs , and he had a Brough superior and an Egli (?spelling?) in his living room when we went to his house to show him the cbx.. for the next 20 years, we would see Bill, the man that bought my friends CBX on that CBX at cruise night gatherings in the summer.
I was riding the Z1 back in those days. I never had the nerve to try out the CBX I just knew that I would die or end up a vegetable in traction for the rest of my short life. The 900 almost got me as it was. Live fast. Die young. Leave a beutilful corpse! Those machines were just not going to do the later. Motorcycles are for adrenaline junkies and don't let anyone tell you different. I was an apprentice crane operator at the time so my work day was adrenaline filled already. Miracle I survived that too.
６気筒1,100ccは僕が高校生の時の憧れのバイクでした。バイトをしてやっと買えたのがＣＢ４００Ｎでした。永遠の少年の憧れ！いいサウンド聞かせてくれてありがとう！ six-cylinder 1,100 cc was a bike I admired when I was a high school student. It was CB400N that I could finally buy it by hand. Longing for the Eternal Boy! Thank you for letting me hear a good sound!
I love Honda motorbikes. The CBX proberbly was one of the most iconic motorbikes about & to those who still have one LOOK AFTER IT!!! IT is a true BEAUTY!!! I would say it is not only far better built but, also more reliable , comfortable & definitely handles better than anything in it's class or anywhere near it. ( most probably!!!).
I’m a long life kawasaki fanatic but I have to agree, the CBX is king of the Japanese motorcycle exhaust sounds, sounds better than a formula 1 car engine.
I enjoyed this video. In 1979, I took the road for the first time with a Honda 125T2 and at the same time, I felt bad in front of the 1000CBX and 900 Bol d'Or. I say that, past, present and future the 6 cylinder of the CBX is the most beautiful engine ever mounted on a motorcycle series and even that of his Majesty Z1300 does not have the same nobility or the same class. A French fan. 😊
In '85 at 16 I started my road bike career on a Kwaka Z250. One day I walked down to the local pot dealer and a CBX was parked outside so I mumble some clueless appreciation. Then the guy says "can you ride ride?" I shuffle my feet and nod. "Get on!" he says and gets on the pillion seat. The local detectives were always watching the house and they followed us. Without a brain in my head I opened the throttle and we never saw them again. No helmets, no safety, no license just a head full of weed. That was a white knuckle experience. These days I ride another Honda six, The Valkyrie but I stop for the cops. Don't do drugs, kids.
Fletcher DeMaine The Z 250? I remember it very well. It was a pretty little bike and I almost bought it but I hesitated between it and the Honda CB 250 N. Result? On June 12, I took delivery of a new Kawasaki Z 500 B and more than 39 years later I regret it because I was interested in a Honda CX 500 which proved more efficient but the boss of the store at this time- there forcing me to take the kawasaki by promising to give me a small discount.
I had one in 1981. One came into the shop I worked for and I had a ride, after that I just had to have one. Great fun. Mine had belonged to a director of Honda Britain who had it painted that metal flake blue as he didn't like the red or silver. It was an amazing bike and I've owned a lot of bikes.
You have bought back so many memories by showing the Birling Gap road. Yes i used to ride that back in the early 80's unfortunately not on the CBX (childhood dream bike) but on the Honda 400f. I miss those days.
@@BrightsideMedia Thank you for your reply. Times were different in the early eighties. We were kids back then and roads were relatively quiet. The straight which followed the S's to Birling gap Hotel was always taken flat out . The road was less well maintained back then. Have a good day
I remember seeing these at the local Honda Shop when I was in high school, they were simply amazing. Those six exhaust pipes looked like a waterfall of chrome, and that engine - WOW! I wish Honda would reintroduce these with modern technology while preserving the classic look of the bike. I'll be keeping a deposit at the ready but I'm not going to hold my breath.
I bought one identical to the silver one in the video, brand new, in 1982. It was a leftover 1979 model. Yeah, I should have kept it. Beautiful bikes. They actually have pretty good cornering clearance, but I used to grind not only the peg feelers, but the exhaust also. In fact, I once came into a corner waaay too fast, and actually scraped the little cover on the right side of the engine. In hindsight, it is amazing that I didn't crash.
i agree, they do handle well for their age and size. Gave a friend a lift home one evening round the North Circular. Was a pretty straightforward ride.
I was able to ride the motorcycle when it first hit dealer showrooms. I was astride a GT750 Suzuki two-stroke at the time, and I was used to the cadence of three cylinders firing 3 times for every crank revolution. However... the Honda's red line was 2,000 RPM above my Suzuki's. And that, gentlemen, was the "sound" that shook up motorcycling.
Sweet ride, i never had rhe chance, but maaaaan what character ! Super high performance, covered in charisma, oozing character, the flexiflyer lives, it may be a handfull but i would get more outta one of these than anything else out now. Putt putt bazoooom
I put thousands of miles on a 79, 80, and an82 CBX.The CBX was the fastest bike when it came out in the late 70s for one month. It was upstaged speed wise by the Yamaha XS 1100, and that was upstaged one month later bye the Suzuki GS 1000. Which was not only bulletproof and fast, but the Suzuki would actually go around Bends.. One feedback that I got from every CBX I ever rode what is this, it felt like you were sitting on top of something rather than in it.. like you were sitting on a washing machine or on a Carpenter’s horse. You didn’t really feel like you were part of the CBX. I rode raced motorcycles back in the late 70s and early 80s, and there was a rider that was racing a CBX with an open exhaust system. I will never forget that sound. It sounded like the Formula One cars used to sound up until recently.. Quick revving, lots of intake roar,The revs climbed and dropped quickly.. downshift headed into turn to work quick blips..I’ll never forget it
They weren't known for handling. The little spindly forks, small steel swingarm with plastic bushings instead of bearings. I never had a speed wobble, but it would weave a bit around sweepers. Ultimately, it kind of scared me and I ended up buying something smaller and more easy to handle. It was only my second motorcycle. I can remember laying it over during cornering, looking down, and thinking "Boy, this is gonna cost a fortune if I lay it down." But that motor!!
I was at the 78 TT races. Honda gave all of the travelling marshalls CBX's. It was amazing watching them riding the circuit with the racers, and even more amazing watching them overtake some of them. It was the best release publicity that any manufacturer could have dreamed of. The Moto Martin version was, and still is, the most beautiful thing on two wheels.
When this bike came out . People looked at it like something has fallen from another planet. My brother and I had a fall on this . Luckily no injuries. What a bike it was
Yep. They were mind boggling alright. I was lucky to survive my CBX crash. After broadsiding a Renault I flew through the air like Superman for half a city block, totally uninjured, until touchdown. Broke both wrists on landing. It was about as maneuverable as a freight train and stopped like one too. It's almost humorous seeing people lusting after these old beasts now.
I bought a Candy Glory Red '79 brand new - what memories! I could listen to that engine all day long, it was musical like a slightly older carburated V12 Ferrari. I know that there are *better* motorcycles, but few are as evocative and just wonderful to be riding like the CBX.
Don Little At least you have the memories. I had a mate with one but he wouldn’t let me ride it. AND IT WAS ME TAUGHT HIM TO RIDE! Cut I was, real deep.
That silver one at 2:37 caught my eye too. What a beauty! Forty plus years later and it's still a work of rolling, mechanical art. One of the Japanese Super Bikes at their best!
Ditto same colour and I miss it.... but man it was a beast to make go around corners was tiring but the power.... man so smooth ! needless to say the back tyres didn't last very long particularly when you could rolling burn outs at almost any speed. It would be nice to have that engine in a modern chassis,,,,,
I was just out of HS when I walked into my local Honda dealer back in 1979. I was immediately drawn to an awesome looking silver bike sitting in the middle of the showroom. OMG...she has 6 pipes coming out of the engine! I purchased a used bike that day, but never forgot that bike I was living in Michigan in 1983, and was in the market for a new bike. I was looking at the super fast V65 Magna. The salesman saw that I was into speed. He took me in the back and asked if I knew what a CBX was?! There was a silver 79 CBX still in the crate! Wow...my second chance to get one. I ended up buying the V65. I couldn't swing two bikes : ( Now, fast forward to 2010. I heard a rumor of a low mileage CBX for sale from a local guy. I tracked the guy down, and didn't let this one get away! A silver CBX with 986 miles on her...yeeeeha!
Good for you...those magna's were no joke....My brother took my Trail 70 and sold it for dope....last year I seen some guy on one drive past my house...Was out talking to my neighbor....I said ... excuse me...I'll be right back.... thinking in my head ...what the magic # was to buy it ....He just looked at me and said NO....it's not for sale... didn't even get my # out....few days later he's walking past my house...I called out ...tell your Dad I ll give him 700 bucks for that trail 70...two days later he showed up....it now sits there n my kitchen...going to the Grandkids! Eric Underwood class of 81 Downey High School California
Maybe I'm in the minority but have a newfound appreciation for the Japanese bikes from the 60's-90's and really even into now. They're well made reliable simple and seem to just last forever. All of it makes me look forward to restoring and building my Suzuki GS 650 even more 😎
I waited eagerly for months to get my GS750 when their release was first announced. Best bike I've ever owned, by far. She's now in the collection of movie director, David Kronenburg. I much preferred it to the '79 CBX I picked up at a discount because the dealer couldn't get rid of them. At the time, more than a couple dealers sons had died on the CBX's because of the sh!t handling and deficient brakes
I bought a 79 CBX in the early 1990's with a hole in the cases where a rod went through. It was my first ever motorcycle engine overhaul. I rode it many places and it still runs well. Along the way I put the 1983 1100F anti dive forks front wheel and brakes and the rear swing arm and wheel on it. I put the 1100F fairing on it and it looks like Honda built it that way. I saved the original parts.
I saw my first Honda CBX in 1978 at Hales Motors in Prescott, Arizona when I was in High School. I thought it looked ridiculous and somewhat scary. My bikes over the years were, 1973 Honda SL100, 1983 Honda CB650, 1993 Honda CB750, 2003 Honda ST1300. Loved them all.
The time when really beautiful motorcycles came out without plastic and unnecessary ornaments. Congratulations to the owners for the condition they maintain. It takes a lot of effort, a lot of money but more mind to keep in this excellent condition.
Thank you for sharing this video. The CBX was always my dream bike, I used to have the CB900FA but always wanted, and still do, a CBX. One day perhaps...
This is one of the finest bikes in the world in that it is classic and beautiful, with a beautiful sound, the sound of the engine, and its shape is better than modern bikes. The old one is always beautiful, this is my opinion,
I love it that this dude rides all his beautiful bikes, and... "gives em welly" to boot. Proper petrol head lol. I'm a similar vintage, so it's always a fantastic romp down memory lane for me.
Japanese bikes are really reliable in everything. Hop on and off , these bikes wont disappoint you. My yamaha 125 enduro was my best friend during my secondary and college, when i didn't have much money then. Up to now i still wonder how it survived my cheap maintenance. Just adding 2t oil and 3 liters gas every now and then, and a dead battery.🤔
When I was in college a few years ago, My instructor bought 6 of these bikes. I remember coming into the shop looking at them and being in awe of the straight 6 engine. He told me he won them at an estate sale and told me about how back when he used to do motocross, guys would race those bikes. They had to be careful though, he told a story about how some guys would lean too far into a turn which would cause the engine block to hit the ground and cause a wreck. Very cool bikes.
Honda is my passion..i have a 1981 500 cx.She is my love but...i WANT an other love,too...a CBX...it's really just awesome,i am intoxicated by this gorgeus machine and i look for it.Tanks for your beautiful video.Cheers from Italy.!!
I owned a 1979 version. It was traded in at our shop and had a D&D 6 into 1 exhaust that offered absolutely zero ground clearance and required removal of the center stand. I swapped that out for a stainless 6 into 2 Supertrapp system. That was the best sounding motorcycle I have ever owned.The bike was a complete pig in terms of handling, but that didn't matter when you had the chance to rev it out to 9,500 and hear the kind of sound that no other bike could deliver.
Well it was more about the straight line go than the abilities in the twisties. Even though it's still not terrible in that regard. Lucky man to have owned one :-)
Honda threw down the gauntlet with the CBX. I've never ridden the Honda, but I did own Kawasaki's answer, the KZ 1300. There is something to be said about a motorcycle that sounds like an F1 car under heavy throttle! They handled very well for their size, and were definately quick!
The KZ1300 was seriously cool as well. We've been wanting to make a film about it for a while now. The ideal feature would be to add a Benelli Seit to the mix to do the ultimate six cylinder superbike shootout :-)
@@BrightsideMedia, shortly after watching this video, I watched one on the Kawasaki 1300. It said that the brakes were inadequite. Show me a '70s Kawasaki that didn't have inadequite brakes!
The power wars of the 1970s ensured that Japan dominated the speed wars for the long future ahead. I had a kz1000 and it was such a wonderful bike. Great looks, sound and with some mods it was super quick. Felt like flying on the road. I'd blast by nearly everything like it was parked. It was so much fun. Too much sometimes. I got pulled over a lot!!😁
I had a brand new 79 CBX1000 6 cylinder.. Gosh I loved that bike. The head cracked and someone actually stole my frame. Today in 2020 I still have most of the engine parts. I'm considering putting them up for sale now..
New film out now! The story of the two-stroke Suzuki GT750: ua-cam.com/video/kpo-bWVLqoY/v-deo.html
45 years later and still no one has made a better-sounding motorcycle. That's amazing.
Eh any 500 two stroke beats it imo
My dad have this bike.
I have been sitting on it since i was five, and i remember the sound.
Pure badass of a bike.
Dad have said it's rare in Norway, a few of them are still i Norway, and dad has one of them.
When time passes on, i'll drive it and i'll never sell it.
Pure MUSCLE!
Don't sell it, you'll regret it for sure. It's made to be ridden :-D
That CBX has more cylinders than most Honda cars in the world
Actually, that's a really good point. Thanks for that, you're right!
That with the NSX
less displacement though lol
more power too
🤣🤣🤣
When I was 16, my first job was a bike mechanic. I used to build these right out of the crate.
40 years later, and it's still THE best motorcycle ever created.... period!!
Not even the H2 comes close to it.
Don't look at how beautiful this bike is..... listen to how beautiful it is.
CB750Fに乗っていましたがCBXは夢のバイクでした。今見てもドキドキします。こんなバイクは二度と出ないでしょう。昔のＣＢかっこいいです。
The old CBs are really very cool! And the CBX was a dream bike for many. Did you see our new film about the CB750? ua-cam.com/video/hcdUgUu66bk/v-deo.html
@@BrightsideMedia さん CB750見ました。いいですね～。オートバイらしいデザイン、そして四本マフラーのサウンドがたまらない。ＣＢいいバイクです。
Glad you saw the film :-) Yes, the CB sounds brilliant and is a very good bike!
My brother bought one new in 1979, he’s still got it!
Mate of mine did the same...still got it..
Woahhhh
Woow! Very lucky!
what a lucky man a wonder bike spin that back wheel and bring that front wheel up for a long way the best bike that i ever road 6 in ti 1 so so sweet
Bought mine in 1980. Unfortunately it got stolen. How I wish I still had it.
Owned the very first CBX ever sold in the state of New Mexico. Bought it in the second part of 1978. Fabulous!!!!
I live in Albuquerque! Let me know if she ever needs a new home!!!
@Lone Ranger the most you would pay was 4200 but they could not move them so therefore you might even be able to buy it for 2500. Doable but I know what you mean
For us oldies these old Japanese bikes get more gorgeous looking all the time!
FINALLY a rare chance to enjoy this perfectly tuned, massive bike with a stock muffler. Instead of the screaming, ear-piercing free exhaust, you are allowed to hear all six barrels in perfect harmony, just like Honda wished us to experience it.
Thanks for sharing
Glad you appreciate our efforts.
Well said. I had a Z1300 in the 80's with stock pipes on and the sound was a pure nasal drone delight. Can't understand why anyone would put "look at me" loud pipes on their machine.....
Hi, i still running my CBX with original pipes, and the sound is like is supposed to be.....
Just great..
I just got a 1980 cb900c with the stock exhaust.......it sounds amazing. Loving this cbx video too!
@@raoulweit6628 can you send pics of your bike pipe
I had one. Rode it from southern Oregon to reno many times in the early 80s. Great ride. Sold it when I got married. We split a year later...no kids just us. I'll never forget she asked me what I was going to miss about "us." I told her it was my cbx.
I had a Z1 before the CBX came out. The sound of this thing when you were out where you could hear it was so good it gave you goose bumps. One friend had one and promptly laid it down, breaking into the cases. Then they camouflage out with the cafe with side cases. Just too killer. This was IT in the very late ‘70s. Very cool bike.
I had a CBX and raced a Z1. To this day the guy owes me an oz of pot.. LOL Gosh the old days..
Eines der ästhetischsten Motorräder der Motorradgeschichte! Aus einer Zeit, in der Schönheit noch Bedeutung hatte und das " klassische" Motorrad allmählich von der Bühne verschwand....
I rode and owned a 73 Z1 and an 81 CBX......both bought new....the Z1 was the beast of the day taking on all manner of muscle cars and spanking them on my private strip of back road.....had about 70000 mi. on it when I had to lay it down in 76 when a drunk crossed the line on a twisty turny....the CBX I sport toured across the county twice .... It ate up some of the most delicious stretches of back road on this continent....always with that mechanical symphony humming under me when you turn up the wick...had close to 137000 mi when I sold it in 88 to pay for my wedding....I miss them both like long lost loves.
I only seen one of these remarkable Bikes. I worked with a guy who had one, and He loved to open it up on the way to work.
Thank you for sharing this. It's been a pleasure to see these in their original state.
It's our pleasure :-)
Many years ago (I had a Yamaha RS125), I saw a Moto Martin CBX in a dusty back street on London.
It was one of those moments after which nothing would ever be the same again.
I never rode or owned a CBX, factory or funky... But that Moto Martin CBX just changed the way I saw motorcycles. It was.... Other.
Brilliant! Love hearing the music of the CBX. The early CBX was an absolute thrill to ride back in the day. My first ride was the red one. Taking her through the curves, I was mesmerized by the sound, the smooth power, and the engine that felt like an electric motor was spinning the crankshaft.
The downside I was warned about, don't show her respect, and you are in for trouble. Those 35mm forks, single piston brake calipers, small rotors, and a very conventional rear end were state of the art in 1978.
I had TWO of these, a 1981 in silver, and the pearl white 1982. Both of them, brand new. The elongated aluminum swingarm, and monoshock rear suspension? Happiness. Oh, and a more stable front suspension, 39mm forks, twin piston calipers, and dual ventilated rotors complemented the longer bike. By the way, that RR SUSP AIR PRESS light was there for good reason. The voltmeter? Equally important, the jackshaft-driven alternator is a work of engineering. It has axial brushes for the rotor; quite different from conventional alternators in that the commutator has a long path for those brushes. This was done to make that alternator (yes, a real alternator) very short in length. As such, the brushes wear quickly. Honda fitted that voltmeter so the rider could monitor the charging system.
This bike is sick. I walked past one at a motorcycle show & saw all that engine sticking out the side. It compelled my immediate inspection.
Super six in line by Honda, nothing touches it for the pure envigouring sight, sound and riding pleasure of it's era.
A classic masterpiece.
A motorcycle magazine reviewer lent me one for a couple of hours in the late 80s. What a monster, it was beautiful, felt like a king riding that around . . . and the sound was sublime.
The view either side of the fuel tank was to die for. Very enjoyable, up to that point the largest bike I'd owned was a GS1000 Suzuki.
When I got my 1978 cycle magazine with the CBX on the cover. That was big news. those were the golden years of new machines coming out of Japan every month. Turbos, water cooling, suspension upgrades, factory installed fairings, tubeless tires,Lots and lots of improvements and major designs.But the very next month, on the covering Cycle was the Yamaha XS 11 which upstaged the CBX in performance. Then the very next month the Suzuki GS 1100 E was on the cover, and that was the tops in the 1/4 mile and it could actually go around bends at speed...I was there when it happened, I still have the magazines with the test performance data.. and when the magazines did do a road test. They didn’t just write a few paragraphs with a few pictures like they do today. They did multi page evaluations, they would tear the engine apart and split the cases on just about new machine.. especially motorcyclist magazine which I feel was the best magazine of the day..
I was heavily involved in amateur road racing during those times riding RDs. I do remember a guy name Frank actually showed up at Nelson ledges road race track with a CBX. I believe he won his race, what a sound with those open pipes... it actually sounded better than a TZ 750 with unsilenced pipes..
my best friend had 2 of the CBX machines. A 1979 or 80. I believe it had an 85 mph speedometer. And he had the 81/pearl white, I was riding a Moto Guzzi sp1000 In those days. My friend with the CBX and I often Traded off. I probably rode his 2 CBXs at least 1000 miles.. my first impression was how smooth it was, and how it felt like I was sitting up high on top of the machine rather than being part of the machine and sitting down into it.. The motor seemed massive, but actually it was only 20 MM wider than the CB 750 engine.
I remember seeing that guy that road raced a CBX jetting his bike at the track ..Rather than pull the carburetors, since the motor did not have down to frame, the engine was a stressed member, so jetting was actually easy. He simply unbolted the engine from the frame, all bolts removed except the bottom rear bolt, then he would lower the engine down wile the lower rear bolt while loosened,allowed the engine to Pivot, that allowed him to pull all six float bowls to change jetting.. I believe he had to run the inner two cylinders richer on jetting to compensate for lack of cooling airflow to those cylinders.
I remember when the CBX was out and it was big news, at least for a month. When my friend bought his white touring version of the CBX. It was a left over. And that was before the Harley Davidson tariff ruined motorcycle sales for ever even to this day. The CBX was just not a quick seller being so expensive maybe. I believe list price was $5400 for the touring version with bags and faring which were standard for that machine. my friend bought his brand new pearl white 1982 CBX for $4900 as a left over. The dealer that I happen to work for at the time was glad to get rid of it to get it off of his floor plan which cost him 1% per month to the bank in interest.
my friend ended up selling his CBX to a guy that collected jaguar XKEs , and he had a Brough superior and an Egli (?spelling?) in his living room when we went to his house to show him the cbx.. for the next 20 years, we would see Bill, the man that bought my friends CBX on that CBX at cruise night gatherings in the summer.
One of the best looking bikes ever built, along with the Z900
The sound of this bike is never enough
Rode this as it came out in 79. What a bike . That exhaust note todate stays with me !
same with me what a sound what a beauty.. regret selling it til this day
I was riding the Z1 back in those days. I never had the nerve to try out the CBX I just knew that I would die or end up a vegetable in traction for the rest of my short life. The 900 almost got me as it was. Live fast. Die young. Leave a beutilful corpse! Those machines were just not going to do the later. Motorcycles are for adrenaline junkies and don't let anyone tell you different. I was an apprentice crane operator at the time so my work day was adrenaline filled already. Miracle I survived that too.
６気筒1,100ccは僕が高校生の時の憧れのバイクでした。バイトをしてやっと買えたのがＣＢ４００Ｎでした。永遠の少年の憧れ！いいサウンド聞かせてくれてありがとう！
six-cylinder 1,100 cc was a bike I admired when I was a high school student. It was CB400N that I could finally buy it by hand. Longing for the Eternal Boy! Thank you for letting me hear a good sound!
CBXは1000㏄ですよ。
I love Honda motorbikes. The CBX proberbly was one of the most iconic motorbikes about & to those who still have one LOOK AFTER IT!!! IT is a true BEAUTY!!! I would say it is not only far better built but, also more reliable , comfortable & definitely handles better than anything in it's class or anywhere near it. ( most probably!!!).
I’m a long life kawasaki fanatic but I have to agree, the CBX is king of the Japanese motorcycle exhaust sounds, sounds better than a formula 1 car engine.
I enjoyed this video. In 1979, I took the road for the first time with a Honda 125T2 and at the same time, I felt bad in front of the 1000CBX and 900 Bol d'Or. I say that, past, present and future the 6 cylinder of the CBX is the most beautiful engine ever mounted on a motorcycle series and even that of his Majesty Z1300 does not have the same nobility or the same class.
A French fan. 😊
In '85 at 16 I started my road bike career on a Kwaka Z250. One day I walked down to the local pot dealer and a CBX was parked outside so I mumble some clueless appreciation. Then the guy says "can you ride ride?" I shuffle my feet and nod. "Get on!" he says and gets on the pillion seat. The local detectives were always watching the house and they followed us. Without a brain in my head I opened the throttle and we never saw them again. No helmets, no safety, no license just a head full of weed. That was a white knuckle experience. These days I ride another Honda six, The Valkyrie but I stop for the cops. Don't do drugs, kids.
Fletcher DeMaine The Z 250? I remember it very well. It was a pretty little bike and I almost bought it but I hesitated between it and the Honda CB 250 N. Result? On June 12, I took delivery of a new Kawasaki Z 500 B and more than 39 years later I regret it because I was interested in a Honda CX 500 which proved more efficient but the boss of the store at this time- there forcing me to take the kawasaki by promising to give me a small discount.
I had one in 1981. One came into the shop I worked for and I had a ride, after that I just had to have one. Great fun. Mine had belonged to a director of Honda Britain who had it painted that metal flake blue as he didn't like the red or silver. It was an amazing bike and I've owned a lot of bikes.
Very cool!
A true pefect combination of beauty and pure madness.
What a masterpiece this bike is.
Music to my ears!
hands down best sounding bike ever! I´m not a fan of naked bikes but this one gosh..that sound alone is a reason to get it ...what a joy
I have a 77 GL1000 that I'm restomodding. Eventually I want to get a CBX as well. Thanks for the excellent video.
You have bought back so many memories by showing the Birling Gap road. Yes i used to ride that back in the early 80's unfortunately not on the CBX (childhood dream bike) but on the Honda 400f. I miss those days.
Glad we could bring some of those good memories back. We love the roads up around Beachy Head. Very busy nowadays, but always spectacular.
@@BrightsideMedia Thank you for your reply. Times were different in the early eighties. We were kids back then and roads were relatively quiet. The straight which followed the S's to Birling gap Hotel was always taken flat out . The road was less well maintained back then. Have a good day
I'll miss my CBX till the end of my days, that sound was hypnotic! Stupidity of youth caused me to sell it for something newer, faster...
same here! so sorry i sold my 79 red cbx
@@nicholasdenise5594 Same with me!
List of idiots just right here, shake your hands for selling this masterpiece...
The black and silver is a gorgeous color combo.
It really is, isn't it?
Rode one once back in the early eighties with a 6 into one exhaust. Best sound I ever heard on a bike.
Me too. The owner still has it, and yes I tried to buy it from him.
Never lusted after a motorcycle as much as a CBX
They are both lovely bikes. Used to just stop and stare as a boy, when I saw a parked CB 750 in the street!
I remember seeing these at the local Honda Shop when I was in high school, they were simply amazing. Those six exhaust pipes looked like a waterfall of chrome, and that engine - WOW! I wish Honda would reintroduce these with modern technology while preserving the classic look of the bike. I'll be keeping a deposit at the ready but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Yeah, you're not the only one. But it's rather unlikely a new one is coming out anytime soon. It's still great to see and hear these though :-)
I bought one identical to the silver one in the video, brand new, in 1982. It was a leftover 1979 model. Yeah, I should have kept it.
Beautiful bikes.
They actually have pretty good cornering clearance, but I used to grind not only the peg feelers, but the exhaust also. In fact, I once came into a corner waaay too fast, and actually scraped the little cover on the right side of the engine. In hindsight, it is amazing that I didn't crash.
Same here, I bought a leftover 79 model in 1982 also! Paid 3495.00 for it plus tax and setup.
i agree, they do handle well for their age and size. Gave a friend a lift home one evening round the North Circular. Was a pretty straightforward ride.
I was able to ride the motorcycle when it first hit dealer showrooms. I was astride a GT750 Suzuki two-stroke at the time, and I was used to the cadence of three cylinders firing 3 times for every crank revolution. However... the Honda's red line was 2,000 RPM above my Suzuki's. And that, gentlemen, was the "sound" that shook up motorcycling.
A lot of people would think they're hearing a skyline, supra, or BMW from just the sound alone
Fair point actually. It's a bit higher pitched though, but still makes great noise :-)
Sweet ride, i never had rhe chance, but maaaaan what character ! Super high performance, covered in charisma, oozing character, the flexiflyer lives, it may be a handfull but i would get more outta one of these than anything else out now. Putt putt bazoooom
Well put. It's all about the character and the way it feels :-)
I put thousands of miles on a 79, 80, and an82 CBX.The CBX was the fastest bike when it came out in the late 70s for one month. It was upstaged speed wise by the Yamaha XS 1100, and that was upstaged one month later bye the Suzuki GS 1000. Which was not only bulletproof and fast, but the Suzuki would actually go around Bends..
One feedback that I got from every CBX I ever rode what is this, it felt like you were sitting on top of something rather than in it.. like you were sitting on a washing machine or on a Carpenter’s horse. You didn’t really feel like you were part of the CBX.
I rode raced motorcycles back in the late 70s and early 80s, and there was a rider that was racing a CBX with an open exhaust system. I will never forget that sound. It sounded like the Formula One cars used to sound up until recently.. Quick revving, lots of intake roar,The revs climbed and dropped quickly.. downshift headed into turn to work quick blips..I’ll never forget it
They weren't known for handling. The little spindly forks, small steel swingarm with plastic bushings instead of bearings. I never had a speed wobble, but it would weave a bit around sweepers. Ultimately, it kind of scared me and I ended up buying something smaller and more easy to handle. It was only my second motorcycle.
I can remember laying it over during cornering, looking down, and thinking "Boy, this is gonna cost a fortune if I lay it down."
But that motor!!
I was at the 78 TT races. Honda gave all of the travelling marshalls CBX's. It was amazing watching them riding the circuit with the racers, and even more amazing watching them overtake some of them. It was the best release publicity that any manufacturer could have dreamed of. The Moto Martin version was, and still is, the most beautiful thing on two wheels.
When this bike came out . People looked at it like something has fallen from another planet. My brother and I had a fall on this . Luckily no injuries. What a bike it was
Looking at that engine, if it had it would have made quite a crater in the ground
😀😀
Yep. They were mind boggling alright. I was lucky to survive my CBX crash. After broadsiding a Renault I flew through the air like Superman for half a city block, totally uninjured, until touchdown. Broke both wrists on landing. It was about as maneuverable as a freight train and stopped like one too. It's almost humorous seeing people lusting after these old beasts now.
I bought a Candy Glory Red '79 brand new - what memories! I could listen to that engine all day long, it was musical like a slightly older carburated V12 Ferrari. I know that there are *better* motorcycles, but few are as evocative and just wonderful to be riding like the CBX.
Thomas Danet ?
Should never have sold mine. It was exactly like that silver one.
Don Little At least you have the memories. I had a mate with one but he wouldn’t let me ride it. AND IT WAS ME TAUGHT HIM TO RIDE!
Cut I was, real deep.
If you buy a Honda, expect it to be with you throughout your life.
That silver one at 2:37 caught my eye too. What a beauty! Forty plus years later and it's still a work of rolling, mechanical art. One of the Japanese Super Bikes at their best!
Mileage?
Ditto same colour and I miss it.... but man it was a beast to make go around corners was tiring but the power.... man so smooth ! needless to say the back tyres didn't last very long particularly when you could rolling burn outs at almost any speed.
It would be nice to have that engine in a modern chassis,,,,,
The in-line 6 is the smoothest engine naturally, which makes this all the more impressive
Loved my CBX. It drew attention wherever it went.
No doubt true today as well.
The way Honda hung that sublime engine unencumbered by framework was genius, you can't take your eyes off it!
That’s a very good point actually. From a design point of view the engine is by far the most dominant element.
Your bikes are beautiful, so immaculate and like new, what a collection, fantastic!
Had mine for 27 years now, a boyhood dream come true.
I'm in love with bikes, but these relics my friend are too beautiful. and in addition to conserving this ancient desginer. hugs Brazil
I was just out of HS when I walked into my local Honda dealer back in 1979. I was immediately drawn to an awesome looking silver bike sitting in the middle of the showroom.
OMG...she has 6 pipes coming out of the engine! I purchased a used bike that day, but never forgot that bike
I was living in Michigan in 1983, and was in the market for a new bike. I was looking at the super fast V65 Magna. The salesman saw that I was into speed. He took me in the back and asked if I knew what a CBX was?! There was a silver 79 CBX still in the crate!
Wow...my second chance to get one.
I ended up buying the V65. I couldn't swing two bikes : (
Now, fast forward to 2010. I heard a rumor of a low mileage CBX for sale from a local guy.
I tracked the guy down, and didn't let this one get away!
A silver CBX with 986 miles on her...yeeeeha!
Good for you...those magna's were no joke....My brother took my Trail 70 and sold it for dope....last year I seen some guy on one drive past my house...Was out talking to my neighbor....I said ... excuse me...I'll be right back.... thinking in my head ...what the magic # was to buy it ....He just looked at me and said NO....it's not for sale... didn't even get my # out....few days later he's walking past my house...I called out ...tell your Dad I ll give him 700 bucks for that trail 70...two days later he showed up....it now sits there n my kitchen...going to the Grandkids! Eric Underwood class of 81 Downey High School California
Yamaha XS eleven, Kawasaki z1r turbocharged, Honda cbx ... the race was on!
I had the XS1100. Nice bike!
Maybe I'm in the minority but have a newfound appreciation for the Japanese bikes from the 60's-90's and really even into now. They're well made reliable simple and seem to just last forever. All of it makes me look forward to restoring and building my Suzuki GS 650 even more 😎
We don't think you're in a minority at all 😉 Definitely not on this channel. Good luck with your restoration!
I waited eagerly for months to get my GS750 when their release was first announced. Best bike I've ever owned, by far. She's now in the collection of movie director, David Kronenburg. I much preferred it to the '79 CBX I picked up at a discount because the dealer couldn't get rid of them. At the time, more than a couple dealers sons had died on the CBX's because of the sh!t handling and deficient brakes
I bought a 79 CBX in the early 1990's with a hole in the cases where a rod went through.
It was my first ever motorcycle engine overhaul. I rode it many places and it still runs well.
Along the way I put the 1983 1100F anti dive forks front wheel and brakes and the rear swing arm and wheel on it. I put the 1100F fairing on it and it looks like Honda built it that way. I saved the original parts.
I saw my first Honda CBX in 1978 at Hales Motors in Prescott, Arizona when I was in High School. I thought it looked ridiculous and somewhat scary. My bikes over the years were, 1973 Honda SL100, 1983 Honda CB650, 1993 Honda CB750, 2003 Honda ST1300. Loved them all.
Excellent production.....but you also needed some real F1 type howls to illustrate,the difference between Stock & Racing!
pipemaster 6-6 best exhaust ever..
They should bring this back!! Doesn’t need to be huge 6 cylinder, make it smaller less wide
CBX, Water Buffalo, Kawasaki Tripples. the 70s made some awesome bikes
I'am so glad I was there and got to see it. Don't forget Kawasaki 903
Yamaha xs1100 and rd 350-400
Check out our films about the XS11 and RD350 :-)
The time when really beautiful motorcycles came out without plastic and unnecessary ornaments. Congratulations to the owners for the condition they maintain. It takes a lot of effort, a lot of money but more mind to keep in this excellent condition.
They really should be preserved (and driven, of course!)
@@BrightsideMedia That's right, with these motorcycles you ride the dream and ride on earth.
Absolutely. And let's hope there are others that keep riding as well!
I have one of these 1978 model. It is very nice and smooth bike.
I'm almost 70 and driven about 2,000,000 miles but I always wanted to own one of these. Sadly I never will now. Great video.
I remember the first time I put my leg of the seat of a CBX... what an experience... I regret ever selling mine... !!
Das waren noch Bikes mit hohem Wiedererkennunsgwert und Character. Der Sound ist einmalig geil.
Thank you for sharing this video. The CBX was always my dream bike, I used to have the CB900FA but always wanted, and still do, a CBX. One day perhaps...
My father had a CB900 Bol Dor, and those are one of the best memories I have from my childhood. When me and him used to cruise on the empty roads.
I have R1. My dreambike this cbx 1050 :)
This is one of the finest bikes in the world in that it is classic and beautiful, with a beautiful sound, the sound of the engine, and its shape is better than modern bikes. The old one is always beautiful, this is my opinion,
I'm all for integrating music with video, but when the bike is talking...
agreed... I love the trouble they've gone to make this video but the only two things I want to hear are the bike and the talking.
Absolutely. It’s just, well, rude.
It could work if the music wasn't 4x as loud as anything else
My mate had one of these in silver, I borrowed it and rode it quite often.
Bloody fast bike for its day, wish I had one now😜
They're still pretty quick now too ;-)
I remember looking at these in the showroom as a school kid.
82年ころにちょっと借りて乗っただけだけどスムーズで力強くて王様になったような気分でした そのとき私はＦＺでした
The power really does make you feel special riding this bike :-)
高回転まで回すと6連キャブの吸気音が凄くいい音出します
これは実際乗らないと体感出来ません、気難しそうに見えますが
意外と乗りやすいです、実は35年前に乗ってました
Зачем левой ногой пишешь?☹
I love it that this dude rides all his beautiful bikes, and... "gives em welly" to boot. Proper petrol head lol. I'm a similar vintage, so it's always a fantastic romp down memory lane for me.
Right on!
Japanese bikes are really reliable in everything. Hop on and off , these bikes wont disappoint you. My yamaha 125 enduro was my best friend during my secondary and college, when i didn't have much money then. Up to now i still wonder how it survived my cheap maintenance. Just adding 2t oil and 3 liters gas every now and then, and a dead battery.🤔
When I was in college a few years ago, My instructor bought 6 of these bikes. I remember coming into the shop looking at them and being in awe of the straight 6 engine. He told me he won them at an estate sale and told me about how back when he used to do motocross, guys would race those bikes. They had to be careful though, he told a story about how some guys would lean too far into a turn which would cause the engine block to hit the ground and cause a wreck. Very cool bikes.
Once saw one being raced at my local track many moons ago what a machine 👌
O:42 seconds in reminds me of a 1980’s Honda commercial promoting this mighty legend!
Ein wundervoller Motor, nicht besonders stark aber eine Meisterleistung der Motorentechnik. Genauso wie der 4 Zylinder der CB1300/X4.
I come from Vietnam, I really like this CBX1000, It's so nice. I love it
Better sounds than most of the singers today’s
Justin bieber
I could listen to that all day.
コメント主様初めまして
お早う御座います!
動画とは言え久し振りに
良い物を見て感激した!
CBXは初期型の物が１番
格好良い改めてそう思いました!
Honda is my passion..i have a 1981 500 cx.She is my love but...i WANT an other love,too...a CBX...it's really just awesome,i am intoxicated by this gorgeus machine and i look for it.Tanks for your beautiful video.Cheers from Italy.!!
Thanks Danilo :-)
今月シルバー納車します！楽しみ！😄👍
I owned a 1979 version. It was traded in at our shop and had a D&D 6 into 1 exhaust that offered absolutely zero ground clearance and required removal of the center stand. I swapped that out for a stainless 6 into 2 Supertrapp system. That was the best sounding motorcycle I have ever owned.The bike was a complete pig in terms of handling, but that didn't matter when you had the chance to rev it out to 9,500 and hear the kind of sound that no other bike could deliver.
Well it was more about the straight line go than the abilities in the twisties. Even though it's still not terrible in that regard. Lucky man to have owned one :-)
Best sounding bike ever made.
I would love to find one in decent shape.....
Honda threw down the gauntlet with the CBX. I've never ridden the Honda, but I did own Kawasaki's answer, the KZ 1300. There is something to be said about a motorcycle that sounds like an F1 car under heavy throttle! They handled very well for their size, and were definately quick!
The KZ1300 was seriously cool as well. We've been wanting to make a film about it for a while now. The ideal feature would be to add a Benelli Seit to the mix to do the ultimate six cylinder superbike shootout :-)
@@BrightsideMedia I would love to see that!
Just have to find three good examples together. Not the easiest challenge to overcome!
@@BrightsideMedia, shortly after watching this video, I watched one on the Kawasaki 1300. It said that the brakes were inadequite. Show me a '70s Kawasaki that didn't have inadequite brakes!
if I were a mechanic, I would take that sweet sounding engine and make myself a nice Fast Car :D
It wouldn't be fast
Joseph McBroseph. He said IF, he were a mechanic
If you were a mechanic, you wouldn’t even think of doing that lol
Genius!!
Lol a little thing called Power to Weight Ratio
The power wars of the 1970s ensured that Japan dominated the speed wars for the long future ahead. I had a kz1000 and it was such a wonderful bike. Great looks, sound and with some mods it was super quick. Felt like flying on the road. I'd blast by nearly everything like it was parked. It was so much fun. Too much sometimes. I got pulled over a lot!!😁
Glad you were able to still tell the story :-)
the cbx was a powerhouse a wicked bike to ride one of the best the good old days.
Lusted after this bike in my youth. I bought a cx 500 as my first street bike.
Went on to own a Z1 and a KZ1000.
And then the sportbikes came.
The Z1 is pretty awesome too.
Awesome video. You guys clearly love motorcycles.
I had a brand new 79 CBX1000 6 cylinder.. Gosh I loved that bike. The head cracked and someone actually stole my frame. Today in 2020 I still have most of the engine parts. I'm considering putting them up for sale now..
I does enjoy the symphony of this massive 6 cylinder engine! Thanks for sharing
No music needed for me, thank you. Just those 6 cylinders do the singing. :)
当時のオーナーさんが四発に比べてまるでモーターみたいに回るって長所を言っていた。のちは四発でも変わらずモーターみたいに回るから、わざわざ手間がかかる六発はいらんと廃れたとか聞いたけどホンマかな？
それと同じことがHawkⅡが出た時に言われてました。
４気筒は要らないと。
😨
Ryus
私の周りは逆でしたよ
ホークが出た時、みんななんで2気筒なのかと思いましたし、かえって4発が人気でした
運動性能で身内の900Fに完敗だからな
だがコイツの存在感とエギゾーストノートは唯一無二だ
Would love this guys collection of bikes.
Beautiful