You used to have 'the Secret Meetings at Shell' in NL. There, the chemical price agreements between Shell and De markt were quietly arranged. A similar thing secretly happened in the fall of 1975, somewhere in a back yard in the US of A.
But where the Shell meetings were top down, the Los Angeles meeting was bottom up. Because there it was the American importer, dealers and magazine makers who had sort of called Honda to account. And when the North American market called… Because from there, companies like Triumph, Guzzi and Ducati from the famed Berliner Bros. to hear what the US market wanted and what needed to be made.
So in 1975 'America' was concerned about Honda. Market leader Honda was told it was losing its leading position and was failing. Honda simmered too contentedly about the introduction of the revolutionary CB750… And 'America' didn't like that. Moreover, the Japanese competition brought more and more models with more power than… There were grumbles.
Honda had become too sedate. Even the first generation of Gold Wings, and those things were running very bravely, couldn't change that. De Markt did not see the Goldwings as a sporty heavy bike. It's nice to see how well Honda jumped on that.
Honda came up with a double track. A 1000 cc four-cylinder and a larger six-cylinder stroke were developed. The six-cylinder was chosen for prestige considerations.
The X factor
Soichiro Irmajiri became the technical man behind the now XNUMX-year-old CBX. The 'X' stood for the as yet undetermined cylinder capacity. The lines fell under Norimoto Otsuka. And after only a year and a half there was the first, functional CBX six-cylinder.
The very early CBXs still had sand-cast crankcases and other castings. (Just like the first eight thousand CB750s.) The early CBX was also the last Japanese motorcycle to suffer from the Japanese building better engine blocks than bicycle parts. The front fork legs were too thin, the rear fork was mounted in plastic bushings and the too soft rear damper elements caused a lot of unrest at high speeds. From 1980, the bicycle parts were therefore seriously addressed. The front fork received air support, the rear fork was mounted on needles and Honda mounted their own ComStar wheels. From 1981, the CBXs received a central spring element at the rear with a Pro-Link lever system. The early, stereo-sprung copies are unreservedly regarded as the Genuine. The later version was less ADHD and more of a fast tourist.
In the meantime, such a CBX is highly collectible.
Restoring such a mechanical masterpiece is expensive. The block is a very complex thing full of expensive stuff. And how that can get out of hand was proven by the man who went to restore a CBX. He actually did that on his own. The end result was started very proudly in a room full of friends and admirers. The six-cylinder ran wonderfully. For a few minutes. A long story short: After beading the crankcase parts and head, the case was not blown clean enough. The newly overhauled block received fresh, expensive oil. And that oil took all the gravel grit on its journey through the lubrication system. Have you ever seen a grown man cry? We did then.
But the Honda CBX is now more than forty years young. And don't they say: “Life begins at forty”?
Nice to visit: www.cbx1000.nl
For all classic Japanese: the KJMV, www en.nl
If it has been blasted you should know that everything has to be aired and rinsed, that was a very expensive mistake by the best man
Kind regards, Richard Stoffels
Even professional overhaul companies sometimes make expensive mistakes that they do not always want to admit. Had a V20 overhauled 8 years ago in Apeldoorn, it ran fine at first and then got stuck. After investigation, there appeared to be rust and abrasive in the block, so it was simply not cleaned properly. Company did not respond despite the “Bovag guarantee”. Finally partly overhauled again at own expense, after which parts were lost again. After 1 month of quiet running in, a valve gets stuck, the valve stem clearances were not correct. Law of salvation to misery. In the end it worked out well elsewhere but I still have a stomachache from it.
It will hurt the enthusiasts' eyes, but last weekend there was a heavily renovated CBX in Houten with, among other things, single-sided front fork and rear fork and I thought it was nice too. I have a photo with a phone number, so if Dolf wants to take a closer look at it, I have contact details.
No matter how beautiful and technical: As an aging WTB'er: all due respect! But I'm not taking this. Because it's art!
Have seen and heard those CBXs driving with those six in one Marschall's 'whine pipe'. A 750 four already sounded like a game of 'waaauw'. The sound of a CBX with such a pipe was really nothing to compare with. You could just hear it driving a village away. Have also sat in the back. That was not the best experience. Sitting on the back of such a catapult with a petrol drive as a moped was quite an intense experience at 200km/h+ on the winding South Limburg motorways.
In 1980 the cbx got comstar wheels ???
What was in it for that?
I think they have always had Comstar wheels, only the first 2 years the “plates spokes” were the other way around. Have been driving a '30 cbX for 78 years now and can only drive it neatly for an hour: the sound of the engine asks for more and more revs…..unfortunately, the speed also increases 🫣€🫣
The kawa Z1300, on the other hand, drives much quieter, does not give that adhd feeling like the cbX.
Still, my preference (I have both bikes) goes to the cbX. ❤️That sound❤️
You're right. And congratulations on your good taste!
At Hond Nederland we occasionally received reports in 1981 from dealers who remarked after repair with replacement of the camshaft chain "I have done everything, but it no longer wants to run properly, can someone come by?", then had to conclude in principle that they had made it into a double 3 cylinder, the camshafts unfortunately allowed you to twist them accidentally!
Harald Westenberger, sounds familiar to my ears.
Look, that's text! Although there are also very nice three cylinders!
Some more pictures
I'd put him in the room!
Nice bike, enjoyed one, an early “78 Z. Fantastic sound, reasonable handling but expensive parts if something had to be replaced.
Is it yes wohl ein Hammerteil….
I worked in a motorcycle shop for 14 years and drove a CBX prolink. What a wonderful machine and beautiful technique.
When I worked at Leen Post Motoren in Naaldwijk, from 1977 to 2007, we received the motors in crates. Remove the cardboard and then there in full daylight the CBX 1100 of the first generation. So beautiful ! A few years later the version came with cases and fairing and Pro Link, what an improvement. The CBX was the first motorcycle that I drove above 200 km/h. Drive a Yamaha FJR 1300 these days.
40 years, I think the CBX 1000 is already 42! year on this globe.
With pearl rays, the pearls are killed 🙁
Correct! I worked in '79 in the assembly hall of Honda in Utrecht. Then I was allowed to give a few CBXs a 0 turn. From here the motorcycles went on to the dealers.
Hallo,
We are now in 2022. The Honda cbx1000 was introduced in 1978.
For me this was 44 years ago, so this article is not one hundred percent correct….
Fun knows no time! Wrongly counted between the knuckles