CBX1000 a "Superbike"?

[sugilite]

Anyone here have experience with these? The article linked below references the term "Superbike" often. Now super engineering I get, but Superbike?
I rode the Kawasaki 6 once and it was super smooth and very heavy, living up to Kawasaki Heavy Industries tag with great gusto :laugh:

https://www.autoblog.com/news/when-honda-built-a-six-cylinder-superbike-just-to-prove-a-point

https://www.autoblog.com/.image/w_1080,q_auto:good,c_limit/NzowMDAwMDAwMDAxMDcyMDAz/honda-cbx1000-f9.png

https://www.autoblog.com/.image/w_1080,q_auto:good,c_fill,ar_4:3/NzowMDAwMDAwMDAxMDcyMDAw/honda-cbx1000.jpg?arena_f_auto

[F5 Dave]

A mate has one and offered me a go sometime. Must make that happen before he gets bored and sells it. Going on past performance I have a clear 20 years.:laugh:

[roogazza]

When I was ridin for Jim and Alan Hughson in their shop in Upper Hutt . Jim arranged a ride on the then brand new CBX 6.
Took it over the Tukas to Featherston . Loved it ,went well and sounded great.
I think that must have been 1978 ???? :Police::shifty::mellow:<_<:laugh:

[pritch]

When the six came out there was a magazine article about the bike. The designer was Irimajiri san who had designed the RC166 250cc six years before. While working on the design of the CBX he was a guest at a USAF base and was shown over an F4 Phantom. The red on black instruments on the bike were inspired by those on the F4. There was mention of an exhaust system that did a passable imitation of the Phantom's sound too but the decision makers said no to that. Pity.

[husaberg]

When the six came out there was a magazine article about the bike. The designer was Irimajiri san who had designed the RC166 250cc six years before. While working on the design of the CBX he was a guest at a USAF base and was shown over an F4 Phantom. The red on black instruments on the bike were inspired by those on the F4. There was mention of an exhaust system that did a passable imitation of the Phantom's sound too but the decision makers said no to that. Pity.

He could also have jetted it rich as heck like the F4 as well.

357875357876
I am guessing you would have seen them fly over.

i have a classic mechanics or something from pommy land from when it came out it was like the F4 the fastest at the time of its introduction.
it had decent tech 4v/cylinder second models were prolink. Never been my cup of tea but far more sporty than a fatty shaft Z1300.
I seen both within a week of each other this year.

[SaferRides]

I have seen one while I was waiting for a WoF. It looked stunning and sounded great. No idea what they were like to ride though.

Sent from my SM-S938B using Tapatalk

[F5 Dave]

Seen on TM

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/honda/listing/5822168739

Butt FFS, lose the yellow HT wire!

[husaberg]

I forgot they had the piggy back alternator i thought the cbx750 or cb750f was the first with those.

[BMWST?]

Dont forget they are old bikes. A mate had one and everyone in our group loved it. The engine was revvy and smooth as . It revved out to higher speeds in the lower gears than all the other bikes we had at the time. I cant quite remember what Bike I had at that time. As mentioned above ,I am sure the noise it made was part of the appeal. It was a superbike at the time. I think I had a cb 900 during the same time he had the cbx(he got a cb 1100R ). in 1978 Suzuki gs 1000s wer about and Yamaha XS1100. THe cbx was rated at 105 hp

[sugilite]

Cheers for the excellent post, reading your perspective has certainly changed my mind. Yes, it was a a Superbike of its day :yes:


Dont forget they are old bikes. A mate had one and eryone in our group loved it. The engine was revvy and smooth as . It revved out to higher speeds in the lower gears than all the other bikes we had at the time. I cant quite remember what Bike I had at that time. As mentioned above ,I am sure the noise it made was part of the appeal. It was a superbike at the time. I think I had a cb 900 during the same time he had the cbx(he got a cb 1100R ). in 1978 Suzuki gs 1000s wer about and Yamaha XS1100. THe cbx was rated at 105 hp

[pete376403]

The beautiful engine. And then plastic swingarm bushes and FVQ (fade very quickly, apparently) shocks, later replaced by a prolink mono shock)
The Phantom exhaust note was mentioned in Cycle magazine, as a side bar to an article "in search of the 11 second CBX" detailing changes made to the ignition advancer to crack the 11 second quarter mile, which seems to be all US riders cared about.

[BMWST?]

The beautiful engine. And then plastic swingarm bushes and FVQ (fade very quickly, apparently) shocks, later replaced by a prolink mono shock)
The Phantom exhaust note was mentioned in Cycle magazine, as a side bar to an article "in search of the 11 second CBX" detailing changes made to the ignition advancer to crack the 11 second quarter mile, which seems to be all US riders cared about.
that bike was all about the engine. It was velvet smooth

[sugilite]

Sanctuary generally do an amazing job :yes:

https://www.bikebound.com/2026/04/04/rcm-693/

https://www.bikebound.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TOG_5128.jpg

https://www.bikebound.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TOG_5086.jpg

[F5 Dave]

They've got the tank 'Just right"
Your mate could pass you a beer through the middle.

I was a bit , hmm, about the Ti headers. But considering the wheels and front end, ok the look is not period by any stretch so : - Go for it.

Mirrors need to be longer but ok deliver it early next week. Although. Can I see it in Gold? Just because.

[jellywrestler]

I forgot they had the piggy back alternator i thought the cbx750 or cb750f was the first with those.

my 1926 indian scout had one of those and my vincent twin

[husaberg]

my 1926 indian scout had one of those and my vincent twin
Odd I would have assumed they both as std had dynamo's...
I seem to remember Bert Munro's Indian came with carbide lighting as he didnt want to $$ up spec to a generator....

[F5 Dave]

Well Spyder's a fancy pants and probably got the RR model.

[pete376403]

Your mate could pass you a beer through the middle.

No airbox of pod filters - I'm guessing runs like shit and is more for looks than anything else

[jellywrestler]

Odd I would have assumed they both as std had dynamo's...
I seem to remember Bert Munro's Indian came with carbide lighting as he didnt want to $$ up spec to a generator....

generators actually,
but that doesn't alter my point does it?

[husaberg]

generators actually,
but that doesn't alter my point does it?
I cant think think of many dynos that were not piggy back? twins like BSA triumphs matchless/ AJS Velos etc plus the pre-units singles of the main makes , aside for some Villiers and maybe other 2 smokes.
That Indian is pretty cool though engineering wise, with its geared primary , years ahead of its time
By all account very well engineered and decent materials , gearbox was strong enough for the 90hp or whatever Bert had.

[jellywrestler]

I cant think think of many dynos that were not piggy back? twins like BSA triumphs matchless/ AJS Velos etc plus the pre-units singles of the main makes , aside for some Villiers and maybe other 2 smokes.
That Indian is pretty cool though engineering wise, with its geared primary , years ahead of its time
By all account very well engineered and decent materials , gearbox was strong enough for the 90hp or whatever Bert had.

yip, and people pat the japanese on the back for thinking of it first..... i had a Z1300 CBX6 GS1000 and CB900 in my shed for a long time together, the overall width of the motors was differnt by milimetres due to them mocing their electrics.

[jellywrestler]

Well Spyder's a fancy pants and probably got the RR model.

Fancy pants? my mrs was only talking last night of me wearing matching y fronts for my trousers as half the time I can't even keep my fly up.

[husaberg]

yip, and people pat the japanese on the back for thinking of it first..... i had a Z1300 CBX6 GS1000 and CB900 in my shed for a long time together, the overall width of the motors was differnt by milimetres due to them mocing their electrics.
Pretty sure the altron alternators for Vincent's etc were based on a Kubota mini tractor .I was eyeing up the tiny sub 20 amp alternator on my Ride on as it looks like it would fit into the core of my lucas dynamo.

leaving the mag free if I converted to battery coil for a starter motor the semi unit BSA doesn't have the room for a electric state like a Goldstar or pre unit A10 does underneath. to b honest though I think the ride on ones could easily fit under the primary like the last model rare Alternator A10's
or I could finish and just ride the thing .....
357956357957357958

[jellywrestler]

Pretty sure the altron alternators for Vincent's etc were based on a Kubota mini tractor .I was eyeing up the tiny sub 20 amp alternator on my Ride on as it looks like it would fit into the core of my lucas dynamo.

leaving the mag free if I converted to battery coil for a starter motor the semi unit BSA doesn't have the room for a electric state like a Goldstar or pre unit A10 does underneath. to b honest though I think the ride on ones could easily fit under the primary like the last model rare Alternator A10's
or I could finish and just ride the thing .....
357956357957357958

dont know altron, alton are in the image of the original miller unit, similar to the lucas of the era