If you own one of these, then I hope it's nothing like mine was...

[Cruisin' Craig]

Forum members, meet my old CBX550F. I owned one of these in the early-nineties. I shortly got rid of it because the handling, brakes and general stability were so bad that I thought there was something wrong with it.

Anyway, several bikes and a ten year motorcycling sabbatical later, I decided to get another bike, and was offered another CBX550F (the one pictured) at a very low cost.

Having owned two of them, and finding that the second one was, if anything, worse than the first, I can only conclude that this is the worst motorcycle that I've ever had the misfortune to ride.

As a demonstration, try removing both hands from the bars of this Honda for just a second, and you'll find yourself grabbing the bars again a split second later with your hear skipping a beat as the bike immediately starts going into a tank slapper. Now I can do that with my twenty three year old Suzuki and it just goes straight as an arrow without the tiniest vibration setting in. Now I know we don't all ride around with no hands on the bars, but how do you think a bike that does that is going to handle undulations in the road, or running over a pothole while leaning?

It weighs too much, it's top heavy, it's unstable, the brakes are hard to get at and don't stop well enough, and it's taken me a good few months of riding my Suzuki to get over the fear of leaning that this Honda has given me.

The frustrating thing is, the engine is so absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Power and torque all the way, sounds great, and silky smooth. What a shame they wasted it by putting it in such a terrible chassis!

Big apologies to anyone who owns one. I hope I've just had a couple of dodgy ones and yours is fine. That said, I suspect that if me writing this stops just one of you from ever buying one of these, then me registering with KB forum was a worthwhile exercise.

Cheers all. :-)

[MVnut]

They're on my 'most dangerous bikes' list:Punk::headbang:

[sidecar bob]

A very similar flavour to the MVX 250 if anyone can remember that tragic piece of automotive excrement, Every one that was sold new in Tauranga was binned shortly after.
Fortunately, i believe none have survived.

[tri boy]

If not binned, the centre cyl kept seizing until everyone gave up on them.:oi-grr:

[Cruisin' Craig]

Another motorcycling moment just sprang to mind. I remember riding this thing in really windy conditions, struggling just to stay in my lane on the motorway. My forearms were aching from gripping the handgrips so tightly as I fought to keep the bike pointing roughly in the right direction. Then this bloody Harley rider goes sweeping past me like I'm standing still, and looked to be having ABSOLUTELY ZERO problems with the wind! What's that all about? Wasn't my nice big protective fairing supposed to make ME more comfortable in windy conditions?

Still, in a way that's a point for the CBX 'cos I often had this satisfying feeling of accomlishment just for reaching my destination.

[mitchilin]

A very similar flavour to the MVX 250 if anyone can remember that tragic piece of automotive excrement, Every one that was sold new in Tauranga was binned shortly after.
Fortunately, i believe none have survived.

You poor bastard.

I tried to test ride one when I was young and got told by the salesman "nah it's to fast for you, sonny ".I stank of "uni student".I fucking laugh now!

[sidecar bob]

You poor bastard.

I tried to test ride one when I was young and got told by the salesman "nah it's to fast for you, sonny ".I stank of "uni student".I fucking laugh now!

Oh no, i never owned one, i was quietly observing from the safety of a '71 CB750 4.

[lb99]

Forum members, meet my old CBX550F. I owned one of these in the early-nineties. I shortly got rid of it because the handling, brakes and general stability were so bad that I thought there was something wrong with it.

Anyway, several bikes and a ten year motorcycling sabbatical later, I decided to get another bike, and was offered another CBX550F (the one pictured) at a very low cost.

Having owned two of them, and finding that the second one was, if anything, worse than the first, I can only conclude that this is the worst motorcycle that I've ever had the misfortune to ride.

As a demonstration, try removing both hands from the bars of this Honda for just a second, and you'll find yourself grabbing the bars again a split second later with your hear skipping a beat as the bike immediately starts going into a tank slapper. Now I can do that with my twenty three year old Suzuki and it just goes straight as an arrow without the tiniest vibration setting in. Now I know we don't all ride around with no hands on the bars, but how do you think a bike that does that is going to handle undulations in the road, or running over a pothole while leaning?

It weighs too much, it's top heavy, it's unstable, the brakes are hard to get at and don't stop well enough, and it's taken me a good few months of riding my Suzuki to get over the fear of leaning that this Honda has given me.

The frustrating thing is, the engine is so absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Power and torque all the way, sounds great, and silky smooth. What a shame they wasted it by putting it in such a terrible chassis!

Big apologies to anyone who owns one. I hope I've just had a couple of dodgy ones and yours is fine. That said, I suspect that if me writing this stops just one of you from ever buying one of these, then me registering with KB forum was a worthwhile exercise.

Cheers all. :-)


I have a CBX400 and it has sweet handling (for its age) although it only has a single inbord disc on the frint, so the wheel assy is a lot lighter than the 550.
I find the you have to be religious with the air pressure in the forks and tyres, it makes all the difference.
Zero problems with wind (blows like fuck here) but I dont have that uglyass fairing to act as a sail on mine, heres a pic.

<a href="http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g148/allnamesgone/?action=view&current=IMG_2797.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g148/allnamesgone/IMG_2797.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[sidecar bob]

.............

[Smokin]

Sounds just like an old XZ550 I had, Bloody horrible it was.

[MVnut]

And there are people selling bikes like these now saying they are classics n wanting big money for em. My theory is 'if it was crap when it was new, it's still crap (just older crap):lol::lol::lol:

[Wiki Drifter]

What's that all about? Wasn't my nice big protective fairing supposed to make ME more comfortable in windy conditions?


they act like great big bloody sails with side winds. I got a rude shock when riding in Welly, wasn't used to having the bike shifting lanes by itself :doh:

[Jiminy]

Then this bloody Harley rider goes sweeping past me like I'm standing still, and looked to be having ABSOLUTELY ZERO problems with the wind! (...) Still, in a way that's a point for the CBX 'cos I often had this satisfying feeling of accomlishment just for reaching my destination.

Let's face it: it's for those moments that you ride, isn't? Now you're gonna tell us you've just bought another one to live again through those glorious moments. You wouldn't even consider a comfortable bike, now, would ya? :lol:

Btw, how jealous were you of the HD rider?

Welcome on KB, Cruisin' Craig

[Cruisin' Craig]

Let's face it: it's for those moments that you ride, isn't? Now you're gonna tell us you've just bought another one to live again through those glorious moments. You wouldn't even consider a comfortable bike, now, would ya? :lol:

Btw, how jealous were you of the HD rider?

Welcome on KB, Cruisin' Craig

Thankyou for the welcome Jiminy.

I've got three things to say:

1) While I understand you are being tongue in cheek there, that's actually a really solid point about the reason we ride. It's often all to easy to get caught up in wanting better brakes, more grip, lighter chassis and more power, and hence losing track of where the real pleasure comes from.

2) That logic only works to a point however, and there ain't no way I'm getting another one of those dodgy handling pieces of rubbish. (Although that engine in a better handling frame would be marvelous. But then they did that didn't they. It's called a CBR600).

3) Third (and somewhat off-topic) a friend of mine has recently bought an M50 and gave me a ride on it. That is one good handling, smooth riding sweet running piece of comfort on wheels you have there! :-)

[Jiminy]

That is one good handling, smooth riding sweet running piece of comfort on wheels you have there! :-)

Yeah, that's what I tell my flatmates when I ride the bike into the living room for the 9pm movie... Maybe I should offer them some pop corns?

[scracha]

Cousin bought one as a nail for 300 UKP back in...cripes...1992. After couriering on it for a few months we went 2's up to the Netherlands on it (a fair jaunt from Scotland). No problems whatsoever, comfortable and sipped gogo juice. Belgium and the netherlands are fairly windy and it handled OK. Sure you just weren't being a tightarsed kiwi and using squared off tyres or something?

If you really want an under braked, evil handling weaving piece of $hite then buy a GPX750. I had the misfortune to own one of these after 3 very happy years on the GPX600.

[Kickaha]

Having owned two of them, and finding that the second one was, if anything, worse than the first, I can only conclude that this is the worst motorcycle that I've ever had the misfortune to ride.


Yet Diesel Pig races one on Pre82 down here with considerable success and quite regularly dispatches bikes with twice the capacity

Although I'd have to admit it's had the front end changed, but it's a bloody sweet bike to ride

[Cruisin' Craig]

Although I'd have to admit it's had the front end changed, but it's a bloody sweet bike to ride



I should also specify that both of mine were 1986 models.

However I personally suspect that most of the problems stemmed from the front end. I wonder if Diesel Pig changed the front end for a reason?

[MDR2]

My mum had a CBX400 in similar colours minus the fugly fairing. At the age of 12 I could hold it up with my feet flat on the floor.

Sadly it was sold before i was old enough to be allowed to ride it :(

I'd love to get one later perhaps just so I know what i was missing out on :D ....or not missing out on as the case may be.

I even prefered it to my dads vf400. (which i did ride and drop :S)

[scracha]

Lovely motor in them too. Afaik the first cbr 6's were just using a bored out cbx550 motor but I may be talking shite.

[homer]

i think it maybe a 550 thing
The 400 is sweet
just not enough grunt but handles fine

[Kickaha]

However I personally suspect that most of the problems stemmed from the front end. I wonder if Diesel Pig changed the front end for a reason?

He changed it to get rid of the wanky on board discs, he fitted a CB900 front end and two pot calipers, and changed the springs, he also fitted a Koni rear shock

[lb99]

i think it maybe a 550 thing
The 400 is sweet
just not enough grunt but handles fine

I think the front end on a 400 is closer to that of a VT250, but it still has the antidive and stuff., my CBX400 has plenty of grunt but only between 8-9.5k rpm, it gets a bit tedious, fine for cruising though

[Beemer]

My husband has one, he's had his for about 20 years and it is in mint condition. He only rides it in summer and uses it for track days and he has a ball on it. He says it isn't the fastest of bikes but he still gives other riders a run for their money on it! Here's a shot of him at one of our track days at Manfeild (don't forget - there's another one coming up on March 2!).

[homer]

I think the front end on a 400 is closer to that of a VT250, but it still has the antidive and stuff., my CBX400 has plenty of grunt but only between 8-9.5k rpm, it gets a bit tedious, fine for cruising though

yeah think your right they have the same wheels to

[gav]

Do you still have the CBX550? It would be an interesting exercise to take off that front fairing and see how it goes. They were a sweet little bike in there day, but possibly an XJ550 might have been slightly better.

[Kickaha]

Do you still have the CBX550? It would be an interesting exercise to take off that front fairing and see how it goes.

Diesel Pig was clocked at about 193kmh through a flying 1/4 mile on what is basically a stock motor


They were a sweet little bike in there day, but possibly an XJ550 might have been slightly better.

I reckon the CBX would take it, it's actually 572cc compared to the XJ at 528cc and the CBX is 4 valves per cylinder,stock the CBX is 10hp up on the XJ if you believe the manufacturers claims

[gav]

Diesel Pig was clocked at about 193kmh through a flying 1/4 mile on what is basically a stock motor

I was considering the wobble and braking rather than outright performance.

[gav]

Check out this old KB thread, it has a modernised CBX550 with what looks like a CBR600 engine and suspension!
Second post down.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=7455

[F5 Dave]

ok I'll bite (well not really). We'll start by saying I'm not a big Honda fan.

I bought a CBX550 in the very early 90s as I couldn't afford to run the Katana & X7 commuter any more. Several friend had them before so I knew what I was looking for. They were known for camchain tensioners failing early, but wasn't a major fix. The unfaired ones no doubt had less weight on the front but were all the better for it.

Thought it was a great bike & handled really well. But it didn't take much to turn it into a pig. Tyres were king. You had to have the correct sizes in a matched pair that suited the bike. I think I was running Bridgestones of some sort. Also the rear wheel axle position markers on the swingarm were miles out. I stringlined it & made some new marks. It would weave on the std positions.

Once you worked out how to change the front wheel it didn't take much longer than a conventional wheel, but it did dumbfound some mechanics when I was too lazy to take wheels off for new tyre & take the bus to the shop (no car). Brakes worked well if you kept the pistons free, which many didn't because they couldn't take the front wheel off.

The steering head bearings replace for tapered with the superseded mod rubber ring that went under them. The shock needed to be pumped out for oil & replaced & the forks reoiled also.

My test for bikes back then was an off road test track that looked almost exactly like the Nauranga Gorge being a long steep down hill off cambered curving road that goes on forever. Many old bikes wobbled down there at 100 kph (as was the speed limit back then). If a bike went down there composed at 100mph it was a goodun. When sorted the CBX passed with flying colours.

On this off road test track of course, this never happened on the road.;)

I put about 80,000 clicks on it & had to reoil the shock a few times & re do the linkage & fork bushes to get it back to fine, but strangely these parts were cheap, the fork bushes replaced for about $48 total I seem to remember.

When I rode a friends XZ400 (similar to the 550 mentioned above) there was no comparison. That truly was the most doggy bike I have been on.

And it was brand new.

[The Lone Rider]

Haha, theres a guy at work who just got one of those!

[HenryDorsetCase]

And there are people selling bikes like these now saying they are classics n wanting big money for em. My theory is 'if it was crap when it was new, it's still crap (just older crap):lol::lol::lol:

concur!

there was a cbx750 as well, an unfortunate pile of poo in all respects.

IIRC the handling woes were attributed to the fact that they just stapled that fairing onto it, and there was an unfortunate resonance that happened which made them very bad. Kind of like that police bike (cant remember which one but there is one in MOTAT). Fine as a civilian bike, but get all the chips kit on them and take them over 80kph and the shake like a belly dancer on acid.

I had a GPz750 (ZX750A3) at the time. That was a lovely stable good handling thing.

[roadracingoldfart]

ok I'll bite (well not really). We'll start by saying I'm not a big Honda fan.

Thought it was a great bike & handled really well. But it didn't take much to turn it into a pig. Tyres were king. You had to have the correct sizes in a matched pair that suited the bike. I think I was running Bridgestones of some sort. Also the rear wheel axle position markers on the swingarm were miles out. I stringlined it & made some new marks. It would weave on the std positions.

The steering head bearings replace for tapered with the superseded mod rubber ring that went under them. The shock needed to be pumped out for oil & replaced & the forks reoiled also.

My test for bikes back then was an off road test track that looked almost exactly like the Nauranga Gorge being a long steep down hill off cambered curving road that goes on forever. Many old bikes wobbled down there at 100 kph (as was the speed limit back then). If a bike went down there composed at 100mph it was a goodun. When sorted the CBX passed with flying colours.

On this off road test track of course, this never happened on the road.;)

I put about 80,000 clicks on it & had to reoil the shock a few times & re do the linkage & fork bushes to get it back to fine, but strangely these parts were cheap, the fork bushes replaced for about $48 total I seem to remember.




Ohh so you dont like Honda's but you know what we did to them at Honda Dealers in those days lol.
Your head bearings comments are so spot on and it was what made the diff to the bike.
I raced one many times and they were a great bike. The only thing we didnt do was the Castrol 6 hour because of the front brakes but folks like Allan DeLatour and Paul Pav did and got good results, I think Dave Martin raced one to a national Junior Proddie title. The CBX 550 was a very sweet engine but had a wicked nasty frame and suspention. At 572 cc's it was a sure thing in a head to head with the GSX550 ESE and the like.
PS; we accidently fitted a set of 400 carbs to a 550 once and shit , did that puppy haul ass and Blue Wing didnt know why either lol.

Id love one to have a Post Classic Play thing .
Cheers Paul.

[F5 Dave]

Well I was just trying to impress that I wasn't biased towards Hondas. I like bikes that are worthy more than brands. OK maybe I'm Yam & GasGas biased.

I was lucky I'd been pointed towards a great mechanic at the time who had CBX experience, you probably remember Craig (erm struggles with last name) who owned Ace up in Paraparaumu. I used to largely do my own work but started to make trips up there to get work done as he was worth the very reasonable amount of money he charged for his knowledge & to watch how he worked.

Think he became a cop or somesuch when the business fell over.

[edit] Craig Eddie I think (sp)