Honda CB450 (1965) Engine specification, Color, Weight

                                Honda CB450

                                  The unusual instrument console included both a speedometer and rev-counter. Honda’s parallel twin engine produced its maximum power at 8500rpm and was impressively reliable.

                                   The CB450's rather heavy look was an accurate reflection of its performance, but there was little doubt that this bike represented the start of a new era for Honda.

                                      Honda made a vivid impact in road-racing in the early 1960s, winning a string of world championships with powerful, high-revving, multi-cylinder machines. But the Japanese firm’s roadsters were limited to relatively modest small-capacity models of 305cc and less, which many people thought Honda would be content to build for years to come. Then came the CB450, Honda’s first big bike - and suddenly the motorcycle world seemed a very different place.

                                     American magazine Cycle World, for one, understood the significance of the biggest, most powerful machine yet from Japan. ’Beyond any doubt, the big news item of the preceding 12 months came when Honda finally announced (‘admitted’ would be a better word) that there was, in fact, a new big-displacement addition to their line of motorcycles,’ the magazine commented when testing the CB450 in 1965.

                                    The 445cc parallel twin’s look and layout were in most respects similar to those of the smaller twins with which Honda had been building a reputation for performance and reliability. The motor had oversquare dimensions of 70 x 57.8mm, a four-speed gearbox and a 180-degree crankshaft. It also incorporated several new features, notably twin overhead camshafts, operated by a long central chain. Valve springs were an unusual torsion-bar arrangement, instead of conventional coil springs.

 

                                     Honda's attack on the world's motorcycle markets began with small-capacity twins, notably the sporty 125cc CB92 and its big brother, the 250cc CB72. The CB92 Benly Super Sport, to give the sohc twin its full name, appeared in export markets in 1961. It produced 15bhp at a heady 10,500rpm, and was good for an impressive 70mph (113km/h). Although the pressed-steel frame gave only average handling, the CB92 was stylish, well braked and neatly engineered. Boosted by Honda's grand prix triumphs, and joined in showrooms by the faster CB72 a year later, it did much to establish Honda as a manufacturer of high- performance bikes.

HONDA CB450

                                          Honda’s 445cc engine combined a British- style air-cooled parallel twin cylinder layout with twin overhead camshafts.

                                     Handling was quite responsive but the CB450 was not nearly as fast or as exciting as its specification suggested.

                      Specification Honda CB450                                                     (1965)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc four-valve parallel twin
• Capacity 445cc (70 x 57.8mm)
• Maximum power 43bhp @ 8500rpm
• Transmission Four-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel twin cradle
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Drum front and rear
• Weight 4111b (186kg)
• Top speed 102mph (164km/h)

Honda CB750 (1969) Specification, Review, HD Photos

                                 Honda CB750

                                 With a top speed of over 120mph (193km/h) and a standing quarter-mile time of under 13 seconds, Honda’s original CB750 four was one of the fastest and hardest-accelerating bikes on the roads in the early 1970s. But it was not sheer speed alone that made the Honda such a huge success back then; nor that caused it to be widely regarded as the most important machine that the motorcycle industry has yet produced.

                                           More than simply sheer performance, it was the CB750’s unmatched sophistication that made it special. When it arrived in 1969, the Honda was the first mass-produced four, and it incorporated refinements including an electric starter, disc front brake and five-speed gearbox. As well as being competitively priced, it was also impressively well built. By this time, a generation of motorcyclists had grown up on smaller Hondas, and were confident that the Japanese firm’s bikes would be mechanically reliable, and would have good electrics and no oil leaks. They would not be disappointed by the glamorous four.

Influenced by racebikes

                                   Of all the Honda’s attributes, that powerful, smooth-running engine was the most important.

                                          The 736cc unit’s design was influenced by Honda’s multi-cylinder racebikes of the 1960s, although the roadster relied on a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder, in contrast to the racers with their twin cams and four valves per pot. The Honda’s capacity of 736cc came from its relatively long-stroke dimensions of 61 x 63mm, which helped reduce width.

                                           The original CB750 had conventional styling and fairly high handlebars, but its disc front brake and especially its four-cylinder engine brought a new level of sophistication and performance to motorcycling. More than three decades later, its influence is still clear in the design of modern super bikes.

                                          Most of the first fours to be produced were sold in America, where the model went on sale in mid- 1969. This bike, built in October of that year, was the first to be sold in Britain and was registered in January 1970.

Tuned For Speed - The CB750F2

                                                  Honda was slow to update the CB750 in the 1970s, despite the arrival of rivals including Kawasaki's more powerful 900cc Z1. In fact the CB was detuned over the years to reduce emissions. Even the 1976 model CB750F1, which looked sporty with flat handlebars and bright yellow paint, could manage only 115mph (185km/h). But a year later came the CB750F2. Its black-painted engine had bigger valves, high-lift camshaft, redesigned combustion chamber and produced 73bhp, an extra 6bhp. Chassis improvements included a strengthened frame, new suspension and triple disc brakes. With top speed of over 120mph (193km/h) and excellent handling, the F2 was the last and best of Honda's single-cam 750s.

                                        The motor was angled slightly forward in a steel, twin cradle frame, which held gaitered front forks and twin rear shock absorbers. Honda created the initial CB750 as an all-rounder, aiming it primarily at the US market. It was a physically large machine with a wide seat. It also had fairly high handlebars, but the wind-blown riding position did not prevent it from being well suited to cruising at speed.

                                         Chassis performance did not quite match that of the engine, with the flex-prone steel frame causing a few wobbles under very hard riding. But by early 1970s standards the Honda’s handling was good. Although quite heavy, the four carried its weight well, thanks partly to firm suspension. Its disc front brake gave an edge in both image and performance over rival firms’ drums, too.

                                            Demand for the CB750 was huge, notably in America, where most of the early production was sold. Honda even got a barely necessary marketing boost from competition success, when veteran ace Dick Mann won the 1970 Daytona 200 on a modified CB750. Cycle World introduced the Honda as ‘the ultimate weapon in one-upmanship - a magnificent, muscle-bound racer for the road’, and concluded in its road test that the CB750 was ‘the very best road bike in the world’.

                                            Few who rode it at the time disagreed with that. And, as four-cylinder Japanese superbikes began to dominate the two-wheeled scene through the 1970s and ’80s, the Honda’s enormous influence became apparent. After the CB750, high-performance motorcycling would never be the same again.

                                        Honda’s 736cc straight-four powerplant had a chain-driven single overhead camshaft and eight valves. Carburation and exhaust changes necessary to meet tightening emissions legislation meant that its 67bhp output was initially reduced, rather than increased, in subsequent years. Although the Honda had an electric starter, it was also fitted with a kick- starter as a back-up.

                        Specification Honda CB750                                                       (1969)

• Engine Air-cooled sohc eight-valve four
• Capacity 736cc (61 x 63mm)
• Maximum power 67bhp @ 8000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel twin downtube
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Single disc front; drum rear
• Weight 506lb (230kg) wet
• Top speed 123mph (198km/h)

Honda CBX1000 (1978) Specification, Wikipedia, On road Price

                          Honda CBX1000

                              The CBX1000 had only two silencers, but even so the six-cylinder engine combined with neat styling to give the Honda a dramatic look from almost every angle. Compared to the large and muscular motor, the bike’s thin front forks, narrow tyres and small brake discs seem insubstantial, although they were top-class components in 1978.

                                  Honda’s mighty six-cylinder CBX1000 was the superbike that appeared to have it fL uA all. Its 24-valve engine produced a phenomenal 105bhp. making the CBX the most powerful production motorcycle on the road in 1978. Its searing speed was backed by remarkable smoothness and technical sophistication, even by Honda’s high standards.

                                 The Six was a handsome machine that had a pure-bred sporting image. It came with a sense of history, having been inspired by Honda’s famous multi-cylinder racebikes of the mid-1960s. And its chassis was excellent, too, boosted by innovative use of weight-reducing materials.

                                 Years after the bike’s launch, it still inspires great loyalty from a devoted band of enthusiasts, and respect from most people who have ridden one. It remains a landmark machine, having combined style, technology and performance in a way arguably not seen before or since from Japan. Yet ironically the Six was a short-lived sales failure when new.

Multi-cylinder heritage

                                      The CBX 1000 was shaped by project leader Shoichiro Irimajiri, who as a young engineer in the 1960s had worked to create Honda’s high-revving multi-cylinder grand prix bikes raced by Mike Hailwood, Luigi Taveri and others. The racers provided inspiration for the CBX’s cylinder head, with its 24 tiny valves. The exhaust camshaft was hollow to save weight. The CBX trod new ground for a standard machine by using lightweight magnesium for several engine covers.

                             Irimajiri got round the potential width problem of a six-cylinder motor with a jackshaft, above the gearbox, which drove the alternator and ignition system. This allowed the 1047cc motor to be remarkably narrow at its base. Legroom was provided for the rider by tilting the cylinders forward by 33 degrees, and by angling the six carbs inwards in two pairs of three.

                               Honda created the CBX as a no-compromise sports bike. Its styling was dramatic, emphasized by the way in which the wide engine, which being air-cooled required no radiator, was suspended by the tubular steel frame. The absence of downtubes added to the visual impact.

                                Straight-line performance was awesome, combining smoothness with the most ferocious acceleration yet seen from a production bike.

                                 Below 6000rpm the CBX responded crisply but without great force. Above that figure it came alive, surging towards its I35mph (217km/h) top-speed with a memorable, high-pitched howl from its exhaust. Most riders who rode the big six-cylinder machine were captivated by its unique blend of speed and charisma.

                                   Its chassis worked, too. The CBX had good quality suspension, plus an efficient twin-disc front brake. Weight was kept to a minimum by use of aluminium handlebars, plastic mudguards and magnesium engine covers. Although the Honda still weighed a substantial 572lb (259kg), and could not match the composure of Suzuki’s new GSIOOO four, it handled well for such a big bike.

                                   But for all its pace and panache, the CBX sold very poorly, especially in the vital (and touring oriented) American market. Part of the reason was simply that the Six cost far more than its less exotic rivals. In some markets it was 50 per cent more expensive than equivalent fours, yet offered no real advantage in terms of pure performance.

                                   After a 1981 redesign that created the fully- faired CBX1000B, an attempt to add appeal for long-distance riders, the Six was dropped from the range. Honda’s gamble had failed. But the CBX had given the firm’s image a considerable boost. As one star-struck tester had put it in 1978, ‘the Six is one of those rare machines that will never, ever be forgotten.' As long as fast bikes are ridden and admired, there is absolutely no danger of that.

                                    The CBX frame had no front dow ntubes to spoil the dramatic view of the six-cylinder powerplant. fitted here with Honda's crash-bars. The 24-valve unit's I05bhp output gave fierce acceleration and was very smooth and reliable.

                 Specification Honda C8X1000                                                 (1978)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc 24-valve six
• Capacity 1047cc (64.5 x 53.4mm)
• Maximum power 105bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Tubular steel
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 572lb (259kg) wet
• Top speed 135mph (217km/h)

Honda CB900F (1979) Top speed, Maximum power, Transmission type

                                Honda CB900F

                      Despite being designed as a sports bike, the CB900F's slightly raised handlebars gave a fairly upright riding position that soon became tiring at anything close to the bike’s top speed.

                             The 900F’s 'Eurostyle'shape was attractive and quite sporty, although it was reminiscent of other Hondas. These included not only the CB750FZ that was launched simultaneously, but also small-capacity Super Dream twins.

                                The arrival of the CB900F in 1979 marked an important upturn in Honda’s superbike fortunes. At that time, the world’s biggest bike firm badly needed a high- performance machine to compete with Kawasaki's ever-popular Z1000 and Suzuki’s GS1000. Honda’s single-cam CB750 had long been outclassed by bigger dohc fours, and the previous year’s six- cylinder CBX1000 had not been a success despite its power and panache.

                                   The more conventional 900F four pitched Honda straight into the hard-fought superbike battle, backed by a big promotional campaign based on its race-developed technology. ‘It’s a powerhouse that has evolved directly from our all- conquering Endurance RCB machine,’ ran the advertising line. ‘A thundering Super Sports bike with devastating performance and unwavering stamina that will be setting the pace for many years to come.’

                             The hype and racing references were largely justified. Honda’s mighty lOOOcc RCB fours had dominated European endurance racing, notably in the hands of French duo Christian Leon and Jean-Claude Chemarin.

                                 (In 1978 RCBs took the first three places in the prestigious Bol d'Or 24 hour race and won a third consecutive Coupe d’Endurance championship.) The CB900F was no race-replica, but the roadster’s development had clearly been influenced by the RCB.

                                   Honda s first dohc roadgoing four had long- stroke dimensions and a capacity of 901 cc. The air­cooled unit held 16 valves and produced 95bhp Kith plenty of mid-range torque. It was conventional in design, api. two came hauo from crankshaft to exhaust cam, the second from exhaust to inlet.

                                   The steel-framed twin-shock chassis provided good handling, especially when fitted with aftermarket rear shock units, like this hike whose original FVQ units have been replaced by Konis. The wheels were Honda's composite Comstar design.

Styled for Europe

                           In contrast to most previous Japanese superbikes, which had been designed with the American market in mind, the 900F was aimed at Europe, and initially was not even sold in the States. Its angular Eurostyle shape, with fuel tank blending into sidepanels, was pleasant in an understated way. Indeed the 900F, with its twin silencers, looked very similar to Honda’s humble CB400 Super Dream - a fact that did the bigger model no favours.

                                  The 90lcc engine was the bike’s star attraction. Along with the CB750FZ that was launched at the same time, the 900F finally gave Honda a big twin- cam powerplant, six years after the arrival of Kawasaki’s Zl. The 16-valve unit had fairly long- stroke dimensions of 64.5 x 69mm. and produced a claimed maximum of 95bhp at 9000rpm.

                                     Despite its racing heritage and sporty image, the 900F was tuned for mid-range rather than ultimate power. It delivered arm-stretching acceleration from 4000rpm in top gear to the 9500rpm redline. At 90mph (I45km/h) the motor’s slight high-frequency vibration made it feel rather busy. But the leant-forward riding position and broad seat made the Honda comfortable at most speeds, if not at the bike’s maximum of over I30mph (210km/h).

                                  The 900F’s chassis was arguably the best Honda had built for the street. There was nothing obviously special about the frame, with its top spine of three steel tubes. But it was very strong, and equipped with high quality suspension. The front forks were air-assisted, and the rear shocks were adjustable for compression and rebound damping, as well as spring preload.\

                                      Despite the Honda’s 5l4lb (233kg) of weight, it handled well and had enough ground clearance to make fast cornering fun. Stopping power was less impressive, and braking was one of the things uprated in 1982, when a revised 900F appeared boasting twin-piston front calipers plus Honda’s new TRAC anti-dive system. There was also the option of a full fairing, with which the bike was called the CB900 F2B (standing, some said, for ‘Far 2 Big’).

                                     The unfaired CB900F remained in production for several more years, and also formed the basis of the exotic CBl 100R production racer. Back in 1979 one tester had described the original twin-cam four as ‘the nearest any manufacturer has come to producing the Perfect Motorcycle'. That might have been an exaggeration, but the CB900F had certainly put Honda’s superbike range back on the right track.

                   Specification Honda CB900F                                                    (1979)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc 16-valve transverse four
• Capacity 901 cc (64.5 x 69mm)
• Maximum power 95bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel twin downtube
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 5141b (233kg)
• Top speed 135mph (217km/h)

Honda CB1100R (1981) Review, Top speed, Color

                           Honda CB1100R

                                The original 1981- model CB1100R had a half- fairing plus other features designed for long-distance production racing, including a large-capacity fuel tank and single seat. Other key elements were its twin-piston front brake calipers, remote-reservoir rear shocks, and the tuned and strengthened 1062cc four-cylinder engine with its unmatched I15bhp power output.

                                  The incomparable CB1100R provided proof that when mighty Honda set out to build the fastest production motorcycle in the world, the opposition didn't stand much chance. Especially when the bike in question was a purpose-built racer designed wdth little regard to cost, produced in very small numbers, and which competed against mass-produced machines that sold for half its price.

                              Honda’s aim in creating the CB1100R was victory in high-profile long-distance production races in Australia (especially the prestigious Castrol Six Hour) and South Africa. Regulations for these races were strict, with very few modifications allowed. So Honda created its first “homologation special’ by treating its current top model, the naked CB900FZ, to a spectacular makeover.

                           The result was a stunning superbike that was head and shoulders above all opposition in 1981.

                               Its racetrack dominance was predictable and sometimes dull. But for the fortunate few w'ho got to ride an 1100R, there was nothing remotely boring about a bike that rocketed to over 140mph (225km/h), handled and braked better than any bigfour-cylinder rival, and was even refined and comfortable too.

                                 Honda's first requirement was more power. The CB900’s air-cooled, 16-valve four-cylinder motor was bored out to increase its capacity from 901 to 1062cc, and its compression ratio raised from 8.8 to 10:1. That lifted peak output by more than 20 per cent, to 115bhp at 9000rpm. Equally importantly, the motor was strengthened with modifications including new conrods, wider primary chain and redesigned crankcases.

                                Chassis layout remained conventional, but the 1100R benefited from a more rigid tw in-downtube steel frame, plus the most sophisticated cycle parts yet seen on a production motorcycle. Front forks had thick 37mm legs and adjustable air pressure, while the shocks could be fine-tuned for compression and rebound damping, and had the novel feature of remote hydraulic reservoirs, to resist overheating. The front brake held another first, with its twin-piston calipers.

                                  One thing that Honda didn't achieve w'as make the CB1100R particularly light: at 5181b (235kg) dry, it w'as slightly heavier the 900FZ despite much use of plastic and aluminium. The production racer certainly looked the part, though, with its half-fairing, large fuel tank (for maximum racing range), and racy single seat. Nobody was in the slightest doubt about why the 1100R had been created, especially when Honda announced that only 1000 units would be built, and that in some markets the bike would cost almost twice as much as the CB900FZ.

                                Nothing this purposeful had been produced by a Japanese manufacturer before, and the 1100R duly trounced all opposition on the track. This was particularly true in the shorter races of the British Streetbike series, where the handful of Hondas were in a race of their own at the head of the field. The southern hemisphere long-distance events threw up more variables, but the CB1100R took plenty of wins.

Sensational road bike

                                    Perhaps most impressively of all. the CBl 100R made a sensational road bike. Its phenomenal top- end power was matched not only by storming mid- range acceleration, but also by impressive smoothness and low-rev refinement. The protective fairing allowed more of that performance to be used. And although the 1100R was prone to a slight weave at very high speed, its chassis gave superb suspension control, fierce braking and generous ground clearance.

                                 Honda made the bike even better in the next couple of years. In 1982 came the CB 1100R-C, with a full fairing (which cured the instability), dual seat, improved front forks and wider wheels.

                             A year later, the 1100R-D added damping- adjustable forks and an aluminium swingarm. The specification had changed, but one thing had not: the CBl 100R was still the fastest production motorcycle in the world.

                         As well as being an almost invincible production racer, the CB1100R made a superb roadster. This is the later fully-faired model, pictured on the Isle of Manduring TT week. If there had been a Production TT race in the early 1980s, the CBl 100R would doubtless have won that too.

                 Specification Honda CB1100R                                                    (1981)

• Engine Air-cooled dohc 16-valve four
• Capacity 1062cc (70 x 69mm)
• Maximum power 115bhp @ 9000rpm
• Transmission Five-speed, chain final drive
• Frame Steel twin downtube
• Suspension Telescopic front; twin shocks rear
• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear
• Weight 5181b (235kg)
• Top speed 142mph (229km/h)