Having more than 4 cylinders on a bike is not just a recent pursuit for manufacturers. Aviation was the principal influence in doing multi-cylinder motors, using radial engines like “La Millet” in 1887, a French motorcycle made with a 5-cylinder radial engine located in the back wheel. Obviously, this “more than 4 cylinders” path was not the easiest to follow for manufacturers and didn’t make the most usable bikes. So, in 1966 Honda took one of the first real shots at creating a reliable and fast 6-cylinder with the RC166, a 249cc motor made for racing. The very first production 6-cylinder bike was the Sei 750 made by Benelli in 1972. In 1979, Honda released one of its masterpieces, the CBX1000.
Thanks to their previous knowledge in 6-cylinder bikes and success of the CB750, the CBX appeared as a logical continuation. The engine was an in-line 6 cylinder displacing 1,047cc and developing 103 hp using six 28mm Keihin carbs. Despite a weight of 600 lb with a full tank, the bike still felt good on the road and was capable of flying around 140 mph, one of the best top speed figures of the time. But it was not a commercial success. Like every other 6-cylinder bike, it was considered to be intimidating and heavy. Check out Motorcycle Classics for two really interesting articles – one about 6-cylinder bikes in general and one about the CBX itself.
This specific bike is from 1982, the last year of CBX production. The odometer shows about 43k miles but the owner says he rides it weekly to keep it in good working condition. The overall condition of the bike is not so bad with fairings and luggage in nice shape, and just small dents here and there. We see however, that the lower front fairings are missing on both sides. The look of the bike is beautiful with its front semi-fairing, original luggage and original color. It seems to be in its original condition and has never been restored.
Find this Honda CBX1000 for sale here on Craigslist in Irvine, California for $6,800.