2-29-2020 Update: Reader Frank S. saw this bike back up for sale, so the cycle continues. ~18 months later, it’s moved to the Bay Area and the new owner doesn’t mention some of the extras that were originally included (mirror, extra key, manual, etc). It’s also surprisingly being offered at a slight discount – find this CB-1 for sale in Danville, California for $6,600 here on Craigslist.
Post Sale Update: Looks like the new owner made a little bit of money as this CB-1 sold for $7,400 after 49 bids on eBay.
6-16-2018 Update: Almost three years later, this CB-1 is back up for sale – but hurry, the new listing is ending soon! Since we last saw this beauty, it’s moved from Colorado to California but it does not seem to have any additional miles put on it. Based on the seller’s wording it looks like he/she was the one who acquired it on eBay in 2015, so the seller clearly thinks the bike has increased in value as bidding is currently up to $7,300 with the reserve not yet met, even though that’s more than he bought it for previously. Find it
Post Sale Update: This CB-1 sold for $6,490 after 36 bids on eBay.
Originally built for the Japanese market, the Honda CB-1 was a beautifully balanced motorcycle that lost out in an American market that was obsessed with having as much horsepower as possible. A colleague recently explained to me that these 400cc bikes from Japan are incredibly well developed due to a combination of regulations, licensing rules, and taxes that came together to create a very competitive market. Cycle World called this “a great motorcycle that never found an audience”, and with hindsight, it’s easy to see why.
This example (VIN: JH2NC2701KM003099) was acquired with nine pre-delivery miles by someone who purchased it new on March, 23 1991. He/she then intentionally never rode (or even started it) and the bike has been preserved since. The seller (Steele’s Cycles) says the battery is charged and the starter spins over fine, but they decided not to put any fuel in the tank or carbs or try to run it as they suspect some buyers will want it that way. Plus it’s a lot easier to sell a bike without having to say it works, right? The bike is claimed to be flawless and as new except for a cosmetic mark on the rear of the left mirror, so a NOS replacement is included.
Find this “museum quality” CB-1 for sale in Englewood, Colorado with bidding up $3,500