Parked in ’98: 1979 Honda CBX Super Sport
This 1979 Honda CBX Super Sport motorcycle is one of the more desirable sport bikes of its time, known for impressive speed out of the box with a meaty six-cylinder engine and over 100 horsepower. Like many high-performance bikes from this era, handling could be suspect, but the straight-line speed more than made up for any perceived death wobble. The seller notes this is the bike he wanted as a young man and although he finally got his hands on one, it’s time to sell this high-performance icon to someone who is going to do it justice. Find the CBX here on eBay where bidding is at $5,600 with no reserve.
It’s always a bit startling to see a six-cylinder engine hanging off of a sport bike frame, as it reminds you just how much more mass it occupies than a traditional four-cylinder bike. The engine actually measured two feet wide, so it’s not just a figment of your imagination that it takes up a lot of space. The CBX could reach the quarter-mile in under 12 seconds at 117 miles per hour which is still a very impressive result even by modern standards. It’s hard to imagine going that fast on a bike this old for those of us of a certain age, but for veteran riders, bikes like these are what you cut your teeth on, along with potentially breaking a few limbs when the handling went soft.
The seller notes he had big plans for this CBX before it was parked due to misfiring and fouling two of the plugs in 1998. It hasn’t been ridden regularly since, but it was properly repaired. The seller is a former bike mechanic who claims to have experience building high-performance race engines, so he got to work acquiring all of the necessary parts to fix the issue, which included a replacement coil pack and a spare set of igniters. At the same time, the seller grabbed some desirable period-correct performance parts, including a rare Supertrapp exhaust and a Corbin seat. Other spare replacement parts are also included, such as a headlight and a set of carburetors.
The seller adds that the carburetors were previously rebuilt before the misfiring began, so he has entertained the possibility that the carbs still have a fault somewhere despite the overhaul. As such, the second set of carburetors was purchased to potentially swap in to see if it changed the bike’s running condition. The seller notes it also needs a new chain and that the bakes should be properly overhauled. All of the necessary parts are included to do this work, and as an added bonus, the seller is ready to build a custom crate for this CBX should it need to be shipped long-distance.
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Comments
These bikes are rare and desirable now but they languished in Honda showrooms and many were left un-crated and in storage. My friend and fellow workmate bought one when nobody wanted them. I still remember the sound of his bike when he chose to ride it to work. Jeff is not kidding about the width of that engine stuffed in the frame. Cool bike really showcased what Honda was capable of creating. They are a company known or their engines after all.
I bought a new 79 same as this one in 81 and got over $1000 off original list price. Love that bike and the attention it got when cruising. Was a hot ride in town from the engine heat directly in front of your legs, and the width of the engine was a bit of drawback during a 130 mph wheelie over a rise in the road. Did not want to come down. Looks like a good price here.
I remember the local Honda dealer trying to sell them in crates for $2500. They had been sitting there for a couple years. Wish I’d have bought one!!
very special bikes. the engines and Transmissions are like butter. I’ve owned my naked ’81 since 1992.
My friend had one and added a Turbo kit to it like it wasn’t fast enough.
“Six – count ’em,Six”.
I owned a 1979 and a 1980 Kawasaki KZ1300. Those were awesome 6-Cylinder motorcycles as well, and the ’80 had a 6-into-1 D&G pipe that I put on it.
The sound would send chills up your spine. Very F-1 like. I owned them sequentially, since once I sold the ’79, I almost immediately wanted it back.
There was a time when I thought I’d collect all of the 6-cyl bikes made.
Always wanted a CBX (my neighbor had one). It always seemed that when they were $1800, I could only come up with $1500. When they were $2500, I could scrape up $2000.
Now, they are about $15,000. I could do that, but again, have other uses for the $$$ (I’m restoring a 1968 442 Convertible).
I also wanted a Benelli, but the opportunity never arose.
Really, if I remember anything about those bikes, it was the SOOOUUUUUNNNNNDDDD.
Fast by Ferracci was the man for performance upgrades on these bikes. He worked for the local Honda dealership Chaccio Motors in Riverside, NJ. This is before he moved on to Ducati motorcycles. He could really make these bikes into fire-breathing monsters including air shifters. He used my BIL’s bike as a test mule and it was a beast.
My dog looked at the photos of this bike and came to the same conclusion as me. “Ruff!”
luved these when I was younger…..I can count on one hand the bikes I’ve owned, well except the two mini bikes dad bought us kids.
first bike a Yamaha 500XS, then a long period without, then a 1992 Ducati 907ie that I pulled out of disassembled storage from a friends brother in laws garage, while still caring for that one picked up 1997 Yamaha VMax and later a 1996 Suzuki GSXR1100. crowded in the garage for a while, then sold them all off while fighting some health issues, and in the hopes of picking up a Harley Road King to customize…..
a friend let me ride his Honda 750 of similar vintage and while not as big it’s riding stance was similar and I really liked it.
Friend had one of these. Found it to be one of those funny bikes. There wasn’t anything it was best at except being a really good bike. He owned it for years and was very reliable. Put a sidecar on it and wasn’t a good tug so it came back off.
He finally went to a goldwing, which in almost every way is a better bike. Still the CBX just felt better.
As to the CBX wobble. Could make it better or worse with tire choice and pressure. With both hands on the bars it was never dangerous.
Still think the six into six pipes sound the best.
i bought a brand new candy red 1979 CBX as it hit the showroom in Greenwich CT.. think i was 18y it was a monster took it apart custom painted it candy brandy wine with a god base W/ ghost flames put chrome on everything bigger wheels n tires did some eng work won the world of wheels 2 times NOW– as it ran – ( I BEAT EVERYBODY ) with it !!! 70 ft burn outs out of (1ST gear ) at 13,500 on the tach 75 miles an hr !!!burning rubber -handled- mine had no wobble i was scraping the pegs every ride CRAZY well worth the(( $14,000.00 )) i put in to it ((in 1980 )) after the $4,200.00 i paid for it -6 into 1 then straight pipes & velocity stacks put sunoco racing fuel in it at $575 a gal,,, in 1980 gas was 0.90 cents
I just broke into a cold sweat … remembering carb sync’ng. A lot of beer and swearing
Yeah, other than 1/3 more cubes (and water-cooled weight), the KZ1300 had 3 two-barrels. Those 6 1’s must be thrilling to keep in sync.
“Here, take it. I’m baked.”
/OR/
“Time ta flip. Lost my investment 1/2 way thru.”
all’s the same~
SOLD for $7,800.
good value