Engine and Frame se(r)ial mumbers.

[mac.]

I'm trying to find out more about my 1980 CBX via the engine and frame numbers. Can anyone assist?

Engine: CB1E2015870

Frame: CB12015746

Questions

Are they matching numbers?
Where was it manufactured?
Is it a 1980 CBX?
Any other detail

Tx's

[daves79x]

Well, sorry to break it to you if it matters, but you have there a mid-year production 1979 CBX. Not sure why it is an '80 on the paperwork other than it wasn't sold until 1980. Some countries did that. But it is for sure a '79. Engine # looks to be original to the frame. Look at the frame tag - is it a large one on the neck or a smaller one on the frame tube? A large one is a US model originally and will tell you much more info, small one was a non-US model.

Dave

[EMS]

I am glad, Dave was the bearer of the "bad news" It is indeed a 1979 CBX. It was built in November of 1978. It may "pose" as a 1980, because it may have been first registered in 1980, depending in which country it was sold.
As Dave said, engine and frame seem to go together. Engine serial numbers are usually slightly higher than frame numbers as Honda made engines for replacement. I have a record for CB1-20 15869 with engine CB1E- 20 16032 and frame CB1-20 15983 with engine CB1E-20 16120. So, all is well on that front. All 1979s were made in Japan.
Can you post a picture? Maybe we can give you some more details about it. Where did you buy it? Locally in SA, or did you import it?

[NobleHops]

BTW Mac, Mike is laughing I assume because many people think the 79 is more desirable, being the first year bike and having a very slightly higher horsepower number. So it's not really "bad news". Many folks would say you're lucky that your bike is a 79, and not an 80.

Some of us (me included) actually think the 80 is a bit better bike in a few ways, and there are certainly a much smaller number of 80 bikes out in the wild, but it is what it is in the society of old bike nerds.

So congrats I guess

[daves79x]

Mike:

I was just looking over this thread and noticed near the beginning you commented about not having any '79s in the 3000 range. Well, I have one here, the original Katrina bike. Frame #3866 and engine # 4084. It's not going anywhere except mostly in the scrap heap.

Dave

[EMS]

Thanks, Dave. I will add this to the list. As the thread is rather old, the list has evolved in the meantime and I have actually 8 units in the "3000" range!
I actually have ..3865!!!

Is the Katrina bike a May or June built??

[EMS]

Some of us (me included) actually think the 80 is a bit better bike in a few ways,

Nils: You have good reason to think that! Why would a bike model that was revised from the original version NOT be better??? Considering the enormous motorcycle engineering know-how Honda had in these days (I know there are some guys on forums who claim they could have done better ) - why would they not improve on the concept? People get too obsessed with the horsepower number and flock to the 79, while all the time the nominal difference in hp between the 79 and 80 is well within the tolerance of the actual manufacturing specifications. Theoretically, you can have an 80 on the high end of the tolerance band putting out more hp than a 79 on the low end. Comparing two stock U.S. bikes, you have quite a number of improvements on the 80 that are significant: air forks, steering neck, swingarm pivot, rear shocks, tailpiece lid for storage, wider rear rim, 530 drive chain, larger oil cooler. And although the paper performance was better on the 79, the 80 had an improved engine tuning which effectively eliminated the lean spot in the mid-range.

I have the same discussions in the BMW community. As you may know, everybody there is gaga over the /6 model R90S ( especially the Daytona Orange version), while it is quite obvious that the /7 R100S is the better bike, not only in small details.

[mac.]

Thanks for all the feedback. Not sure if it's good news or bad!

On reflection: It's a CBX - I'm Happy!!

In answer to the other queries:

The bike is still en route from Durban so I'll be able to look at the frame tag on arrival.

I bought the bike locally - South Africa

[daves79x]

Mike:

Build date of Katrina bike is May - '78. I believe it was originally sold in Texas.

Dave

[EMS]

Mike:

Build date of Katrina bike is May - '78. I believe it was originally sold in Texas.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. This brings up an interesting fact: Around 2,700 bikes were built the first month, April. Then only around 1,000 in May and again around 2,700 in June and also in July. Wonder if May is a regular "Holiday month" in Japan or if they had some "issues" they needed to fix?

[EMS]

Thanks for all the feedback. Not sure if it's good news or bad!

On reflection: It's a CBX - I'm Happy!!

Mac: Our comments were tongue-in-cheek. It would only be bad news if you really would have wanted a 1980 and it was presented as one by the seller. Personally, I do not have a preference. It doesn't matter a bit what year it is!

[daves79x]

The bikes in the 3000s were the ones where some of the little 'fixes' occurred, if you look in the parts books. Most notably were the cylinder studs, but other little things such as the changes in the switch pins from plastic to metal, the elimination of the separate metal protector for the headlight bracket, where the horn mounts, possible a change in the taillight bracket where the wire goes through. Mostly nothing you'd really notice, but Honda saw the need to tweak some things.

Just a thought.

Dave

[mac.]

Just some pics of my bike as promised, still in shock! (Tongue in cheek too)





















Any comments, hints, advice on where to start are most welcome.

[EMS]

Just some pics of my bike as promised, still in shock! (Tongue in cheek too)


Any comments, hints, advice on where to start are most welcome.

O.K., now, even from far away, the moderately experienced CBX guy could have identified this CBX as a '79. The color is Perseus Silver and was exclusive for the 79 model!
From here, it looks like it has 1980 wheels, though. Can't really tell if they are reversed Comstars or just painted black.
The bike has the parts that would make it a SA bike: low bars, adjustable shocks, rear-set footpeg plates.
I would start by taking a few things off to get a closer look: tank, seat, other bodywork. If you have trust in the engine, start with the brakes. They need reworked and new fluid.
The reason I say "If you have trust in the engine", is, you should be confident that the bike will run, before you put too much work into it.
Clean and adjust the carbs, adjust the valves, change the oil and try to fire her up.

[daves79x]

Looks like the start of a good project! The rear wheel looks like a genuine later model black Comstar, but the front looks like the stock '79 wheel painted black. Minor thing now. Mike gives you good advice - do the necessary work to make it run, see how that goes, then do the other things slowly, one at a time, the right way the first time, and you'll have yourself a nice, kind of rare (at least not another US version) CBX.

Dave