When was the first CBX made/sold?

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zalle
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When was the first CBX made/sold?

Post by zalle »

Hi guys,
I have a question. Are there any 1978 CBX's?

Mine is February 1979 and I always thought it was one of the first batches...
Last edited by zalle on Fri Feb 15, 2019 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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spencer
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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by spencer »

Mine was built in April of 1978. The first month of production, I believe.
SCH Rochester, MN

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zalle
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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by zalle »

And was it sold in 1978?

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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by daves79x »

This has been discussed many times. The first production CBXs were built in April of '78, then appeared for sale in late June-early July of '78. In the US/Canada market, they were all titled as '79s. They all said '1979 Model' on the headstock tag. In most other world markets, the CBX did not have this headstock tag that stated a model year. In most countries, if the CBX was built and sold in '78, it was titled as a '78. That's why you see so many references to '78 CBXs. To us in the US and Canada, we think of them all as '79s. In fact the vast majority of first-year CBXs were built in '78. If your CBX was truly a Feb '79 build, it has to be one of the very LAST '79s made. Should be a serial number well into the 20,000s.

Dave

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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by EMS »

As your bike is from Italy, zalle, I wonder how you know it was built in February of 1979. As Dave said, on the non-US/Canadian models is no headstock VIN plate which gives you the built month.
If it was first registered in February of 1979, my guess is, it was built late 1978. The VIN number may narrow that down.

P.S.: I was just browsing through your earlier posts and it seems like we have addressed this subject numerous times. One of the issues is, that the article in the Portuguese magazine you posted, stated that there were no "Z" (or 1978) CBX models in the U.S.
As I said before, I have no idea who started that rumor, but it is a perfect example of how the records are being distorted by self-proclaimed experts who think they know everything about all bikes.
To make that clear again: Production started in April of 1978 for the "1979 model" and the first 830 bikes produced were designated for the U.S. market.
Production ended in February of 1979 with the last bikes designated for Germany and European Direct Sales (among them the elusive Black 79s)

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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by wyly »

paid for it in Feb 78, built in April serial number 1,4?? so most likely 3rd week... arrived sometime in early summer 78...been together ever since, 40yrs :D
CBX a work in progress, still improving...GS1150EFE completed and awaiting modifications.....RD350, remnants in boxes scattered throughout the garage

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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by swarrans »

I don't know if it the same in motorcycle production, but I worked in the automotive design world for many years and we used to refer to models built after summer shut down as the next year's models - ie anything produced from say August 78 would be a 79 model. I suspect this adds exactly nothing to the debate!...

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wyly
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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by wyly »

swarrans wrote:I don't know if it the same in motorcycle production, but I worked in the automotive design world for many years and we used to refer to models built after summer shut down as the next year's models - ie anything produced from say August 78 would be a 79 model. I suspect this adds exactly nothing to the debate!...
well as far as North america is concerned that would be right most of the time, I have seen instances where there is not the case but it was up to individual manufactures would be doing it for marketing purposes.
As Dave said the 78 cbx in N America were labeled as 79's...I've noticed some euro's call them 78's is that common to all countries or just a few??? I've never remembered to check the any euro bikes I've come across to check the ID plate
were the first few pre-production CBX labeled built in 77 labeled as 77's ? 78s ? or nothing at all?
CBX a work in progress, still improving...GS1150EFE completed and awaiting modifications.....RD350, remnants in boxes scattered throughout the garage

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Re: When was the first CBX madeira/sold?

Post by EMS »

Honda decided to call the first CBX a "1979 model". All Honda records refer to the first model as a 1979, regardless when it was built. I don't think April of 1978 was the beginning of the 1979 model year. It doesn't have anything to do with the timing, it was a Honda model nomenclature.
The first 1980 CBXes were produced in June of 1979 in Japan, in September 1979 in the USA. Production ended in May of 1980
First 1981 CBXes were produced in January 1981, the last ones in April 1981.
First 1982 CBXes were made in May of 1981, last ones in December 1981, maybe a few in January 1982.
As discussed many times, only the U.S., Canadian, Direct Export and South African bikes had a plate on the headstock with the production month information.
It has been confirmed by some who saw them, that some early 1977 pre-production models indeed said "1978 Model" on the plate.
Most European countries, for registration purposes, do not use model year designation but calendar year in which vehicle was first registered
If you have a vehicle produced to 1979 Model year standards in the designated 1979 model year by the manufacturer and register it in 1978, it will be a 1978 vehicle.
I bought my CGR 1979 CBX in November 1978 in Germany and the original title said 1978 Honda CBX. I own a MB 280SL, that was sold and first registered in December of 1970 and the title said
1970 MB280SL, although it was clearly a "1971 model"
Seriously, I think we have beaten this subject to death here in the forum. 8)

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