This article appeared in the December 1989 issue of Classic & Motorcycle Mechanics.

First of a new regular feature. Our practical guide to buying and maintaining motor cycles of the 1970s. Have you restored one? Let us know.

Honda CBX-6 by Rosie Marston

MODEL HISTORY

IT WAS back in 1978 that Honda's six cylinder muscle bike was unleashed on the European market. In its day the CBX 1000 was the most powerful production bike ever produced.

With performance figures of 105bhp and top speeds quoted between 130 and 145mph, even in 1978 the thirst for more higher powered machines was already being questioned. Zenya Nakajimi, then General Manager of Honda Europe's Liaison Office, was reported to have admitted that the factory had only joined the 140mph race because the other manufacturers were doing so. "We are hoping for an end to the escalation" he said.

The redoubtable Honda Six photographed in 1978 upon its arrival in Britain. Colour was silver only.

The formidable six cylinder four stroke engine. Four valves per cylinder way back then and designed by the man who built the six cylinder Honda racing engines of the sixties. Note angled carburettors at the back to allow the rider leg room on the bike.

The original silver, unfaired CBX1000 of 1978 was the 'Z' model and commanded a price tag of £2750. Early impressions of this beast seemed to have stunned normally verbose journalists into silence as they mumbled about the immense engine size (albeit only two inches wider than the CB750 four) and poor handling on anything but smooth roads.

The double overhead cam, air cooled, six cylinder engine was a short stroke unit (to enable safe high revving to 10,000rpm) with a bore and stroke of 64.5mm x 53.4mm giving 1047cc, a compression ratio of 9.3:1, topped off with an awesome 24 valve head. With four valves per cylinder, the spark plug was mounted centrally in the combustion chamber. The crankshaft was a one piece forged component driving a 350 watt generator.

Six 28mm Keihin carburettors with accelerator pumps fuelled the engine which produced 105bhp at 9000rpm (measured at the crank). As an aid to the air cooling, a dual oil cooler was fitted.

Transmission was via multi-plate wet clutch, five speed gearbox and 630 size chain final drive. Engine width was kept to a minimum by mounting the CDI and alternator behind the crankshaft.

The motor sat in a light chrome molybdenum diamond type frame with eight mounting points; four at the cylinder head and four at the gearbox. Honda said the frame configuration allowed the engine to be inclined forwards by 30 degrees giving greater strength to the frame and providing more space for the six carburettors - which were angled inwards to give more rider leg room.

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