Classic Ride - page 2 (Vol. 95 - September 1995)

Groans and ominous muttering all round from, by now, a thoroughly hostile audience of 200 bike dealers all blaming the hapless Mr Berry for crucifying their sales figures.

The implication was clear. Bob ("get the rope lads, we'll lynch him now") Berry was head honcho of a bunch of cowboys whose attack on the "best motorcycle in the world" was based on the fact that they couldn’t tell a flat tyre from a design flaw!

If only I had been there. I could have told them that I had deflated the rear tyre to slot more securely into the trough of our bike trailer when the machine was being returned to Mitsui.

The XS handled like a suicide note because it was a fatty with flimsy forks. With the front wheel gripped between the knees, the teles flexed easily when the bars were turned. End of story.

Where was I? Oh yes...

The CBX handled much better than the Kawasaki and Yamaha but wallowed when pushed hard and wasn't in the same class as the Suzuki. What helped hammer home the GS1000's superiority was the best suspension fitted to any production bike of that era. On twisty roads it left the much heavier CBX flapping in its wake.

The CBX-B Honda later produced, featuring a detuned motor, Pro-link rear end and much more beefy, air-assisted forks, was apparently much better behaved.

I say apparently because I never got to ride one and have to rely on hearsay evidence.

However, I did get my leg over a Moto Martin CBX special. And I loved it. The French-made chassis kit converted the Six into a cafe racer and banished the handling problems that had so severely compromised its performance.

SEVENTEEN summers down the road and here I am again being handed the ignition key to a CBX. And again there is a warning. This time it's not to blow it up.

'Tarby' aboard in 1978. He wouldn't squeeze into those leathers now...

I should perhaps stress that rebuilds two and three would not have been necessary if rebuild number one had not resulted in cleaning 'grit' finding its way around the bike's internals on its first run.

I won't go into details. Bob's told the story so many times readers have threatened to cancel their subscriptions if they see one more word about it. Right you are. Let's get on with the new chapter.

The scene, the Mechanics office in 'scenic' Corby. Berry's gone to Spain on holiday, Ant's worried about the strange noises his RD400 is making and I've been given the CBX for a 'then and now' comparison test.

   

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