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Still In Its Crate: Brand New 1980 Honda CBX

The phrase, “new in the wrapper” is an overused idiom that is often pure hyperbole. In the case of this 1980 Honda CBX motorcycle, it appears to be 100% accurate. This six-cylinder motorcycle has never been removed from its shipping crate and still wears the dusty plastic it was delivered in, and we’d love to hear the story behind it. Find the Honda here on craigslist where the seller has lifted a lofty $50K asking price. Thanks goes to John K for the tip!

There it is: the original box identifying this cycle as a Honda CBX, long-considered one of the premier superbikes of its era. The CBX turned out quarter miles in less than 12 seconds, usually at speeds of just under 120 m.p.h. This was a seriously quick bike for the late 1970s, and although the ’81 model year gave up a few ponies, they were still potent machines. The motoring press loved the CBX and it received numerous awards and lots of praise.

The seller doesn’t indulge us with the history behind this crate find, but we can’t help but wonder if it was squirreled away in the back of an old motorcycle shop. Perhaps the plaudits the bike was receiving made the original owner think there was potential for the bike to become a collector’s item. Collector’s item or not, it’s a cool bike that’s new in the wrapper. That should be enough to at least get the phone ringing.

Here’s what it looks like all cleaned up, or if the seller removed it from the wrapper. Of course, now we’re in that dilemma of what do you do with it? Leave it in as-discovered form and never drive it, or do you enjoy the bike from time to time and simply keep the plastic in the garage for anytime you want to display it? I’m in the latter camp, but unfortunately, to preserve the value, it should really never even leave its shipping crate. What do you think?

Comments

  1. Avatar Fred W.

    I think the seller will end up removing it from the crate and selling it as a “new” running bike, adjusting the price accordingly. Few people want one of these to display, they want to ride it.

    I took my last motorcycle ride about that same year on a similar Honda. After a near death encounter doing 60 where a cement truck pulled out in front of me, but somehow remaining upright, I swore never again and started messing with cars exclusively.

    Like 0
    • Avatar rod444

      Wow. I could write the same story but my nightmare was a minivan. That was the year I got a Corvette. Bikes just kind of lost their appeal as my fondness for breathing and walking has grown.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Tom Brown

        I had the exact same experience and I too got a corvette. Now I’m terminally ill and I guantee ya if I got that bike I’d service It and ride it like stole it. I have nothing to lose at this point. I rode a cbc once. It wasn’t as fast as my 1100f but it sounded great and was almost as good as the 1100. Just my opinion, everybody is entitled to one.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Mike

        Yet another story – Riding my ’68 Triumph Daytona up a hill when it started cutting out on me. I waddled it over to the sidewalk and started pushing it to the crest of the hill. I slipped on some gravel, the bike leaned over, pushed me into the street and pinned my leg. I heard a loud screech. When I turned my head, I was staring directly at some guy’s truck tire which was 2 feet in front of me. He saw me go down and hit the brakes. My yearly MC mileage went from 3k+ to sub 100.

        Like 0
      • Avatar PRA4SNW

        Add another one to the “stopped riding and got a Corvette list”.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Arnoldo

        I went straight to the corvette and when it got boring unloaded it and got a R6… then a Valkyrie

        Like 0
    • Avatar Dave

      My last ride on the freeway was a semi kicked up a 4×4 and laid a gouge on the side of my helmet.
      Never got on it again.
      Not safe. Agreed.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Geri

      the only safe thing to do with it is to uncrate it park it and smile, the CBX is way overpowered forthe tires and frame and has been the root cause of many deaths, although ,if I had one I’d ride the Mo-Fo.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar Greg D

    Buying this for collector value, I can’t comment on as I don’t have any sense of what the motorcycle collectors market is like. Buying it makes no sense if you are going to use it, unless you have way more money to toss around than you’ll ever need and even then don’t make charitable contributions part of your overall strategy. Gotta think there are nice conditional rideable models of this bike out there for way under what this particular one is going for.

    Like 0
    • Avatar whmracer99

      Have to agree — who would spend $50K on this and then take it out of the package and ride it? It’s a piece of someone’s collection, no longer something to be ridden.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Demented – must be on its own in the world – back to the land of the rising sun

    Like 0
  4. Avatar poser

    i have a problem with paying 50k for a bike that you can never use or even look at

    Like 0
    • Avatar ROAR Member

      That’s where things are going–how many of those $1,000,000++ cars at auctions will be driven? The conversations about collector cars these days is NOT about the fun of driving them but their investment potential–for any remotely normal usage almost any late car will be fun to drive, did you drive your car over 160 MPH or pull .8Gs in corners today? This week? etc.

      Like 0
      • Avatar RichS

        Sure, but how many of those cars are in a freaking box that you can only see part of the car through?

        Like 0
  5. Avatar 1madman

    With that six banger! Hit the streets once in a while! It’ll keep its value. Look at the used cars that have 30-40,000 miles amd are up at 130,000$.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Pat

    Careful, a lot of these were given to trade schools and never certified for road use.
    Hard to title a teaching tool.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Big Drag

      The “school bikes” were 81 & 82 models.

      Like 1
  7. HoA Rube Goldberg Member

    This is silliness. 1st, the CBX wasn’t that great of a bike. Horrendous acceleration ( so much so, a clutch had to be implemented on the alternator) It was heavy, and lopsided, handled poorly, it did however do one thing, go fast. They did 11.64 @117.9 mph in the 1/4 and was the 1st stock bike CW tested in ’79, that went over 130 mph. It wasn’t the 1st in line 6 motorcycle, that was the Benelli 750. I’m not sure who this appeals to, unless you drive on the Autobahn all day, you could do the speed limit in 2nd gear. Sorry, in the crate or not, clearly not worth $50g’s. Seller will find that out, I’m sure there’s lot’s of unsold bikes in crates in warehouses somewhere. They didn’t sell all that were made.

    Like 0
    • Avatar glen

      Forgive my ignorance, but how can it do the 1/4 in 11.64@117.9 but have “horrendous acceleration” ?

      Like 0
      • HoA Rube Goldberg Member

        Sorry, my English may not be as elegant, horrendously good?

        Like 0
      • Avatar Fred Alexander

        Good One – – –

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    • Avatar Geof T Oliver

      I’ve known guys who’ve owned, ridden and raced these. No doubt it’s a bad boy!
      It was built to be ridden. Not worth $50k yet. But I’d service it. And ride it every now and then. JS

      Like 0
    • Avatar Big Drag

      Seriously doubt you will see many 79 or 80 CBX still in a crate. Still way too much money though.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar marvin

    My uncle put that motor on a 3 wheel drag bike and sometime duning bike. He called it “Drain Bramage” it was lightening fast and tough to ride. He flipped thatbike on the levee, an went end over end @ 60 mph when the front tire blew. It didn’t get him but damn near did. He was already beat up from war, and it took about a month to recuperate. When he was duning with that bike he steered it with the throttle. Stupid wicked bike.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar TriPowerVette

    I remember the first time I even knew that there were 6-Cyl motorcycles. I was eating lunch in a park that overlooked a winding road through a pass in the foothills. The standard highway sounds were uninteresting, and I was just feeling the warm breeze and eating my sandwich.

    All at once (it seemed) the hair on my arms stood up, as I heard the growing sound of what seemed to be a Ferrari (or some such) in the distance. That delicious velvet wail, rose and fell, as what now appeared as the rider (not a car after all) and motorcycle were following, at about 9/10ths, the shortest line through the pass.

    As I arrived home after work, my neighbor was dismounting a Silver and Black CBX Sport. As I approached, wearing a 15-year-old’s grin, we compared notes, and it was he who I had heard a few hours earlier.

    That spurred a lifelong desire for a CBX, and after 12 motorcycles, I still haven’t had one yet. But I have decided that it must be one of the White pearl with Blue stripes, full dress models. By the time I had the money, the prices were out of my interest level.

    My father-in-law has had a GORGEOUS Valkyrie (also 6-cyl), which I also envied.

    As an aside, I have had 2 Kawasaki KZ1300 6-cyls. When I sold the first one, I missed it so much I bought another one (pictured above). I looks stock, but almost everything you can see is custom. That seat (actually, 2 seats was a bugger to get right.

    Now, 65 years old, I recently gave it to my nephew. May it make his heart race as much as it did mine.

    OH! $50,000? For a serious museum or collector? Maybe…

    Like 1
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      I don’t know why it didn’t take, but here is the picture that should have been above.

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Blindmarc

    Nice vintage bike , but I beat them at the strip every weekend on an 82′ gs 1100 all stock motor with slick and wheelie bar.Carlsbad raceway, 11.26 @ 126 mph. 1990….,

    Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      Maybe… but yours will never beat the SOUND… It’s almost spiritual.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Mike H.

        Oh yes, the SOUND that these bikes made was beyond belief. Hard to distinguish from the sound of an early 911, at least to my ears.

        Like 0
  11. Avatar HARD BALL

    $50k for a bike in a box. This just proves insanity knows no boundaries.

    Like 0
    • Avatar LAB3

      If this was a top of the line model Corvette in a similar condition people would be doodling in their shorts and mortgaging their homes over it.

      Like 0
      • Avatar RichS

        But you can at least *sit* in that car and make VROOM VROOM noises. Not so with this one.

        Like 0
    • Avatar scooter8

      a bike in the box at 50k, can put you in a box for a lot less! 78 kz1000 tried. now i ride a 1974 shovel, slower than #@!%$ but PM brakes help. still rolling aft. 28yrs. burn my right calf yearly. but….

      Like 0
    • Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

      That’s not insanity. That’s either someone who has no clue of it’s actual value, or someone who is hoping a buyer also has no clue what the true value is, and actually pays $50k. Paying $50k without getting a proper education as to value, now that’s insanity!

      Like 0
  12. Avatar JimmyJ

    50k woah
    I don’t know what it’s worth but im pretty sure a 37 year old Japanese bike will never be worth 50 grand

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Chuck Simons

    Never ran? So, is it the mileage warranty or the Months warranty that will be honored? ;)

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Dick Johnson

    There was one…. A CB750 sand cast that had been so butchered that HMC gave it to a salvage yard. Our parts manager got it for $50 and got ahold of a factory rep who came up with the title.

    Doubt if that could ever happen again. The 750 still runs and is ridden every summer.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar MH

    I think it’s worth it. You have to be a true biker to fully understand. If I had the extra cash it would already be mine, never to be opened from the plastic and crate.

    Like 0
    • Avatar KEN TILLY Member

      That sounds like a pure waste of money MH. At 78 years of age I would get it out of it’s crate before the delivery truck had left my yard and ride the wheels off it. To hell with saving it for someone else after I have gone. I have owned over 50 bikes, including my current 1986 Honda Rebel 450, but only one CBX. What a ride, and by the way Rube, the Bennelli Six motor was only a Honda Four with 2 extra cylinders.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Neil

      To what end?
      I’ll sell you my ’74 850 Norton Commando crate. Just wrap it in plastic. It’s even a better crate. All for only 25 K.

      Like 1
  16. Avatar elrod

    Although the “new in box” attraction is strong on this, a little common sense is needed. All the rubber is gone including brake lines as well as the master cylinder and caliper seals. The chrome including the fork tubes will be rust pitted from sitting inside that cosmolene moisture trap for 37 years. These engines when stored like this with no maintenance or ever being turned over have a history of being seized as well as valve and spring issues from sitting in the same compressed position for so long. A pristine 1980 concours model. is listed at 15k using Hagerty. While those heart shaped eyes pop out at this add – the price and reality must be held in check.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Craig

      LOL you were 5 minutes ahead of me on that reply!

      Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      +elrod – I like to think I have about as little common sense as the next guy, and I think you’re being an old killjoy.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Craig

    It’s a highly desirable bike and a classic. Amazing to see one like this but ain’t no chance that thing goes for 50K.
    All the comparisons to other bikes aren’t relevant, for instance GS1100’s are a dime a dozen, doesn’t matter what’s faster or handles better. Hagerty value is 15K for a concours bike. I guess this is about one step beyond that?
    I’d guess he gets 20K for it, IMHO.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Mark Geyer

    The CBX is thrilling to ride and ride fast. I gleefully ride my Candy Red 79 with 5500 original miles like I stole it!. If you have never ridden one you have missed the beauty of those 6 cylindars singing at over 9000 rpm!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Neil

      Sooo,
      You ride it like you stole it… at 152 miles per year? What, all quarter miles?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Mark Geyer

        Back yard find…sat since late 80’s. I am the 2nd owner. I returned it to its glory with a lot of elbow grease and now I hang on for dear life regularly. I drive it hard and it rewards me thrillingly. It has 3 into 1’s Kerker pipes and makes exquisite mechanical music. It is an elegant and smooth powerful ride and not brutal like a current superbike.

        Like 0
  19. Avatar chas

    While there are indeed $30,40, and on the VERY rare occasion $50k+ vintage Japanese bikes being sold, I’m pretty sure he’s going to struggle to achieve his goal. I’d have to see it OUT of the crate. If it is rust free, and cleans up to near show floor, then… who knows? I’ve seen dumber money spent on dumber things…

    the biggest thing that hurts the value of this bike is that it is an ’80, so not “First Year”. A ’79 will ALWAYS bring more.

    I can easily see an “in the crate” ’79 CBX bring $50k.

    As for “book value”? You can throw your Hagerty, NADA, Kelley, etc books out the window when it comes to an accurate valuation of vintage motorcycles. I do agree however, that it appears (from the poor photos), that this would struggle to bring 20K if put up for auction.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Jeff

    I own one and the sound of the motor is unlike any other motorcycle.

    Like 0
    • Avatar TriPowerVette

      Beauuuuuutiful!

      Like 0
    • Avatar Big Drag

      I own one also and I agree, the sound is incredible!

      Like 0
  21. Avatar Jeffro

    $50K!? What’s does he think he has…a rusted out old Porsche? All kidding a side, I’ve ridden a CBX. Fast bike. Too much motor for the frame and forks.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Ronald G Bajorek jr

    The Whole Suzuki GS Series are great bikes, just great bikes

    Like 0
  23. Avatar dennis

    Good luck with getting 50K for that bike.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar JohnD

    In almost-never-before-seen condition. Pictures are awful. How can we tell what’s in there? With such a poor presentation I doubt he’s seriously considering selling it.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar geomechs Member

    Interesting bike for sure. I’m with elrod in that bikes deteriorate a lot sitting in the crate. I’ve bought NOS parts still in the wooden crate that were actually rustier than the bed wetter’s mattress springs.

    Like Rube says, the CBX was a good straight line bike but it handled like pushing a brick across mud. Way too front heavy.

    Incidentally, Rube, The CBX might have been Honda’s first real production 6 cyl. but it wasn’t the FIRST the Big H built. I recall Mike Hailwood riding off to fame and fortune on the Grand Prix circuits on the back of a 6 cyl. Honda during the late 60s. I think that started out as a 250 but finally grew to 500. I could stand corrected.

    This vintage of bike was from a time when there was a lot of dumping going on. A lot of people might want to argue with me but I KNEW several dealers back in the early 80s that were growing weary of that very quickly. They’d order (3) of one model and the distributor would ship them (7). Sometimes the dealer didn’t even order a particular model yet one would be in with a stock order. When the dealer tried to ship them back, he was told to SELL them. I know some former dealers who sat on new bikes that were actually three and four years old, maybe even older. And the reason they’re no longer dealers is because of the dumping. It took an act of congress (seems to me that President Reagan even issued an executive order) to curb that. But you could buy a Japanese motorcycle over here for just over half of what you’d have to pay for the same one in Japan.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Pete W.

    There’s a number of ways this bike could have remained in the crate for so many years. Could have been stashed in a dealer’s warehouse for years for whatever reason, either deliberately or by accident.

    IRRC, five or ten years ago, a dozen new, crate bound,Norton 850’s were found in a Belgian dealers shop, thirty years after they were built and after the dealer passed away. It happens.

    I was selling Honda bikes back when this CBX was new. They were stunning to look at, and sounded great, but not the best big bike out there. That titled was pretty much awarded to the Suzuki 1000, by all the magazines, at any rate. A touch quicker and much better handling than the overly wide, and somewhat porky Chibex.

    As far as left over inventory was concerned, well into ’84, our Honda rep would call with screaming deals on left over ’81 and ’82 models, found buried in the monstrous Honda warehouse in NJ.

    I bought a brand new, still crated and MSO’d, ’81 900F, in ’83 for $1700 (well below dealer cost). Apparently, they had fallen off the inventory sheet, or was buried under new bikes, and nobody new they were there. We also sold a dozen or so to regular customers who were looking for new bikes for cheap, and didn’t mind that they were a few years past their sell by date.

    If you ever saw the Jersey warehouse, and the number of bikes that went out of there, you could understand how it could happen.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Rob

    Bought my 2009 1255 Suzuki Bandit, “new” in May 2012. 15k miles and I’m the only cat to twist the throttle. I can understand the desire to run the motor and hear them sing. I have also had people look right at me and pull in front of me and change lanes into me and kick crap up off the road. Yes I have put one down. But nothing gets the heart running like riding a bike at wide open throttle.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Rob

      Here is Big Blue.

      Like 0
  28. Avatar Ron Bunting

    Around 35 years ago a few enterprising Australians discovered that motorcycle dealers in the US often had unsold inventory going back years .A flood of unused Triumphs,BSA’s and Nortons suddenly appeared in Australia.Brand new bikes with zero mileage but like any machine that has sat around for 30 plus years there are always problems which meant these ‘new’ bikes would be stripped and all rubber and seals replaced before being sold .The last timer i saw this happen was about three years ago when a car importer i know imported three shipping containers full of old motorbikes from Japan ,many of which were never sold out side of japan so one full container went to the USA, where this one might just have come from. Good luck trying to register it though.

    Like 0
  29. HoA Rube Goldberg Member

    Ok, we figured the person is a bit optimistic on their price, they can ask what they want. I’ve ridden motorcycles for over 50 years. @ 62, I currently have a Honda GW Interstate 1100 and I love it! The fastest street bike I rode, clearly was the Kawasaki Z1, followed closely by the Kawasaki 500 3 cyl. ring ding. Driven wicked fast dirt bikes, but I’d think a bike like this would be hard NOT to drive fast. Let’s take a short ride on a CBX, instant response, sound is awesome,, hang on,,,( looks like it rides like most Hondas, crappy, my Harley FXR was the best riding bike I ever had)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O27SIGfi2Y

    Like 0
    • Avatar whmracer99

      You can’t bash the seller for asking that price when we have even have a couple of folks on here that think that’s a deal. It’s worth what someone will pay and you can’t go up in the asking price once you figured out you asked too little. It’s especially true on something like this where you can’t find any comparable sales to index the asking price. No, there’s no way I’d spend that money but someone might. I just think it’s a shame it will never get used as a motorcycle.

      Like 0
  30. Avatar Mark S.

    If you read the history on the gold wing the proto type back in1974 was a 6 cylinder boxer. It was changed to the 4 cylinder because old Honda himself didn’t think it would sell. I worked with a guy back in the late 70’s early 80’s that had the 79 model year he boasted many times that his bike could reach 70 mph in first gear. With a red line of 10.5 thousand rpm I believe that he wasn’t lieing. As for bikes in crate though there is a 1940’s triumph army bike in a crate at our local army surplus store. It’s not for sale I’ve already asked. But there was a time when he had 15 in the crates, the store owner sold all but Two. One is assembled and on display the other is in the crate and the bike looks pristine inside the crate. The two bikes have been in the store as long as I can remember and I have been going into that store since I was a little kid and I’m coming up on 58 in February.

    Like 0
    • Avatar sluggo

      Mark, thats a cool story, Theres a couple people out there that take Goldwings and strip all the stuff off them and then make them into hotrods and pretty impressive, Theres some on some internet sites. Not my style but I am impressed with them.
      The Triumphs in the crates are I bet a big attraction to go see, those would probably be the flatheads, There are some BSAs around too. A very popular website and diving location is in the Med, and a full cargo ship full of military vehicles was sunk by a German dive bomber, and across the deck is row after row of the BSAs,, theres pictures all over the net.
      Up until the mid 1990s There was BSA and Triumphs from Canadian military surplus around, and I still kick myself for not buying at least one. Was affordable for a new one in the crate.
      The local dealer had a LOT of parts for them as well, And I got some of the parts at a auction that are still in the packing material just to use for display at events and our museum. When that stuff finally got sold most was sold in one lot to a collector in eastern US and sent a buyer to the auction and told him to buy any NOS parts he could and they paid crazy money.
      But Cliff had some of the factory service equipment and a stationary generator with the same motors for these war bikes.
      I have pictures of much of it as it all came out of long term storage.
      Some collectors really value this stuff, And when people see it, its a really big deal.

      Like 0
  31. Avatar Lounge

    The only reason to buy one of these is to ride it but more importantly to HEAR it – incredible sound.

    Like 0
  32. Avatar irocrobb

    I had a friend buy a 1979 siver cbx new and it was a rocket. I doubt Mike and Frank from American pickers would be interested. They would likely laugh there butts off.

    Like 0
  33. Avatar exartist

    I don’t think it’ll go for $50K, but it always better for a seller to negotiate down than up. The CBX is a classic (due largely to that glorious engine), and finding one still in the box can’t be a daily occurrence. Yes, the seals are likely shot, as is a lot of the rubber. Yes a concourse CBX would be around $30K less. But it only comes out of the box once, and that’s worth something to someone.

    If I had $35K burning a hole in my pocket I’d at least talk with the guy. I’d be surprised if he really thought he’d get his asking price. But I don’t, so back to this winter’s project: my new to me ’81 GPZ550.

    Like 0
  34. Avatar Nick Member

    That bag could have held in moisture. Bike could be a mess. To .any distracted drivers to ride a bike in the city. Sticking to cars.

    Like 0
  35. Avatar leiniedude Member

    I still own my 1981 CBX that I bought new in 81. And luckily enough to still be above ground. I bought it because I could not keep up with my buddies 750’s and 900 Hondas on my 1971 FX, still got that also. 50 large is a lot of cabbage for sure, although I see the posting is deleted now. I had headers on mine for awhile, talk about sound!

    Like 0
  36. Avatar kie

    So much negativity. Do not understand it. Any CBX is an iconic machine. Especially a 1st generation version. A new one never removed from the factory crate is an unbelievable find.

    Stating that the owner will likely remove the bike from the crate and make it a runner is ridiculous. No one will ever start this bike. Possibly it may come out of the crate for display but it will never get turned on. These are not rare machines so there are plenty of examples to ride.

    Is it worth $50k? Who knows. It might be. You never know until you ask. There is likely no other pre-81 CBX new in the crate to compare it to. You have to start somewhere.

    Riding motorcycles is dangerous. This is a fact. Why anyone would rant about that here is puzzling. It has nothing to do with the magnificent machine in the box nor does it take away from it’s desirability or “unicorn” status.

    Like 0
  37. Avatar Joe Flannery

    See if the Barber museum in Birmingham AL will buy it

    Like 0
  38. Avatar RicK

    Buddy of mine bought a brand new ’79 CBX off the showroom floor at the local Honda dealer in ’81 (he made $11K on the Pyramid scam going around back then and used part of the proceeds to get himself a toy) anyhow there were still several other leftover ’79 and ’80 model CBXs at the dealership that hadn’t yet sold. He let me take it for a spin, and my 13 year old brother (at the time) got on the back with me. During our ride at one point I passed a long string of cars and rapidly got up to 115 mph, which was pretty impressive, both in sound and acceleration, especially with the two of us on it (neither of us was smalI, I was around 220 and my “little” brother probably was at least 180). Anyhow my buddy rode it for a couple more years until it caught fire while he was riding it on the old Evergreen Point floating bridge headed for Seattle from the East Side – he said it backfired and quit running and somehow the air filter had caught on fire. Coincidentally, I was about 5 min behind him and drove by to witness his burning bike, and by then the heat had already melted the asphalt enough so that the kick couldn’t hold it up and it was laying on its side fully involved. I didn’t realize it was him at the time and found out a couple of days later.

    Like 0
  39. Avatar Clinton

    The ad has already been deleted so I wonder if it sold or he’s keeping it to sell in another venue.

    Like 0
  40. Avatar john

    I’ve enjoyed seeing my favorite brand Suzuki mentioned…I have had three in all my years 68 and started with a 72 GT380 , and now have my second Gs550. I like the bumblebee sound !!

    Like 0
  41. Avatar LAWRENCE

    Yes road them….same buddy had the early silver than the white which was such a pretty bike….both road good. Also another buddy had the Kawasaki 1300 water cooled six….it seemed to have more guts than the Honda…but both were not a road course into the curve kinda bike like my old Kawasaki Mach triple….the widow maker…..talk about sound of a bike….love the smell of two strokes in the morning !!!!

    Like 0
    • Avatar whmracer99

      Couple of good Youtube videos on the Kawasaki 500 triples if you want to reminisce. Brother-in-law had one that scared him so bad in his first week of ownership he never rode it again. I used to go run it just to keep the fluids and battery up — scary fast but a beautiful sound when it went “on the pipes”.

      Like 0
  42. Avatar Graham

    I had a 1979 CBX but prefer a Yamaha VMax both for the sound and ride. I now have a 2007 VMax

    Like 0
  43. Avatar Davey

    I only have 3 words for the seller.
    Greed, Greed, Greed.

    Like 0
  44. Avatar chad

    had a blue H2, Lawrence. When out of adjustment the pipes threw oil on everything following. Croch rocket. Now only 2 stroke I have is the chain saws…
    8^0

    Like 0
  45. Avatar Wayne

    Love the sound, but was concerned about the running hot issues of the 2 middle cylinders. And the fact that Honda was giving then away to the shop classes. (warranty issues?) (our local High school got 3)
    My BMW was 10 times more comfortable to ride than my Honda.

    Like 0
  46. Avatar sluggo

    Lot of really ignorant posters today who dont know jack about vintage bikes or values, This Honda aint my style but I know an investment when I see one.

    See: https://www.mecum.com/search/page/1/ Auction results at Vegas where most top shelf prices are set year after year. One USED CBX sold at $19,000 another at $17,000 a few at $12k and rest under 10. But NONE of those are new in the crate.

    Sure, seals and rubber and internals need a refresh, but so what, NOS is NOS, its a value in itself. Collectors drool over that,, take a visit to the BARBER museum and race facility and see what the worlds premier showcase to vintage bikes looks like and then you might have a clue.

    As noted, Nortons in Belgium brought big money when a basement full of NOS Nortons were found and auctioned, Go ahead and tell those buyers they are stupid or waste of money.

    But not the only deal. I have extensive photos of the Sandy Bandit collection,. Cliff “The Bandit” Mahjors bought out NVT, JOMO, TRICOR and all the other warehouse inventories of the bankrupt British bike empire in the US. Numerous crates of bikes and parts that had not seen the light of day for decades.
    Once sold it brought in Millions and millions of dollars.

    Some of you guys get it, Most dont, but many of you tossers need to get a clue. Bet either the seller of this bike or a wise investor has already registered this bike for the upcoming sale in Vegas,,, will be a hell of a show, sometimes some bargains sometimes some eye watering prices but great entertainment. Look me up, knock back a few beers and watch the money fly.

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    • Avatar Neil

      I have buddy that has 2 1975 Norton Commando’s as pictured. He bought them as investments in ’76 when they were made available in the US.
      At the time, I thought good investment. Now, I don’t. They are not a very collectable bike. The detuned, weak ass electric start, and restrictive exhaust was a loser from the get go. Norton, on it’s last breath, tried to comply with the US standards and bastardized the bike. I raced many on my ’74, and it was embarrassing to the ’75. DOGS !!!! An old 750 Honda 4 would kick their butt.

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    • Avatar John Botts

      I still own a Candy Glory red ’79. If you are a collector, the ’79 is the one to own. First year had 105 horsepower right on the specifications decal. 1980 models had the 80 mph speedometer. 81 and 82’s were given bags and a sport fairing. They all ran good, but ’79’s are the fastest and most sought after. (Sandcast models excluded) If you have one or are thinking about buying one, put some good tires on first. You’ll need all the traction you can get! Tire technology has come a long way in 40 years!

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  47. Avatar George

    I’ll wait for the Unicorn … it will probably last longer and increase in value tenfold …!

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  48. Avatar Lounge

    FYI – and to add a little more flavor to this…. 1980 was the only year you could get a CBX in black.

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  49. Avatar Harry Kritis Member

    In early 1976 i still have fond memories of the Kawa 500 i bought unwrapped from its crate. Leave it as is (X)

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  50. Avatar John sellers

    I have had a 1980 cbx for 20 years bought used with 20,000 miles with 6 into 1 header and no baffle.my wife could hear me hot rodding 5 miles away. I thought it had been regeared because I could take it to 65 in first gear.it has been parked for the last 7 years because I hit a deer with the speedometer buried past 85.
    I had just looked at speedometer when I seen deer running full speed across road and just had time to lean away from it and it bought me enough time for deer to hit motor and bend crash bar around on engine and get blood on my sock but didn t get me down.i have had many chances to sell but I tell people I just like looking at the bike. Loved the indy car sound. John indiana

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  51. Avatar Don Donadio
  52. Avatar Neil

    ” And no nut or bolt has ever seen a wrench or socket”.
    How did they assemble these things? Super Glue ?

    Like 0

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