The seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Honda CBX claims to have ridden the bike more than 10,000 miles last year, and uses the ad as a bit of a travelogue. Let’s see if this six-cylinder classic tourer is priced to go the distance.
Subaru’s Tribeca crossover never made much of an impact in either the car-buying public’s zeitgeist or on dealers’ bottom lines. As James May might say, it wasn’t “Wowsers Trousers.”
One Subaru dealer took an interest in the Tribeca, enough so to have one built, with corporate support, it seems, as a stretch limousine. We looked at that odd party wagon yesterday and, strange as it might be, it was in pretty good condition, both inside and out. Sadly, the ad didn’t offer any information on the car at all, leaving us to speculate about how many miles it might have and what condition its mechanicals might be in. At $8,995, however, we needed more to go on. That price tag didn’t prove enticing enough for our tastes, evidenced by its 78% No Dice loss.
On a roll
Like Subaru, Honda made a name for itself in the U.S. by selling well-built, affordable cars that achieved good fuel economy during the gas crunch of the 1970s. Unlike Subaru, which started out trying to sell weird, bug-like microcars here in partnership with none other than Malcolm Bricklin, Honda had already established a foothold and a dealer network selling its popular line of motorcycles. Heck, the Beach Boys even wrote a song about them.
Along with the Civic, which, it can be argued, is one of the most important cars of the 1970s, Honda’s CB750 motorcycle established the Japanese manufacturer as a builder of solid, sensible products. Few of the company’s products in the 1970s, however, offered the emotive energy of Honda’s 1960s cars and bikes. That was the era when the company was deeply invested in both two-wheel and four-wheel Grand Prix racing. Attempting to inject a little more verve into its brand, Honda introduced the Civic-based Prelude coupe to its car line in the late 1970s and the technological tour de force, the CBX, to the top of its motorcycle portfolio.
X marks the spot
Initially intended as a sport bike, the CBX not only offered an audacious inline six as its centerpiece, but was positioned by Honda as “the fastest production motorcycle in the world.” This wasn’t Honda’s first rodeo with six-cylinder bikes, either. In the 1960s, the company’s racing arm had built the 250cc six-cylinder RC166 for the Grand Prix circuit.
At 1047ccs, the six in the CBX is considerably larger. It also features a four-valve per cylinder head and a three-into-two exhaust that looks amazing. Power output was initially 105 horsepower—at 9,000 rpm—but in later iterations like this 1982 CBX Pro-link, that number dropped to around 100 horses. Backing that up is a five-speed transmission and chain-and-sprocket final drive. As you might expect of a bike of this size and stature, it has an electric starter and no provision for a kick starter. Speaking of size, it should be noted that this is a large bike, weighing in at well over 600 pounds. The fairing and panniers add to that, but turn the bike from a street bruiser to a highway cruiser.
Built for touring
That bodywork was made available in the last two years of the CBX’s short four-year life. In addition to the extra kit, the bike received a number of mechanical updates at the half-way point of its run, including a larger oil cooler and a mono-shock rear swing arm (hence the “Pro-link” name.)
According to the ad, this CBX has done plenty of touring, having amassed a total of 43,000 miles, 10K of which, the seller says, have been added in just the last year. Despite that use, the bike presents in what appears to be excellent condition, with no apparent bodywork or upholstery issues.
It’s also seemingly solid mechanically, with the seller touting new wheel bearings, brake lines, and fork seals. A custom Corbin seat is noted and claimed to be “comfy.” The big kahuna, however, is the rebuilt gauges, which have been updated with a 150 mph speedo in place of the original, government-mandated 85 mph reading. According to the ad, the gauge’s face, needle, and internals have all been refreshed and work perfectly.
All it needs is gas
A new rear tire will come with the bike, but it will be up to the new owner to have that mounted. Other than that, the seller says this is a “serious turnkey touring motorcycle,” claiming that it “only needs gas.”
That’s a bold statement, and only partially true. What it also requires is someone with $11,500 in their bank account, as that’s the price set by the seller for its purchase. That gets a classic motorcycle that the seller says is not a garage queen. For someone who appreciates an old-school riding experience, this looks to be a great opportunity. But is it a good deal?
What do you think? Is $11,500 a fair price for this classic but still audacious Honda? Or is that too much to ask for even so over-the-top of a bike?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Fresno, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOND. Contact me at [email protected] and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
