Anyone with 1979 CBX 1000 experience here? I need some advice;

[p6x]

37 minutes ago, docc said:

At this point, I've spent as much on tires as I did to buy mySport new . . .

I did not factor in the flowing supplies. I just meant the cost of having the bike running as it should....

[gstallons]

2 hours ago, p6x said:

I did not come out unscathed of the Guzzi venture either. If I add up only the cost of getting on the odometer fixed, on the other the tachometer, then I get to USD 1000...

Girl , you better understand one thing . This little enigma machine is anything BUT a wise decision . You will come out of this with an appreciation , an understanding an awareness , and most of all a better person . 

 You will find yourself around a bunch of professional people who want you to be satisfied with your bike and you will be able to shock yourself when you look at your wiring diagram like it is a 1960 road map .

Grok . look it up

[p6x]

42 minutes ago, gstallons said:

Girl , you better understand one thing . This little enigma machine is anything BUT a wise decision . You will come out of this with an appreciation , an understanding an awareness , and most of all a better person . 

 You will find yourself around a bunch of professional people who want you to be satisfied with your bike and you will be able to shock yourself when you look at your wiring diagram like it is a 1960 road map .

Grok . look it up

I am not getting any younger, and dreams are made to be realized. But I need to remain realistic to what I can accomplish. The money should never get in the way.

This is what I was looking for:

https://www.relentlessquestmotorcyclerestorations.com/work/1979-honda-cbx

[activpop]

This just popped up...spendy son of a gun!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r4V6ddFNzaJyc7oM/?mibextid=kL3p88

[p6x]

On 7/9/2024 at 11:06 AM, activpop said:

This just popped up...spendy son of a gun!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r4V6ddFNzaJyc7oM/?mibextid=kL3p88

The faired one is not my cup of tea. That red one above, I could have gone for it if it had been available. I am glad it was not...

16k? something puzzles me with the FB adds; especially with a six cylinder, you ought to post a short video with the engine singing.

[Lucky Phil]

I know motorcycle desire is a strange thing but why would anyone want a six cylinder CBX. They were a bit of a orphan even in their day but now in a 40 year old motorcycle they represent about 3 times the risk mechanically. These bikes were all about the engine and the rest of the bike was like an afterthought. Like a 60's Ferrari, you know you bought the mechanicals and Ferrari threw in the rest for free. It's like choosing a dog breed. I look at people that choose dogs that are just a headache as a breed let alone as an individual dog. For example why would you buy a massively sized breed that costs a fortune to feed and comes with a truck load of hereditary physiological issues, why? When I bought a dog 5 years ago I chose a breed I liked but above all it had to be a physically robust breed without chronic breed issues.  

These questions about rationality interest me quite a bit. After we ordered the Supra my wife saw the latest Corvette on the road and asked me why we didn't buy one of those as our Sunday drive sports car. I told her the Supra was stretching the rationality boundary but a Corvette would definitely be crossing it. Same goes for a CBX I think.

A rational classic would be a Mk1 Le Mans. You can still buy them for reasonable money and there are parts available at 1/3 the quantity of a CXB and a backyarder can still work on one. A sporting ditch pump. Rational purchase and more class than a fat wide wobbly CBX.

There endith the lesson in rational life choices. 

 

Phil

Edited July 11 by Lucky Phil

[PhillipLarsen]

Agree with @Lucky Phil

I still have and ride the 45 year old CBX that I have had since new with about 71,000 KM (owned a Honda dealership back then). Had it out for a ride a couple days ago. During my ride I was thinking about what attracts people to this bike as it is not very pleasant to ride. I have the Euro bars/ foot pegs option that was available in Canada, better CB900F rear shocks, and much better Pirelli tires than originals, but it rides and handles not well, much like many 1970s motorcycles. My 1975 Norton 850 is a nicer, lighter, better handling bike.

But if I make the mistake of stopping by the local motorcycle Starbucks for a coffee, it is swarmed by the other bike riders, and the non riders that recognize it, etc., more so than some of my other old bikes that I think are much nicer. I don’t like to answer all the questions, so avoid doing that. 
If you like that kind of attention for your bike, the CBX can do that. 

[activpop]

Not sure if that was a lesson or judgment day. 

I attend Portland Cars and Coffee here in my town regularly. There are usually about 20 bikes, sometimes more, that come park under the big overhang in front of the building. All types, all years, just like the cars in the lot. One regular there has a beautiful CBX. The vehicles are different, the passions are the same. I am always amazed at the abilities of all these owners to keep their stuff in tip top shape, no matter the year. Except for me though. I was there with my bug splattered Stelvio after 12 hours riding to and from the rally. It was a mess. Better on the bike than on me. 

[guzzler]

I think life would be boring if viewed only through rational eyes.....

[Gmc28]

16 hours ago, guzzler said:

I think life would be boring if viewed only through rational eyes.....

hah, exactly!

of all places to talk about rational things, a V11 lemans forum… that’s beautiful!

 20-some years ago when my good friend had a Lemans and I had an ST4 with factory side cases, I gave him an endless hard time about what a useless bike he had.  It was a good natured debate we had, but I just laughed at his ridiculous choice of a moto guzzi v11, which he rode in all weather, putting the after market side bags on it (ugly… ouch), buzz in the handlebars, had mechanical problems he was always fussing with, had less HP than my ST4, didn’t handle as well, and so on.  To me, the St4 was a real stretch on rationality, meaning it wasnt as rational as a Japanese bike like the FJ (etc), but I could justify it with whatever logic I used at that time.  Oh, and I had my BMW 1150RT…. now there’s a bike that’s so rational it’s like a car, just with better fuel econ and easier to park in a downtown area. 

Now I own that same V11 he had, the one I scoffed at.  Plus 2 more.  The practical but boring BMW is long gone (after 80k miles).  If we try real hard to rationalize the V11’s we can, sort-of, but its a stretch.  but for me it’s pretty much because I just really like them, and they make me happy when I ride them or think about riding them.    

[Lucky Phil]

21 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

hah, exactly!

of all places to talk about rational things, a V11 lemans forum… that’s beautiful!

 20-some years ago when my good friend had a Lemans and I had an ST4 with factory side cases, I gave him an endless hard time about what a useless bike he had.  It was a good natured debate we had, but I just laughed at his ridiculous choice of a moto guzzi v11, which he rode in all weather, putting the after market side bags on it (ugly… ouch), buzz in the handlebars, had mechanical problems he was always fussing with, had less HP than my ST4, didn’t handle as well, and so on.  To me, the St4 was a real stretch on rationality, meaning it wasnt as rational as a Japanese bike like the FJ (etc), but I could justify it with whatever logic I used at that time.  Oh, and I had my BMW 1150RT…. now there’s a bike that’s so rational it’s like a car, just with better fuel econ and easier to park in a downtown area. 

Now I own that same V11 he had, the one I scoffed at.  Plus 2 more.  The practical but boring BMW is long gone (after 80k miles).  If we try real hard to rationalize the V11’s we can, sort-of, but its a stretch.  but for me it’s pretty much because I just really like them, and they make me happy when I ride them or think about riding them.    

A V11 Sport is actually a pretty rational choice of motorcycle for long term ownership, albeit less so as the new parts supplies dry up. Lets see, cheap to buy, easy to maintain for the backyard mechanic, about as hard as the average lawnmower to do a top end rebuild on, low parts count when you need them ( pistons, rings, valves, main and big end bearings etc) robust. All these V11 owners imagining how "unique" their choice is and how it's an emotional purchase when in reality the V11 Sport is quite a sensible rational choice for the average long term owner. A 40 year old 6 cylinder motorcycle though is another thing entirely. Everyone brags about "buy what you love" until it breaks that is then it's a different story. How many people have I seen buy a brand new Italian motorcycle because they "love it" and have zero mechanical aptitude and the nearest dealer is a 3 hour drive away. They then hit the internet crying about their circumstances when their Italian dream has an issue and there is no one local to fix it and they have zero clue themselves. 

Plenty of Ducati owners bought their "dream bike" on passion 15 or 20 years ago and the dream and passion lasted until their first major service bill and then the same owner got all passionate about a hassle free cheap to service UJM and the Ducati made way for the rational bike choice. Passion needs to be underpinned by rationality to create a stable structure.

Phil 

Edited July 13 by Lucky Phil

[Gmc28]

well said Phil.  And happily preaching to the choir on this forum in that regard… we’re all on the same ride with the V11’s, for better and for worse.   I’ll make the assumption that if an old CBX was being purchased as a daily rider then i’d agree with all you’ve said, and question the sanity of such a venture.  As a fun toy to own, then I’d say the game is very different.  Meaning, would I own a Black Shadow or a Brough if a long lost uncle left one to me, despite the challenges involved in owning one?  yessir i would. 

 

[Lucky Phil]

On 7/14/2024 at 2:04 AM, Gmc28 said:

well said Phil.  And happily preaching to the choir on this forum in that regard… we’re all on the same ride with the V11’s, for better and for worse.   I’ll make the assumption that if an old CBX was being purchased as a daily rider then i’d agree with all you’ve said, and question the sanity of such a venture.  As a fun toy to own, then I’d say the game is very different.  Meaning, would I own a Black Shadow or a Brough if a long lost uncle left one to me, despite the challenges involved in owning one?  yessir i would. 

 

There's a mile of difference between getting a classic bike for free and purchasing one. No point owning an old classic that is mechanically sad either. For me they either run well and are reliable and therefore enjoyable or don't bother at all. Nothing worse than an old classic that's "got some issues" when 99% weren't that great to ride when they were newish let alone 3/4 or more worn out.  I actually know people that have indeed been given or received bargain old classic motorcycles and it's turned out to be a poisoned chalice. What do you do when that gifted Ducati bevel drive that kinda runs but jumps out of gears a bit and is a bit noisy turns out to need a $10,000 engine rebuild. What do 99% of people do with it then? Sell it as a basket case OR screw it back together and try and sell it to some one that's not up with the cost of old bevel drive parts and then pass the shock onto them. 

When you are interested in buying a Vincent for example you don't just go out and buy one, well not if you're smart you don't. You join the VOC and generally wait for a known good one to come on the market via contacts so it provenance is know along with the owner. You can just buy one blind but that can easily lead to the multi tens of thousands of dollars in outlay after you find out its mechanical details. If someone offered me a Bevel drive Ducati that "looked ok" I'd be budgeting and extra $10,000 on top for the engine alone. If I got away with any less I'd consider that a win. Oh and ten grand wouldn't cover labour just parts. Has anyone checked out what a set of OEM replacement mufflers cost for a Honda 4 or Z900. 

Of course some are happy to pay good money for 3/4 clapped out rubbish with non standard major components and wallow in the dream I guess. Old classic bikes.....beware. There's very little place for emotion in that department. Unless money's no object of course. As an aside I'm quite shocked at how little a V11 Sport is worth in this country. I was looking at Bikesales.com here in Aus a few days ago and the money people are asking for what was a pretty pedestrian model Guzzi back in the day like the 850T series is a joke when a V11 sport can be had for 7 or 8 grand and is hard to sell at that money! An 850T turned into a sports bike for 11,500 bucks! Thats what "emotion" does to the "classic" market.

Want a better solution. Look for a current bike that's going to be a future classic. Less risk, less outlay and a far superior motorcycle. 

Phil

Edited July 15 by Lucky Phil

[audiomick]

Phil, you're right in all points, but

the CBX motor was a wonderful thing. That's worth some points that don't have anything to do with practicality or common sense or any of that stuff.

[gstallons]

p6x ; this is my official advice . You need that 6cylinder bike "like you need a possum w/a red asshole".* 

 with that being said, you are going to live once and one time only .  I am the King of Wrong Decisions but eventually I made a few good ones.  Are you going to regret purchasing it or regret not purchasing it ?

Go get it.

 * Wanda Lee Stallons .  My Mother , she was 1/2 Mahalia Jackson and 1/2 Phyllis Diller