When the Best Motorcycle in the World is a Failure

[@dgv951]

I was a Honda mechanic during the '70's. The CB and CL 450 were way over built, meant to run for generations. The key is that in any air cooled engine is that the oil needs to be changed every 1,000 miles and the centrifugal oil filter cleaned, keep the valves and cam chain adjusted; and something that no dealer will tell you, it takes 90 seconds for the oil to reach the cams when started and it's carbureted. Turn off the fuel valve when done riding for the day or get a crankcase full of oil and gas. We replaced so many cam followers that one mechanic did it blind folded. Do your homework and you will have a great machine!

[@jessespivey1012]

Good info.Thanks.I just bought a 1972 CB350 with only 2,500 miles.I can use this to keep it serviced right.

[@jensnitsche4994]

Völlig richtig! Habe die Methode schon vor 40 Jahren bei meiner 400 cb four, Baujahr ´75 angewendet. Gelernt bei Karl Hertweck, NSU Fachmann für die NSU Max in den 50ern. Dank ihm läuft meine cb bis heute einwandfrei...

[@lorikhalili5355]

Hey man, it is fascinating to see people know so much about these bikes. Unfortunately, because of my location I'm getting a 90's version CB750. Specifically CB750 Seven Fifty (Nighthawk in the U.S). Does your expertise apply the same to these newer versions? Is there any tips or knowledge that you could help me out regarding this motorcycle? Thanks! Hope you have a good one!

[@privateer0561]

Not a chance in hell that it tales 90 seconds for the oil to reach the cams. Who told you that absurdity? Complete lie. Running for 1.5 minutes with no oil would wear out everything in very short order.

[@nickhall5959]

​@@lorikhalili5355 I had a cb650sc nighthawk, if the top ends are the same it will have hydraulic tappets which must have regular oil changes AND THE RIGHT GRADE. To thick - heavy and it will rattle like hell

[@cycoklr]

My dad had a friend who was into Vespas but one day he showed up at our house riding a brand new CB450. He let me ride in the back and we went for a brisk spin in the neighborhood. I was around twelve years old and I got hooked into motorcycling. I'm 70 now, still riding, and that brief ride on the Black Bomber is still fresh in my memory.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

That's a great memory to have!

[@Cricri761000]

First rides stay for ever. Mine was on a T110 Triumph as a passenger, and took me in motorcycling until now.

[@wsbill14224]

First ride? I was still 4. It was 1967. My uncle put me on the back of his heavily modified Sportster and roared down Northumberland Ave. I was terrified and hooked at the same time.

[@rogerbec5766]

@Cycoklr - Me too, still riding at 67. Michael Parks movie got me hooked on bikes and bought myself a CB350 in 73'. Could not afford the CB450. Miss my old bike. Ride a Road King today but the thrill was never the same like my first bike.

[@babboon5764]

My Dad had two mates, Bob & Mike who were engineers. One had a Matchless 500 the other a 350 AJS When they came round to our place, me and my mates would pester the hell out of them until they gave us each a 'backie round the block'. They were very positive about bikes and pretty much always obliged a horde of excited lads. Result? Well, I'm a year older than you - I still ride a 22 year old R1 😋

[@Phil_Scott]

I had 450 scrambler,,, with a real good looking candy red tank...no chrome side panel. I got a ticket for doing 90 mph one time, went to court...and ask how fast I was going and I told him that I was laying flat on the tank and could see the speed o meter and told him I was trying to get to go 100 mph but it only got to 98. He told me... go sit over over there to the side.... when all the cases were heard he called me before the bench again and said.... you are the only person who never lied to me...I am dismissing your case... etc. that was 1968... I was the first person to ride across the Oroville Calif dam at 100mph I had to squeeze around the end of barriers to do it. a few years later and for the following 10 or 15 years I rode a triumph 500 twin, I fit 12 to 1 pistons many stories about that. I did one road race at Ontario Motor Speedway on a 1,000 cc kawasaki it would do 145 down the front straight there... too fast for my blood. My favorite bike or all time was a 125cc Bultaco....you could lay that flat in a turn and almost drag the fuel tank on a cushiioned short track...my next favorite was a 500cc yamaha single... you could drag your the cuffs of your leathers on a back road going around a turn.... at age 80 my favorite bike was an ebike on the street... it weighed less than 100 pounds and was a complete joy to ride....I am 83 now and have hung it up. the memories have been life changing. You do not have to win all the time, just pushing your absolutely haul arse bike to the start line will do it for a person.... if I am not mistaken I think it stays with you into the hereafter. Phil scott

[@martindavis3239]

I own a 1992 Honda VFR 400 completely rebuilt which Ipurchased off a head mechanic from a Superbike sponsor. Had new the original Honda 305 Dream in 1959. The difference between the 2 is like call and cheese and Honda sure know how to make great performing 400cc motors.Actually stillown and ride a Honda SP1 as well and am 87 y.o. So age no barrier as you look after yourself .🏍️

[@Phil_Scott]

@@martindavis3239 You are one in a million! Good work!

[@Brough1111]

I also had the 450 scrambler in 1970, I remember laying down on the tank and looking at the speedometer trying to achieve 100 hovering around 99 mph, guys in muscle cars loved to leave me sitting in the dust, I was 18 years old I rode like a wild man. I reved to 9500 daily. It got 66mpg same as NY 650 vstrom and 883 sportster

[@Phil_Scott]

Ha! me too. Did yours have that killer squared off a bit style tank? Mine was candy apple red. I had a friend with one as well, blank tank, he was near sighted and could not see at a distance, so would not go through an intersection until he could see a car coming. I need to ask you how you liked that sportster...I never had one but one of my other buddies had one and let me ride it. I made it about 2 miles and felt like parking it, it was shaking so bad. was that just me? or was it the bike. I sure like the look of those things though. I rode the flat tracks along the west coast 1/4 and half mile dirt oval... 500cc triumph was my favorite bike....I won my class at the Wilseyville hare and hound race in 1973 on a 360 yamaha two stroke... 50 miles of rough terrain... 400 riders showed up many from around the world. We lived through the good old days my friend... I was still riding until I had a bad accident at age 80 in Guatemala (where I retired)...You can google the town Panajachel on lago atitlan.

[@jimmysblacksmithing462]

Good story!! I’ve been riding motorcycles and working on them most of my 68 years, a few spots in between have not ridden much here and there. And have currently about a dozen old Hondas that need some little restoration or such. Hoping to have time someday to at least restore. And take for a spin here and there as well as riding the little Honda 80 XR that I hopped up. It is so much fun and quite a thrill when it spins the wheel in gravel or dirt going about 40 miles an hour when you crack it open :-) you are quite the inspiration. Thank you for sharing your stories! Stay well have a beautiful day.👍👍🙏

[@VirgilBurnham]

I purchased a new cb 450 in 1966, never rode it on the streets. I was a dirt rider. I got rid of the gas tank, put higher mud fenders on it . Home made on the front. Put high scrambler pips on it, long travel front forks and rear shocks. Dirt handle bars, lowered the gearing front and rear. Changed the seat to a lighter fiberglass one. Got rid of the electric starter, and battery. Rewired it to run off the stater. Re jetted the carburetors along with an aftermarket carb kit. Added alloy wheels, knobby tires front and rear. No lights horn turn signals or licence plate holder. It still weighed in ar 287 lbs wet, but was significantly less than stock . I rode that black bomb until 1973 when I bought my first two stroke. I out ran all the big British twins. They would stay with me until it hit 5,000 rpm then it was gone all the way up to 12,000rpm if needed. I also extended the swing arm 3” in order to keep the front end on the ground better. Wish I had it back! I was in my 20’s back then , I’m 78 now and it seems like yesterday.

[@linguinatorschwartz9309]

@user-zs3bw2od7n -- Dood. You're a freak. So was the frankenbike you built. I can't even picture a bike with all the mods you describe. [ shouting to the entire KZbin audience ] Hey everybody -- for the sake of civilization, keep the hacksaws and the welders away from this guy. Only in America.

[@VirgilBurnham]

@@linguinatorschwartz9309 lol, gotta do what ya gotta do!😉 had to be creative to be competitive.

[@Paul-g9c6m]

Had a CB450. 78. 18 yrs old. Could hardly hold it up. Now 65. Ride a V2K. Times change.

[@yamahale]

lol no 2 stroke was capable of 12,000 rpm then or now

[@VirgilBurnham]

@@yamahale no buy the 450 was

[@audryhaynes3277]

I was a motorcycle mechanic in the late 60s and early 70s at a Honda/Kawasaki/BSA dealership which serviced all the current Japanese and British brands. Though they were largely ignored by the motorcycle buying public, we still sold a fair number of Honda 450s. Even after the introduction of the Kawasaki triple (the infamous "Widomaker"), the Honda 4 cylinder 750, and the British triples, the 450 remained a solid favorite of the mechanics. This was a really exciting time to be a motorcycle mechanic, especially in a big shop that serviced almost everything (I even worked on BMWs and one Moto Guzzi). I had previously worked at a Harley dealership and so was intimately familiar with virtually every make and model of motorcycle from the 60s/70s era. I never owned a 450, but one of my best friends rode one, and I wrenched on many. Despite never owning one, the Honda 450 was (still is) one of my favorite bikes. Boy I miss those days. God that seems like a long time ago! I was young and full of piss and vinegar. I'm now 77, but I still vividly remember the smells and sounds of that shop.

[@zuesaka1164]

I started wrenching at an independent local bike shop in the late 70s. We specilized in honda 4 cylinders but worked on all japanese motorcycles. The honda 450 just wasn't a popular bike, based on my experience. Nothing wrong with them. They just didn't have a strong following like the 4 cyl bikes. Good times. I remember them well.

[@ChuckHiggins-bq8vr]

only thing better than the bikes back then was the music

[@williamwintemberg]

Back when I rode a CB750, my best friend rode a CB450. I quickly learned the 450 was no joke. We would frequently mess with each other, so I quickly learned to stay in the correct gear and RPM or he would shame the 750. Looking back, the 750 was better suited to the interstate highways but the 450 was superior everywhere else. Once again, another top shelf video!

[@kentuckyjustice1408]

I had a CB750 and my uncle had a CB450. Everything you said was true.

[@maxhugen]

Haha... same! I had the first CB750, my mate the CB450. One time we swapped bikes to try each other's bike out - and I inadvertently put his CB450 into a wheel stand while dragging against him on my 750. My mate wasn't an aggressive rider, so I respected his CB450 a lot more after actually riding it.

[@wimtimmerman6730]

I think that, generally speaking, lighter motorcycles are a lot more fun to ride than heavier ones.

[@maxhugen]

@@wimtimmerman6730 Agree... and same goes for cars IMO. 😎

[@bobalvarez9278]

I owned one of the first models available in St Louis MO. What a great bike. Soon after replaced the gas tank and put many miles on the 450 unit I purchased a used 750.!!! Now that was a great bike. No messing around. I am small and with me it was a rocket. Loved them both.

[@kenyonbrooks6196]

Kept hoping to see some 1970 CB450s in the video. They looked way better than the black bomber and I bought one brand new in the spring of 1970 for $1,105 right out of the crate. I had the red paint with gold striping. Outstanding motorcycle!

[@Stroke-it-2-Handed]

I had a '74 CB 360.

[@geoffreymentink9570]

I totally agree. I had a 1971 450 in 1976, it had the more modern tank( although I like the old classic tank too). It was a great bike, I did ride in a stupid fashion as a teenager but thankfully only fell off once on ice. It did have an annoying buzz at 5,500rpm but that was only for a short while. It spent a lot of time hitting the redline. The video did not explain the torsion bars at all well, they are more like torsion bar suspension on cars, a single rod. Also it did not mention the eccentric tappet adjustment, which I have not seen on any other vehicle. The main bearings failed on mine, I had to wait 3 months for parts to ship from Japan. Good old New Zealand in the 1970s, import licenses were highly regulated and were like a license to print money.

[@JosephOlson-ld2td]

My first bike, 1970 CB450 with 5 speed, disclosure brake, put 30,000 miles in 18 months. Then got Commando, T140D and Ducati M900 > all were great !

[@keithburns5707]

I had a 1970 model that I bored ported and Camden and strip the weight down to 350 pounds wet road at it Willow Springs Ontario motor Speedway and managed to get it in big bike magazine in 19 73.

[@Rick-qf5de]

I believe mine was a 74 maroon metallic. CL 450 DOHC. Extremely impressive back then. Especially after coming off a 73 CL 100. 😮 Wow.

[@colinmcnally5931]

I had a CB450 Black Bomber when I was 16. Im now 68. It was probably the best bike I ever had. It was awesome. Powerful fast, comfortable , great handling and very well made.

[@erhardbaehni1832]

2. To that ..or 2 gear was good for 80 mph ..top speed on a good day 200 kmh .

[@postoffice146]

I had both the CB 450, which I preferred, and the CB 750. That later model of the CB 450 had the same front fork and disc brake as the CB 750 and they were interchangeable.

[@adrianp7475]

@@erhardbaehni1832.... top speed 200kmh ?? 😄😄😄😄😄

[@yettsoman4364]

It may have been "cosmetically challenged" back in the day, but if you have a Black Bomber now, in good original nick, it's worth a LOT.

[@DonWhitehead-w2j]

Loved this video. My first bike was a 1970 used 450. I rode that bike for over 250k miles. Rain, snow, to school, work etc. It was one of the best bikes ever made imho. The later 70 with front disc brakes and 5 speed much better. With open pipes and rejetted carbs could hold its own with sportsters and 750s until 70 mph until their torque ran out. Beat all the British bikes esp since I weighed in at 160lbs back then lol. Went to a 750 but always missed that 450. Wife and I had our first date on that bike and the first time she rode on it. We went 500 miles all thru Poconos. She was stiff and missed 2 days of work that I learned years later. I knew she did not like it but never complained. That's why I married her, because of that ride on the 450. 48 years later, no regrets. True story. Thanks for sharing and bringing back those great memories on my 450.

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

Sounds like both the motorbike and the wife was "a keeper" !

[@uredskivid]

Now thats a good ride ( both of them )

[@johnl9977]

The first CB450's were ugly as sin. The engine looked very impressive but the packaging said "I'm a dog", the packaging is everything in a motorcycle.

[@jimmysblacksmithing462]

👍👍👍👍👍🙏

[@markgiles1239]

Two love stories.

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

Well I am your man. The first Honda I owned was a new CB450 purchased in February 1969, the second was a 1970 CB750 I bought as soon as it finally became available in Oklahoma in July 1970. The 450 was a good-looking, high-revving failure at being an exciting motorcycle, while the new CB750 was a revelation, a motorcycle that launched a new era in motorcycling and showed the world what was possible. It would be hard for me to overstate how miserable the 450 was, or how great was the original CB750. Everything that disappointed me in the 450 was made to be magnificent in the 750. The 5--speed CB450 was beautifully proportioned and well finished, but disappointing to ride. Quick off the mark, it ran out of steam at highway speed and handled miserably. Engine vibration was awful and ever present. I never tried for the ton because in the Oklahoma winds I could not count on keeping it in my lane at 90 mph. Cross winds blew it around like a leaf, and If I let go of the bars when turning off a highway exit it began to wobble almost immediately. Although the CV carbs worked fine, gas mileage was terrible for such a small engine. Brakes were only fair. The speedometer failed while in warranty, the camshafts galled and began to go flat, a common problem, and I had to pull them out and send them to California to be welded up and reground at my expense. I also pulled off the barrels and honed the cylinders to get the rings to finally break in and stop using oil. I put about 12k miles on the 450 before the 750s began to reach Oklahoma. When I found a gold 750 at a dealer I bought it on the spot, $1450 out the door. The bike was so beautiful that people stopped and stared as I rode it home. Nothing before had ever looked or run or sounded like the CB750. Actually, the early 750s such as mine sounded exactly like a Jaguar XK120, a sound which the later CBs sadly lost in the model revision of fall, 1971. The seat was amazingly comfortable, the engine smooth as silk and strong as an ox, it went down roads straight or curving with no discernible input from me, it was imperturbable in windy conditions, and from first tank fill to the last it always got 56 miles to the gallon no matter how I rode it. The front disc brake squealed a bit but I did not mind, as nobody else had a disc brake on a motorcycle. The. soft, green glow from the instruments and the wonderful exhaust sound made night riding so special that I left Oklahoma City one evening and did not stop until I reached Pikes Peak before noon the next day. The slide carburetors did not work well above ten thousand feet, but I got to the top of the mountain despite the surging. They resumed normal operation when I got back down to a reasonable elevation. It was an amazing motorcycle.

[@carlfredb]

Now this is an honest review.

[@falungongboy]

I disagree with your assesment; maybe you had a lemon. The 450 I owned, '72 model, was fast like a sports car, but would lose the bigger bikes on the top end.

[@BigAl53750]

I also disagree with your review, but because I rode a friend’s CB 750 once and the fact that it just did NOT want to go around corners without all manner of contortions being employed by the rider! I was used to just tipping a bike over and having it go where I pointed it, but the CB750 was one that was scary to ride, compared with the Nortons, Triumphs and BSA’s I was used to. It ticked many boxes, but handling was DEFINITELY not one of them. Not a bike to ride hard through twisting mountain roads, scraping the pegs and flicking the bike from side to side. It wasn’t until the following decade that Honda (and the other Japanese bikes) were even adequate at such riding. ‘Pops’ Yoshimura was seriously critical of the lack of real handling of Japanese motorcycles and the Big Four head honchos listened to him and things changed.

[@mcfarlandhoward]

I owned both bikes too. The 450 was my first bike, purchased used, and always had carburetion problems. It looked good! I bought the 750 used when it was 26 years old! One owner who took meticulous care of it. I used it as a commuter for a few years and never had a problem or put a dime into it. I sold it for exactly what I paid: $1000. I wish I still had it!

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

@@BigAl53750 Riding one used and borrowed CB750 may not be a good way of assessing the model's handling. I moved to Colorado in 1972 and put thousands of miles on my CB750 on mountain roads. I once rode from Denver to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and back in three delightful days. Its ride and handling were impeccable, even if not up to the standards of modern sport bikes, of which I have owned a few. My current ride is an 2023 XSR-700, and its highway handling is shit compared to the 1970 CB750. Above 70 mph it reminds me, sadly, of the 1968 CB450. As far as not wanting to go around corners, you are describing the 1979 Honda CX 500 I rode for a few years. In a straight line, however, it was so stable that I put a throttle lock on it and slid back to the passenger seat and pegs to ride with folded arms on the near-deserted highways of far western Colorado. Possibly the contortions you performed on the CB750 were to compensate for your lack of riding skill?

[@rustyturner431]

I owned one of these in the day, a '70 model with the disc brake and the cleaner tank styling. Great bike, once you got some of the weight out of it. Lightweight aluminum fenders, Akront rims (with Dunlop K81s), lighter weight springs/dampers and a clean 2-into-1 exhaust did the trick. As a guy who'd grown up on big singles and bigger twins with kick-only starting, I LOVED the electric start and the reliable charging system that kept it working...plus, no zener diode . I kept the bike for almost 10 years and put over 80,000 miles on it with no major work beyond a valve job at 50K. Mind you, I did all my own work and maintained it beyond the factory specs. I had Triumph/BSA riding friends, and I could stay right with them with a bit of throttle in reserve...but, when the 450 hit 6500, they got left in the dust! Frankly, the reason the 450 did not succeed was prejudice; just like the Suzuki Titan 500, the machine was superior to its competitors, but it was Japanese. Any real motorcyclist knew that a REAL big bike had to come from the UK or USA, not the tiddler-focused Nips. 'Nuff said. PS - I also had a Titan, which was more heavily modified and lightened but still anvil reliable. Never much cared for the exhaust note, but it was faster than the CB! Both bikes were/are under-appreciated to this day.

[@jlrutube1312]

Great comment.

[@rusack7174]

Yes, I remember the bias back then. Obviously, a put-down and meant to denigrate. I just considered the source and motored on.

[@bunkie2100]

My second bike was a '71 Titan. I bought it for $500, rode it for a little over a year and sold it for $500. During the mid '70s, this was the bargain "big" (to me coming off a Honda CL175) bike. Very reliable, decent power and comfort but it was more "Oldsmobile" than "Corvette"...

[@brucefriesen1221]

An anecdote, if I may. In 1971, my friend and I set out around the world on our motorcycles. My friend was riding a true Black Bomber. Mine was a CB450 K6. In a Madrid campground, we met a guy riding a Bonneville. We decided to make a day trip to Avila, the three of us. Half way there, stopping for a stretch break, the Bonneville rider said "I didn't know those things were so fast". John and I looked at each other with quizzical looks, both thinking but not saying out loud "I didn't know we were even trying ... " Honestly, following the Bonneville, I had thought we were choosing a pretty low key ride.

[@lynncurtner3486]

I bought one of these in Germany in '68 when I was stationed there in the Air Force. I had previously owned a Triumph TR6 Trophy and a BMW R69US. The CB really blew me away. I bought another one when I returned stateside. So did my brother, and another friend of mine. I've had quite a few bikes since then but the CB was/is my favorite.

[@charlesharper7292]

I was a mechanic for Honda for many years. The CB450 was a great motorcycle. Ran great, handles decent, and damn near trouble free. Little screamers. Fun bikes to ride.

[@anthonylocsei9716]

The vibration was unbearable on the CB450.

[@charlesharper7292]

@@anthonylocsei9716 😂👍 not that bad.

[@anthonylocsei9716]

@@charlesharper7292 I had one, and sold it because of this vibration. Lost money on this deal.

[@george-ev1dq]

unlike its younger brother the CB500 which derived from the 450, the 500 was a total disaster

[@stephendecker8371]

I believe my 1968 CL450 K1 is one of the best looking bikes on the road! 55+ y/o pipes have a bit more snarl than when new, and the performance is certainly respectable. The bike really does grab more attention than anything else I’ve owned. Most importantly, it’s still a Honda, 2 kicks and she’s running, and just keeps on rolling. Thanks for another great video!

[@James-bp7vc]

My father and I bought an almost new wrecked Honda CB 450 “black bomber”, we replaced the bent fork and other items that were damaged and had a basically new bike. There were some things like you mentioned that were a bit of a disappointment. My father took it out for a ride one summer day and was gone for quite a while, I was getting a little worried but finally he returned but something looked different as he came up the driveway, he had traded it in for a brand new 2nd generation all black CB 450. What a difference this bike made, better looking, handling, shifting (5 speed) we kept that one for a while but he pulled the same stunt again and came home with a brand new 1969 CB750 this time I could hear the difference, unmistakable sound of the inline 4 what a great bike. Nice video👍🏻

[@craigscrima3175]

The only motorcycle I missed after trading up. After 45 years I still miss my 1965 Black Bomber. Great video

[@marbleman52]

I didn't get my first motorcycle until I was in the Navy, 1971-75. I was enlisted and living on base; my squadron didn't deploy aboard carriers. One of my room-mates had a CB500 and he taught me to ride it. But he cautioned me that I would love it so much that I would have to get one myself. And I did...and I did..!! I didn't have a car, so it was my transportation. I loved it. I eventually put pull-back handlebars on it and a nice 'sissy rack' on the back. I drove it from Norfolk, Va. to Richmond a lot to visit my girlfriend and to the rural home that my best buddy's family owned outside of Richmond. Oh, those were fun days of cruising the highways..!! When one of my friends got out of the Navy, I put my bike in the back of his truck and took a couple of weeks leave to go home with him to Alabama where his family lived. My ride back to base in Norfolk took a long time ( I forget just how long, but many, many hours ). I figured out to get behind an 18 wheeler that was blasting down the highway going much faster than the speed limit, and follow him until I needed gas. I would take an exit, fill up and find another 18 wheeler and go again until I needed another tank of gas. That was quite an adventure for me. My CB500 loved to cruise at 75 mph and faster. It purred like the proverbial kitten. If I remember, I was getting about 45 mpg and I would get the higher octane and the bike ran great. Another of my Navy friends bought a CB750. Wow...that thing was big & heavy and fast...real fast. It was too much for my short stature and size so I made the right choice with the slightly smaller CB500.

[@joeklug3313]

Torsion spring was a shaft that twisted, not a clothes pin type. I worked on many in the late 70s.

[@karlbishop7481]

I was going to post this very thing. I had a friend who had one these bikes that he bought used. It wasn't the Bomber but ared and gold model. I don't remember the year of the bike but this was in '71. Shortly afterward it broke a torsion bar. I replaced it and we left on a three week long trip through the North West about a week later or so later. I worried about it happening again but it never missed a beat. We only had trouble with his saddlebags and my R75/5. Lol. Those 450s never got the respect they deserved. Everyone loved the 305's, I thought they were terrible bikes, gear ratios had to be the worst in the world. My prior YDS3 would eat one alive.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

ingenius design wow!

[@karlbishop7481]

@@fidelcatsro6948 I don't know why this didn't become a common thing especially in racing. No coil bind and I would think less chance of harmonic problems. May be an issue with the space needed for them but what what do I know.

[@memyname1771]

I expected to see more comments relating to that error.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@karlbishop7481 i guess coil springs were cheaper to make and easier to fit in tight spaces

[@littleshopofelectrons4014]

I had a late model CB450 in the early 1970s. It had the best styling of all. The tank had no chrome on it and was all paint. I didn't see this one in the video. It was a great bike. I added a 2-into-1 Jardine exhaust system which really sounded good. One of the unusual features of the engine was that it didn't use a replaceable oil filter. It used a centrifugal oil filter. Periodically, you would remove the oil filter cover on the right side of the engine and scrape out any particles from the inside.

[@DavidHough-h4c]

Which is why some Hondas had cam and crank bearing issues. Owners didn't clean out the spooge when changing oil.

[@chassisresearchkid]

The tank is why I LOVE my black bomber. It looks nothing like my Triumph's or Harley's or any of my other bike's. It's on it's own.

[@Vapourwear]

You don’t use apostrophes to indicate plural…….

[@deltabluesdavidraye]

Ugh

[@blisterbrain]

​@@VapourwearI think he's using it to indicate the possessive. He's just leaving out repeating the word "tank" three times.

[@jackrichards1863]

Previous CB450 owner. The most reliable and enjoyable motorcycle I have had. XL250S a very close second. The CB450 was effortless to ride with good power but I never cained it hard enough to realize the potential within it. Except when doing burnouts. It would free rev up to 10,000rpm and smoke the back tyre without any front brake for 50 yards. A lot of fun. Miss it like an old dog that was faithful to the last. Videos like this bring the pain of having to part with it back to the fore. I'll have another any day!

[@steweslaxe-ts6fg]

xl250, 500... with 23 inch front wheel was great to ride

[@judsonspruce1768]

My first ride in '67 was a new 305 Scrambler. I rode it everywhere that winter in Wisconsin, ice coated tree branches but that didn't stop me. For two summers before that in '65 and '66 bike rentals had lots of the Honda 50s scooter style to rent @ 50 cents per hour. I spent 100's of hours riding around Lake Geneva, WI. What a blast it was! So many fun bikes back then, Ossa twins, X-6 Hustler, BSA 450 "Thumper" single, the Kawasaki Mach III 2-cycle 60 HP was so fast but terrible handling in the curves. Now at age 74 I ride a Star cruiser 1100 and go SLOW. Hahaha 😊😂😅

[@doshonace7669]

I owned a 1970 CB450 while going to university in Santa Barbara. To this day it remains one of my two all time favorite motorcycles, the other being my Yamaha SR 500 single. Before the 450 I owned a Triumph Daytona 500, which was also a super fun bike but the Honda outshined it in so many ways. I lived about 30 miles north of campus & everyday I topped the ton on my way to school (I was 19 at the time). It was highest reving machine I had ever owned, handled great & was just an all around blast. Unfortunately it finally succumbed to one too many trips to the red line. RIP! I replaced it with a Kawasaki Mach 3, a short lived summer romance which I was wise enough to sell before it killed me.

[@freemenofengland2880]

Did you miss the part where Honda brought the bike back as the CB500T in the mid-Seventies, this time looking very attractive. It sold well in the UK and around the World.

[@RickTrivett]

I had a 1970 Red CB450 that I absolutely loved. I had been riding a 175 scrambler so moving up to the 450 was a dream. It was powerful and smooth. I was 17 years old and decided it was time to leave home in Georgia and take a six week road trip from Georgia to see the country. I went to Honda and had them change the front sprocket to the same used on a 750. The sprocket change gave me a little less power but ran at a lower rpm and better fuel economy. One evening i left Columbus, Ohio about 4 in the afternoon and rode thru Indiana, on to Chicago then finished in Milwaukee about 2am. Never saw so much corn in my life. The 450 was a blast, true, and a real pleasure. My younger brother wrecked the motorcycle and that was the end of the bike. As a sixty-eight year old, I would love to find a well preserved 450. I have over 150K miles on BMW's, but the CB450 for a 17 year-old was like being king of the road.

[@ashleysmith3106]

In the 60's, I had a Honda 305 twin, which was so good that I upgraded to a CB450, which turned out to be an all-out British Bike Beater. I then upgraded that with parts from a CB500T, and it would even thrash a 1960's Triumph Daytona (sportier brother of the stodgy Bonneville ) I then radically chopped the bike, which I rode proudly for many years, with it usually being mistaken at first glance for a Triumph twin, albeit with extended forks, Sportster tank and seat, and lowered with fat Harley rim laced onto rear hub, etc, etc. Another bike I wish I'd kept !

[@szpflyer4367]

In 1969 I bought a slightly used, candy-apple red CL450 Scrambler from a friend, who wanted to buy a run-out Hardly-Davidson at a police auction. He got his chopper...and I got a beautiful bike with just 2900 miles. I thought it was the cat's pajamas, until the day I rode against a friend on his new CB350. Starting at Victory on Odessa Ave in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles), we raced toward Vanowen, then quit after he was well over a bike length ahead of me. Sheesh! (Maybe that's why it was sold for a Harley.) Anyway, not long after that experience, I traded it in for a shiny-new red 1970 Kawasaki 500 H1 Mach III. With that, the CB350 was relegated to nothing more than a shimmering smudge in the rear view mirror.

[@davidmacphee3549]

I had the Orange 500 but I respected the very popular CB350's because I believed they could outrun Harleys at least. The Kawasaki's made them look like Hogs.

[@spaceflight1019]

In that era, many millworkers embraced the CB350 for commuting. Every other garage had one. When they retired and began dying off the bikes were often given to neighborhood kids or sold at garage and estate sales.

[@foxlake6750]

I always liked the 450 scrambler. The CB350s were dirt cheap at the time and that took share from the more expensive 450.

[@chadhaire1711]

500 $995 + tax

[@rusack7174]

We had two guys in high school, one with a 500 H1, the other with a healthy, but rather ratty looking CB450. The H1 suffered from some CDI issues, so there was that. They engaged in impromptu drag races in front of the school on a long length of road. More times than not, the CB would pull the H1.

[@pinkiewerewolf]

The Black Bomber was a dead sexy beast! I love the fuel tank.

[@Cricri761000]

MV Agusta were also making such chrome/painted tanks on their 360 cc and 600 cc models. Who mimicked who ?.

[@frankambrosino8123]

Dear friend, passed now, bought a 450, brand new, and immediately striped it and rebuilt it with a custom gas tank, chrome everthing, and don't know what else. It was his first bike and don't believe he ever rode it stock. Used to ride with him but didn't know much about motorcycles then, but he loved the bike. Many years later had a conversation with a motorcyclist and mentioned my friend John's CB 450 and he argued with me that Honda never made a 450cc motorcycle! Thanks for the article, jogged my memory and allowed me to remember a good friend.

[@sterlingfury]

I was 20...my ex girlfriend showed up with a Vespa...I took it around the block...I was hooked...bought my first bike, an orange 74 cb450...rode it for a month or so and bought a brand new cx 500 deluxe, a water cooled twin...I was off on my bike adventure ❤❤❤❤❤ 13:35

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

I remember when the CB450 came out. It pissed off the Triumph 650 riders when we drag race them and beat them. I loved that 450.

[@DavidHough-h4c]

Probably not as piffed off as HD riders when they encountered a guy with his "Honda-Davidson", an HD bagger with a transplanted Honda 750 motor. What really piffed them off was that the Honda 750 motor could outrun a stock H-D with considerably greater displacement. Honda owners hated the guy for ruining a perfectly good Honda 750 to stuff the 4-banger into an ugly XYZ-glide.

[@vincedibona4687]

Now we need to get Bart over a million. He deserves it!!!

[@jimbo44cc13]

My brother bought a 67 305 Superhawk when he was in college and then gave it to me. What a great motorcycle.

[@markdavis9148]

My first bike, in 1970, was a 305 Scrambler I paid $385 for.

[@wayneknodel3347]

In 1971 I had a Yamaha R5 350 and a friend had a1970 CB450. One day, he was riding 2-up, and I decided I was going to show him a little taillight. On the take-off, he got a little jump on me, and then....he just left me! The 450's were suprisingly quick! I am presently refurbishing a decent original 1972 CB450, and having not ridden one for many, many years, am looking forward to the first ride. I would like to have a Black(or red!) Bomber one day though!

[@wymple09]

I had a 74 RD350 and beat several CB450s. I had a friend with a 450 and never found anything special about it.

[@wayneknodel3347]

Reed valve equipped RD350's were a different animal than piston port Yamaha 350 twins.

[@wymple09]

@@wayneknodel3347I earlier had a 72 R5. It was pretty quick as well.

[@malcolmmitchell6529]

Red would really suit ( the 750 candy apple)

[@BoothHarned]

I was a young mechanic at Frank Ancona's North East Honda where a seasoned Honda mechanic LOVED the CB 450. And owned at least one. Was a meticulous mechanic and could rebuild one of these in his sleep. He taught me at least all of the points covered in this video, and one more that I recall. There was something unique about the chain drive to the overhead valves, and the chain tensioner that was also really advanced for its time. I just wish I could remember all the details, but interested readers may want to educate themselves as the can about that.

[@tinysherpa7180]

That cam chain tensioner could be a problem. Sometimes the tensioner did not release to take up the slack when the fastening bolt (externally visible above the tensioner housing) was released due to indentation on the tensioning rod. Mine was fixed by an experienced mechanic. Also the front drum brake was adequate but not a patch on my Yamaha 305.

[@gwwayner]

Now 74 I remember the CB 450 when it came out. Wow, DOHC engine with torsion bar valve actuation and CV carbs it was a race engine available to the public when the English bikes were vibrating, clanky, oil leaking dinosaurs. What is not often mentioned about the 450 was its incredible mean SOUND especially when the revs go up. The weak point of Japanese bikes at this time was the 'hinge-in-the-middle' handling around bumpy corners that most English bikes did with ease. It truly was way ahead of its time.

[@JohnMcClain-p9t]

My first bike was a "Sears-Allstate" 175, never street legal in my hands, then a Honda 160, also confined to the back alleys. I bought a Ducati 250 at sixteen, street legal, rode it till I got in the Marines, and bought a 650 triumph. I've been through about thirty since, got three in my garage, a couple more in my shop, and getting ready to pick up another, old one, next week. I always hated the 450, mainly because I was jealous of its power and speed. I was in awe of the torsion spring valve train, I only rode one once or twice I think. Thanks for showcasing this one!

[@gordonwallin2368]

That 450 was pretty well respected up here. Well, I liked it. The 750, of course changed history. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@xenaguy01]

I owned a used CB450 in the early 70s. I could run right beside my Navy buddy's 650 Triumph, right up to about 110, when he'd pull slowly away. I really liked that machine. It was very reliable, never once died, no matter how hard we rode them.

[@JoshuaEagle1080]

I love my 72" 450! It was my first bike, got it 3 years ago, found it in a run down garage full of junk and bought it for $50! Put $1200 into it and had it running a few days later, n it has been putting a big smile on my face ever since! Great video Bro, as usual, but especially liked this 1 cause it's about my bike, Thank you!

[@lordchickenhawk]

Did you happen to look at the condition of the bottom end pressed crank* roller main bearings while you had it apart? I have a few in my back shed that have been held up for want of new bottom end main bearings, it seems to be a common problem on high mileage examples. Cam chains are also a weakness but are at least easily replaced with non-standard chain. Congrats on your very rare classic barn find! *wrote split roller. WTF was I thinking?!?

[@JoshuaEagle1080]

@@lordchickenhawk no I didn't tear into it that far, but I'm soon getting ready to! My 3rd gear doesn't work, so I will b tearing down the bottom end n replacing what ever is broke, literally bought a 2nd motor so I have all the parts I will need!

[@lordchickenhawk]

@@JoshuaEagle1080 Good luck with it mate. Hope you actually do turn out to have all you need... like I implied before, high mileage engines tend to have all died of the same few problems. I've probably got a spare 3rd gear lying about though, I haven't had any kill a gear cluster yet.

[@waynepetrevan]

I owned and rode one of these for several years back in the 70's when I was in my 20's. Great little bike.

[@tommissouri4871]

I had a 1974 Honda CB450 DOHC and it was a great looking bike and ran great. Its main flaw when I owned it was that when two-up, a two-up CB750 would walk away from it without an issue. For most backroads and out in the country, it was great. But traveling two-up or monotonous interstate, it ran out of steam compared to larger cc bikes.

[@davidhunternyc1]

Geeze, at 8:49, that Honda CB450 is such a pretty bike. ♥

[@danconnolly2341]

Looks like a smooth Triumph.....

[@jimnagel5611]

GOOD BUDDY OF MINE HAD A LATE MODEL 450 -- RODE IT FROM LAKE CHARLES TO NORTH CAROLINA & UP TO NORTHERN MAINE & BACK -- NO TROUBLE WITH IT - HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED THAT BIKE

[@Washoejim]

My first motorcycle was a '67 450 with a 1968 5 speed tranny and a Royal enfield chrome tank with a metallic green stripe down the middle of the tank's top. I loved that bike, beat several Triumph 650s with it and managed almost endless trips with my girlfriend through the Coastal range and onto Highway 1 from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, CA and Skyline Blvd.(CA. 35) then back home to San Jose. Tons of reliable motorcycling fun.

[@Redpawdave]

Yep! Highway 9 or 17... both were lots of fun! Loved splitting lanes to Santa Cruz in 17's weekend traffic! I was such a kid...

[@dougsmith7580]

I’ve got a CB450 in pieces in my shop. Had dreams of making it into a cafe racer but life got in the way. I guess it’s time to take my basket case to someone who knows what they are doing and restore it to original. Thanks for the incentive.

[@apostolosdollas9219]

Thanks for the great video. My first motorcycle as a student in the US was a direct descendant of the Black Bomber, it was a CB 450 K6 (1972 model, I bought it used ten years later). It was a fantastic bike in every way, and by far my most favorite bike to ride, ever. It was DOHC and had a disc brake in the front, plus the styling of the CB 750. The Black Bomber started it all, so, as you point out, regardless of success of the model itself, it was a great stepping stone for Honda.

[@onefastcyclist]

Indeed, the first CB450's to arrive in the states were not well sorted out ; poorly chosen gear ratios and week suspensions. But over the years, Honda turned their "ugly duckling" into a swan that won a Cycle comparison test against the Triumph Daytona and the Suzuki T500. in 1972. I remember they summarized the test by reminding the reader that they intended to test the "new" Suzuki against the "old" Daytona - in which case, the Triumph would have won. They added the Honda as an after thought and remarked that neither the Triumph or the Suzuki would hold a patch against the CB450. However, the CB 500 eclipsed the CB 450 in the eyes of buyers that same year.

[@strangeuniverse1199]

Maybe it was back in 1977, Cycle World magazine did a middle weight motorcycle shoot out. The Honda CB450 came in last place. They hated that twin cylinder bike compared to the others in the article.

[@onefastcyclist]

@@strangeuniverse1199 the 5 years between 1972 and 1978 is an eternity in motorcycling

[@johnl9977]

Whoever was in charge of styling of the first 450 killed the bike for Honda. Those early Japanese gas tanks is if they tried to make them as ugly as possible. They should have hired a stylist from Triumph. Take your Bonnevilles from late sixties, early seventies, just timeless motorcycles, beautiful bikes.

[@jensnitsche4994]

Aso in " Das Motorrad" Magazine in German , same time@@strangeuniverse1199

[@ronnronn55]

Nostalgia for sure! I believe this was the first bike Honda put out with a tubular frame instead of stamped sheet metal. That's why I bought my CB450. I drove it for several years without having to do repairs. Compared to my older British bikes that I rode all week and repaired all weekend! It was tall for me so I removed the tool box, moved the battery, and lowered the frame bars under the seat. It became not only more comfortable for me but also better handling with my contribution to a lower center of gravity. Old guy sounding off on memories! I also more recently did a similar trick to lower the seat on my Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor. Still crazy after all these years! Ronn

[@grenvillephillips6998]

It certainly brought out the green-eyed-monster in me, back in the day, and I would drool each time I saw one. Compared with the British twins, which always seemed to be in the shop, they seemed very refined and modern.

[@yoyojoe9240]

Honda CB350, red,😅 1973......my first motorcycle at age 16. What a screamer..!!

[@TonyTruth-s9z]

I had a 1972 CB350 that cost about $600 new. It was my main ride until a got a car two days before college in 1975. Pretty much no trouble for years until the coils went bad. I struggled with used coils and bad advice on new that wouldn't work. I sold it about 5 years ago for a fair price. I miss that bike.

[@mikewilczynski4112]

I had a 360

[@markmark2080]

After lusting over the new 450 Honda during my 4 years in the navy, upon release I promptly bought a new '69 red scrambler (which I thought was the coolest bike in the world at the time). It was fun riding the Colorado foothills, and thrilling to run 'quarter miles' on country roads, winding that little engine out to rpm heretofore reserved for exotic race engines. Its worst feature was vibration, cruising at 45 or more was just plain unpleasant, 6 months after I got it I was given a chance to ride a Norton Commando, a couple weeks later I bought one and never looked back. The CB750 was 'cool', but the Norton had character few other motorcycles have ever approached, it was a wonderful time to be young and in love with motorcycles.

[@Cricri761000]

Agreed !. I had a Ducati 350 Mark3 in 1973, followed by a Norton 850 Interstate in 1977, and a BMW K100RS later on. Good old times !.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

Sold my 750 Commando in 1982. Can’t afford another one now. 😭

[@Chris_at_Home]

I was in a Navy patrol squadron based out of Maine in the first half of the 1970s. 5 of us had Honda 350CLs which red lined at 10,500 RPM. They were great bike. There was a guy that owned a Triumph that rode with us some but we got tired of him always having to stop and adjust something. The Triumph was a cool looking motorcycle but who wants to work on it more than ride it. The Hondas were great riding the narrow coastal roads.

[@Spike9803]

Ahhh, my first love the Honda 450. In 1971 I bought a mint 1970 Honda CL 450 K3. I was 15yo at the time; I did not realize how good this motorcycle actually was (I had really wanted a Triumph TR6C 650, but I didn’t have the jing). The day I was 16yo and could get a Motorcycle Learners Permit in Massachusetts, I did just that. Then I immediately registered and insured that Honda CL 450. The very day I turned 16yo, 7/29/1971, I was mobile; no more hitch hiking to work! The Honda CL 450 was an excellent first street bike. Around that time “Easy Rider” was in the theaters. Then there was Steppenwolf; “Get you motor runnin’… Head out on the highway! Lookin’ for adventure… And whatever comes our way… Born to be wiiiiiild !!!” I was the easy Rider! Look, I wasn’t any Chopper dude that’s for sure. But I had 43hp of thumping throbbing power between my legs, and I was on the road with my very own motorcycle! “Born to be wiiiiiild !!!” As coincidence would have it, I am right now 53 years later, looking to purchase a new motorcycle. I was online researching the purchase and I saw this video. My 1970 Honda CL 450 turned me on to a lifelong love of twin cylinder motorcycles. I am contemplating the purchase of a new Ducati Monster 937. I think I’m going to buy that bike! 111hp of thumping throbbing power between my legs! “Get you motor runnin’… Head out on the highway! Lookin’ for adventure… And whatever comes our way… Born to be wiiiiiild !!! Born to be wiiiiiild !!!” I still love the Honda CL/CB 450 DOHC, what a great motorcycle! I vividly remember the 450cc DOHC motor would pull strong until about 7,500rpm when it hit the power band and the bike would get up and GO!! Great video, thanks for the memories. Jim

[@G31mR]

I bought a new CB450 in late 1966, right out of USAF basic training. Rode it for three years in Northern California. I had a fiberglass tank on it, high/crossover pipes, trimmed the front and rear fenders, custom painted it twice. It was dead reliable during that time; the engine was bullet-proof. I wonder where the old girl is today?

[@dalecross689]

My very first bike was a CB 450. It had the 5 speed gear box and was customised with king and queen seat and western bars. I owned that bike in 1985 till 1987. It still remains my favourite all time bike. I’m on the lookout for another one after watching this video. Thanks.

[@portaltwo]

Personally, I think the Black Bomber is the best looking and most charismatic of the entire 450 line. I've wanted one since they were new (and I was a kid). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes.

[@tedjacquay]

i have a rebuilt 1973 Honda cb 450, i try to ride everyday, love this bike, the acceleration & sound as it roars to 9000 rpm, this bike gives you miles of smiles!!!!!!! great video

[@fidelcatsro6948]

jealous cat looks on..

[@peterturnham5134]

The CB450 was a great bike, one of my friends had one, he loved it but sold it to buy a Triumph Bonneville.It was competitive with British 500s but not with the top 650s. I have two Nortons in my garage today that would murder the CB450. The first is a completely standard 1963 Norton 650SS. This would do a standing quarter mile in the 12 second bracket and was road tested at 119 MPH, Now the CB450 would do a standing quarter in the 14 seconds bracket and hit 100 Mph. OK my second bike is a 1964 Norton Atlas 750, stripped down, lightened with a production race tuned engine. It's an unfair contest, but both were on the streets at the same time. In 1968 Ray Pickerel lapped the isle of man at an average speed of over 99 MPH, that was on a Paul Dunstall tuned Atlas 750. I love Hondas have owned three, have still one in the garage. In the 60s 450 was not enough.

[@musicauthority674]

I like the second generation CB 450, Honda had pretty much figured it out by then. I remember a motorcycle magazine taking a new CB 750. and doing a few minor upgrades to it. the most important being putting trials/enduro tires on it. and they took it cross country through Australia proving it's incredible reliability. I'm willing to bet that article in that magazine helped sell a lot of CB 750s. because people knew that they were going get a top of the line performance motorcycle. but that they were also going to get a totally reliable motorcycle too. because they really put that CB 750 through it's paces. on that cross country trip through Australia. and they didn't have a single issue with that bike. I had a 1980 CB 750 K. and by then Honda had went to dual overhead cam. and it was a pretty good bike.

[@barnettjames6783]

One of the best bikes ever. Wish that I still had one. Do have a couple of XS-650 that I have owned for 35 years. Love those mid-70's, mid-sized Japanese twins.

[@waynebach7189]

Me too! I have a collection of XS 650's and will have them until I am no longer here or able to ride. One of them I cut in half, lengthened and lowered it to be able to be flat footed at stops, which also dropped the battery to the bottom and can now ride it hands off for extended distances. I did a mile one time, hands off...

[@LEXICOGRAFFER]

I bought a used CB450 semi-basket case while living in Key West in 1980. Price, $350.00. I proceeded to rebuild the engine and give the bike every kind of TLC. I recall it was later version with a nicer looking gas tank. Well...work done, I had a ball on it cruising the key West streets and highways. It had great stable feel and I often drove with one hand resting on the tank to show off. Sadly, when my working vacation was done, I had no resources to ship it north and sold it for $700.00 to a Navy guy. One of the greatest bikes I've ever owned if only for a year or so.

[@michaeltb1358]

I bought one new in the UK in 1967. At the time many dealers were going out of business, so mine was well below list price. One problem not mentioned was a valve in the oil system which could stick and cut off the oil circulation. Mine did and resulted in a cracked piston. No other problems, although I changed the rear suspension for Girling units which improved the ride. One day I stopped at a level crossing alongside a big Norton twin. My bike just ticked over smoothly while the Norton almost jumped up and down with vibration.

[@jamespeterson4125]

A long time ago, I bought a CB-450 basket case. The guy had taken it apart and never reassembled it. I bought it, and cleaned and rebuilt it. As I rebuilt it, I found out it had a POWER ROLL 500 KIT in it. Power Roll was a Seattle company, and I contacted them for a new set of rings. Wow! What an amazing bike that was. The Power Roll 500 kit was an over bore kit, not a stroker kit like the later 500s were, so it did not effect it's RPM range. When I got the RPMs up around 7,000 rpm, that bike really became a monster! I still ride Hondas today. My current bike is a 2003 954RR, but I still love that 450.

[@mebeasensei]

In Australia, late 1960s Nissan/Datsun went from twin overhead cam alloy, independent coil suspension 1600s to 1970s, lame iron pushrod leaf springs in the 70’s (Datsun 120Y, 180B) They went backwards technologically and yet raced into the sales charts completely blowing off the British Austin’s, Morris’s, VW Beetles and with Toyota, Honda and Mazda completely blew away the competition.

[@I_HateClickBait]

What? These are not motorcycles. Are you watching a different video?

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@I_HateClickBait datsuns were good cars.. i drove an old 72' 1200cc in 1997 reliable cars!

[@mebeasensei]

@@I_HateClickBait The message is that Honda had a sophisticated bike in the 450 Black Bomber, being twin cam etc., and 43 HP which is a match for both the American Harley cruisers of the time and close to the British 650 twins, and yet it sold poorly and when the CB750 came out later it was single cam. So sophistication and advances in sales are not linear and necessarily aligned.

[@stevezodiac575]

As a former CB750K6 owner, and a once young man inspired by the ideas and teachings based on and around Pirsigs '66 Honda Super Hawk (CB77) in ZAMM, I enjoyed every moment of this wonderful and informative video. Huge thanks!

[@stevef8065]

My friend rode a cb450 it was an amazing bike! We were teenagers and rode anything we could get out hands on. I was on a DT250. I love your page it’s always so interesting and informative. Thank you

[@magikoflove]

When I was 21 years old I bought a CL450 in 1972 for $889.00 delivered brand new. One of the best motorcycles I have ever owned. I was living in the San Fernando Valley and my 450 was my only transportation for 2 years. I took my 450 all over southern california both on and off road, there was no where I couldn't go on that bike. I had the best times on my CL450 Honda. I rode for 37 years, on a total of 5 different bikes over the years, CL450 Honda, KZ750 Kawasak, 920 Yamaha Virago, 650 Suzuki Savage, 1100 Shado Sabre Honda. I finally stopped riding when I felt my squirrel factor was getting too high. I sold my Shadow Sabre 1100 and walked away a winner. I no longer ride, but I have a lifetime of memories.

[@kfaulkn]

I was in the US army I Germany in 1969. I ordered a cb450 and drove it over most of Europe before returning to the US. On the Autobahn I reached 110 mph many times.

[@WalterPidgeonsForge]

I had a 1968 CB450SS… rode it from Connecticut to Prudhoe Bay,AK .. Twice! When I sold it 8 years ago it had 247,000 miles on it and the compression was soft on the right side.. For a bike with NO oil filter and drum brakes.. it was a willing and reliable mount and inspired me to actually ride distances.. I can only say that the Honda TransAlp (I had 2) was the same for me.. inspired many trips and was stone reliable.. I have owned 170hp Kawasakis.. Super Teneré… Caponord.. R100RS BMWs, Ducatis, Gold Wings.. and a bunch of others.. Still have a soft spot for that 450SS though.. I got it in boxes and milk crates after a coworkers son had disassembled it a few years prior. It had 14K on it then.. Lot of good times and personal growth happened on that thing.

[@paulblouin6955]

That's impressive. 200k plus

[@linguinatorschwartz9309]

Back in about 1980 a friend-of-a-friend willed me his old, clapped-out CB450. And I mean CLAPPED. OUT. When I disassembled the engine I discovered that both pistons were seriously cracked and one had part of the skirt missing. I ended up buying another clapped-out 450 from a local dealer for 100 bucks. Then I proceeded to put way too many hours into the project and created one good bike out of two bad ones. That mother had torque. A torque curve that felt as flat as Kansas. And I always liked the torsion bar valve springs. Rode it about a year and sold it for $450. So, for all my labor I earned about 15 cents/hour. I don't care what anybody says. A good 2-valve engine with a square bore-to-stroke ratio can be awesome. The average person doesn't need four valves, a super-short stroke, and 12,000 RPM. For 23 years now I have owned an XR650R, which has a torque-o-matic engine. The throttle's like a rheostat, and I rarely need to send the engine over 6,000 rpm. Torque rules.

[@darthgrundle2349]

I had a friend with a CB450, and quite honestly it put my CB750 to shame as it was just about as fast or quick. It was way underrated for it's size and performance..

[@BigAl53750]

The really tragic thing is that Triumph design engineer, Edward Turner had designed a 350cc DOHC twin that was a serious competitor for the CB450 in the early 1960’s, but as with the Trident, the BSA management blundered with the development of that project as well. The Triumph Bandit had a BSA counterpart, but as only a half dozen prototypes were made it’s a moot point. The bike’s specs were impressive and the one or two prototypes that were tested, showed top speeds of up to 110mph, with room for possibly more. The arrogant attitude of the men at the top of the BSA, Triumph conglomerate, meant that this potentially life-saving little bike was shelved and never saw the light of day. The Trident could have been available in 1965, but because BSA insisted that an equivalent BSA model (the Rocket Three) be released at the same time as the Trident, another three years were spent redesigning a BSA frame and modifyng the engine crankcases so the cylinders could be canted forward 15 degrees in the BSA version. SInce this substantial engine redesign made absolutely no difference at all to the power output, or handling, this decison by BSA (which was the controlling interest) is just foolishness of the worst kind. If they had gone ahead with the Trident in 1965, it would have been a proven machine well before the Honda CB750 came along and as there had been a 1000cc, four cylinder version of the Trident built and tested in the mid 60’s, the possibilities were there, if only the executives that headed up BSA hadn’t been so bloody-minded and recalcitrant. The Group could have had a 350cc DOHC tiwn that was easily the equal of the Japanese bikes of the day, as well as a three cylinder machine that had huge potential, AND a 1,000cc Four cylinder bike, wll up and running by the time the CB 750 came on the market. electric starters adn disc brakes would not have been difficult to produce on any of those bikes, but the old fashioned, sick in the mud, thinking of the top brass just thew away all those chances in the most amazing example of people cutting off their nose to spite their face that I can think of in the corporate world. I’m astonished that shareholders didn't sue the board of directors for mismanagement. I certainly would have.

[@himmeldrachen1]

This is astounding and thanks for telling. Never heard of this. So sad to think of what could of bin the British bikes best days had they mass produced the 4 cylinder 1000.

[@peteraustin370]

Funny you mention BSA management..!!...Lord and Lady Docker..who owned BSA..during late 50s early 60s..would often spend most summers cruising the Mediterranean in their massive motor yacht......my father..an Admiralty ships pilot would often pilot them into Gibraltar...meantime the Japanese were starting to build motorbikes...!!!!!!

[@michaelmalone6858]

I owned several CB450DOHC Honda's, great bikes indeed. My first one was a 66 4 speed I only put hi rise bars on, I had a 73 I learned how to make power with, big bore, port n polish, cams exhaust and carb work. My last one I did all the engine work like the 73 but also did a mild chop, 6 over forks, pull back bars, lowered rear suspension, lowered the battery box to accommodate a cobra seat, bobbed both the fenders and used a all new hooker header, it turned the 1/4 mile in just under 10! After that I moved up to CB750's and finally two CBX models. Today I build big fast Harley Twin Cam engines and retired from a life time of motorcycle service at 71 years old. I indeed lived my dream, I still ride today. but probably not for much longer.

[@1ihws]

My ex owned one for all of about maybe six months - as a fairly tall bloke, he used to say it was made for pygmies, handled like a wet rag in a wind storm, and equated it to something Honda should have be ashamed to put it’s name to. I certainly remember it as being somewhat ‘clunky’, quite uncomfortable to ride on as a pillion, and definitely not what anyone could call a ‘sports’ bike, especially if you’ve ever ridden something like a Laverda, or an old Moto-guzzi - or even for that matter, an old Triumph - and if you’ve ever ridden/ridden on something like a Buell, or for that matter, even an old Yamahahahah, (spelling deliberate, not me having a runaway keyboard) you’d certainly notice that the handling was not up to par.

[@Alex-Learns-Spanish]

My first bike was a 79 CB450 and it was extremely fun to drive, if you get a chance to ride or buy one take it! It will put and keep a smile on your face. Great revs and even power. Thanks for giving it credit.

[@johnstone7697]

I had a 305 Superhawk back in '67. Always wanted a 450, but even back then they were pretty scarce.

[@annafraley5388]

My husband’s 1st bike in 1971 was a used (slightly) 1971 CB 450 DOAC, candyaple red… We have had many Harleys since then and still have one plus a URAL and a Honda ct125 Trail which makes our 24th bike.

[@brucegoldsmith3721]

I've worked on and ridden several of these 450 and 500 twins. Great bikes for sure, and a whole lot of fun once the tach was showing over 6000rpm. I really enjoy your videos, thanks for another good one!

[@geraldoarnoldo6440]

I had a brand new 1970 CL 450 in Electric Blue. What a trip. My friends called it a Japanese beer can and ridiculed it mercilessly especially the electric starter. The fact that vapor-locking was routine for British bikes on hot summer days. BSAs, Triumphs or Harley Sportsters couldn't touch it off the line although it had a top end of around 114 which let the larger Sportsters outrun me in the stretch. Plymouth Roadrunners, GTOs and Chevelle 396s were easy to beat up to 95 mph but after that...not so much. Only required replacing several clutches, chains and tires and only 1 set of points and condenser. The baffle in the scrambler muffler rusted out and rattled thus removed. The tuning was never quite right afterward. The backpressure was tuned to that stupid muffler. My friend got the 1970 CL750 and another got the Kawi 500 3cylinder 2-stroke. Game over. Nothing could touch those two bikes. After 40k miles in 2 years I sold it.

[@michelguevara151]

weslake created a four valve head well before this, as a direct fitment triumph aftermarket part, he only sold these after going to all the british manufacturers and offering his innovation. they all turned him down with excuses, "it's too complex for the home mechanic", "it would be too expensive to build", et c. weslake made them in his garden shed. years later he went to old man suzuki, explained the idea, and was just about to pull one of his heads out to show suzuki, when he said, "I like it, how much do you want?". the GSX was the result. british management was allways the hamstringing influence on brit iron, and why the industry disappeared.

[@davidbadion7917]

The CB450 was my first motorcycle in 1968. I rode it, chopped it, raced it and toured on it (not necessarily in that order). The guys at University Honda in Seattle helped me bore it to 500cc's and race it in WMRRA's Cafe' Class. I still remember leading the pack into the first corner only to be passed on the back straight by a Kawi 900. I'm still riding, in my 70's now, but I remember that 450 as one of the best, most fun bikes I ever owned.

[@daveroberts9431]

I had a 1974 CL 450 scrambler. What a great bike.

[@williamhornstein5571]

Me too. I went everywhere on that bike.

[@rodcurrieclassics8102]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJDCfoCKhddmnpY. Hope you like my bike

[@BruceHoult]

I don't remember ever seeing one of those. The first Honda I rode was a CB360 twin belonging to a family visitor, when I was maybe 15. We lived on a gravel road, and I also took it in a muddy paddock and was quite impressed. Later I rode another visitor's XL250, and then a year later (1979) I bought a 1974 XL350. That thing was a great offroad hill climber.

[@melodymakermark]

@daveroberts9431, I loved that early to mid-70’s era CL lineup. My first bike was a ‘71 CL-100 K1. Aided by an eBay addiction a decade or so ago, I’ve got 6 of them now and a garage full of NOS parts. Planned retirement projects. My wife hates me. I think it’ll be fun.

[@jimmysblacksmithing462]

In 1972 I was 16 years old, had been riding mini bikes and motorcycles since about four years old. Consequently, was quite mechanical thank God. :-) Was offered a job in the motorcycle shop dollar an hour, the boss worked on the Harleys and British bikes. I was basically the Japanese bike mechanic. Learned a lot of really great stuff. Still remember all the settings of valves and timing and all that kind of stuff pretty simple. Have owned over 100 motorcycles. And was convinced Hondas were the best most advanced technology of their time. And owned a couple of 450s. One was a four-speed tranny. The other five speed. Always swore those were really great. Wish I still had one. Maybe someday we’ll get one. I have many 1960s Hondas they’re easy to repair and work on and they’re so reliable in comparison to the British bikes. Do not understand how someone would choose one of those oil leaking rattle traps over a reliable Japanese bike.! :-) However, the British bikes are awesome as well. The technology in both of them are very different. Especially the British carburetors. don’t get me started :-) thank you for sharing this. It’s quite an inspiration! Stay well have a beautiful day.👍🙏

[@jimmysblacksmithing462]

PS let me add have a 1979/500 single cylinder XR 500 dirt bike absolutely love it

[@WC_Beer_Reviews]

I had a 1976 CB360T. I bought it as a project but had 0 experience with motorcycles. It had a 6 speed transmission which I thought was wild for that era. I wish I would have hung on to it and made it road worthy.

[@warrenp2022]

My first bike in 1972 was a used Honda 305 scrambler, then a Suzuki 250 trail bike, it wasn't fast enough, so then a Suzuki 250 motocross that I added a headlight and tail/brake light so I could ride it on the road to get to the woods. In 1974 I bought a 1972 CB 450, modified it with clip-on handlebars, rear set foot pegs and controls, two into one exhaust, 11" Koni rear shocks, K-81 tires, custom seat with fiberglass rear fender. A fine and fun cafe racer, spent considerable time at high speed, 100 mph was no stranger. Used to beat Corvettes so often it got boring. I thought it was a good all around bike but I found a 1976 Kawasaki 900 for low money and 'upgraded'.

[@robertnewman7701]

My first motorcycle was a 73 cb 450, it was a very good, and reliable bike. The bike had green paint, lots of chrome and came with both kick and electric start. It looked good was very fast. A great bike!

[@oldblue7837]

Also my first bike. Exact same color. Bought it new in '73 while in college. Rode it 4 yrs. Took it on road trip from Memphis to Ft. Knox w/girl friend to visit hi school friends station there. Vibrated like crazy, but made the trip in the cold rain just fine. Second bike was a 550 super sport in orange. That was my favorite one. So much smoother than the 450 and a lot faster. Miss both of those bikes.

[@BobMarley-pm1xb]

I owned a 1970 Honda CB 450. Got it in 1972. It had been laid down by the soldier who owned it in Germany (speedometer was in kilometers) and so the front fork was a little tweaked which showed up at around 105 MPH…….wee bit of vibration there and above so those trips were infrequent. The worst problem were the swing arm bushings. They were about 2 inches long on each side of the axel. Should have been a full length sleeve but they didn’t . When those suckers got a little worn on the edges that bike was spooky. Last time I got loose in a corner was my last ride. It was my only transport in my college years in Colorado Springs. Mountains everywhere! I had the 5 speed. Many cool road trips in the mountains!

[@volt8684]

Had a cb360 and I loved it. In metallic lime green. A thing of beauty

[@LogisticallyMisrepresented]

No doubt about it !

[@terryboehler5752]

Great video. Styling wise, the 450 appeals to me now at age 71. My first Honda was the 50 supersport. Perfection. Second was the S-90. Styling wise, the S-90 tank was a departure. The 450 explored that similar tank design. The S-90 was a disappointment because of a sticking throttle slide. I remember riding home from school with my left hand on the choke, using it as a throttle, because the throttle was stuck open. Today that would be a simple fix. Back then it was just a defective bike. Honda was the ultimate to me. Just the stuff of dreams.

[@ericholt6688]

Had a CL450, much cooler than the CB IMO. For years. Rode from Colorado to Alberta in the '70s. Loved it.

[@robertverschueren9136]

Honda CB series of the 60/70's...........love them all!!!! thx for the movie man !

[@gutsbiker]

I rode a 1974 CB450 for 6 years, top speed was 105. When I sold it, I had runout of valve adjustment because the cam journals where worn out. I loved riding that bike. The stock rear shocks were pogo sticks.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

imagine if the suspension were ohlins.. wow!

[@MarkThomasMedia]

I bought a 1966 CD450 in 1976. A red bomber thanks to a Wee Donald paint job. On my first trip out the 10mm bolt holding the cam chain guide under the head fell down onto the crank drive sprocket and all went silent! A push back home to the Edinburgh University Motorcycle Club and I had my first lesson in engine rebuilding as Robbie Coltrane entertained us all with his charismatic presence. Some events just get burned into your mind. I fixed and rode it into the 80s. It would do 80 but not more. I gave it away after the first gear went and bought a VW Beetle.. FFV 327D I think it was. Is it still running?

[@87Wayne]

Owned two of them a K-1 with 5sp and "drum brakes" and a K-3 first year with disc on front. Both great machines fast and extremely reliable. Great video!

[@alistairbernard9574]

Great video Bart. Superb summary on the CB 450 Black Bomber. I never quite understood why this model failed and never made it to the Top Spot Honda intended for. My favourite is the earliest 1965 version. I think it looks nice too. But still the Big British Bikes were the ones to beat. And no matter what dated technology the bikes employed the British Bikes were Undoubtedly the Best back then. Be it style Looks, Power Performance and that most important one the Sound. Nothing sounds better than a Brit Twin. (I am sure you will agree as an owner of one). 😂 Having said that Honda's Black Bomber will remain as a Favourite landmark Motorcycle to Enthusiasts.❤

[@carlv8168]

My bud had a black bomber first-generation CB450 back in the late 1960s. I bought a brand new first-gen CB750 in 1973. Loved that bike.

[@garychannell4663]

I had 1973 450 last year of high school. Love that bike, only complaint was it sucked water instead of air when caught riding in the rain for any length of time. I am 69 now and ride a 2002 Honda VTX1800c. Also an awesome bike, but I still have a soft spot for that 450, and for my first bike a 1957 cushman eagle.

[@markspencer3612]

I've owned two CB 450 Hondas , bought the first brand new in 1973 rode it from Sturgeon Bay , Wisconsin to Eureka , California in the summer of 74 great bikes .

[@1xARM]

I had one of these. The torsion bar valve springs weren't springs... they were an actual torsion bar. Nice bike. The earlier ones had a different firing order and I think sounded best.

[@lordchickenhawk]

Came looking for this comment. The best thing about the torsion bar valve return was it never seemed to suffer from valve bounce at top revs. I raced a lightened example back then. I still have it down the back shed. Some of the other blokes claimed 16K rpm out of their CB 450's back in the day with minor mods. I kind doubt it and never tried to do it myself. It seemed like an expensive failure waiting to happen and I didn't have the money to buy Honda spare parts unnecessarily. Most Japanese bikes were reasonably priced new but I thought most spares were horrifically steep.

[@1xARM]

@@lordchickenhawk my limited understanding was X grams removed from valve train weight (rocker arms or removing material from the camshaft) = X increase in useable RPMs... assuming the rest of the bike was setup to continue making power at those higher revs. I did this to my old CB 360, just lightened the rocker arms... not sure it made a lick of difference, but when you're young wasting time doing stuff like that was fun.

[@lordchickenhawk]

@@1xARM Still is fun to me. That kind of lightening tends to be more effective on push rod motors than OHC ones, I recon. But it's always fun to try, even if it all goes BANG! I guess it all depends on how much cash it's going to take to start again and on how much you like pulling stuff to bits.

[@bobconaway]

Had one while in the USAF, stateside. Loved it! Went on to a T500 but always wished I hadn't. The CB was fast, reliable and good looking. It ticked all of the boxes and should have had greater success.

[@pcbondart]

3:50 . . . you COMPLETELY missed it, got it WRONG on your explanation of the valve springs . . . each valve was sprung with a straight rod which TWISTED to gather spring power. Also in your explanation of how Honda progressed to this model, you failed to mention several bikes, like the 150, the 160, the 250, and the 305.

[@vincedibona4687]

Cry harder.

[@tomh9391]

Uhh you forgot the cb200, if ur gonna name shame be good in ur name game(cb200 was my first bike)

[@pcbondart]

@@tomh9391Uhh I was just talking about bikes BEFORE, leading up to the 450 . . . I do think the video's biggest error was the description of the valve springs, I shoulda let my comment end with that objection