Honda CB450 Clymer “On The Lift” Classic Bomber Test

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Welcome to On the Lift…episode one, sponsored by Clymer Repair Manuals. I’m James Grooms, Managing Editor. For each episode we’ll feature a machine that’s in the Tech Center [Vintage and Classic Japanese machines from the past]. We may also talk about staff rides or projects, basically anything interesting in the shop. Maybe even a road trip or two to see what some of our authors are working on [Repair Manual] and riding.

Today we have one of my rides [For Sale]on the lift, a 1965 Honda CB450. AKA the Black Bomber… sounds ominous doesn’t it. I think this Honda model has an interesting history. While everyone knows about the CB750, and rightly so. The Black Bomber is often over looked in Honda’s family tree. When released in 65 it created quite a bit of buzz. The motorcycle press covered its release extensively. Even the car magazines, like Hot Rod tested it. It was Honda’s largest displacement motorcycle and at the time they were known for small bikes. [For comparison, Kawasaki was a non player w/ the 150 B8S, Suzuki had the 250cc T10 and the only real player was Yamaha w/ the YDS3, all 2-strokes.] Their largest was the 305 Superhawk of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance notoriety. Author Pirsig rode a Superhawk, while his partner was on a BMW.
[There was also a scrambler version, a CD450 kit. There would eventually be a high pipped CL450, CL.]

The parallel twin has dual overhead cams DOHC. At the time, it was the only production motorcycle so equipped. The hemi cylinder head does not use a traditional valve spring setup. Instead a torsion bar mechanism closes the valves. Twin CV carbs were novel for the period also. While many bikes still had 6 volt electrics, the 450 uses a 12 volt battery. The plugs fire at 180-degree intervals through a twin coil and points setup. [Editor's note: this is a Type I engine. There were also Type II CB450 engines using a single set of points and fired at 360 degree interval. I've never seen/heard one run. Would be interesting.] At 8500 rpm the engine produces 43 hp. Power is transferred to the rear wheel via a wet clutch, 4 speed gearbox and chain. The horizontally split crankcase is held in a cradle frame. This was a departure from Honda’s typical spine frame layout. This also allowed the cylinders to be upright as opposed to previous twins. The starter is here at the front; another not so common item in 1965. The twin spring telescopic fork legs hold an 18 in wheel featuring a dual leading brake drum operating on twin pivots. By today’s standards, this cable operated dinosaur is nothing special, but at the time it was considered top shelf stuff. The rear brake is a basic single-pivot lever-operated drum.

Despite being banned from British racing because of its dual overhead cams the bike missed the mark, for a number of reasons. [This model and the CB350 are very popular in vintage racing in AHRMA 's Sportman class - see Henning. I think a full blown CB 450 cafe' bike is in my plans.] It never sold well at a little over a grand. The KO model was basically unchanged from 65-68 until the K1 [in 1968 and also often referred to as the black bomber, however, I think it more accurate to the KO] release. I’ve been told there were plenty of four speed bikes still on the dealer floors in 68 at a steep discount. Despite poor sales, the Black Bomber’s release in April 1965 marked the beginning of the end for the vaunted British motorcycle industry [Dominated by Triumph, Norton and BSA.] With the next new model release, the first superbike –the CB750, Honda sealed the deal. [More videos to come: BMW R75/5 X6 Hustler CB77 CB500 Four SOHC KO Harley Sprint XL s Yamaha YR1 Cobra T500 XS1 XS2 X6 vs CB 350 CB450 CB550 1966 1967 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 K2 k3 k4 k5 k6 k7.]
music by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com

Duration : 0:6:31

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