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

2 ай бұрын

That's a great memory to have!

@Cricri761000

2 ай бұрын

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

@wsbill14224

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

@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

2 ай бұрын

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 😋

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

18 күн бұрын

Now this is an honest review.

@falungongboy

4 күн бұрын

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

3 күн бұрын

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

@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 KZread audience ] Hey everybody -- for the sake of civilization, keep the hacksaws and the welders away from this guy. Only in America.

@user-zs3bw2od7n

2 ай бұрын

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

@user-vt9uh7pt4j

2 ай бұрын

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

@yamahale

2 ай бұрын

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

@user-zs3bw2od7n

2 ай бұрын

@@yamahale no buy the 450 was

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@maxhugen

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@maxhugen

2 ай бұрын

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

@bobalvarez9278

2 ай бұрын

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.

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!

@Stroke2Handed

2 ай бұрын

I had a '74 CB 360.

@geoffreymentink9570

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

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.

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

Ай бұрын

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

Ай бұрын

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

@Brough1111

27 күн бұрын

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

26 күн бұрын

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.

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

@karlbishop7481

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

ingenius design wow!

@karlbishop7481

2 ай бұрын

@@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

2 ай бұрын

I expected to see more comments relating to that error.

@fidelcatsro6948

2 ай бұрын

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

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

22 сағат бұрын

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@uredskivid

2 ай бұрын

Now thats a good ride ( both of them )

@johnl9977

2 ай бұрын

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

Ай бұрын

👍👍👍👍👍🙏

@markgiles1239

Ай бұрын

Two love stories.

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 ай бұрын

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

@postoffice146

2 ай бұрын

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

Ай бұрын

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

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

2 ай бұрын

Great comment.

@rusack7174

2 ай бұрын

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

@bunkie2100

2 ай бұрын

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"...

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@deltabluesdavidraye

2 ай бұрын

Ugh

@blisterbrain

2 ай бұрын

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

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.

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@johnl9977

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@chadhaire1711

2 ай бұрын

500 $995 + tax

@rusack7174

2 ай бұрын

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.

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

@Cricri761000

2 ай бұрын

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

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.

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👍🏻

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@wayneknodel3347

2 ай бұрын

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

@wymple09

2 ай бұрын

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

@malcolmmitchell6529

2 ай бұрын

Red would really suit ( the 750 candy apple)

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 😊😂😅

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!

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

Back in 1978 I bought a '74 CB450. It had pretty decent power, but it vibrated like hell! After riding for a couple hours your hands and arms would literally be numb. Also, it has a serious issue with the front forks. Hit a bump wrong and the forks will swing violently back and forth. This happened to me when I hit a manhole cover that was lower than usual and I thought I was going to go down for sure, but managed to recover. Later I sold the bike and the guy who bought it wrecked it on a mountain curve and nearly died, but since he still owed me money they asked me to come take it back (as-is). Then I gave it to a younger friend with the agreement that he would never ride it on the street (he said he would pull the engine and make something with it, like a 4-wheeled go-cart). Sure enough, he got it on the road, hit a rock or something and went down without a helmet and was in the hospital for over a week. After that I made sure nobody would ever ride it again.

It was 1964 I turned 14 & got my cycle license. Bought a wrecked 305 Dream, later turned it into a ''dragbike'' w/ CB160 forks & a ''Glo-Coat'' floor wax can for a gas tank - reduced ET .5 sec. Then a 305 Scrambler. The CB450 came out & it was to me the ultimate dream boat. I thought the gas tank was handsome in it's unusual shape. I'm 74 now & ride a Triumph Sprint ST 1050 3to1 2-Bros. exhaust, & love the 3cyl. song through that pipe.

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

@danconnolly2341

2 ай бұрын

Looks like a smooth Triumph.....

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

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

@Chris_at_Home

2 ай бұрын

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.

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!

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.

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 !

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

@@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

2 ай бұрын

@@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.

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.

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.

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

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.

@user-qe3cf3yi6r

2 ай бұрын

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

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

2 ай бұрын

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

In 1974 I bought a used CB450 (with the front disc brake) and it was a fantastic motorcycle. Plenty of power and speed, handled well, super reliable, cheap to operate, just great in every way. Wish I still had it!

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.

@HateClickBait

2 ай бұрын

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

@fidelcatsro6948

2 ай бұрын

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

@mebeasensei

Ай бұрын

@@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.

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.

I bought a new '68 CB450 (somebody told me that it was actually a 1965) for $850. I didn't know anything about motorcycles and didn't have any friends with motorcycles (except one who had a 650 BSA that had been stolen from him and returned by the police in pretty bad condition). I stopped at a Honda dealer for some reason requiring me to talk to a mechanic and he told me that seeing it was a bit over 30,000 miles on it I should bring it in for an overhaul. I was astounded and a little offended seeing that it still had 145 psi compression both cylinders. A couple of years later it started getting sluggish. Short story is that the plastic cam chain idler sprockets partially disintegrated, plugging up the centrifugal oil filter. End of respect for Honda. I guess I wasn't very good fan material.

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.

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!

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

@williamhornstein5571

2 ай бұрын

Me too. I went everywhere on that bike.

@rodcurrieclassics8102

2 ай бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZJOTr6-NgNWZmJc.html. Hope you like my bike

@BruceHoult

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

@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.

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

13 күн бұрын

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

What was weird about the Honda CB450 was that it was an unusual capacity. Too big for the 350 class and giving away 50cc in the 500 class. BSA/Triumph Management faced with the looming threat of Japanese made motorcycles and a history of abysmal small bike failures like the BSA Corgi, Beagle and Ariel 3 publicly stated that they would "worry about the Japanese when they made a real motorcycle". When Honda came out with the CB750, NO ONE in the UK understood what they were looking at. The Triumph Trident/Rocket 3 design took over three years to bring into production. The Honda CB750 took just nine months. Billed by the UK motorcycle press as a piece of exotic oriental piece of machinery, they predicted sales of only 50 per year. But with its four cylinder overhead cam engine, four carburettors, electric start, disc front brake and metallic gold paint scheme it outsold the Triumph/BSA kickstart, drum braked, pushrod triples together in its first year. BSA/Triumph Management had made a catastrophic mistake.

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.❤

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

That's impressive. 200k plus

My RARE 1970 450 was the first one to arrive in Ontario - Toronto. The second was sent to BC. They were pre models for the bike shows. The difference was - they had a 750 front end. Huge forks with massive twin disk brakes. I bought it and put 25,000 miles on it before selling it to a friend. When the regular models started coming in I was shocked at the difference side by side. Wish I still had it - along with my 305 Hawk - the 1968 1/2 750 my brother bought from the shop mechanic with upgraded cams. We owned 13 Honda's over the years.

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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

2 ай бұрын

imagine if the suspension were ohlins.. wow!

@MarkThomasMedia

2 ай бұрын

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?

I bought a CB450 K3 in 1971 for AUD 1024 with the proceeds of mu Uni vacation job. I test rode it against the Yamaha 650 twin. The Honda was smoother, more stable and refined, with a progressive power curve to 11,500 rpm. I replaced the stock exhaust with a straight through baffle system, which emphasised the cross plane crank engine beat. I did most of the engine maintenance myself, including lube, timing (electrical & valve), timing chain tensioning, brakes & chain. The main handling issue was grounding the centre stand. It was best as a tourer and commuter. My girlfriend (now wife) was a regular pillion passenger. She often went to sleep on the back, holding my waist strap with helmet on the shoulder of my leather jacket. Kept the bike for 9 years. Wonderful.

@tinysherpa7180

2 ай бұрын

I sawed the centre stand loop off and had a stub welded on !

I've owned over a dozen CL450's, (there are a half dozen in the garage right now) and about a half dozen CB450's as well including a Bomber or two. The CL450K1 is my favorite by virtue of it's looks and unique frame/triple tree which makes it handle much better than the later CL's. The Bomber was the best handling of the CB's perhaps because of the 18" front wheel. In any case, the CL450K1 is and will always be my favorite.

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

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.

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

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.

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.

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

@user-im9ov9ud7m

2 ай бұрын

No doubt about it !

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.

My Brother bought a 67 CL450 Scrambler in 1970. It was better looking than the "Ugly Duckling Black Bomber". It was fast. I was 17 at the time. I got it up to 110mph and the front end started to shake. It scared the devil out of me! Managed to safely slow it down. Never did that again. Our Dad made us sell it shortly after I had a mishap on our Honda150 Benly. Was fun while we had it. I've been riding street legal motorcycles now for 56 years. Just bought my 59th motorcycle.

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

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

2 ай бұрын

Cry harder.

@tomh9391

2 ай бұрын

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

@pcbondart

2 ай бұрын

@@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

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.

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.

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

2 ай бұрын

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

2 ай бұрын

@@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

2 ай бұрын

@@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.

Bart research the Yamaha XS650 twin.

@jlrutube1312

2 ай бұрын

Yes, I would love a video about that one. Please Bart, Please! (How do you like my shameless begging?!)

@54macdog

2 ай бұрын

Me three! It would be a brilliant retro!

@miken9449

2 ай бұрын

To include, if at all possible, very strange tendency for early models to tip over in corners. When I rode one handling felt like I was going down, maybe I was imaging something but later confirmed by a Moto magazine editor, who fell twice while testing! His 1st two accidents ever! I understand that Yahama revised the handling on later models. One thing for sure the engine was very powerful, bike about as fast as my Kaw 500.

Had a used one for a couple of years. I don't remember the year of the bike, or the years I owned it. What I do remember is that it had a check ball in the oil pump. After sitting over the winter, the first ride of the year lasted about 5 minutes before there was a lot of noise from the engine. The check ball had stuck to it's seat and there was no oil being supplied to the upper end; the camshaft lobes were completely wiped out. That was a damn expensive repair, probably more than the bike was worth. After that, any bike I owned that didn't have either a gauge or warning light for oil pressure, I would remove a valve adjusting access cover to verify that oil was reaching the top end. I now own a sportster and look in the oil tank to verify there is oil circulating when starting after storage, never forgetting this incident. I really liked the bike and wish I still had it, along with the other 30+ bikes I've owned.

"You meet the nicest people on a Honda" . One of the best ad lines ever........... @5:50 , Hall Blvd, Beaverton ,Oregon.............

The single biggest put off was the capacity! 450cc was a ridiculous number. Those who aspired to a "big bike" wanted at least 500cc, and those who had, or wanted a 650, a 450cc bike was just a toy not worth considering. And as we know, the glamour of size is still important today.

I got a 450 scrambler after graduating from high school. Great machine for its time. (1972) Later I got a black v65, WOW, that was absolutely a screamer ! (1984)

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.

I owned a modified 1970 CB450. It was a track only bike when I bought it. Free flowing exhaust, and Mikuni 36 mm carbs. Airbox delete with K&N filters. I put the lights, mirrors, horn, etc back on and registered it. I was told it had re-ground cams, but I never took it apart to measure. It pulled hard to 10 grand in every gear. 110 on the shaky speedo. It had a bad shake under braking at high speeds. Those forks and the frame were not stiff enough to deal with heavy braking forces. It absolutely ate Sportsters and the big Brits.

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.

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'.

I owned a 1969 CL 450 which was a scrambler. Was a beautiful machine and a blast to ride. I'm 75.

I had a Honda CB750, and I thought that I was some seriously hot 💩! But man oh man, that was a fun bike. Thanks for jogging some good memories. 🏍

Yeah, following a 305 Scrambler, I had a nice used 2nd gen CB 450 for several years in the mid-1970's, great bike. Nice looking, green, smooth ride with little vibration for road trips with my wife, nice 5-speed, powerful for the highway, totally reliable. I liked the middling weight, easy to handle, rather than the heavier 750, which I maybe couldn't have afforded the 750 anyway. Couldn't have it shipped to Japan on a military move so sold it. With a young child, a motorcycle was no longer an option for husband-wife rides, and was only a fair-weather commute-vehicle, so didn't ever get another one.

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.

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.

I had one. Rode it 600 miles in one day in 1971. Then I gave it to my brother in 74. What a fun bike, but a definitely need a lot of work. The double overcame chain was run on gears with rubber inserts separating the gears from the bearing to isolate vibrations. Not good, they didnt last but a few thousand miles before reworking the valve train. Didn’t have enough electrical power so when the government required lights on all the time, it couldn’t charge the battery and run the lights at the same time. Not very useful to ride at night even before the gov req t. A sod the breaks were terrible. Manual, buy rod to the back and cable to the front. And the cable always got struck. Having to replace a lot