Honda’s CBX was introduced in 1979 as a halo sport motorcycle built around a remarkably ambitious six-cylinder engine for the era. It was Honda’s attempt to translate its Grand Prix engineering image into a road-going flagship, and it immediately stood apart from the company’s more conventional four-cylinder CB models. The original version was the best-known form of the nameplate: a dramatic, high-profile superbike with a wide, technically distinctive engine and an unmistakable visual presence.
In its early years, the CBX was aimed squarely at riders who wanted the most exotic and attention-grabbing machine in Honda’s lineup. As the market shifted and competition intensified, Honda later broadened the model’s appeal with touring-oriented changes, including a more relaxed riding position and available fairing-equipped versions. Even with those revisions, the CBX remained a niche, aspirational motorcycle rather than a mass-market seller.
The nameplate’s single production run ended in 1982. Although it was not a long-lived model, the CBX developed a strong enthusiast following because of its engineering boldness, its dramatic six-cylinder character, and its place in Honda history as one of the company’s most memorable large-displacement statement bikes.