The Six Cylinder Superbike Honda Shouldn’t Have Built

In 1978, Honda built a motorcycle that shouldn’t have existed — and paid the price for it. The Honda CBX 1000 was the world’s first mass-produced six-cylinder superbike, a machine inspired by Formula One racing and Honda’s legendary Isle of Man TT race bikes. With 105 horsepower, a 24-valve inline-six engine, and a sound unlike anything before or since, it was the most advanced motorcycle on Earth. And yet… it failed. In this video, we dive deep into the true story of the Honda CBX: the engineering genius behind it, the compromises that doomed it, and why the market wasn’t ready for a bike this ambitious. From its race-bred origins to its flawed chassis, high price, and shocking pivot into a touring bike, this is the rise and fall of one of the most fascinating motorcycles ever built. A masterpiece. A mistake. A legend. #motorcyclehistory #cbx1000 #vintagehonda #vintagemotorcycles #hondamotorcycles