Salt Shaker VII: Honda Double 450 Salt Racer

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

We’ve been showcasing the builds from the Bob Guynes Collection recently sold at the 2022 Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction.  Born in 1937, Boris “Bob” Guynes was an Army veteran, racer, and fabricator who created some of the neatest salt racers in land-speed history.

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

So far, we’ve featured his twin CB750 “Anti-Christ,” his twin 305 “Two For The Salt,” and his supercharged, NOS-injected CB500 “Hog Catcher.” Today, we’re excited to present another one of his twin-engine creations, “Salt Shaker VII.” This straight-line beast is powered by a pair of Honda CL450 DOHC twin-cylinder engines, each rated at 43 horsepower in stock trim. According to Mecum:

“The parallel-twin was the first regular production DOHC engine in the Honda lineup, and its unique torsion-spring valvetrain was a radical departure from conventional British pushrod designs. With dual constant-velocity carburetors adapted from the Honda S600 sports car, the innovative engine was factory rated for 43 HP at 8,500 RPM. The CL450 Scrambler shared the parallel-twin with the road-going CB450 Super Sport, also known as the Black Bomber.”

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

In order to conjoin the two engines, Guynes used a crank-to-crank chain drive setup similar to that on “Two For The Salt“:

“The front engine’s transmission was removed, and the conjoined twins share power through a crankshaft-to-crankshaft chain drive. The rear engine kept its transmission and clutch for the final drive. Custom side covers and motor plates keep the engines lined up.” —Mecum

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

A quartet of Keihin carburetors with velocity stacks feed the engines, while a double 2-into-2 exhaust lets them breathe. The long wheelbase helps straight-line stability at twin-engine speed. We especially love the twin gas cylinders repurposed as fuel tanks, as well as the custom control panel full of toggle switches and gauges reminiscent of something from Mad Max or a vintage fighter plane.

“Guynes was known as much for building record-setting land speed racers as he was for dismantling them after the race and repurposing the parts and pieces into yet another creation. As a result, the Salt Shaker VII wears a collection of signatures and clues to its Bonneville and El Mirage land speed racing heritage.”

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

If anyone has specifics on how fast this double 450 speeder ran at Bonneville or El Mirage, we’d love to hear!

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike

More Bob Guynes Builds

Honda CL450 Land Speed Bike Salt Shaker VII: Honda Double 450 Salt Racer - We’ve been showcasing the builds from the Bob Guynes Collection recently sold at the 2022 Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction.  Born in 1937, Boris “Bob” Guynes was an Army veteran, racer, and fabricator who created […]
Honda CB77 Super Hawk 305 Land Speed Racer World’s Fastest Hawks: Honda Twin 305 Salt Racer - “Two For the Salt,” a Double Honda 305 Land-Speed Racer…  We’ve been running a series on the builds of the late Boris “Bob” Guynes, a racer and fabricator whose machines include the twin 750 “Anti-Christ” […]
Honda CB500 Land Speed Racer The Hog Catcher: Supercharged Honda CB500 Salt Racer - 150-mph CB500 Supercharged, NOS-injected Salt Racer… Recently we featured the Double 750 “Anti-Christ” from the late Boris “Bob” Guynes, a master fabricator and racer who created some truly incredible salt flat racers. Today, we’re excited […]
Honda CB750 Land Speed Racer The Anti-Christ: Honda Double 750 Salt Flat Racer - A twin-engine CB750 land-speed racer from the late Boris Guynes… If our trip to the 2022 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials taught us anything, it’s that the Bonneville Salt Flats are a truly special place — […]

3 Comments

  1. Rod Callaghan

    How fast would it run at Bonneville? With handlebars like those not very fast at all methinks. They certainly don’t fit the image of the bike.

  2. Steve Matz

    Honda’s CB450 1st appeared in 1965. It was Honda’s 1st Street Production DOHC Engine. It also had a feature that was never used in any other Production Model. That being Torsion Bar Style Rockers to close the Valves verses traditional Coil Type Valve Springs. In Racing Form, this engine could easily turn 10,000+rpm. I saw one campaigned at Ascot Park 1/2mile in 1968. It could run away from The BSA Goldstar, H-D KR, Triumph T100R on the Straights quite easily. Being an Over square Bore/Stroke DOHC Design gave it a distinct RPM advantage over the Competition which where OHV and Flathead/SV design Engines…

  3. Honda was known to have dependable motorcycles. In an effort to gain market share they built a few fast bikes. I had a 2001 Shadow Sabre with the 1100 cc engine and enjoyed it. Remember that “you meet the nicest people on a Honda.”

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