Cid 6: 1100cc Honda CBX Café Racer

“Like Riding a Dragon” — CBX1100 from Cid Motorcycles…  

The Honda CBX grew out of the Japanese superbike wars of the 1970s. At the time, manufacturers kept putting ever larger and more powerful air-cooled four-stroke engines into frames that hadn’t progressed much since the 1960s. Honda decided to one up their rivals by adding not just displacement but more cylinders, and the six-cylinder CBX was born.

Shoichiro Irimajiri, designer of the CBX and Honda’s GP racing sixes, has admitted that Honda had developed a 1000cc DOHC inline-four that was lighter and faster than the CBX, but Honda let passion and sex appeal lead the way forward.

“We felt there was something exhilarating and exciting about the 6-cylinder CBX that was lacking in the 4-cylinder CB1000F…something in the CBX that could not be measured in numbers like speed and weight, (something that) made it a very sexy machine.” -Shoichiro Irimajiri

While the 1047cc CBX made 105 horsepower and was the fastest and most powerful production bike for a time, it was no superbike. The engine was too much for the chassis, and Honda ended up making it more of a sport tourer with the monoshock Prolink models.

Still, few machines short of a 1960s F1 car make a sound as glorious as the CBX at full song, and the bike retains a mystique that few other bikes can claim.

This CBX café racer comes from Anthony “Cid” Daymond of Cid Motorcycles — a shed-builder whose Ducati Desert Sled project we recently featured. While working on that feature, we came across his CBX build currently on display at Baffle Haus — a combination workshop, coffeehouse, and motorcycle store founded by Andrew “Salts” Salter and Cid’s son, Sam Daymond.

Below, Cid gives us the full story on this big-bore CBX, which he bought as a basket case from a South African importer and resurrected into the “Cid 6” you see here. The indoor shots from Baffle Haus are courtesy of BH cofounder Andrew “Salts” Salter (@agsvisual).

CBX 1100 Café Racer: In the Builder’s Words…

I built this bike in 2018 for myself and still own it. It’s on display at the Baffle Haus at the moment, but I did cover several thousand miles on it.

The bike is a 1981 Honda CBX1000 Prolink which I bought from an importer from South Africa. Really rough basket case stating “engine needs attention,” which was a bit of an understatement! On investigation the crankshaft was worn and the bearing caps had spun and the cam chain tensioner was broken — that was just the start.

Undeterred I proceeded with it! The crankshaft was rebuilt up to spec and numerous engine components replaced. All new chains and bearings, and to top that a 1100cc big bore kit. Sourcing parts was an issue and I had to trace items from all over the world: Holland, Germany, France, USA, Canada and as far away as Australia!

The 6-into-6 exhaust was handmade in stainless steel from Pipemasters in Australia.

The sharp-eyed people will had noticed that CBX’s never came with spoked wheels. They all had the Comstar wheels, which I didn’t think were in keeping with the style I was after, so by drilling out the rivets on the wheels and fitting steel rings that were drilled to accept spokes, they were converted to spokes!

The battery and most of the electrical components are housed in the seat hump. An aero-style fuel cap and paint by Ace of Sprays in Bristol.

Electrical system is basically standard except for Dynatek electronic ignition and I’ve changed the alternator to a modern Kawasaki unit which is far more efficient.

The frame was narrowed and reshaped at the rear to accommodate the smaller seat unit with its alcantara pad.

The exhaust note is sensational as can probably imagine!

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride?

It is quite a monster to ride! I often describe it as “like riding a dragon“ but it’s fantastic fun! Howling like a F1 race car and never fails to draw a crowd!

Build Process Gallery

Baffle Haus Gallery

Photos: Andrew “Salts” Salter (@agsvisual)

Follow the Builder

Builder: @cidmotorcycles
Paint: Paint by Ace of Sprays (@paintbyaceofsprays)
Thanks: @bafflehaus | @bafflehauscustoms
Photos: Andrew “Salts” Salter (@agsvisual)

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Cid 6: 1100cc Honda CBX Café Racer - “Like Riding a Dragon” — CBX1100 from Cid Motorcycles…   The Honda CBX grew out of the Japanese superbike wars of the 1970s. At the time, manufacturers kept putting ever larger and more powerful air-cooled […]