The Honda CB-1 was a wonderful mid-sized standard in a time of replica racers. Originally built for the Japanese market, it was a beautifully balanced motorcycle that lost out in an American market that was obsessed with having as much horsepower as possible.
Cycle World called this “a great motorcycle that never found an audience”, and with hindsight, it’s easy to see why. A healthy 55 horsepower was enough to take this 400 pound bike up to 118 miles per hour, and the upright seating position lent itself to comfortable commuting or canyon carving. (How’s that for alliteration?) General consensus at the time was that this bike was a perfect “street weapon for the masses”.
This example has approximately 38k miles – the seller put 10k of them on over the last 13 years. He states that there are “some choice upgrades” but doesn’t specify what they are – I spy a Sargent seat and bar end mirrors but that’s all I can identify from the one photo that’s provided. Find this CB-1 for sale in Birmingham, Alabama for $2,800 here on Facebook.