We give you the gen to get best Black Bomber you can – and the later CB450S and 500Ts that followed it
Daring to be different. That’s what gives this Japanese classic its enduring appeal
If Honda’s CB750 was the bike that delivered the knockout blow to the British motorcycle industry, then surely the CB450 put in some of the body blows that softened up the target. The ‘Black Bomber’ – so called because the early K0 models released onto the UK market were finished in all black, relieved only by the chrome panels on the fuel tank – put an end to the belief that the Japanese were only serious manufacturers in the lightweight sector. And it proved that Honda were prepared to be bold with their engineering solutions to the perennial problems of motorcycle design.
The CB450 certainly had a lot to live up to when it arrived in the UK in February 1966. It had been on sale in America since the previous year and, while it had enjoyed mixed reviews from the press there, there was plenty of enthusiasm to find out how good the first big bike from the biggest Japanese manufacturer was. Honda claimed their new twin was capable of 112mph – and although the truth was rather different, the CB450 still caused a stir... and divided opinion. The Motor Cycle’s David Dixon was won over by the Black Bomber. “The most exciting standard, production model I have ridden for a long, long time,” he gushed. But Motorcycle Mechanics, testing a CB450 in June 1966, could only squeeze 102mph out of their test bike at Snetterton. They pitted it against a Triumph Tiger 100, which managed 104mph – and the
Triumph’s acceleration figures were better too. So, what’s the real story?
Well, 55 years on from the launch of the Black Bomber, perhaps it’s time to forget head-on comparisons and look at the CB450 for what it was, rather than some notion of what it represented.
A dohc engine, torsion-bar valve springs and CV carbs were pretty exotic back in 1965, for a start. Less obvious (but no less desirable) features of the engine included oiltight, horizontally-split crankcases, a massively engineered, 180° crank running on four big, caged roller bearings and a reliable electric starter. There were indicators as standard and a very effective twinleading-shoe front brake, too. The specification and sophistication of the CB450 was a huge step forward in the middleweight market.
And that’s what has created its enduring appeal. The CB is
different – yet surprisingly practical. Early models have that classic ’60s Honda look, while later versions are still relatively affordable. The divide in values comes after the K0 models – the most highly prized. After that, prices tail off with the disc-braked 1970-on K3-K7 models being the most modestly priced. The K2 was the last model to be officially sold in the UK.
Principal changes to the CB450 were the move away from the classic Black Bomber look and the adoption of a five-speed gearbox in 1968, a new painted tank the following year and a front disc brake, megaphone-style silencers and 19in front wheel for 1970. After that, not much changed.
Over the years the focus of the CB450 altered, from cutting-edge sports bike (the CB450 won two Production TTS, in 1969 and ’71) to practical workhorse. The final act in the saga was the 1975 launch of its replacement – the CB500T. Intended as a practical all-rounder, the new model used a stroked version of the old CB450 unit housed in new – though conservative – cycle parts and bodywork. Nowhere near as soughtafter as the original CB450, the CB500T nevertheless has started to pick up fans with its classic/retro styling and affordability.
But sometimes the original really is best. And maybe that’s true of the