HONDA 450

HONDA 450

HONDA 450

Honda made a vivid 
 impact in road-racing in the early 1960s, winning a string of world championships with powerful, high-revving, multi-cylinder machines. But the Japanese firm's roadsters were limited to relatively modest small-capacity models of 305cc and less, which many people thought Honda would be content to build for years to come. Then came the CB450, Honda's first big bike - and suddenly the motorcycle world seemed a very different place.

American magazine Cycle World, for one, understood the significance of the biggest, most powerful machine yet from Japan. 'Beyond any doubt, the big news item of the preceding 12 months came when Honda finally announced ('admitted' would be a better word) that there was, in fact, a new big-displacement addition to their line of motorcycles,' the magazine commented when testing the CB450 in 1965.

The 445cc parallel twin's look and layout were in most respects similar to those of the smaller twins with which Honda had been building a reputation for performance and reliability. The motor had oversquare dimensions of 70 x 57.8mm, a four-speed gearbox and a 180-degree crankshaft.

It also incorporated several new features, notably twin overhead camshafts, operated by a long central chain. Valve springs were an unusual torsion-bar arrangement, instead of conventional coil springs.

HONDA 450

Beefy Black Bomber

HONDA 450

Chassis layout was conventional although the CB450 differed from Honda's smaller models in having a twin-cradle frame instead of the previous steel spine. Its humped fuel tank with chrome side- pieces also enhanced the family feel, while the black paint finish soon inspired the nickname 'Black Bomber'. This was encouraged by Honda's UK advertising line: 'Meet the big black bomber - the biggest beefiest touring twin from Japan!'

Ironically the Honda 450 did turn out to be more of a tourer than a sports machine. It was not outstandingly powerful or fast. Its maximum output of 43bhp at 8500rpm was 4bhp down on that of Triumph's Bonneville 650. And although Honda claimed a top speed of 112mph (180km/h), when tested by Cycle World the CB450 managed only 102mph (164km/h), due partly to over-tall gearing.

In the Honda's defence, it was torquey, smooth, comfortable, reliable, and handled well. But although that helped it become reasonably successful in the States, it was too heavy and softly tuned to make a big impression in Britain, where initial demands for the bike to be excluded from production racing due to its twin cams proved unnecessary. British twins were faster, and Honda never produced the sportier follow-up that was predicted by some observers.

Even so. the Honda 450 was landmark model that proved Honda was no longer happy to stick to small-capacity bikes, but planned to challenge the British industry head-on. Before long, other Japanese manufacturers would produce large- capacity bikes to take on Triumph, BSA and Norton, using a variety of engine layouts that would end the long-standing dominance of the British twin. The Japanese were coming, and the Honda 450 had led the way.