Top 10 Classic Honda Motorcycles | Motorcyclist (motorcyclistonline.com)
Worth a look even if you disagree with some of the choices.
Worth a look even if you disagree with some of the choices.
"Top Ten" Classic Hondas
- Thread starter Phil Tarman
- Start date
Coyote Chris
Site Supporter
Pretty much click bait, but I do agree with five of them.
Motorcycle mags are hurting during the pandemic and I dont blame them for becoming click bait.
They have been declared "non essetial" businesses in California and some specialty mags are trying anything, up to and including publishing anyway. Pirates.
Best wishes to them.
Motorcycle mags are hurting during the pandemic and I dont blame them for becoming click bait.
They have been declared "non essetial" businesses in California and some specialty mags are trying anything, up to and including publishing anyway. Pirates.
Best wishes to them.
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
If I made up the list it would certainly include the 1959 Honda Cub, 1966 CT-70, 1969 CB750, and 1975 GL1000 because all four started a real movement and not just for Honda. Honda continued to reap benefits from the original Cub for decades because parents who had one in their youth felt it was Ok for their son/daughter to buy a small motorcycle as they did.
Some of the bikes on the list were good but just a momentary spark that led nowhere.
ps. JustPassinThru - I agree about the CBX being a waste. I wanted them to spend money on the 1979 CB750F to make it lighter and faster.
Some of the bikes on the list were good but just a momentary spark that led nowhere.
ps. JustPassinThru - I agree about the CBX being a waste. I wanted them to spend money on the 1979 CB750F to make it lighter and faster.
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- 2010 NT700V
While Top 10 lists are always low effort ways to generate views and get people arguing, I think this is one of the first I mostly agree with. The CB750 and SuperCub should be place holders on any Honda list, so really it's only 8 spots that are up for argument.
The RC51, original Fireblade, VF, VFR, and NT650 you'll get no argument from me. Great choices.
I also agree with the first gen GL1800 being included. 2001 saw fuel injection being introduced for real this time (they dabbled with it a little on Goldwings in the 1980's). If I were in the market for a used 'Wing, it would be a early to mid 2000s GL1800.
The only one I don't agree with is the GB500. This isn't a bike people in the states ride, it's a sculpture that gets put in bike collectors' living rooms. There's always a few of these up for sale, $10K, low mileage, looks showroom mint. I've never seen one out in the wild other than at organized classic bike shows. If I were to take a low production bike from the '89 - '90 era along with the NT650 it would be the CB-1. In 2021 the CB-1 still looks like it could be introduced tomorrow. Factory street fighter, high revving 400cc I-4, liquid cooled, cam gear train, 400ish lbs. That bike is a gem
The CBX while an exercise in excess at the time with its 6 cylinders still deserves a spot. The CBX is the greatest sounding production motorcycle of all time. While I'm biased to the overall sound of the VFRs and RSV4, I will give the top spot to the sound of a CBX with aftermarket pipes as it nears 9K RPM.
The RC51, original Fireblade, VF, VFR, and NT650 you'll get no argument from me. Great choices.
I also agree with the first gen GL1800 being included. 2001 saw fuel injection being introduced for real this time (they dabbled with it a little on Goldwings in the 1980's). If I were in the market for a used 'Wing, it would be a early to mid 2000s GL1800.
The only one I don't agree with is the GB500. This isn't a bike people in the states ride, it's a sculpture that gets put in bike collectors' living rooms. There's always a few of these up for sale, $10K, low mileage, looks showroom mint. I've never seen one out in the wild other than at organized classic bike shows. If I were to take a low production bike from the '89 - '90 era along with the NT650 it would be the CB-1. In 2021 the CB-1 still looks like it could be introduced tomorrow. Factory street fighter, high revving 400cc I-4, liquid cooled, cam gear train, 400ish lbs. That bike is a gem
The CBX while an exercise in excess at the time with its 6 cylinders still deserves a spot. The CBX is the greatest sounding production motorcycle of all time. While I'm biased to the overall sound of the VFRs and RSV4, I will give the top spot to the sound of a CBX with aftermarket pipes as it nears 9K RPM.
Warren
2
CB77 Super Hawk would be on my list. Also why no dirt bikes ?
Why no NT700V on the list?
Why no XR75 on the list? I had one as a young teen, it was a blast.
Brad
Why no XR75 on the list? I had one as a young teen, it was a blast.
Brad
JQL
Growing old disgracefully
1989 CBR600 was a cracker
Coyote Chris
Site Supporter
And What is a classic? How about, "Honda Motorcycles that changed the world of Motorcycles for ever." No scooters allowed. No dirt bikes allowed.
Goldwing. NO brainer
CB750 No brainer
CB77/CB350
Now it gets harder as we go back in time....
The Honda 90 series of street bikes could be a candidate......
One thing most would agree with....Honda changed the world of motorcycling for ever....it made it respectable.
Goldwing. NO brainer
CB750 No brainer
CB77/CB350
Now it gets harder as we go back in time....
The Honda 90 series of street bikes could be a candidate......
One thing most would agree with....Honda changed the world of motorcycling for ever....it made it respectable.
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I'd argue any Honda that holds a high resale value and still in demand on the used market. The CBX easily meets that criteria. As much as I'm not a fan, that also goes for the GB500. For a Honda from the past 20 years the RC51 is the prime candidate. A good condition RC51 is easily the cost of two VFRs from the same year. That's despite the fact that the original MSRP of the two was fairly close, a RC51 being $1K - $1.5K more. I'd take a RC51, but for the money I'd rather have two 5th gen RC46s, and I do.
To my eyes, the RC30 was stunningly beautiful.
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I agree with many of the choices but I don't get the inclusion of the unobtainable, ultra-rare big-buck sportbikes that were not available to the general public.
I also don't agree with the exclusion of superb touring bikes like the ST1100 and 1300. There is lots of room in the top-10 Hondas for bikes that average riders could buy and enjoy - IMO.
I also don't agree with the exclusion of superb touring bikes like the ST1100 and 1300. There is lots of room in the top-10 Hondas for bikes that average riders could buy and enjoy - IMO.
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Coyote Chris
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I have no problem with the ST1100 being in there. It did represent a milestone in rideaway hit the road sport tourers for that engine size in the Honda lineup. It was the UN -Wingabego.
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I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that the 1977 BMW R100RS was the first faired bike in modern times.
I think that there was a Vincent with bodywork back in the 1950s though.
The CBR had fully enclosed bodywork that covered the whole engine.. Much like the ST1100 and Pacific Coast. That style of bodywork got mixed reviews back then. A big plus was better heat management.I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that the 1977 BMW R100RS was the first faired bike in modern times.
I think that there was a Vincent with bodywork back in the 1950s though.
OP
OP
Whatchoo mean, "tries to forget about?" It was forgotten by Honda long ago. Except for the obsessive compulsive people who manage older OEM parts.
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- 2010 NT700V
Are we looking at the same list? They start off by saying they're excluding such bikes. They did go on to give examples like the RC30 by name, but they aren't part of the list of 10.
As for the NT700, I would never expect to see it on such a list. There's just too many Honda motorcycles too choose from. I would expect to see something like the original Africa Twin, Pan European, or V65 Magna before the Deauville.
To illustrate just how many Hondas there are, head over to Honda Japan's official Collection Hall (@ Twin Ring Motegi) YouTube playlist for motorcycles. It currently sits at 238 videos. I stumbled across this a few months ago, but seems like a good time to mention it again. It's updated quite regularly, and they have yet to feature a Deauville. I can't say for certain they have examples of the Deauville on hand, and being produced in Spain it would seem unlikely. However, they have bikes that were produced in Marysville, OH like the VTX1800 and GL1800..
Honda Collection Hall Motorcycles
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DirtFlier
Site Supporter
"....It resounded in Europe; but not so much in the states. And the States is where successes are made, or not..."
That is an old-fashioned idea about success for Honda being made here in the states. For at least 20 years, Honda's bread & butter were made elsewhere. Our slice of the Honda motorcycle pie is tiny at less than 3% of total worldwide sales. The US is still fertile ground for the smaller makers: Triumph, Ducati, Royal Enfield, etc.
That is an old-fashioned idea about success for Honda being made here in the states. For at least 20 years, Honda's bread & butter were made elsewhere. Our slice of the Honda motorcycle pie is tiny at less than 3% of total worldwide sales. The US is still fertile ground for the smaller makers: Triumph, Ducati, Royal Enfield, etc.
Cool site, I have owned some of that stuff.
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
"Indochina,"....wow that's an ancient word! After the locals kicked the French out in 1954, they stopped using Indochina as a name for that area. It's been 67 years!
The profit per Gold Wing sales pales in comparison to the quantities of scooter & small motorcycles being manufacturered and sold abroad. I won't tell you how many Gold Wings are sold in the states but can say that the profit pales when compared to 1-million small units sold EACH YEAR in India by Honda. And Honda in Thailand and Brasil have sales numbers that are almost as staggering.
The profit per Gold Wing sales pales in comparison to the quantities of scooter & small motorcycles being manufacturered and sold abroad. I won't tell you how many Gold Wings are sold in the states but can say that the profit pales when compared to 1-million small units sold EACH YEAR in India by Honda. And Honda in Thailand and Brasil have sales numbers that are almost as staggering.