I have a USA built, May 1980, almost 20,000 mile, CBX1000A. It is the only 'A' model I have been on, the other CBX's were, 4-5 Z's, one modified into a chopper, and 1 or 2 'B' models.
Up until 7 months ago, I hadn't been on a CBX1000 in around 36 years. As it's my all time favourite out of the 100's of different bikes I had ridden (when working for a bike dealer), I have been missing them for too long.
16 years old, and just finished school, in 1978, when I first saw photographs in a British bike mag of a CBX1000Z. Looking at the engine, I couldn't believe that someone could ride a beast of a bike with that huge motor. I was very intrigued with the technology involved. I reasoned that I would never get to ride one.
Soon after this I got a metallic blue 1977 'R' registration, so not engine restricted, Suzuki AP50, from Bob Thomas Motorcycles in Finchley.
Because I would be able to use it for collecting car parts, my boss where I worked as a trainee car mechanic was the guarantor for the finance, about £200, though, he was worried that I might default on the payments
About 18 months later, the mechanic, who was training me left, and the garage closed down. I next got a boring repetitive job.
Some months later, I bought an old, approximately 1972, Yamaha 125 twin, I think the model name had a 'Y' in it. It had a front drum brake, and a steering damper, a big sort of wheel thing between the handlebars. I had to decoke the exhausts almost every week.
In 1980. I heard that a family friend had started buying and selling used bikes, and I went to work for him. I was doing some small repairs, testing, and buying the bikes if we could agree a price.
Soon after this, a CBX1000Z was offered to us by a soldier at Woolwich Army Barracks, in South East London. When I rode that bike, if I wasn't hooked on them already, this definitely did it.
What a bike, if someone had told me I would be riding one of these at 18 years old, just 2 years after first seeing one in a mag, I would have thought they were crazy.
Sorry to go on so long, I'm ever so slightly obsessed with these machines.
I am very glad to have joined the forum, and looking forward to the advice on keeping the machine going. It's in need of having shims and carbs done. I was going to do it myself, but it's wiser to give it to a highly recommended local mechanic, when the lockdown is reduced/over.
David
