Recently we had the opportunity to visit classic Japanese motorcycle enthusiast Jim Reger and look over his elegantly crafted RC166 replica CBX Motorcycle.

Jim is a master of the history of Honda design engineering and a true believer in keeping his projects simple, his philosophy rewarded by a First Place Prize at Del Mar for this amazingly fine CBX replica of the RC166 Grand Prix Motorcycle Hailwood and Redman rode to immortality...

Here is a CBX uncompromising in the extreme, glued to history, awake to the fire in a man's heart...

Jim has exercised the most extraordinary care to breathe life into his magnificent machine. Clip-ons go below the triple clamp, and Jim built a very clever mechanical distribution junction for the dual front brake lines.
Jim has labored mightily for accuracy, making the fender brackets himself, and manufacturing the brake housing arm which connects to the reversed cut-down CBX forks. The wheel once belonged to a Suzuki Water Buffalo.

Jim fashioned the velocity stacks, reworked the frame welding and installed this gusset to secure classic rigidity. He has left the cleaned and restored 1979 engine unmodified, but he has removed the alternator for freer revving.

Jim welded together his own swingarm to shorten the wheelbase several millimeters, constructed the ear-splitting 6-6 exhaust and built the aluminum fairing. The rear wheel, modified brake arm and shifter are sourced from the Honda Super Hawk. Footpegs are from the VFR750. The aluminum rear inside fender is BSA, the shocks are Koni.

This is as close to riding the stunning beast as we got. Instruments and the windscreen came from the Honda CR750 Racer.