In the 1990s, Honda had a bit of a problem with their engineers building cool machines the company didn’t seem to know how to sell: the Hawk GT, the CB1, and their retro-styled musclebike, the CB1000F known internally as “Project Big One.” And big it is: those are 18″ wheels front and rear, but they look like a set of modern 17″ hoops fitted to a much smaller machine.
The big, 998cc four cylinder engine that motivated the beast was taken from the Hurricane, retuned for midrange punch and backed by a five-speed gearbox. Power was a respectable 97hp and the overall package weighed 542lbs dry. It was a practical performer, but its lifespan was limited: the CB1000 was introduced in 1992 and sold until 1996, but the bike wasn’t even available in the USA until 1994.
Period reviews were very positive and the physically imposing bike handled well, but the CB1000 proved to be a tough sell. Like the earlier Hawk GT, the Big One predated the naked and retro-style crazes that bikes like the Monster and Speed Triple either started or capitalized on, and was long gone by the time it might have been a hit. It didn’t help that prices for the CB1000 were high: it was just $500 less than the higher-performance CBR1000, so you can guess which one most buyers chose. If you missed out on the Honda CB1000 the first time around, this very clean example in bright red might be just the ticket.
From the original eBay listing: 1995 Honda CB1000F for Sale
1995 Honda CB1000F A.K.A. ” THE BIG ONE”
An Extremely Rare and Mint 100% Stock and Low Mileage Survivor in Pristine Condition. 97 Horsepower, Very FAST! Owned by a 70+ year old guy that babied this beauty, never seen rain, stored indoors 24×7!
New Tires Front and Rear, braided stainless brake lines, Full Service, tune-up and a pro detail just completed!
HERE IS A CHANCE TO OWN THE CLEANEST CB1000F IN THE COUNTY AT AN ABSOLUTE STEAL…
THE CB1000F IS SIMPLY A PHENOMENAL MOTORCYCLE
The video included by the seller features a bit too much generic hard rock music that masks all the good bike-y sounds, although it’s a Honda so the stock exhaust is pretty muted anyway… These are generally pretty hard to find, although a couple have popped up recently. None were in this sort of collectible condition though. The seller is asking $4,750 for this particular CB1000 which is obviously on the high side, but you are unlikely find one nicer.
-tad
And Honda sold a bazillion CB-750’s from 92 on for $3000 at first. I paid $3300 for my 93.
I totally forgot about those. These are so much nicer looking than the new CB1100. I actually like this.
I hate to be critical, but it’s not really that rare, and it’s not a sport bike.
And maybe I’m just getting old, but I like engine fins, and I think this is ugly as Hell!
I’m getting old too. Now get off my lawn! Honestly, we don’t mind critical: the discussions on this site are great, as long they’re not mean-spirited or rude to the writers or other commenters. You can be as mean as you like about the bikes themselves! I’d argue that the CB1000 is rare, but I may be stretching the definition of sportbike a little. Of course, I’ve got a more flexible concept of what a sportbike is, and believe that what most people think of as “sportbikes” are really “race replicas.” Bikes like the RD400 were considered sportbikes back in the day, and I don’t think the modern concept really became a thing until the mid-to-late 1980s. Terms like “sportbike” and “sportscar” aren’t exactly carved from stone, and they’re more about marketing than actual specification. I mean, if a full fairing and clip-ons are required, is a Ninja 300 more a sportbike than a KTM SuperDukeR? To me, it’s more about the spirit than anything else, but plenty of folks disagree.
Ugly is definitely subjective, but I do sometimes have pretty weird taste in cars and bikes…
I couldn’t figure out how to email the staff directly with a question. Why did the comments get suppressed/removed regarding the 88 Red/White GSXR 750?
Because there had been enough input on the price that there wasn’t a need for others to pile on. Also personal correspondence between the potential buyers and the seller was being posted, which is inappropriate.
dc