Honda’s first production six-cylinder road motorcycle was the Honda CBX.
Unveiled for the 1978 model year, the CBX used a 1,047 cc transverse inline-six engine with two camshafts, 24 valves and six carburettors. Honda had built six-cylinder racing motorcycles in the 1960s, but the CBX was the company’s first production six-cylinder machine intended for road use.
The engine was the CBX’s defining feature. Its six cylinders were arranged across the frame, producing a distinctive high-revving exhaust note and claimed output of about 105 horsepower in early versions. Despite the apparent width of an inline-six, Honda packaged the accessories behind the cylinder block to keep the motorcycle’s overall engine width manageable.
The original CBX was a high-performance superbike with conventional telescopic forks, twin rear shocks and a tubular frame. In 1981, Honda repositioned it toward sport touring with the CBX-B, adding a fairing, panniers and Pro-Link rear suspension while reducing engine output. Production ended in 1982. The CB750 was an influential four-cylinder predecessor, not the answer to this six-cylinder question.