Honda Super Sports

The 1976 Parakeet Yellow CB-400F Super Sport pictured here is one of the few Hondas later than 1975 featured here at Tiddlerosis. There are several good reasons for its inclusion. Built from 1975-77, this model was a direct descendant of the CB-350F, a bike with legendary smoothness, jewel-like technology, and boring performance and styling. Honda released one of its most daring designs with the CB-400F, from its low bars to its swoopy four-into-one exhaust. Now we had all of the above, making this particular Honda like most Ferraris: an instant classic as soon as it rolled off the assembly line.

Honda entered the U.S. market in late 1959. The company sold less than 200 motorcycles in the U.S. in 1959, but of course that number would accelerate rapidly beginning in 1960, the first full year of Honda exportation to this country. Although Honda, both the man and the company, had been seriously involved with exotic, multi-cylinder engines in Grand Prix racing, with few exceptions the production models for the Japanese market were designed as strictly utilitarian transportation. As Honda got more involved with the American market of motorcycles as toys for sports enthusiasts instead of necessities for affordable transport, the company began to build more and more road sports models. This element of the company's production history can be clearly traced back to 1959.

Throughout the '60's, the Honda road sports models were designated with somewhat inconsistent nomenclature, and the particular characteristics inherent within the group were also variable. The bloodline officially begins with the 1959 125cc CB-92, even though it used a pressed steel frame and a single carburetor. The C-110 of 1960 probably belongs in this group. After all, it sported the Super Sport moniker as early as any model. For Tiddlerosis charting purposes, however, this model is included with the Honda Scramblers because of its upswept exhaust pipe, which to most American enthusiasts is probably the single most distinguishing trademark of any street scrambler. Even though the C110 and the S65 arrived previously, for the purposes of this chart, the S90 with its downswept pipe is listed as the smallest of the Super Sport Hondas. By 1970 Honda had all of its designating ducks in order. The road sports models were all designated CB-cc displacement class. All the scramblers were designated CL-cc displacement class. Honda has continued to apply the Sport, Super Sport, and Hawk names to their sport models to the present day.

As stated in the intro above, the Honda Super Sports have been consistently inconsistent. If the Honda model in question is the fastest street model of that displacement for that model year, then, for the purposes of this chart, it is considered a Super Sport. All of the Scramblers were a tiny bit slower and a little more versatile than their Super Sport model equivalents. There is at least one exception to all of the technical specifications as listed here. All of the twins had dual carbs except the CB-92. Most of the front and rear wheel diameters were the same at eighteen inches. Most had tube frames, but some had pressed steel frames and some had hybrid pressed steel/tube frames. Handlebars never had a cross brace, but the height and width varied considerably. Some models had rubber knee pads on the gas tanks and some did not. Some had fenders higher than others. Some had styling as lean as that of the scramblers, but others did not. Onward through the CB-fog....

Here are a few of the details and descriptions of the Honda Super Sports:

S90's had Y-shaped pressed-steel frames, 18" wheels, kick starters, OHC single-cylinder engines, four-speed transmissions, speedometer in the headlamp nacelle, body-colored rear shock covers, rubber gaiters over the front springs, and distinctively slender gas tanks with chrome side panels and rubber knee pads. The latest models had turn signals.

CB-100 models had SOHC engines with five-speed transmissions, single downtube frames, chrome fenders, 18-inch wheels, drum brakes, kick starters, turn signals, and separate speedometers.

CB-92 Benly Super Sport 125 models had pressed-steel frames, leading link front suspension, uncovered chrome rear springs, SOHC twin engines with single carburetors, and silver painted front fenders, gas tanks, and side covers. The silver painted pieces were alloy on the early models and steel on the later ones. The CB-92R models had higher-tuned engines and a tachometer in place of the speedometer in the headlamp housing.

Super Sport 125 models had SOHC twin engines with single CV carburetors, pressed-steel frames, instruments in the headlamp nacelle, rubber gaiters on the front springs, and four-speed transmissions. Note: At least one credible source has informed me that some SS-125's were painted yellow, a color that, according to the brochure chart, was reserved for the equivalent CL model, just as black was indigenous to the SS model. I cannot confirm the existence of yellow SS-125's, as I have never seen one, either in person or in a photo. I have never seen a black CL-125, either, but that does not prove they were never built and shipped to the USA.

CB-160's had SOHC twin engines suspended from a tube frame painted the body color, four-speed transmissions, electric starters, instruments in the headlamp nacelle, and drum brakes. None had turn signals and all the headlights and front and rear shock covers were painted the body color. All blue models had blue seats.

CB-175's had single downtube frames, 18-inch wheels, SOHC twin-cylinder engines, five-speed transmissions, separate instruments, drum brakes, electric starters, and turn signals.

CB-200's had a single downtube frame, 18-inch wheels, rubber gaiters on the front suspension and exposed, chrome rear springs, five-speed transmission, mechanical (non-hydraulic) front disc brake, separate instruments, electric starter, turn signals, and a distinctive, pleated, black vinyl strip down the center of the top of the gas tank.

CB-72 Hawk 250's had SOHC, twin-cylinder engines suspended from body-colored, tube frames, body-colored, front and rear shock covers, speedo and tach in the headlamp nacelles, electric starters, and no turn signals. Note: Although production began in late 1960, there may never have actually been any bikes sold as 1960 models.

CB-77 Super Hawk 305's had SOHC, twin-cylinder engines suspended from body-colored, tube frames, body-colored, front and rear shock covers, speedo and tach in the headlamp nacelles, electric starters, and no turn signals. The engine was bored out to 305cc over the regular Hawk's 247cc. White models had white fenders and side covers. All others had silver ones, just like all the CB-72 models. The last 1000 1968 models can be identified by their chrome fenders and oval taillamps. The early '68 models were replaced by the new 350's in the spring of 1968.

CB-350's had hybrid, pressed-steel and single downtube frames, 18-inch wheels, chrome rear shock springs, 325cc SOHC twin engines, separate instruments, electric starters, and turn signals.

CB-350F models had single downtube frames, 18-inch wheels, SOHC four-cylinder engines with four carburetors and exhaust pipes, chrome rear shocks, separate instruments, electric starters, and turn signals.

CB-360's had SOHC, 356cc, twin-cylinder, twin-carburetor engines in a milder state of tune than those of their CB-350, 325cc older brothers. All models had single-downtube frames, Ceriani-type front suspension, uncovered chrome rear springs, separate instruments, and turn signals. The T models had body-color, one-piece seat cowls and rear fenders and body-color front fenders.

CB-400F Super Sports had single-downtube frames, four-cylinder SOHC engines, four carbs, four-into-one exhausts, six-speed transmissions, Ceriani-type front suspension, uncovered chrome rear springs, separate instruments, front disc brakes, black headlamp nacelles, electric starters, and turn signals.

CB-450's had single-downtube frames, 18-inch wheels, dual CV carburetors, and DOHC twin-cylinder engines. These last two attributes were introduced on the 450 for the first time on a street production Honda. The original 450, nicknamed the Black Bomber, had a speedo and tach housed in the headlight nacelle, humpback gas tank, silver painted fenders, and black plastic upper shock covers. The K1 had a trimmed down tank, separate instruments, and chrome fenders and rear springs. The K2-K7's all had sleek, painted gas tanks, chrome fenders, separate instruments, and sportier suspension styling with rubber gaiters on the front and chrome rear springs with chrome upper covers.