Honda CBX1000

This bike was launched in 1978 as a statement of Honda's superiority in the motorcycle world. It was as if they had thrown down the gauntlet and shouted "follow that, chaps". With its six cylinder, six carburetter, 1047cc engine it grabbed the headlines and was immediately a fave poster on many a kid's (and indeed adult's) bedroom wall. Riders dreamed of owning such a gem. Me too. As luck would have it, I eventually bought one, second hand, with a low mileage. She was pristine and, naturally, she was stabled indoors. Rode her to France, two-up. An unforgettable journey. She was heavy with spindly tyres and weedy forks (by today's standards), but no other bike can match the sheer joy of accelerating out of a corner with that creamy power and glorious exhaust note.