1968 Honda CB450

Honda CB 450

Make Model

Honda CB 450K1

Year

1968

Engine

Four stroke, parallel twin cylinder, DOHC, 2 valves per cylinder

Capacity

445 cc / 27.1 cu-in

Bore x Stroke

70 x 57.8 mm

Cooling System

Air cooled

Compression Ratio

9.0:1

Induction

2x 32mm Keihin carburetors

Ignition

Coil with auto-advance, twin contact breaker

Starting

Kick

Max Power

45 hp / 32.8 kW @ 9000 rpm

Max Torque

37.4 Nm / 27.6 lb-ft @ 7000 rpm

Transmission

5 Speed

Final Drive

Chain

Frame

Tubular semi-duplex cradle with single front down-tube

Front Suspension

Telescopic forks with two-way damping.

Rear Suspension

Swing arm, shock absorbers with adjustable preload

Front Brakes

Drum

Rear Brakes

Drum

Front Tyre

3.25-18

Rear Tyre

3.50-18

Wheelbase

1300 mm / 53 in

Dry Weight

187 kg / 412 lbs

Wet Weight

204.0 kg / 449.7 lbs

Fuel Capacity

14 Litres / 3.7 US gal

In 1965, a few years before the year 0 marked by the appearance of the CB 750 Four, the English with brands such as Triumph, BSA or Norton reign supreme on the world of motorcycle engine high (for time) . It is in this context that Honda bold designs a machine: a bi-cylinder (so far everything is normal), set to 180 degrees (the English are braced to 360 °), super square (English engines are long course), 450 cm3 (the engine is lower than the competition) and dual Camshaft (English engines are generally abased).

The benefits of technology implementation are obvious:

- Engine stalled at 180 °: it vibrates less.

- Engine super square: the linear velocity of piston is lower than on a long motor racing. This type of engine supports more senior regimes and therefore wears more slowly in the same activities. The senior plans to deliver more power.

- Double Camshaft: the engine can take the tours that are permitted by its technology super-square valves without panic.

If nothing new is still a concentrate of technology. With this engine, Honda commercial machine that sports competition is very difficult to counter. The press greeted the arrival of the machine so unanimous.

At its output, the machine is referenced (K0), the engine has a 4 speed box, replaced in 1968 (by the model K1) with a 5 speed box. The machine also deeply moving to an aesthetic point of view. We may consider CB 450 K1 as a new machine in its own right. 450 BC K0 gave the appearance of a machine 70s, the K1 is already much closer to the style of the 80s.

In 1970, the machine will get these lines definitive illustrated below by the model K5. In this configuration, machine incorporates the general lines of the Honda CB 750, spearheaded at that time, the Honda range.