Watchlist Wednesday: Simoto Honda CBX 750

Special. The dictionary definition of this word is ‘better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual’. And this shed-built Honda CBX 750-powered Simoto modified bike is definitely different. But whether it is better or greater than anything else? Well, that’s a matter of opinion…

The thing about special builds is that - in most cases - the person who has built it, or at least commissioned it, will definitely look at their unique machine in a different way to anyone else (well, aside from our colleague Mat, who bought ‘Beastie’ from LambChopRides…). Anyone not originally invested into a project bike will find it hard to value the blood, sweat and tears (often literally) that have gone into a build. And rarely is that effort and money recovered in the sale to someone else.

But you can’t keep a good build down and the Simoto has appeared on ebay and caught the attention of our favourite bike buyer, seller and breaker, Scottie Redmond. He picks up the story of this Simon Martin-built special.

“Those of a certain age may well remember this bike from the ‘Reader’s Special’ section from the back page of Performance Bikes magazine - often the page read first.

“PB was THE place to get your home built bikes featured. I even managed to experience the whole Reader Spesh experience back in 2004 ish when a customer of mine got the call to get his Suzuki RGV500 build featured (and written by BeMoto’s Luke Brackenbury) but could not get the time off work to fit in with the Emap (now Bauer) diary. So I stepped in.

This Simoto build also made a comeback in another magazine a few years back after it got a bit of a makeover. Performance Bikes may be dead, but the specials it spawned still live on.

Like all proper special builds they are never truly finished and that is true of this Harris wannabe. It’s on ebay with a £3,000 start price and no reserve! Will it move from there? Will the Q plate restrict appetite? Time will tell.”

Ebay Listing: NO LONGER LISTED

Thanks to Rupert Paul from Rupes Rewires for the on track images of the bike.