Modified Honda CBX Merges Vintage Six-Cylinder Greatness With 21st Century Handling

Following his first CBX project, the guy behind Lys received several requests to build something similar, which is what tends to happen once you’ve built an extraordinary machine. Certain builders would politely turn such commissions away or try to steer clients in a different direction, so as to avoid repetition at all costs.

On the other hand, the Frenchman was rather open to the idea, but he made sure to maintain a degree of uniqueness on his subsequent ventures. What you’re looking at here is the third CBX modified by Lys, and it was once again forged with a 1982 variant of Honda’s lineup as the basis. Design-wise, the bike had to resemble Dimitri’s initial build from 2020, but a couple of key differences were on the menu.

For starters, the six-cylinder juggernaut was to employ a one-piece handlebar as opposed to clip-ons, because the owner wanted a more relaxed riding posture. Secondly, he asked for a two-up saddle complete with a removable tail unit, which would conceal its pillion section when it isn’t needed. With these things in mind and the donor on his workbench, Monsieur Dimitri dug straight in.

As the CBX was being taken apart, it saw a large chunk of its factory hardware sent to the parts bin. This included the suspension, both wheels, and all the stock bodywork aside from the fuel tank, among other items. Once he had something of a blank canvas before his eyes, Dimitri’s first port of call was the motorcycle’s massive 1,047cc inline-six powerplant.

The 98-hp mill got treated to an invigorating refurbishment, receiving new internals all-round and some youthful black paint in a mixture of gloss and wrinkle finishes. We still find the original 28 mm (1.1-inch) Keihin carbs, but they’ve been upgraded with a jet kit supplied by Dynojet. Air finds its way in via mesh-covered velocity stacks made of billet aluminum, and these are appropriately complemented by some fresh exhaust pipework.

Lys outsourced this job to the fabrication specialists over Irnox Motors, who came up with a mesmerizing six-into-one exhaust that ends in a Spark silencer. In terms of electrical mods, this CBX comes equipped with a custom wiring harness, which is connected to a lithium-ion battery and a Motogadget control unit.

Just like Dimitri’s original CBX build, the one we’re examining today comes with modern running gear of the highest order. At the front, we find the upside-down Ohlins forks, 17-inch wheel, and Brembo brake calipers of a Triumph Speed Triple R. The calipers are mated to aftermarket rotors, and a custom front fender finishes things off in that area.

On the opposite end, the motorcycle is now fitted with a full suite of Ducati 848 goodies, including its single-sided swingarm, piggyback monoshock, and Y-spoked rear hoop. Continental’s grippy ContiSportAttack rubber embraces the rims at both ends. Of course, converting the rear suspension from twin shocks to a single module required an all-new subframe, which was fabricated from scratch at Dimitri’s shop in Hauts-de-France.

Above it lies a bespoke two-up saddle just like the customer requested, with black vinyl upholstery and gold stitching for contrast. A good chunk of the electronics are now located underneath the seat, whose southernmost portion is covered in a detachable handmade tail. Even though they’re not pictured here, removable passenger foot pegs can be installed at a moment’s notice.

Take a look at the cockpit area, and you’ll see a TRW handlebar wearing Motone switches, a Domino throttle, and several Motogadget parts. The said components include bar-end turn signals and mirrors, as well as a pair of handsome grips. Rounding out the cockpit equipment is a single aftermarket dial from Koso, the same brand that supplied the LED headlight mounted a bit further ahead.

A Honda CBR’s rearsets found their way onto the creature’s flanks, while an adjustable license plate holder was installed right beneath its tail. This bracket is home to LED lighting, too, and it does a wonderful job at keeping the rear end devoid of any clutter. Lastly, the final piece of Lys Motorcycles’ custom CBX puzzle was the paintwork.

Dimitri applied a stunning scalloped livery which uses gloss-black as the base color. The accents are done in gold, with delicate red pinstripes outlining the scallops for a punchier visual effect. Now, we still think the first CBX project from Lys was the raddest, but that’s not to say the one we’ve just inspected is anything short of spectacular!