1984 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

Classic Greatness

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this bike. I have cruised it around Colorado and even up to Sturgis, SD with my girlfriend. This machine as been pampered and I can tell. She runs with the 750 with no problems and is smooth and nimble. I also can get almost 50 mpg!

General Comments:

A tech wonder is 83, this machine still is nice. She is powerful and smooth and needs little. The 700 Hondas of this time actually used a modified version of this engine. I hope to keep this classic bike until she becomes a collectors item. Hopefully I can stay safe.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st July, 2009

1985 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

I love it; Best bike I ever had

Faults:

Front fork seal at 24000 miles.

General Comments:

This motorcycle is candy scorpio red. It is very stylish.

Handling is very good.

I have owned this Honda since new. This bike is easy to maintain and extremely reliable.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th June, 2009

1985 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

This strong running machine would make a great starter bike

Faults:

Because of the age of the bike, I only had to replace a few things such as rubber boots around the hydraulic hoses, seat cover, and turn signal stays.

Like any other bike, things wear. A battery, new seat cover, and regular maintenance such as new fluids have been replaced. Other than those items, this bike has not given me any troubles.

General Comments:

In my opinion, this is a great starter bike. I bought this bike when I was 16, back in 2006 and I still am driving it to this day. I drive up to the lake, about an hour away, every weekend in the summer and has given me no troubles.

A few features I like about it are, it has hydraulic clutch instead of cable, shaft driven therefore less maintenance, and a 6 speed transmission.

Because I am getting older and more experienced on a bike, I would like to move up in size. This bike is not really the best thing to take on the highway, because of its size.

Another down fall about this bike is the gas tank size. I can go about 120 miles on a good day on one tank. Wish it was bigger. Also the seat is very uncomfortable. I can ride maybe 45 minutes to an hour before I need a stretch.

Other than those two down falls, this is a great bike and has given me no troubles. Great runner.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th March, 2009

1982 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

Reliable as death and taxes

Faults:

Wire to the taillight was worn, and burned out a couple fuses till I found it. Fixed with a piece of electrical tape.

General Comments:

Reliable bike, easy to ride, simple/cheap to maintain, and being an older standard bike makes it kind of unique. Perfect bike for what I need and what I can afford.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th January, 2009

14th Jan 2009, 09:37

A friend had one of these new in 1982. We went on several tours (I had a big Kawasaki) and he loved it. They have a distinctive look. If I could find one here in Thailand I would buy it.

1982 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

Research before you buy, stay away from one year models

Faults:

The clutch cable froze up, requiring replacement.

The battery was naturally toast.

The fuel tank had a leak caused by hidden rust.

The exhaust pipes were starting to rust and eventually broke.

Even though the seat was perfect when I started riding it, all the seams split within a month.

The carburetors were full of crap.

The tires both needed replacing.

The O-rings on the chain had dry rotted and fallen off.

General Comments:

I did a little horse trading with a guy for this bike. He originally wanted $850 for it. It seemed like a good deal considering the positive outcome of the Internet research I did on it. At first glance it had fairly low miles and was in good condition. I have learned my lesson though about buying a one year model that old.

Once I got it running it ran good. I was reasonably impressed with its power.

It was a constant struggle to keep it road worthy. As soon as I fixed one thing something else would break.

The parts were a little hard to find. When I did find the parts they were expensive.

I rode the bike for 2 and a half seasons working on it all the way. I eventually gave it to a friend who let someone ride it and trashed the forks. Thankfully no one was hurt, but I believe this demon bike has ridden its last mile.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd December, 2008

1st May 2009, 18:30

What did you expect from a 26 year old bike?

9th Jul 2010, 15:37

Those repairs sound typical of a 20+ year old bike. I'm surprised there weren't more problems.

4th Nov 2012, 21:55

If it was a BMW, Triumph, or Harley at that age, it may not have ran again. My hobby is motorcycle restoration, and Honda's are the highest quality. Not the thickest chrome, but the most reliable and easy to work on.

5th Jun 2016, 22:55

I love my '84. I'm in TN. And we have weeks of rain. I leave it covered in less than favorable conditions and she continually starts, with choke wide open for about 5 minutes. Then off we go.

23rd May 2022, 02:23

You bought a neglected bike with a lot of years and miles. I buy 30-40 year old bikes and it is mostly about the maintenance and repairs done.

1982 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

Fun, reliable, inexpensive ride!

Faults:

There is some seepage of oil, which is pretty common. Nothing of concern really.

The seat is starting to split in a couple areas, but it is approximately 25 years old.

General Comments:

The bike runs like a champ. Always starts with no problem. It doesn't really like the cold weather, but then neither do I.

The bike's pretty quick; plenty fast for me anyway.

It's my first bike, and it is ideal for what I need.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 29th August, 2007

1982 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk

Summary:

A unique looking and practical bike that just got old

Faults:

The thing leaked oil from day 1, and luckily the dealer was nice enough to repair it for free even though it was 17 years old at the time. Then the timing chain broke.

Then the fuel petcock failed and would leak on my clothes.

The piston rings wore out, and it started to blow blue smoke and run poorly.

The carbs need an overhaul.

This bike has an air-cooled engine, and as such, needs to keep moving for the engine to be happy.

General Comments:

Overall, a fun standard motorcycle. It is heavy, but it was pretty quick and fun. Not super maneuverable though.

I really miss this type of motorcycle. It seems like many times your only choice on newer motorcycles is a cruiser, or a sport-bike. This Nighthawk fit right in between. It is comfortable and sporty, and the riding position is superb, especially compared to the tankhumpers on the sport-bikes.

This is actually the CB650SC Nighthawk. It has the 4 tailpipes that when polished look amazing. It gets pretty decent mileage considering it's age, and still gets a few looks because it has such a unique look. Unfortunately the Nighthawks after this one didn't have as much personality.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th November, 2006