1984 CB700SC Honda Nighthawk S Black Red New Parts ONLY 16K Miles Reconditioned

1984 CB 700 SC Honda Nighthawk S
Up for sale Honda Nighthawk S Motorcycl, t was the sportier version of the drive shaft Honda 650 Nighthawk introduced the previous year Due to Tariffs being levied at the time on Motorcycles with engines with more than 700cc,the Nighthawk S replaced the 750 four cylinder single over head cam we grew up with to a double over head cam four valve per cylinder higher revving motor. CB 700 SC sported angular lines and was capped by a bikini fairing and smaller 16 inch front tire then becoming the rage for sport bikes. Produced between only 1984 - 1986 claimed to have only 80 Hp 9,500 Rpm . Top speed from 120Mph to 147 Mph or so I have read. Engine type 696cc four valve per cylinder double over head cam air and oil cooled in line four cylinder. Special to this bike frame had the oil running through a reservoir under the fuel tank via the frame into the oil cooler at the front of the motor into the motor circulating the oil and air cooling helped in traffic.Nighthawk S weighted in @ 516 Lb we, 0 - 45 Mp, riced than $3,398 in 1984. The 1984 only came in Black with Red or Blue accent panels. With a larger version of the 650's motor featured Hydraulic lifters that eliminated valve adjustments. Fitted with a four into two exhaust and finished in Black Chrome the sound was mean filling the gap between the Sport and Standard Motorcycle. Fitted with a low maintenance shaft drive Honda allowed a lofty 10,600 Rpm Rev limit. At top speed of 147 Mph the bike ran the 1/4 mile in 12.16 seconds or so I just read. The Compression is 9.3:, ore 67.9 x 49.4 mm ( 2.7 x 1.9 inch , arburetor : Keihin 31 mm constant vacuum x fou, OH, et sump lubrication syste, ardan drive shaf, ydraulic clutc, outer Grooved for water run off front Routers housed duel acting caliper, xpanding Drum brake rea, ry weight 468.9 Lb, .3761 Hp/Kg power to weight rati, .2 gal Fuel tank plus extra for reserve. Bike has a center stand that helps when you change the oil or the rear or front tire and the frame has one bolt on it to drain the oil the other drain is found on the bottom of the oil pan. Special adjustment on front left fork is to manually adjust the damping to weight on the bike, epending on weight of people seated on the bike at any given moment. Bike has a six speed Transmissio, ast Wheels and automatic Cam Chain Tensions. The Honda carries Kayaba suspension components , change from the companies Showa pieces. Bike uses 39 mm fork tubes and the center axle fork provides 6.3 inches of travel. Equipped with air caps @ Max 6 Psi air in the tubes is what Honda recommends .The Fork legs have different valving ; the left leg , hich holds the TRACK syste, an produce nearly twice as much compression damping as the righ, ut the two legs are tied together by the Slider mounted fork brace so both legs have equal amount of rebound damping. This CB 700 SC also known by Nighthawk S is a second generation TRAC uni, t's adjustment for the Anti-Dive valving is situated on the forward side of the left for, he normal damping circuit on the back side of the left fork leg, his reverses the locations of the damping circuits from the older TRAC setups. During braking the left side caliper assembly pivots forward to shut off the normal damping passage, orcing oil through the Anti-Dive circuits . More restrictive then the normal damping circuit, nti-Dive valving increases the forks resistance to compressio, hus reducing noise dive while maintaining proper ground clearance . TRAC system offers four levels of Anti-Dive effect the stiffness increases from setting one through four being the least. The twin shock Showa rear suspension has springs lighter than 650's and of the four settings number four carries the heavier people and is the stiffest for handling the road textures. Nighthawk S comes with hydraulic front brakes plu, he adjustable front suspensions shocks adding in, down shiftin, reaking properly makes for an unbeatable stopping experience. With a careful throttle hand will net Mpg in 50 range and with hard charging will net in the 30 Mpg range. Further research shows : Frame type is tubular steel full cradl, heelbase is 59.1 inch ( 1.5M , imensions Length 84.8 inch ( 2.15M ) x Width 30.7 inch ( 780mm , eat height 31.1 inch ( 790mm , eight 469.7Lb ( 213.1Kg ) dry and 497Lb ( 225Kg ) we, uel capacity 4.2 US gal ( 15.9 L ) and 0.7 US gal in reserve . This bike has a new starter and starter solenoid. More specs: four-stroke transverse four ; air and oil cooled with duel driven over head camshafts : four valve per cylinder with hydraulic lifters and you wonder why the bike was ahead of it's time. Ignition: Battery powere, nductiv, agnetically triggere, il capacity 2.9 Qts US ( 2.8L , ransmission type : six-speed constant -mes, et clutch. Max speed in gears @ red line : First 49 Mp, econd 71 Mp, hird 89 Mp, ourth 106 Mp, ifth 127 Mp, ixth 147 Mph . In closin, his bike runs great..The engine is enameled mostly in black with brushed satin silver trim from the factory,I have done all I can do to keep the bike stock the buyer needs only to detail the motor to look newer,concerning other details your on your own I've done all I am going to do with this bike prier to selling it .I've got the bike in 100% working order I only have 16K miles on i, ikes as mechanically sound as it needs to be . I have all the receipts to the build includes: rebuilt front Fork, ebuilt back Brake, rebuilt Calipers on front Brake, ebuilt Clutch and Brake Master Cylinder, ew Switch for the Digital Gear read-out on the Das, ew Sea, ew rear Tir, ew Spark Plugs and Wire, ebuilt Pet-Cock Seal, il change with filte, ebuilt clear Plexiglas over the Instrument Cluster and repaired the pointers with Tooth Picks gluing them to the existing ones with epoxy on Rpm and Speedometer, EW Plexiglas Windshield. Remember, bought this stuff and been building this bike and storing it for around six years and not using the thing. My money is tied up in it and its time to sell . New paint on the fuel tank and rear spoiler and front bikini fairing are covered outside for years bu, he side panels and seat have always remained indoors. " $5,000.00 NOW AND WHAT A STEEL". So only serious buyers please the" price is the price no haggling ", ou start from scratch like I did and you will end up in the same place with costs of parts today.Consider the rarity of parts plus your labor, lso this bike only has an original 16,000 miles on it . Please be respectful for my Costs and simply Detail this restoration project that I have built into a Mechanically sound Vehicle for you. I've moved onto other projects. Please Call : 954-625-089, 54-655-485, 54-501-2158 . I saw a video on you tube and the Man claimed to have 85,000 miles on his Same Motorcycle and I have learned this Bike moves over 100,000 Miles and more. In 2013 I Installed a new front tire ( because the rubber became soft due to lack of use only ) and I painted the Fuel Tank ( for touch-up reasons ). Motorcycle is Garaged up in North Florida ( above Tampa in Beverly Hills ) at my brothers will be ready for pick-up from there. I am located in Coconut Creek Florida. By the way these are photo's that are on my compute, he Motorcycle is Waxed up to the Max, ocated in my brothers garage and Shows even better now. . Please ask my brother John ( when you call him ) for current Pictures, will give you his Phone number after you contact me . Thanks and be Informed that this is what I have spent on building this Motorcycle with OEM Parts and all My labor is Free . If I charged you labor( @ today's $70.00 Hour ) this bike would be more like $2,000.00 more than I am currently asking . Michael
1984 HONDA Nighthawk CB 700 SC All original! Garage Kept. Incredibly low mileage (16,000). Outstanding
Motorcycle that runs and looks GREAT!!! This bike is sophisticated and timeless for its age. Shaft driven 5 speed with Overdrive. 698cc
Inline 4 cylinder power plant. All indicators (Gear and Fuel gauge) work perfectly. Dash is nice and clean, o haze or foggy areas. All gauges
work perfectly. Includes: Owner’s Manual, onda Shop manual, riginal tool box, nd Battery Tender leads. Paint is in New BODY and very good condition
New Decals. With very minor scratches on bodywork and a few nicks on the frame. UN-noticeable on Body. Very sharp motorcycle for an 1984
model. Picture(s) illustrate the condition of this bike, ut does not do it justice. Front fork seals have been replaced with NOS Honda
parts, ork done years ago and never ridden. Carbs have been recently cleaned and rebuilt using NOS Parts.
Production 1984–1986
Predecessor Honda CB 700 SC
Successor none
Class Standard
Engine 696 cc air/oil-cooled inline four-cylinder
Power 80 hp (60 kW) at 10,000 RPM
Torque 45.2 lb-ft (61 N-m) at 8,000 RPM
Transmission 6-speed
Frame type tubular steel full cradle
Suspension Front: 39 mm air adjustable with TRAC anti-dive
Rear: Dual shocks
Brakes Front: Dual-disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear: Drum
Wheelbase 59.1 in (1.50 m)
Dimensions L: 84.8 in (2.15 m)
W: 30.7 in (780 mm)
Seat height 31.1 in (790 mm)
Weight 469.7 lb (213.1 kg) (dry)
497 lb (225 kg) (wet)
Fuel capacity 4.2 US gallons ( 15.9 liters ) (0.7 US gallon reserve)
Oil capacity 3.0 US quarts Year: 1984
Category: Sport touring
Rating: 79.7 out of 100. Show full rating and compare with other bikes
Engine and transmission
Displacement: 696.00 cc (42.47 cubic inches)
Engine type: In-line four, our-stroke
Power: 80.00 HP (58.4 kW)) @ 10000 RPM
Torque: 61.00 Nm (6.2 kg-mm) or 45.0 ft.lbs) @ 8000 RPM
Top speed: 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)
1/4 mile (0.4 km): 12.160 seconds
Max RPM: 11500
Compression: 9.3:1
Bore x stroke: 67.9 x 49.4 mm (2.7 x 1.9 inches)
Fuel system: Carburetor. Keihin 31 mm constant-vacuum
Fuel control: Double Overhead Cams/Twin Cam (DOHC)
Lubrication system: wet sump
Cooling system: Oil & air
Gearbox: 6-speed
Transmission type,
final drive: Shaft drive (cardan)
Clutch: Hydrolic
Exhaust system: 4 into 2 black chrome pipes
Chassis, uspension, rakes and wheels
Front brakes: Double disc
Rear brakes: Expanding brake (drum brake)
Physical measures and capacities
Dry weight: 212.7 kg (468.9 pounds)
Power/weight ratio: 0.3761 HP/kg
Fuel capacity: 15.89 liters (4.20 gallons)
Other specifications
Color options: Black with red or Black with blue
P.S.
Honda CB 700 SC Nighthawk S for your information ( as I research the cost of parts today ) the motor alone rebuilt is $5000.00 .The Cam Shafts and head ass..is 2, rank and piston block is 1, C Generator Ass. 1, Cylinder Head cover alone costs $300.0, ears and Trans. and all ass. parts 1, rame and body parts used 1k. Put one together as well as I have built this one and you would be in the $7,000.00 rang, s I have all ready stated. This confirms for you pretend skeptics the real value associated in a build of this caliper. BUY THIS ONE AND SLEEP AT NIGHT OR BUY ONE FOR A $1,000.00 AND BE PREPARED TO WORK AND SPEND ANOTHER 4K IN PARTS AND A NEW PAINT JOB WITH NEW DECALS PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 2K IN LABOR. BUY MINE FOR 5K NOW AND SAVE 2K IN FREE LABOR. TALK TO ME FOR A DELIVERY Before the U.S. motorcycle industry took a dive in the early 1980s recession, omestic manufacturers managed to push through 45 percent import tariffs aimed at motorcycles larger than 700 cc. It doesn’t take much imagination to name the aggrieved party.
The Big Four Japanese manufacturers responded quickly by de-stroking some 750 cc bikes for the U.S.
market, nd refining popular 650 cc models. At the time, he technological push had been for liquid-cooling,
V-4s, uel-injection and turbocharging, o the CB700SC Nighthawk S was something of a surprise.
Honda had gone back to the drawing board and come up with a retro naked bike. The production run for the
Nighthawk S was short at only three years, ut the bikes were handsome in red and black or blue and black
and have proven to be bulletproof. Many can be found today in good condition, nd on long-term ownership.
The CB 700 SC Nighthawk S had a 696 cc, ir-cooled, OHC in-line four-cylinder engine with four
carburetors and developed 80 bhp at 9,500 rpm. Electronic ignition was coupled with hydraulic lifters, n
automatic adjuster kept the cam chain tight, he six-speed gearbox led to shaft-drive and the Nighthawk
boasted Honda’s first spin-on oil-filter. It also had an extremely useful center stand.
At 516 lbs, he Nighthawk was no lightweight, ut it was capable of a 12-second quarter mile and topped
out at around 120 mph. Since the bikini fairing was mostly for looks, hat was plenty. Gas mileage was 40-
45 mpg and MSRP was a competitive $3,398.
The square headlight was in current fashion, s were the 16-inch wheels and Honda’s own anti-dive front
disc brake. Black chrome was everywhere, ith just a few polished items like valve covers, ooling fins and
some engine casing parts. The 1986 bikes were principally black with contrasting pin-stripes.
Naturally, he bikes are not perfect. For one thing the seat is quite tall, nd despite Honda’s best efforts to
move the engine down and forward, he bike is quite top heavy. That’s not helped by very narrow
handlebars, hich had the effect of moving the mirrors (which can be rather blurry) too far inboard, iving a
view of the rider’s elbows. The 16-inch wheels were intended to deliver speedier steering, ut the loss of
gyroscopic stability means the bike wants to tuck under when ridden hard. The anti-dive fork has its critics
as well.
Nonetheless, he Nighthawk is a low-maintenance “keeper”, nd those that were not crashed or trashed by
being left outside can be discovered in remarkably good condition. The ideal person to buy from is a
middle-aged owner who has ridden it regularly (but not far) in good weather. Maintenance really only
involves oil changes, rakes and tires, ut check that the fork seals have been replaced. The bike is quite
softly sprung and too heavy not to have the suspension and brakes in good condition.
The Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
An American Hot Rod
By Richard Backus
July/August 2008
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1984-1986 Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S.
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Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
Years produced: 1984-1986
Claimed power: 80hp @ 9,500rpm
Top speed: 120mph (est.)
Engine type: 696cc overhead cam, ir-cooled inline four
Transmission: 6-speed
Weight: 516lb (wet)
MPG: 40-45
Price then: $3,398 (1984)
Price now: $1,200-$2,500
When the Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S was introduced in 1984, he words of praise from the motoring press were immediate and, n a surprise twist to the norm, nified. "Surprise: Custom now means California hot rod," announced Cycle. "The California hot rod: Honda’s fiddle-free speed shop special," said Rider. "An American-style, haft-drive sport-custom that honors another American custom — hot rodding," quipped Cycle Guide. If the motoring press was any judge, onda had struck a rich vein with its new Nighthawk S.
Like any good hot rod, he Nighthawk S had a purposeful, ggressive look. Paint was either two-tone black and blue or black and red, nd just about everything else on the bike — save for the fake chromed velocity stacks on the outside carbs and the polished edges of the cylinder head fins — was matched in elegant, enacing black. Stylistically, he tank, eat and side panels mimicked the angle of the engine’s polished fins, nd combined with the bike’s fab little bikini fairing, he 700 added up to a package that screamed "go fast" to riders looking for two-lane entertainment.
Powering this visual feast was an air-cooled, nline four. While visually similar to the engine introduced the year before in the CB650, he 700 was all new. Designed as a 750 (both Canada and Europe got a 750 version), or the U.S. market the engine was de-stroked 3.6mm to give a displacement of 696cc, etting the Nighthawk S just squeak under a newly enacted tariff on imported bikes of 700cc and above.
Since it retained its designed 750cc bore it could still breathe like a 750 through its 4-valve head, iving the new bike 67hp at the rear wheel and performance on par with and even exceeding other 750s. Cycle Guide recorded quarter-mile times of 12.048 seconds, utting the Nighthawk S ahead of Kawasaki’s GPz750 (12.167 seconds) and only slightly behind Suzuki’s GS750E (11.893 seconds). It was only a fraction slower than Honda’s liquid-cooled V4 sportbike, he VF750F Interceptor (11.963 seconds).
Further making the Nighthawk S stand out was its unique mix of old- and new-school bits. By 1984 (George Orwell, nyone?), ew-school was in. Liquid cooling, 4 engines, nti-dive brakes, urbos, lectronic fuel injection and ignition — anything that gave a performance or marketing edge was on the table. Yet here was the 700 Nighthawk, ith a decidedly old-school, ir-cooled mill, et incorporating the latest mechanical advances.
Thanks to hydraulic lifters, alve adjustment was a thing of the past. A driveshaft dispensed with any worries about adjusting or replacing chains, gnition was electronic, n automatic adjuster kept the cam chain taut, nd a spin-on, utomotive-style oil filter (a first for a Honda inline four) meant easy oil changes. It also featured 16-inch wheels front and rear, lus there was Honda’s second-generation TRAC (Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control) helping keep the front end under control.
The Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
An American Hot Rod
By Richard Backus
July/August 2008
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But the motorcycle press loved the bike for more than just its styling and specs. Cycle’s March 1984 review praised the engine for smoothness and lauded the chassis, aying "the 700 steers lightly and precisely. Hustling down mountain roads, he Honda responds immediately to steering inputs." Rider concurred, alling the Nighthawk "a joy to jam up a winding ribbon of asphalt. It steers quicker than a GPz, oes faster than an ES and feels a lot less cumbersome than an Interceptor on a tight road." Cycle Guide noted a tendency for front-end chatter in bumpy turns, et said, In fast, mooth corners, t’s virtually impossible to make the S misbehave."
The bike’s 16-inch wheels helped some, specially up front where a small wheel means quicker steering, ut most of the bike’s cornering prowess was down to Honda’s clever positioning of the drivetrain. Compared to the CB650 Nighthawk (against which it was often compared but shared no parts), he CB700 carried its engine farther forward and lower, iving a lower center of gravity and allowing a longer swing arm, he latter effectively canceling any driveshaft-induced frame jacking as the rider twisted the throttle on and off.
Overall, omplaints were almost non-existent. Mirrors were noted for getting fuzzy at high rpms and for not sticking out far enough, nd some testers were less than thrilled with the TRAC system, ut otherwise the 700 seemed the perfect middleweight.
Advertising manager Bob Legault, wner of our photo bike, ays he loves the 700’s neutral, lmost upright riding position, hich lets the rider tuck in or hang off as needed, aking the bike perfectly comfortable for in-town or highway duty. "I was raised on dirt and enduro bikes, nd it feels light like that," Legault says, dding, It’s quick, nd the comfort part of it is big for me. It fits, nd it feels good. You get on that baby and wrench back on it, nd it’ll get up and go."
Legault snapped up his immaculate 1984 example when his brother found it for him two years ago, nd for only $1,000. Since then, e’s put another 5,000 trouble-free miles on it, ith maintenance limited to tires and oil changes.
So why didn’t the 700 last longer than three years? Blame it on timing and technology. Sales-wise, he mid-1980s were bad years for the motorcycle industry. After years of steady sales increases, he market went into a sudden dive, eaving new motorcycles collecting dust on showroom floors. Regardless of the CB700s technical capacity, t was an old-school oddity in a changing landscape, nd Honda quietly dropped it after the 1986 model year.
The good news is there are plenty of survivors out there. Endowed with typical Honda reliability, ngines appear to last forever. Paint suffers from exposure, f course, ut the black chrome seems to weather better than much of Honda’s standard chrome from the same period. Since the frame holds most of the engine oil it’s good to stay away from examples that ever hand-grenaded their bottom ends, ut otherwise these are great bikes that sell cheap and give excellent service.
The Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
An American Hot Rod
By Richard Backus
July/August 2008
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Kawasaki GPz750
- 80hp @ 9,500rpm (claimed)
- Air-cooled, four-stroke, -4, OHC
- Five-speed
- Twin disc front, ingle rear
- 521lbs (wet)
- 53 MPG (period test)
- $700-$2,000
Despite the 42cc advantage the GPz holds over the Nighthawk (738cc vs. 696cc) their performance numbers are nearly identical. Maintenance is less involved on the Honda thanks to self-adjusting valves and cam chain, nd of course the bike’s shaft drive. Of course, here are some performance nuts who don’t believe in any drive that doesn’t involve a chain, o if you’re one of those, uy the GPz. If you’re not, uy whichever one is the best deal when it comes to price and condition. Although today the 1982 GPz does look a little more dated than the Honda, t also happily makes us think “Superbike” in a way the Nighthawk doesn’t. For 1983 the GPz got a sleeker, harper fairing to update its looks — along with another 5hp — but that’s another story for another day.
Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca
- 48hp @ 9,000rpm/127mph
- Air-cooled, our-stroke, -4, OHC
- Five-speed
- Twin-disc front, rum rear
- 502lbs (wet)
- 47.5 MPG (period test)
- $800-$2,000
Though not the hot rod the Nighthawk was, he Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca was a well respected, apable bike in its day. Though it’s down more than 30hp (some sources claim output is actually closer to 70hp) when compared with the 700 Nighthawk, t’s still a fine performer today and is visually very similar to the ‘Hawk, hough it’s a bit softer all around. The press praised its balance of power and handling back in the day, nd also found it to be quite comfortable and capable as a tourer, onsidering it’s size. So what are you looking for? If it’s a competent bike for running around town and touring your favorite backroads on the weekends, ither bike will work. But if you’re looking for something a little brash, little loud and a lot more powerful than the “norm,” you’ll want a Nighthawk or GPz over the Seca. MC
Read more about the motorcycles mentioned in this article:
- 1982 Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca

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