Tucked away in the vibrant streets of Lisbon, Unik Motorcycles isn’t just another shop bolting shiny bits onto tired bikes; they’re the real deal, the kind of crew that bleeds petrol and welds soul into steel. Founders Tiago and Luis have built a reputation for turning everyday rides into rolling works of art, handling everything from tune-ups to full-tilt customs with the same level of obsession. And when it came time to tame Honda’s six-cylinder heavyweight, the legendary CBX 1000, they knew this wasn’t just another project. it was a chance to let a mechanical symphony loose. The result? “Tatsumaki,” a 1982 CBX that howls like a hurricane and looks every bit as sharp.
The last six-banger we featured from the boys at Unik was so good, it lit a fire under the internets’ worn feet, and caused the sort of excitement that saw the bike take out the top spot in our 2023 Bike of the Year Awards. Tiago and Luis know it’s not every day you get to spin the spanners on a big six, and when it comes time to give one a full-on custom make-over, then it is essential to highlight its thunderous beating heart. In recent years, the guys have been getting the recognition they deserve, working with MotoGP star Miguel Oliveira, appearing on the popular TV show ‘Ride With Norman Reedus’, and seeing their business boom.
But to get this build underway, Unik’s first move was to strip the big Honda back to its bare bones and reimagine its proportions. The CBX was always a bit of a behemoth, but with a shorter rear sub-frame and trimmed-down fairings front and back, the bike suddenly looked agile, almost athletic. The team kept the original fuel tank and brake light to preserve the CBX’s lineage, but massaged everything around them to sharpen the silhouette. The result is a machine that looks unmistakably vintage Honda, yet lighter and far more aggressive.
To balance that massive inline-six, Unik raided the parts bin of other legends. The swingarm now comes courtesy of a Triumph Street Triple, and while that sounds simple enough, the adaptation was anything but. Keeping the chain line true, ensuring the geometry worked, and centring everything required plenty of grinding, bushings, and late-night problem-solving. Up front, a set of 1994 Kawasaki ZX9 forks was drafted in, extended by six centimetres to dial in the stance. Paired with custom 17-inch wheels and a 180-section rear tyre, the CBX now sits with the poise of a modern superbike, while still rocking that colossal engine block as its centrepiece.
Speaking of that engine, the six-pot heart wasn’t rebuilt from scratch, but it did receive a thoughtful refresh. The carbs were tuned, a new K&N air filter fitted, and the transmission swapped for a shorter ratio to keep the revs eager. Painted up and detailed, it’s a motor that commands attention before you even thumb the starter. But the real showstopper is the exhaust, a snarling 6-into-6 aftermarket system that lets each cylinder sing its own note in perfect harmony. One twist of the throttle and ‘Tatsumaki’ doesn’t just purr, it howls like a complete grid of race-bred bikes.
Modern electronics were next on the list, and Unik didn’t cut corners. A full Motogadget setup runs the show, including the mo.unit Blue brain, updated switches, and a minimalist speedo. Clip-ons and triple clamps were borrowed from Kawasaki and fettled to fit, while small details like Highsider mirrors with custom arms, LED lighting throughout, and a Honda CB1100 Nighthawk fairing upfront round out the package. It’s a neat blend of OEM cleverness and aftermarket trickery that makes the CBX feel as modern as it looks.
The finishing touches are where the build really shines. A brand-new seat pan was fabricated to fit the trimmed tail, topped with genuine leather for that touch of class. Paintwork came courtesy of Ballek Air, while Plastic Man handled the fibreglass wizardry. Black with huge dollops of pink hit the ’80s vibe to a tee, and captures that period of excess that made the creation of a bike like the CBX possible in the first place.
What Unik has achieved here is more than just a restomod; it’s a rebirth of a legend into something funky and fresh. The 1982 Pro-Link CBX 1000 was already an icon thanks to its six-cylinder heart, but in Unik’s hands, it’s become something sharper, faster, and infinitely more desirable. “Tatsumaki” is proof that when tradition meets innovation in the right workshop, the result is a motorcycle that honours its roots while roaring confidently into the future. And when that exhaust clears its throat, you can bet every head in Lisbon turns to listen.
[ UNIK Motorcycles ]