Ellaspede’s Ferrari-Inspired Honda CBX750: A Bold Reimagining of an 80s Icon

A Brisbane builder transforms a forgotten Honda into a modern café racer masterpiece, blending Testarossa-style design cues with cutting-edge performance upgrades.

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Ellaspede, the renowned Brisbane custom workshop, has unveiled a bold Honda CBX750 café racer, an unexpected project born from a client’s sudden change of heart and inspired by the iconic Ferrari Testarossa.

The Honda CBX750 has always been an interesting but less common platform in the custom world. Known for its 1980s angular styling and DOHC engine, it never reached the popularity of its sibling, the CB750. So when a shop like Ellaspede chooses it, you know something special is cooking up.

A Project That Almost Didn’t Happen

The build began when Colm, the client, originally planned on ordering a BMW R100 after visiting the BMW Museum. But suddenly a lot of custom CBX750s popped up online, so he pivoted, and eventually sourced a 1984 CBX750F from Japan. His only request? Keep the twin square headlights.

For Ellaspede, that wide creative freedom was a dream. They quickly assembled an inspiration board referencing 80s design cues, with the Ferrari Testarossa becoming a major influence. Its signature horizontal lines and sculpted rear inspired the bike’s custom striped taillight and open tail-channel design.

Blending Retro Attitude with Modern Performance

Once the bike arrived, the team discovered the engine was tired. They pulled it out and sent it to performance specialist Stuart Firth for a full rebuild. Parts weren’t easy to find, so Ellaspede leaned on Dutch supplier CMSNL to track down what Honda no longer stocked.

Meanwhile, the shop engineered a completely new rear subframe for a single-shock setup and grafted on a Ducati 1198 swingarm. Lightweight BST carbon wheels and an Öhlins R nineT front end completed the performance-oriented chassis. Geometry challenges and sprocket alignment issues pushed the team to redesign the bike’s neck and create a custom front sprocket carrier, but everything eventually lined up perfectly.

Crafted with CAD, 3D Printing, and CNC Precision

Much of the bodywork was digitally designed. Ellaspede created tank flares to hide exposed mounts, new side covers to conceal electronics, and CNC-machined aluminum pieces to house the Testarossa-style taillight. They also developed custom manifolds and mounted exposed air filters to add visual muscle.

To modernize the bike further, they rewired it completely with Motogadget components, tucked the battery under the tank, and added a Yoshimura four-into-one exhaust for that classic Honda sound.

A New Take on the Classic Twin Square Headlights

Colm’s only non-negotiable was the twin square headlights, so Ellaspede designed a new housing inspired partly by the nostalgic View-Master toy. Blending retro shapes with modern LEDs, they created a fresh, “X-motif” light that pays tribute without copying the original.

A Striking Livery for a One-Off Machine

Ellaspede topped the build with one of their sharpest paint jobs, contrasting black and white sections highlighted with bright red accents. Custom Honda wing graphics add an extra touch of craftsmanship.

After final tuning, the CBX750 hit the road exactly as intended. Colm has since been enjoying the bike in Australia, and it’s set to accompany him back home to Ireland, a fitting ending for a machine that began as a spontaneous idea and evolved into a world-class custom.