New Honda project bike...

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budd
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New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

Ok new project time, some of you may know I’ve bought another bike not a replacement for but as well as the Aprilia, basically my little lad James (10) has been nagging at me to take him out on the bike but with the Ape been a mono-posto (single seat) this isn’t possible so I in order to be able to make it possible another bike was required (plus I don’t need much of an excuse to buy another bike). So what bike should it be? Firstly it had to be pillion friendly, fast, reliable, well-built and probably most important cheap … there seemed to be one bike that really fitted the bill perfectly the venerable Honda CBR 11000 Super Blackbird, it’s pillion friendly (even touring friendly with hard luggage), fast (very fast…), reliable (it’s a Honda), well built (it’s a Honda..) and reasonably cheap, good value even considering what you get for the money, the SBB was a very popular bike so there are lots about ranging from cheap nails to expensive minters. I had about £2k to spend and was just about to start searching for a decent example when fate played its part, the missus’s car shat itself and needed replacing forthwith, the wife only works a few miles away so we generally only buy cheap and cheerful bangers, the outgoing new shape VW Beetle had only cost £500 and lasted nearly 3 yrs before it finally cried enough so I’m not moaning but it could’ve chosen a better time to call it a day.

Anyway money had to be diverted to the car fund, a replacement car was quickly found, a tidy Alfa Romeo GT 1.9JTD full MOT £750 this obviously left less for my new bike, I could have still probably bought a Bird but I’d rather have paid a little more for a really nice one rather than less on a high mileage nail.

This brings me to a good alternative to the bird, the CBR 10000F, strong performance (not in the same league as the Blackbird but more than adequate for my needs), obviously Honda reliability and above all they are very very cheap at the moment.

So after a brief search I came across a likely candidate, K plate ’92 model with 59000 mls full MOT, aftermarket exhaust (Viper) and on inspection everything seemed is decent order and the engine sounded smooth and quiet and all this for £550!!! So all’s good, not quite the bodywork was f%%king awful, it looked like it had been painted by Stevie Wander!! But for the money I couldn’t really complain and figured the paint could redone, this is where the story takes an unexpected turn, I’m chatting about bikes with the seller and ask him what’s under the bike shaped cover in the garden, he says Oh it’s another CBR pulls to cover off to reveal a partially dismantled G reg. It’s obviously been there a while the exhaust is rotted through, chain red with rust and most of the plastics missing, so what’s the story I ask? Apparently this one was his previous day to day bike when one day it wouldn’t start so he stripped some of the plastics had a brief look at it couldn’t find the issue so rather than investigating further just throw a tarp over it and bought another!! Anyway it turned out this one was also for sale and after a bit more haggling we settle on £700 for both. So now I’m the owner of not 1 but 2 CBR 1000s, while I’m loading them in the van he’s off rummaging about in various out houses and sheds turns out he as all the OE plastics for the non-runner and they are in a damn sight better condition than those on the running bike result.., When I get home and have a look in the cold light of day I decide the best plan is to swap the plastics. This proved a fairly simple job no broken fasteners and once complete I have a quite tidy 59K bike that I’m not ashamed to be seen on.

Here it is in all its glory…

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at the end of the day it's a 30yr old bike but it can still pick it's heels up if required (gabbi cab attest to how fast it is...) apparently it was (albeit for a brief period ) the worlds fastest bike, but as I said it's a 30 yr old design and it shows big time, the first tihing you notice is the weight god it's heavy, the brakes, suspension are all very poor (the brakes are downright dangerous) all that said it does the job I need it to, basically to allow me to take the youngster out and he loves it (note top box to stop him flying off the back... first bike I've ever had with a top box..) but this tread isn't about this CBR it's about the other one and the other bike is a different story ….

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I thought originally I’d just break it or keep it for spares but having stripped it down to get look at the 'bones' beneath it's not that bad certainly better than you'd expect for a bike left outside for any length of time and it’s only done 39K mls so I decided to give it a chance, my thinking was if I could get it running it must be worth doing something with. So after a bit of messing about temp fuel supply, battery etc some popping and farting the thing fires up no problem and settles to reasonable idle, result. The problem appears to have been the ignition switch, when I was transferring the bodywork over I decided to swap the ignition barrel as well so the ign, fuel cap and seat lock were all the same key, rather than 3 different ones, anyway once I’d swapped them all over the bike wouldn’t start (no ignition) so I quickly worked out the ignition switch was faulty, this turns out to be the reason the first bike stopped running. I now have two running bikes one I can use as required and the other I think is going to be my next project.

I’ll try to transform this into something interesting, the plan is to modernise it and of course lighten the bloody thing, the forks are 41mm so I'm pretty confident I can use the Storm forks,wheel and brakes, admittedly not the last word in performance kit bit a missive improvement over OE.

I've already started adapting the rear end to take a CBR 600F4 sub frame, rear plastics and seat.

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rear sub frame chopped off

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CBR 600 one offered up, it look like it will work I now need a seat and plastics before I fabricate some brackets to allow it to be bolted on

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The next job will be to look at the front see if the VTR forks etc will bolt on.. Watch this space
Last edited by budd on Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
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Pete.L
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by Pete.L »

Nice one Bud! :thumbup:
That was my first super bike back in the day. It scared the crap out me a couple of times. You're right, they were big and heavy but also very stable. You could line them up on a corner and they just took whatever you threw at them...right until the center stand started scraping and then you just hung on :lol: Big old barges :lol: :lol: :lol:
My new ride is a bit of a Howler and I love to make her Squeal
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budd
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

Pete.L wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:45 pm Nice one Bud! :thumbup:
That was my first super bike back in the day. It scared the crap out me a couple of times. You're right, they were big and heavy but also very stable. You could line them up on a corner and they just took whatever you threw at them...right until the center stand started scraping and then you just hung on :lol: Big old barges :lol: :lol: :lol:
yes I'd forgotten about the ground clearance (or lack of) I'm constantly scrapping my foot, I've not grounded the center stand yet which is probably just as well with the youngster on the back.. :eek2
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
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MacV2
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by MacV2 »

Good work that man !

Just make sure you change the cam belts on the Alfa...Or know thay have been done recently... Think Storm CCT & you get the picture... :lol: :lol:

In fact the reason I bought Custard way back when is because the PO & his wife both had Alfas & they both snapped Cam belts within a month of each other... :eek2
Making up since 2007, sometimes it's true...Honest...
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sirch345
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by sirch345 »

Well done, nice work Budd :thumbup:
I enjoyed reading your write-up :clap:

Chris.
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budd
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

MacV2 wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:22 pm Good work that man !

Just make sure you change the cam belts on the Alfa...Or know thay have been done recently... Think Storm CCT & you get the picture... :lol: :lol:

In fact the reason I bought Custard way back when is because the PO & his wife both had Alfas & they both snapped Cam belts within a month of each other... :eek2
yes Mac cam-belt, tensioners, water pump etc done first job, along with the usual service stuff fresh oil, new filters oil/fuel/cabin (cabin is a pita to change) plus some noisy drop links (common fail apparently). So far (hoping not to jinx the thing) the much maligned Alfa as been a joy to own, it's fast (it's a diesel so relatively speaking), rewarding to drive, very comfortable, well equipped (Bose sound, 18" wheels, climate control,leather, cruise etc) and despite what 99% of reviews would have you believe well built everything works, nothing as fallen off (yet). The thing I like most about ( apart from it been ridiculously cheap) is that it is a pretty car, handsome even, it looks like someone ( ie a person) as actually designed, it's not just a result of computer modelling which most cars are these days, the only problem is because of Alfas dubious reputation I just waiting for it to go wrong in a big way, but so far it's behaving it'self and long may it last..
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
bobbler
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by bobbler »

Looks like you did well out of the bike deal budd. I had one a few years ago and was surprised how well they rode, mine was an earlier 1988 model with the 140 rear tyre that seemed a bit sketchy in the wet but the weather protection was really good (I once rode down the a1m at around 70 - 80 not realising I still had my helmet visor open).

As for the Alfa, a neighbour has owned the same model from new (2005) and he wont replace it. Other than the usual services and cam belt etc. I think it's only cost him a couple of wheel hubs and maybe a couple of springs and as you say they really are a lovely car.
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budd
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

update on project CBR 1000 (need to think of a name for it??), I've made a start on addressing some of the CBR's main issues, (brakes,suspension weight),as the CBRs OE forks are 41mm ( the same as the Storm) I've got hold of some old VTR forks (cheers Gabbi), the forks weren't the best of shape and were partially dismantled, minor pitting on the stanchions which some fine emery cloth should sort out, fork bottoms were in a poor state but with a little work they've come up OK, but I have a part missing, one of the damping cartridges is absent, Gabbi has had a look for it but so for no joy, so if anyone as one of these....
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without this I can't reassemble the forks so if anyone as a spare one pls let me know .. I'll also post this in the parts wanted section.
The plan with the forks is to rebuild with the Ditchfield mods and use CBR 1000 springs, VTR are springs are weak in the first place so given the extra weight of the CBR, the OE CBR springs have a better chance of holding it off the floor. Some of you will know the total length of the VTR spring/spacer combo is 410mm as look would have it the free length of the CBR spring is ( you guessed it) 410mm, so in the first instance I'll fit the CBR spring with no spacer and see where the sag is. With the VTR forks while not maybe the best out there I will now at least have some pre load damping adjustment and can tweak them with spacers, damper oil weight or even a different weight spring if necessary.

I've sorted some VTR 4 pots to go with the forks (I'd have preferred F4i 4 pots but these were cheap so beggars can't be choosers)
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and finally Dymag front wheels with cast iron rotors...

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the wheel is seriously light and fortunately free of cracks, (apparently they can be prone to cracking), the iron rotors are a bit rusted but have plenty of meat on them should should clean up nicely, I know cast rotors typically don't like sintered pads so i'll be doing some research on suitable pad material but if anyone as any experience with non SS rotors I'd be interested in your thoughts.

That's it for now, just need the damper stack to allow me to rebuild the forks, have a look in your garages and sheds folks..
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
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fabiostar
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by fabiostar »

great buying skills Bud :thumbup: . for the money they are a monster bike for covering miles... carry on sir.. :clap: :clap:
the older i get,the faster i was :lol:
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budd
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

fabiostar wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:52 am great buying skills Bud :thumbup: . for the money they are a monster bike for covering miles... carry on sir.. :clap: :clap:
we like a bargain here in Yorkshire :thumbup:
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
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Bennyboy
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by Bennyboy »

Very nice, can’t wait to see the outcome, seeing this makes me more motivated to sort my storm
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budd
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by budd »

Front end now installed in the big CBR now affectionately known as the Super Sofa, because in this day and age it no longer lives up to its Super Sport moniker, so the forks, brakes and wheel are now in place.

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Initial impressions are generally positive but there is a need for some tweaking, positives first, the brakes are so much better and are set to improve further, at the moment it still has the old rubber brake hoses and OE master cylinder, so braided lines and an upgraded Brembo M/C will help here, also the pads are those that came with the calipers so are of unknown make and type I’m going to run them for a few miles see how they do at cleaning up the discs but if they are organic they may not be aggressive enough to properly condition cast iron discs, Gabbi has a set of used sintered pads which may prove to be better at removing any rust or old pad material that remains on the discs,which seem to be in good order despite the light surface rust, there's no judder so the discs are straight which is a worry with cast iron discs. Sintered pads aren’t generally recommended for cast iron discs because they are ‘to’ aggressive but may prove perfect short term just to clean them up, then I’ll have to decide on the best pad option for long term use. So I’m pleased with the improvement to the brakes, they could and will be even better but for now they are OK certainly no longer dangerous, at the end of the day 270kg takes some stopping and the old 2 pot sliders were frankly shite!!!
Next issue was the soft/bouncy suspension here I’ve been less successful, it’s still soft and bouncy but I did have to guesstimate the fork oil level, it feels like the Aprilia did when I rebuilt the Ohlins and didn’t put enough oil in so I’ve just added 15ml to each leg and will see if that improves things, if it does than I’ll keep adding oil to increase the ‘air spring’ effect, and keep adding till it gets to hard then remove a bit. I think with some messing about I think I can achieve a decent balance, but it’s going to be trial and error. There’s not much I can do about the spring rate at the moment, I fitted the CBR springs based on the assumption they will be better suited to the CBR which is quite a bit heavier than the Storm, I’ll look into more appropriate linear springs once the project bike is nearer completion, hopefully it will end up substantially light then the stock bike. The bike is now the steering is much better thanks to the light Dymag wheel, it feels lighter and more responsive, the bike also wheels about much easier indicating the old calipers were binding somewhat, so all in all it’s quite a decent result, certainly a step in the right direction.
I've now gone all European and bought a KTM Superduke GT and Aprilia RSV1000R :D ,
Storm is now gone :cry: .
.
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Pete.L
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by Pete.L »

budd wrote: Thu Sep 05, 2019 5:44 pm Front end now installed in the big CBR now affectionately known as the Super Sofa, because in this day and age it no longer lives up to its Super Sport moniker
Thats a 165mph sofa if I remember correctly 8)

Looking goood Bud :thumbup:
My new ride is a bit of a Howler and I love to make her Squeal
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Stephan
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by Stephan »

Looking pretty good with updated forks and fender.
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sirch345
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Re: New Honda project bike...

Post by sirch345 »

I agree, it is looking good Bud :thumbup:

Chris.
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