An introduction....

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:53 pm

Hi all, i thought i would make this post to say hello and introduce myself. As you can see, i've been an avid reader of the site for some time, but time to make a contribution too by telling you what i know and what my F is doing. I'm based on the south coast in East Sussex in the UK, been riding smaller CB's since 1992 and F's since 1995.

I started with a tidy 750F which was great as a first big bike (i am 6ft 6in tall!), sadly a really stupid blind woman with no insurance pulled out on me and wrote the bike off.

I replaced that with a CB900FD in 96 which i had for 11 years, i loved that bike - it had a Harris 4-1 pipe, Metmechex deep braced swing arm - looked, sounded and went like a proper bike should. I always had plans to make some changes but it was too good as it was, so i decided to sell it and start with a new project.....

So - one CB900FA was bought as a donor bike, and i picked up an engine from a friend out of a Harris Magnum 2 (not sure if Harris Magnums are something that you chaps in the US are familiar with?). THe engine was supposed to be 'a bit trick', turn out to be mostly true. Add to the pile of bits an USD front end, a rear end from and FZR 1000, some headlights that i spotted on ebay, and a few other bit's and bob's and it seems like i've got a project ready to start - i will put a post in the 'performance technical' area to show you what i have achieved so far as soon as possible.

THe project's been going for about a year, but have changed jobs and relocated me and the family in the interim - so in reality i started it, packed it up and have only just unpacked it.

Posts by Stoutblock, Sonicrete, Petrat and Cojonesdeloro (to name but a few) have been great reading and provided some good ideas for my project - seems almost necessary to say thanks to all those who posted on the various threads as it kept me going while i was moving.

I currently ride a Vstrom 1000 as the day to day transport (had it about 3 years - good bike too - another good forum) but can't wait to get an F back on the road. Anyway, here i am, that's me - so hello!

Simon

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:42 pm

Howdy!

Wow 3 odd years and no posting at all! Surprised

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 10:50 pm

Were you been hiding your moded F then Simon? good to see another UK F'er here, show us some pics fella.

Daz. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:13 pm

Thanks for finally posting! I look forward to seeing your bike. Cool

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:51 am

Daz,
When you next taking your F model out for a run ?
I guess tis locked up with all this salty crap on our roads in S.Yorkshire. Crying or Very sad

Hope to catch up sometime for a natter etc, maybe Sherburn perhaps ?
I'm a very patient man as I'm still looking for "the right" CB900F, but am also thinking of going down the special building route (again) ! Wink

Neil.

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:48 am

welcome aboard...

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:35 am

Hay Neil, yes she is part striped (again Rolling Eyes

) waiting on a new clutch from Silvers, also in the middle of my Spencer paint job, i had a little fuel spill from the carbs taking some of the pj1 off the back of the motor Sad

so i may drop it out and repaint, the frame still needs powder along with some other bits but i may leave all this untill next winter, now would be the time to buy Neil i have seen a few go for not much money, keep an eye out on e-bay and in the back of Mechanics mag for a good one, add your name and any ideas were to meet up to the ride out i have suggested on the meet/rally page, i'm trying to get as many UK F'ers to get together this spring/summer the yanks have been doing this for ages and it's about time we met up for a ride/chat/laugh.

Daz. Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:11 pm

Welcome Simon, have fun and ride!! Very Happy

Bruce

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:37 pm

welcome aboard, best best on the web, let us see your ride

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:35 pm

cojonesdeloro wrote:

Hay Neil, yes she is part striped (again Rolling Eyes

) waiting on a new clutch from Silvers, also in the middle of my Spencer paint job, i had a little fuel spill from the carbs taking some of the pj1 off the back of the motor Sad

so i may drop it out and repaint, the frame still needs powder along with some other bits but i may leave all this untill next winter, now would be the time to buy Neil i have seen a few go for not much money, keep an eye out on e-bay and in the back of Mechanics mag for a good one, add your name and any ideas were to meet up to the ride out i have suggested on the meet/rally page, i'm trying to get as many UK F'ers to get together this spring/summer the yanks have been doing this for ages and it's about time we met up for a ride/chat/laugh.

Daz. Very Happy

Hi Daz,
Nice one....you'll have to let me know when she's nearly ready

I guess you'll be doing Freddie colours as per Daytona 1982 on the Fast Freddie DVD (tis fab on a modern big screen TV eh)?
In your shoes, I'd get the Frame done as well Smile

I've always taken my CBF frames to NB at Pontefract for powder coating (they do a great job) tho they can be quite busy this time of year, however I'm planning on using LSN on Wheldon Rd in Castleford next time, as they did a great job of my mates tricked up Bandit & Wheels and...... they turned it round in just a few days !

BTW I always use Hi temp Sperex on my motors, after it gets hot it's virtually baked on Exclamation

Been upto Rufforth AJ today..... on the prowl, not a lot about, but I did spy a nice Black CB900FA with gold 3 spoke wide rims & a monster Metchamex parked up at Sherburn,
tho I didn't stop to chat as it literally was freezing/zero deg C !

Am certainly up for a CBF meet/event, even if I have to turn up on my Speed Triple, will add my name to the list Very Happy

P.S.
Still on the look out for a CBF, I always take my time (& I do know theres a strong chance of an old friends nice original FA coming up in a few months) Wink

,
tho I am torn with going down the special route, will let you know if I get sorted as I'd be very interested in understanding/measuring up the chassis/wheel/shock conversion,
maybe for the price of a few beerchug

Neil.

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:02 pm

Here's a couple of pictures for you all, this one is my FD just before i sold her last year:

The paint job was stunning, it was a respray to almost original spec, the white was a deep pearlescant white and the red started lighter red on the tank fading to darker red on the tailpiece.

This is a 'mock up' of the project last year before i packed it up to move house. The rear end is FZR1000Exup, the front in the photo is actually TL1000S - however since then i've opted for a GSXR front end as it's a little taller.

As i said, i will start a thread in performance technical (it seems the right place) with some fresh photos that i'll try to take tomorrow.

Daz, the F's been hiding in Coventry for a good while - i used to work out the country alot, and then with the family when i was in the UK, so the bikes were always second fiddle! You can put me on the list for a UK meet - i'm in Hastings so anywhere south of you helps!

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:43 pm

Simon wrote:

Here's a couple of pictures for you all, this one is my FD just before i sold her last year:

Ooooh. Your FD is/was gorgeous. Best of luck on your new project too. Oh and welcome btw. Glad you posted finally.

Dave

Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 8:55 pm

Welcome Simon! Looking forward to reading about the progress on your build.

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:42 pm

greenthrees wrote:

cojonesdeloro wrote:

Hay Neil, yes she is part striped (again Rolling Eyes

) waiting on a new clutch from Silvers, also in the middle of my Spencer paint job, i had a little fuel spill from the carbs taking some of the pj1 off the back of the motor Sad

so i may drop it out and repaint, the frame still needs powder along with some other bits but i may leave all this untill next winter, now would be the time to buy Neil i have seen a few go for not much money, keep an eye out on e-bay and in the back of Mechanics mag for a good one, add your name and any ideas were to meet up to the ride out i have suggested on the meet/rally page, i'm trying to get as many UK F'ers to get together this spring/summer the yanks have been doing this for ages and it's about time we met up for a ride/chat/laugh.

Daz. Very Happy

Hi Daz,
Nice one....you'll have to let me know when she's nearly ready

I guess you'll be doing Freddie colours as per Daytona 1982 on the Fast Freddie DVD (tis fab on a modern big screen TV eh)?
In your shoes, I'd get the Frame done as well Smile

I've always taken my CBF frames to NB at Pontefract for powder coating (they do a great job) tho they can be quite busy this time of year, however I'm planning on using LSN on Wheldon Rd in Castleford next time, as they did a great job of my mates tricked up Bandit & Wheels and...... they turned it round in just a few days !

BTW I always use Hi temp Sperex on my motors, after it gets hot it's virtually baked on Exclamation

Been upto Rufforth AJ today..... on the prowl, not a lot about, but I did spy a nice Black CB900FA with gold 3 spoke wide rims & a monster Metchamex parked up at Sherburn,
tho I didn't stop to chat as it literally was freezing/zero deg C !

Am certainly up for a CBF meet/event, even if I have to turn up on my Speed Triple, will add my name to the list Very Happy

P.S.
Still on the look out for a CBF, I always take my time (& I do know theres a strong chance of an old friends nice original FA coming up in a few months) Wink

,
tho I am torn with going down the special route, will let you know if I get sorted as I'd be very interested in understanding/measuring up the chassis/wheel/shock conversion,
maybe for the price of a few beerchug

Neil.

I have used NB before as well, they got a very nice finish on my 750F i restored.

Sold this one to a guy called Martin in Hull (you out there m8?) will have to watch the spending though at the moment things are tight, and the chancellor will flip if i put anything else on my credit card (like the Dyna coils i keep looking at) Wink

i want here on the road again all this year so powder can wait, she will need a new boot on the rear soon as well, just want the silver and decals i bought last year done, this was the plan all along and the red was just a stop gap for last year,

Simon, looking good so far pal, keep up the good work, dig her out and make a start again, i know sometimes it is hard to find the time but even half an hour a week will get her finished, looking through the projects on here gave me the motivation to get mine to a point were i could ride her, start your thread soon as you can, i love to watch a project come together, just look at Stout's and Petrat's threads, for the new benchmark Super F's.

All the best with it.
Daz. Very Happy

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:31 pm

Dave - you're right, the FD was a good looking bike - selling her was the right thing to do but it would have been really nice to keep her.

Daz - thanks for the support/motivation - appreciated.

All - here is the promised thread on the project bike http://www.cb1100f.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=46360

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:55 pm

Simon, welcome to the site and good luck with the project!

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:08 pm

Simon,
Verry Nice FD,
I always lusted after a pearl white paint job Mr. Green

, (tho i almost bought a brand new pearl red CB1100F in 1983),
I bet the calipers were a big improvement over stock ? Was this a straight swap (from what model) or did you machine new carriers ?

Like your new project & Daz's conversion, after looking at a few rough bikes, I'm also contemplating a nut & bolt CB900F special with trick wheels n forks,
I wish you the very best on yours, & hope you keep us all posted with details on progress.

I probably did 60k on my Black CB900FA SWY900W from 1982 to 1997 (plus another 40K on others i.e. RSC1123, CB750FB & CB900FB in Spencer colours), plus another 40k on winter bikes, but for various reasons let ALL my Honda's & masses of parts go & moved on to somthing else, Head Banger

however next buy will certainly be another CB. Very Happy

Neil.

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:43 pm

Hi Neil - the calipers were standard Honda as far as i'm aware - they are just the twin pots that were fitted on the FC and FD models along with the TRAC anti-dive. They are different to the twin pots that the FB's had. The braking power from them was pretty good if they were kept clean.

Seems like you're an F man through and through - go find that donor bike and get started - just don't take as long as i have so far!