CB1100F restoration work and costs

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:38 am

I've been keeping a spreadsheet of the full costs of the restoration of my CB1100F.

To recount, I bought it in November - it was imported from Florida and it had stood outside and not run since 1993.

I paid £1750 for the bike from the importer, including all taxes and duties. A good friend of mine owns a motorcycle dealership in Gloucester and we agreed that I'd restore the bike there with guidance from his mechanics and he would also use it to train an apprentice. The chief mechanic will take care of essential safety critical stuff (because my mechanical experience is zero and my natural ability is in the minus numbers).

The bike is really into the last stages of final assembly now and this is what has been done to it:

Sourced correct wheels (from Keith Goodman)
Wheels powder coated and polished
New front wheel bearings
New HEL brake hoses
New front master cylinder
Front brake caliper rebuild kit
Sourced correct clocks (from Keith Goodman)
Sourced correct handlebars (from Kenneth Roosa)
Mirrors
Throttle cables
Clutch cable
Indicators
Indicator stems (from Tom Kerxhalli)
Odometer reset button (from Tom Kerhalli)
Clutch perch (from Sarah Dalby)
Clutch lever, swivel pin and adjuster
Sourced correct generator and points cover (from Kenneth Roosa)
Sourced correct airbox (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Bought a good second hand tank and filler cap (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Sourced correct petcock (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Sourced correct centre stand and fittings (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Bought clutch baffle kit (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Aftermarket left side panel
Gear lever
Complete lockset (from Sarah Dalby)
New stainless 4-1Delkevic exhaust
Carb accelerator pump
Carb rebuild kit
Starter solenoid
Handlebar end weights
Grips
Chain and sprockets
Rear disk
Rear brake torque arm
Sourced correct Handlebar cover (from Kenneth Roosa)
Sourced correct fuse box (from Kenneth Roosa)
Seat cover
Pickups (from Wout Van Veldhuizen)
Swingarm bearings
Rear wheel bearings
Oil cooler mounting rubbers
Taillight mounting rubbers
Indicator relay
Oil pressure sensor
Air filter
Tank mount rubber
Sourced correct footpegs (from Keith Goodman)
Sourced correct rear brake calliper mount
Sourced correct rear calliper (from Keith Goodman)
Rear calliper rebuild kit
Full decal set
Complete bodywork repair and respray
Rear master cylinder rebuild kit
New Michelins
New brake pads

So far as I'm aware the only part I'm still waiting on is a rear slave cylinder, which has been bloody difficult to find, but which I'm hoping to have next week (from Wout Van Veldhuizen).

Full costs so far including the purchase of the bike, all the parts and some labour costs for the bike shop has just gone past £7000, which is a fair bit more than I originally budgeted for (who'd have guessed eh?), but it has turned out that many more parts needed to be replaced than I originally realised. I could not have got anywhere near what has been achieved so far without the help of many good people on this forum, in particular Sarah, Keith, Wout, Kenneth and Tom. I'm extremely grateful for all the kindness, patience and great advice that has helped me along and I feel like I've made some really good friends with some very special people as a result.

With good luck I think the bike should be fully assembled, passed and MOT, be registered and ready to ride by the end of April. I'll ride it through the summer and then probably have it taken apart at the end of the autumn to have the frame rust treated and powder coated, the carbs vapour cleaned and the engine cases to be cleaned up and repainted.

Then I can start thinking about the starter clutch upgrade and maybe fitting more powerful coils and...

I'll post some pictures...as soon as I finally work out how to!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 4:26 pm

I think your total number is not that exceptional. If you are thorough with it that is what it takes. I finished my project last fall and even though I have not kept any detailed record I think I am close to the number but in Euros.

Would love to see some pictures Very Happy

Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:44 am

20-20 hindsight is not wisdom but your costs seem way too high considering the bike isn't in pristine condition yet. When you're finished you could probably have bought two very nice well running examples of the 1100F.

Chico

Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 9:53 am

You have a good point Chico. A good part of the satisfaction though is the journey making the bike or bikes what you want or imagined. Cost is always a consideration but I've never expected to get back my "investment" once committed to a project. I'm sure I am not alone in this. My Blue bike will eventually become pristine but it will not be stock so will never command the $$$ on the eventual sale when I get too old to push it around. Along the way though I will have had lots of fun and satisfaction chasing parts and admiring the work of others and myself getting there.

Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:02 pm

Quickster2, you have a good point as well. It just seems like this bike was imported plus had many issues that were beyond BathBloke's capabilities as he said.
I'm just questioning whether this bike was the best candidate for restoration by him. It seems very ambitious for a first experiment. I do appreciate his enthusiasm for the project and wish him well. When he's done he'll have something to be proud of. I hope this US bike won't mind riding on the wrong side of the road.😊

Chico

Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:07 pm

chico wrote:

20-20 hindsight is not wisdom but your costs seem way too high considering the bike isn't in pristine condition yet. When you're finished you could probably have bought two very nice well running examples of the 1100F.

Chico

That may be true in the US but it isn’t here. I wanted a US model for sentimental reasons. There is one 1100F for sale in the U.K. and it is a European model that is in good visual condition but has no confirmed history. It is showing 38000 miles but this is not reliable and there is now way of knowing what is original, what has been damaged and what might need to be done to it. It is being sold for about £7000.

The bike I bought is a US model - it’s the bike I wanted. For the money I have spent on it I know exactly what condition it is in and I have put a lot of high quality new parts on it. And I have saved it. From being broken for parts or scrapped.

I didn’t buy it to make a profit. It was bought with the heart and not with the head. I’ve done what I wanted to do and I have the bike I wanted. I’m happy and I can’t wait to finally ride it!

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 5:13 am

Since you put it that way I totally understand. Enjoy every minute and every mile on her.

Chico