UK CB900f2d refresh

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

I finished my CB900f2d just before christmas so thought I'd write it up on here. As I've said before, I'm no expert and this only classes as a refurb rather than a rebuild but I enjoy it so what the hell?!
This bike came from ebay in the UK about 18 months ago. I paid £950 which for a complete bike was pretty good I thought.
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This is the bike as bought, complete but tatty and unused for many years, originally a Spanish import. You can just see that the tank side is a slightly different colour to the rest. You may also see some home made hand protectors glued on the side of the fairing, bizarre!

I live in France where it can be difficult to get work done for the right price as a foreigner, especially in the south so the first job was to strip the bodywork and get it to my friendly sprayer, Alan, in Southampton. Once done I arranged for the bike to head south with a shipper(£180).
This is the bodywork finished(£300), great job for the price.
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The bike sat under a tarpaulin in the garden for about 9 months until I found time to start. In total I did the following: Strip brakes, refurb kits all round, seals, pads etc. (I had real problems getting the pistons out of the rear caliper, 2 weeks sitting in paraffin, high pressure air line etc. In the end they came out by reassembling and using the brake pedal and hydraulic fluid.) Dismantled most of bike for big clean and respray of a few parts. New battery, front tyre, minor wiring issues. Strip, clean and refurb of front forks and anti-dive.

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The exhaust is pretty good, just gave it a clean and polish. A little roughness on the downpipes but that came up ok.

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Rear shocks just getting a clean up.

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I gave these oil cooler lines a brush clean and a light spray with black heat resistant paint.

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I gave this area a good scrub and wire brush clean and fitted new exhaust studs.

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Swing arm removed, re-greased and reassembled after a re-spray of these bad bits.

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Humble apologies but this area just got a clean and re-assembly. Out of sight, out of mind!

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This is the sprocket after cleaning! Absolutely covered in mud/grease.

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General view at most stripped. I pulled the front apart too but forgot photos of that bit.

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Battery box area. Good condition for age but a little corrosion. I'm a firm believer in patina. Perhaps this doesn't apply so much to our generation of bikes but I think it will become more important. I prefer it myself anyway.

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Carb refurb. I used Mike Nixon's book here. Great result, good fun and no mistakes made, I recommend his book thoroughly. As you can see, mainly a bit gummy and dirty beforehand, this all came off nicely with the carb cleaner that Mike talks about. I'd never used it before, great stuff.

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Trying to keep things in order as per the instructions. P stands for primary, 2 for secondary etc.

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Half way through I threw the bodywork on for a little boost, see the wonky front mudguard!

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The finished article. It's come out ok. Not a rebuild but a good condition original example sympathetically cleaned up for another few years use.
I suppose I spent 2 weeks total myself on and off, spent a ton with David Silver but thoroughly enjoyed it all. I've done a couple of hundred miles now and things seem fine. First trip out the back end was very weird, when I got home I found the rear axle bolt loose, oops!
Anyway hope you enjoy the story, not up to the standard of many here but my skills/patience/ability are strictly limited!!

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 4:05 pm

Hi Jonathan

Thanks for the excellent write up. What a fantastic job you have done... and what a bargain you got....£950 for the bike is amazing especially as it has the fairing. Nice one.

Cheers

Pete

CB1100F Joined: Jun 18, 2006 Posts: 2527 Location: UK

Hi Jonathan

Well done a nice job ..Looks very good now and the bike was a steal at £950 for a faired FD

Keith

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:35 pm

Sweet bike. Love that paint scheme!

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:40 am

Very nice, Jonathan.
This level of restoration suits me as well. The bike looks and performs better and you get to ride it anywhere and anytime.

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:43 am

Really a beautiful job Jonathan beerchug

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 11:24 am

Nice work. You got a bargain there. Enjoy.

ian

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

Thanks for the positive comments everyone, much appreciated.
I guess I'm probably about 2 grand in all together, maybe slightly over, which I hope would be it's approximate value. Some of the bikes on eBay at ridiculous prices don't reflect real value in my opinion. That f2d at £3599 at the moment being case in point.
Couple of quick queries.....
Can the mirrors be adjusted easily? Looking at the honda line fitting manual on this site I get the impression they have to come off, have I misread that? Seems a bit over the top.
I get a bit of a 'buzz' through about 3500rpm, funnily enough the same on my fz. Is that a model feature? It may come from the exhaust area? It's not bad but I'm sure wouldn't have been there when new.
Thanks

Hawk Joined: Aug 17, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Devon. UK

Hi Jonathan.

Nice job you've done there.
Glad to see you managed well with the carb strip and rebuild.
I take it you decided against the idea of leaving the fairing off then?

The mirrors operate just the same as old car mirrors, there's a ball joint under the rubber boot, so you just need to grab the mirror head and move it to the desired position. You can also fold them flat against the fairing if needs be.

The vibration you describe is a feature or these engines, yours has the rubber mounts and links which was Honda's attempt to reduce it, it wasn't entirely successful though.

I would say it would be worth checking all the engine mounts have been assembled properly and are tight. And it would also be worth checking all the exhaust mounts, especially where the collector boxes bolt to the sump.

Cheers Stu

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

Hi Stu
Good point there, my sump bolts are not even in! When I offered up the exhaust the holes were so far out of line I decided they were 'optional', perhaps not then. The exhausts are currently attached at the collets and the rear footrest bolts. There wasn't any movement available when they were tight, perhaps I'd better have another look.
My mirrors appear rigid so perhaps a bit more pressure?
I'm still keen on creating the fd option but it's still a case of collecting the parts, mirrors being of course the difficult one. I'll get it done one day.....
Hope the 1100 rebuild is starting to progress.
All the best
Jonathan

Hawk Joined: Aug 17, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Devon. UK

Jonathan.

The exhaust can be a bit of a bugger to fit properly, the best way is to lose fit it to start with, that means every clamp and fitting lose, then jiggle it around until you can get the sump bolts in, and then go around and tighten it all up in stages. The sump bolts are there because of the rubber mounted engine. On your FZ there aren't any as the engine is solid mounted, and any slight movement would be such that the rear footrest rubber mounts would give a little. On the F2D the engine can move a fair bit, relatively speaking, so by bolting the collectors to the sump it ensures the exhaust moves with the engine and you don't get stress fractures on the headers. The footrest exhaust mounts still give enough to allow for this extra movement.

The mirrors have a ball joint in the mirror housing that can be very stiff, if you move it up and down then it should start to shift a bit, then try for backwards and forwards movement once you've got it starting to move. If you remove the painted mirror shrouds and then peel back the rubber boot you'll see a screw on the underside, this holds the spring that controls the folding right back tension. But don't take it right out or loosen it off too much or you'll have to remove the mirror assembly and strip it right down to get it back together.

No progress on NTR at the moment, it's partially stripped and I've been collecting parts for it, but I'm concentrating on getting a lot of bits done on the Euro FD so it's good to ride this summer, and I'm moving soon so until I know I'm somewhere sensible with a decent garage I daren't strip NTR any further, I have to keep it as a rolling chassis for now.
But it did temporarily donate it's bodywork to the Euro for last season to improve its looks.

Cheers Stu

CB1100F Joined: Jun 18, 2006 Posts: 2527 Location: UK

Jonathan

I would also remove and and check and grease the front engine mounting torsion bars, if they get corroded up they can transmit a bit of vibration through the frame, i would also fit the 2 bolts into the sump as well, that will stop a bit of funny vibes, especially if the exhausts are touching the sump pan with the bolts missing

Keith

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

Thanks Keith I'll have a look at that. It may be a little while till I do either job as the fz needs new fork seals and a brake refurb on the front so that will prob take priority. I didn't use any of the cruzinimage parts in the carbs in the end. Everything I pulled apart looked ok and I just put it back, the exceptions being the bowl seals and the smaller o-rings.
Stu, you'll have to get a move on if you're going to get it done! I know you want immaculate rebuild standard so I guess that takes a lot longer. I'll get the exhaust off and try it again 'dry' keeping fingers crossed.
All the best
Jonathan

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

Ok, just popped down to the garage. Mirrors, great all done, just need a test ride to align exactly, thanks for the tip.
Exhaust: I reckon it's sitting about a quarter inch below the sump and is displaced sideways about half an inch. My question is what are the dangers of splitting an old, but good nick, system? Could I do more harm than good? There's very little corrosion on it but I don't want to screw things up.
Cheers Jonathan

Hawk Joined: Aug 17, 2013 Posts: 302 Location: Devon. UK

Hi Jonathan.

In your position, which I will be quite soon with an exhaust to fit, I would get hold of a set of 3 new exhaust gaskets, the 2 down pipes and the balance pipe. Loosen everything off, fit new gaskets, then mount the system very loosely, make sure the downpipes are properly located first and then line up the sump mountings and balance pipe. Once that's done, tighten it all up a bit at a time and all should be good.
I wouldn't think there's much chance of knackering the system even if it is old, I recently dismantled a very rotten original system for spares and it didn't fall apart despite the hammering I gave it.

Cheers Stu

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

Thanks Stu. Will give it a go. I'll report back but it may be a little while what with family, dog, other hobbies, other bikes. I don't know how we fit it all in! ....oh and work of course, gotta pay for it all.
cheers Jonathan

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:03 pm

From one of your photos looks like you are no stranger to CBs Jonathan. What's the other one you have?

Pete

Twinstar Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 95 Location: uk

It's an fz Pete. '79 model but reg in '80, 25,000 miles and in pretty good nick, not immaculate though. I need to do a front end strip as the fork seals are leaking and the rear brake failed completely last year so the front one can't be far behind. I'll take some snaps for here when I do it.
My first CB was a 900f2c which I had in '92/'93 till some scabs nicked it. I bought a 750fa with the insurance money but found it gutless by comparison. More recently I had a 900fa and the 1100fd that I sold to Stu(above). In the UK I have a z1000h and a GS1000s but I haven't told her indoors yet!
You're doing a great job with your rebuild, way beyond my abilities(or patience). I hope the last stages smooth out for you
All the best Jonathan

Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:59 pm

well done I say... I like the naked look as well Wink

Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:48 pm

Quite a stable there Jonathan - nice! Not only that but you've managed to keep it a secret from the wife!! I think mine is quite happy I've got a hobby that gets me out of the house and into the garage so she hasn't complained! Laughing

Cheers

Pete