Author Topic: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.  (Read 5863 times)

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Markcb750

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Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« on: September 30, 2012, 12:37:44 PM »
Took ten months due to not having spare time to devote to it.

Bought from a guy in the Middletown NY area, had been under his rear deck for ten years. He took it to a dealer, spent a couple hundreds dollars, then told it would be $1500 more to get it running. so he sold it for $300!

I have less that $2000 total including enough paint to do three more bikes.

Rode it about 40 miles this morning, it is smooth, fast and rides like a K7 or K8 SOHC. 

Hoping nothing serious shows up in the next 10 days as I want to ride it to the Vintage Festival at Barber on the 11th.



« Last Edit: September 30, 2012, 12:39:15 PM by Markcb750 »

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2012, 05:03:56 PM »
nice...I want one.  You going to put the stripe kit back on there?
If it works good, it looks good...

Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2012, 05:16:15 PM »
nice...I want one.  You going to put the stripe kit back on there?

I am still thinking about it, A guy in Great Britain makes a really nice OEM match, about $175.  I kind of like this look.  Polling of my friends is running 1 for the OEM, 3 for a version of this with smaller pinstripes.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2012, 05:20:53 PM by Markcb750 »

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2012, 06:09:53 PM »
The stock stripes seemed to cover a bit too much paint to my eye.
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
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Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2012, 08:24:40 PM »
if I had a vote it would be for the stock stripes...but I still can dig the the look without, kind of a classy sleeper 8)
If it works good, it looks good...

Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2012, 05:56:50 PM »
No Major problem's so far! Barber is looking doable.

This weekend fine sand & buff the new paint per Nikkisixx's instructions.  Then I put on the decals and it is ready to ride to barber.  going with the above mentioned "stealth look for now. 

I drove a little under 200miles this week on one tank of gas.  Almost twice as far as on my 750!  Seems unbelievable a gallon more gas in the tank but it must be getting substantially better millage.

Polished & Installed the case protection bars this week.  planned for them when I re-installed the motor by installing longer bolts in the motor mounts.  Much better than the PO's Micky Mouse attachment.

The mirrors never blur, nice.

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2012, 06:10:09 PM »
How fast?
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2012, 06:31:03 PM »
It will do 85 without a buzz.  Thing is fast & smooth.  As the Feds regulated all speedo's maxed at 85 in the 80's I do not know how much faster I have had it.  :o :D

Suspension is much better than the stock 750K6 I normally ride.  Travel over bumps is smooth and it will lean into a corner better than any bike I have owned.  The CG is low, evidenced by how much easier it is to lift off the side stand than the 750K6.


One of these days I am going to ride a CBR1000, must be like riding a rocket

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2012, 06:36:07 PM »
Do you mean the late 80s 1000 or the new one?
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
Honda MT250, CB400F, CB450K, CB550, GL500, CBR929
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2012, 06:56:52 PM »
Newer one about double the power of this 900F

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2012, 07:01:07 PM »
I have an '01 Fireblade and it's powerful, but I expected it to be. I put a lot more miles on the old bikes.
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
Honda MT250, CB400F, CB450K, CB550, GL500, CBR929
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2012, 07:29:58 PM »
I have an '01 Fireblade and it's powerful, but I expected it to be. I put a lot more miles on the old bikes.

I am sure you are right.  I put more miles on my 750 than I do on my Vulcan. But I think this 900 will be ridden the most

This is why I did not say own, just ride.   :) :)

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2012, 01:56:44 AM »
time to own that #$%*
If it works good, it looks good...

Offline dhall57

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2012, 02:23:11 AM »
Hey Mark. That CB900 is really a good looking bike! And for $300 what a deal. How many miles is on it? Did you buy it from the original owner? What all did you do to it? I know the 900 is a larger more powerful bike than your 750K6, but other than that how would you compare the two. Good points, bad points.
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2012, 03:50:36 AM »
Hi dhall

It had 22044 miles on it. I do not think the PO was the original owner although he owned it from the early 90's according to the title.

The machine had been to Moroney's in Newburgh NY several years ago.  The PO spent several hundred dollars getting it running after a long storage.  They wanted several hundred more to make it rideable.  From what I found I think it needed carb boots, a good carb rebuild and every brake component replaced or rebuilt  Caliper pistons where rusty & jammed tight.  He didn't want to spend that much on it, bought a manual and never did the work.  It just sat under his deck with a tarp over it for several years.   He brought it to Maverix motorsports in Middletown NY tried to get them to buy it.  They called my Cousin, who called me, I said hell yes, I've wanted one of them.

Deal was closed for the $300. I drove to NY on Thanksgiving weekend 2011 and brought it back.  Put a battery in it, the controls, lights, and starter worked.  Took out the plugs and checked compression; all between 155 & 160 psi!  I set out to just clean it up and make it a rider.

But... to repair the front turn signal I had to disassemble the  front end...that act lead to what you see in the photos.  10 months of weekends to accomplish the following,  ??? :D
 

[Thanks for allowing me a reason to brag about the following ::) :D]

Tear down to frame & Motor.

Clean 3 calipers and 2 master cylinders. paint all. New pistons & rebuild kits. new brake shoes

New wheel bearings & steering stem bearings.

Stripped & Painted frame, swing arm, stands, fork bottoms, rear fender  base clear.

Stripped & polished the motor case covers and the foot rest mounts.

Polished the rear brake & shift levers

Polished the valve cover

Cleaned, polished and repainted the Comstars and polished the sprocket hub. (three weekends of work there!)

Rebuilt the carburetors, installed new manifold boots.

Every nut, bolt, spring and bracket either nickle or zinc plated.  All brackets were coated with clear paint.

Painted the motor, stripped the fins with a sharpening stone & razor blade.  Same technique was used to restore the Comstar edges.

Had the rear sprocket and the front brake rotors nickel plated, then clear coated. (made an error there, should have stripped the plating from the front rotors but let the plater convince me his hardening process would hold up...)

Hand finished the rear rotor with a belt sander and orbital sander.  replaced two stripped mounting studs.  [McMaster-Carr came thru again with M10 x M8 stud inserts to replace the drilled out studs]

Cleaned & painted the airbox, inner rear fender,  and fuse holder.

Polished the swing arm bolt, and cleaned the swing arm bearing of old grease.

Installed metal valves and had a set of Michelin pilots installed & balanced on the Comstars.   

Cleaned the PO's lubricant from the speedo & tach cables.  Applied a dab of heavy grease on the engagement tips, when I reinstalled.  Also packed the tach connection bore on the motor with heavy grease to keep it from weeping oil.

Cleaned out the tank with Draino & CLR over a weekend.

I spent the last 6 weekends reassembling replacing any screws that where not plated with SS socket heads including all but one on the motor case covers..need to get a 80mm M6 SSSHCS,

two weeks ago under Nikkisixx's tutelage I sanded and painted the body parts, including stripping the tank to bare metal & epoxy priming it.



Keeps me from drinking too much beer.

After 200miles I like the result.  I can really tell Honda learned from & improved the 750.  The 900F was Cycle World's Best Handling Motorcycle of 1982.  From my limited experience I can see why.


Ha, never let me start a f'n story!

Front Comstar and disk brake work.  I think I need to paint the HONDA on the calipers.  :o :)





« Last Edit: October 06, 2012, 03:53:39 AM by Markcb750 »

Offline dhall57

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2012, 05:01:23 AM »
You've been busy and it shows, great work. Sounds like you've got a good set up with your cousin, he calls you when he finds a bike. How much of a bird dog $$ fee do you have to pay him ;D I know this new ride is nice, but do me a favor and don't forget about your old reliable CB750K6. ;)
1970 CB750KO
1971 CB500KO-project bike
1973 CB350G- project bike
1974 CB750K4-project bike
1974 CB750K4
1976 CB750K6
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1997 Harley Wideglide

Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2012, 02:36:43 PM »
My cousin does not charge I we have been friend since we were 5!  hard to believe I know.  ??? :D

the K6 is going to be brought back to pristine and used to just show off.

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #17 on: October 06, 2012, 02:48:53 PM »
One thing to check is to put a dial indicator on the side of the rim and turn the wheel slowly to check the out of true. Comstars tend to go out of true because they have so many components that are all held together by the hub bolts. As an added bonus the bolts have ovate heads to prevent anyone taking the wheels apart.The good news is that if they are out of true(likely) they are easy to straighten. Once trued, just (carefully) grind the old bolts off one at a time and replace withe same size metrics. I had to do this on both of my 750Fs.
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
Honda MT250, CB400F, CB450K, CB550, GL500, CBR929
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #18 on: October 06, 2012, 05:12:12 PM »
Put the emblems and decals on today after buffing the paint.


The Comstars where round within 0.7mm (0.030")  not bad for 30 YO rims. half the runout of my K6 rims 

The shop that installed the Michelins said the balanced well, each wheel has  (4) 1/4 oz stick-on weights. 

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #19 on: October 06, 2012, 05:31:12 PM »
My first one was 80 thou. Both of mine had been badly treated. I wish I would see more 900Fs around here; plenty of those unfortunate C models though. You've got a beauty!
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
Honda MT250, CB400F, CB450K, CB550, GL500, CBR929
Kawi GPz900, H1

Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #20 on: October 06, 2012, 06:24:13 PM »
I rode a two of the 900C models,  even chased all the way to Hershey PA for one that had 6K miles that the owner claimed to be in "excellent" running condition.  Turned out the guy was a bigoted, lying, jack ass.  The thing could not have run in 20 years, had been down on the pipes both sides. I had asked for higher resolution pics, he said he had broken his camera a few weeks ago.  I guess I should have known then eh?

He come down from 2500 to 1250...when he called Obama a F'n "N"  Muslim, I left.   

When I bought the Vulcan I lost interest in owning a C.

Offline Killer Canary

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2012, 06:38:49 PM »
Sounds like a nice open-minded dude ;)
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
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Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #22 on: October 06, 2012, 07:16:37 PM »
Keep an ear out for engine rattles Mark, the 900F had a real problem with engines self destructing. One of the problems they had was the two separate cam chains and cam chain adjusters, a lot of owners didn't realise that they had to adjust both chains, and the adjusters were known to be faulty as well.

Don't overtighten the tensioner lock bolt, it's easy to strip the thread, and it's an "engine out" job to fix it. Valve adjustment is really important too, I was lucky to find a "shim kit" on eBay when I had mine, my local bike shop was charging 8 bucks per shim, changeover!

Unlike their DOHC competitors, they only ran plain bearing cranks, so were really reliant on cool clean oil, (hence the factory oil coolers) or crank bearings wore rapidly affecting oil pressure to the engine's top end, causing cam bearing failure. Use good quality oil,and change it more frequently than the owners manual recommends.

They had some electrical gremlins as well, regulators/rectifiers failing, which lead to some components actually melting, so if you smell something like burning plastic under your seat, don't ignore it. The "FVQ" rear shocks were rubbish, an Oz bike magazine speculated that FVQ stood for "Fade very Quickly". 

The reason that there aren't that many around now is that most of them expired early in their lives, and the model run was only short as Honda thought then that the future of inline 4's was limited, (hence the introduction of the initially flawed VF range) so they weren't "evolved" over several years like the SOHC 750's were.

You compared yours to a K7 or K8 and you're close, they're more like an SOHC F2 or F3, if you have a good one and maintain it well, it's a joy, if not, it's a problem. I hope you got a good one! Cheers, Terry. ;D   
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Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #23 on: October 07, 2012, 03:23:58 AM »
Thanks Terry.

I did find an electrical problem withe the ground circuit to the motor.  When I tore it down I noted corrosion I would have attributed to electrical flow through poor connections at the rear motor mounting bolts. so as part part the restore I polished myself them had all the mounting hardware plated.  Wire brushed the cores of the rubber mounts. I then sprayed all with disk brake quiet which dries in place.

Yet when I brought the electrics up, the starter would just kick  & stop.  Meter showed a voltage drop from 12.6 to 2 volts.  I chased connections for a while.  Then I remembered the corrosion and the fact that I sprayed all the mounting hardware with a disc brake dry lube to keep them from corroding as badly as I found them.

I made up a 6ga cable and connected it from the negative wire tab on the frame to a clutch bracket attachment bolt.  Problem solved. 

PO had a new voltage regulator with the bike, it did not work, I put the old one back in. But I wondered if he had had electrical problems due to poor grounding to the motor across the rubber mounts. Perhaps he had just not gotten around to installing this new (defective) voltage regulator. Butthoonose?

Thanks for the advice on the cam chains, had not read anything about them being a problem  I'll keep an eye on them. 

I lucked out with the valve adjustments from the notes in the manual they had just checked and put two new shims in.  They still checked to spec. 

The chains/cams do make a different noise when I first start the bike, lasts for 5 to 10 secs.  I've been bothered by it but it quiets down (i have been assuming) when oil reached the head.  Maybe a little marvel mystery ::) ::) ;D oil.

« Last Edit: October 07, 2012, 03:25:37 AM by Markcb750 »

Markcb750

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Re: Rode my 1982 CB900F "under deck" find.
« Reply #24 on: October 09, 2012, 07:26:44 PM »
Last two nights I did a "quick" re-route of wires and cables to clean up where I did not get it right the first time. Around the headlight and to the hand controls.  This allows the headlight to go into it's shell much more easily.  ;D

It is ready to ride to Barber. 

See y'all there.

Interesting difference with my other two machines: when it reaches reserve it does not stop running, it just runs poorly.  Took me a few miles to understand this, and not worry I had something f'ed up in my work.  ??? ;D :)