Topic: New CBX pics: Back into the vintage Honda game...

[Syscrush]

I am thinking of making a set of trees for myself, probably 210 or 215 mm for 41 mm fork.
 Better 5 mm wider than too narrow.

Agreed.  He said that when making triples he usually goes 5mm wider just to have more room to play with, but I was hoping to still use the SuperBrace, so we decided to give it a shot at stock width even though we knew it would be tight.

Are any of your calipers,  split down the middle?
 Am thinking,  you could mill 2 mm of the mounting face, and trim 2 mm off the pistons maybe?

Thanks for the suggestion.  We talked about that, but decided against it because it means complications for living with & servicing the calipers.

[Syscrush]

Put a fork brace on it, biggest improvement you can make to those early 80's Hondas.

Well, I put a fork brace on it, but it was the smallest of the many improvements I had done:


Pro-Link forks with AK-20 cartridge internals in custom triples.  Rake has been decreased by 1-1.5° and trail has been decreased by ~10-15 mm.  Steering is much quicker but still feels stable up to at least 80 mph.


GSX-R1000 rotors and Brembo 4-piston 65 mm axial calipers.  Rotor adapters are anodized gold for a pretty good match with the wheels, and the caliper adapters are powder coated black for a perfect match with the fork lowers.


Spacers were also powder coated.  Those stickers have to come off the fork.


I'm not generally sold on the idea of a SuperBrace, but I felt like it's more likely to help than to hurt given that the forks split compression & rebound duties which will result in imbalanced forces in the two forks.  If I had a big 25mm hollow axle like on USD forks I wouldn't worry about it, but as it is I think the SuperBrace makes sense, and it looks fine on the bike.


New electronic gauges, including a clock to replace the factory voltmeter.  The single LED nestled between the tach & speedo is a voltmeter.
http://www.signaldynamics.com/heads-up-voltage-monitor/


LSL FatBar Superbike bend handlebars in KTM Duke 690 handlebar risers work well with the KTM GPS mount.


Oil cooler detail.  Fitting it required giving up a bit of steering lock, but I feel like the tradeoff is worth it.  I'm very pleased with how the finished product looks on there with the black A/N fittings.


Chain guard is cut from 1/8" wall thickness square aluminum tubing. I wanted the substantial look of the guard and its mounts to go with the beefy swingarm.  This idea was straight-up stolen from FunJimmy here.


I'm still testing the bike on short rides since so much has changed and almost all of it is directly related to safety.  But here are my impressions so far:

The steering is so much quicker at 25-35 mph that I was a bit concerned that it might be somehow unstable at highway speeds. Yesterday I braved some pretty cold weather to do a few quick bursts up to 80 mph and it feels perfectly fine. I feel like the updated geometry and drastically improved suspension are working together as they should. The chicken strips visible in the above pics show that I'm pretty conservative on the street, but I can attest that hitting rough pavement when leaned over on highway on/off ramps and hitting the gas or brakes has gone from a harrowing near-death experience to a non-event.

I still have the instinct/impulse to unweight the seat whenever I see a bump or pothole coming, but the reality is that it just is not necessary anymore. My knees are thanking me already. I think that the front and rear ends will work a bit better together if I add a click or two of rebound in the front and take out a click or two of compression in the rear.


The brake pads are of unknown provenance and are definitely not bedded in to the rotors - I do intend to put some EBC HH pads on there, I have had them on every bike I've owned and have always been pleased with them. So far all I can say is that the lever effort is a bit higher than I expected, but it's rock-solid and the brakes have plenty of power and modulation. The proper cartridge fork internals also mean that I have much less dive on the brakes than I used to. There are some improvements to be made still, but overall I feel like everything is working together as it should.

[FunJimmy]

Wow! When you do it, you do it right. The rotor adapters and caliper brackets seam up perfectly. Absolute moto porn. You're in for a great summer.

[Syscrush]

Wow! When you do it, you do it right.

Thanks FJ.  That means an awful lot considering the source.


Every other bike I've had, I made compromises.  Even buying an SV650 was kind of a compromise when what I really wanted was a Ducati SportClassic.  Of course, I did come to love that bike as I made it more and more my own and had some adventures on it.  But from the start, the mantra for this bike has been: Do it right, do it once.  I'm very pleased with the looks, but even more pleased with the performance so far.  My goal is to have one of the best handling & stopping CBX's anywhere while retaining the vintage look as much as possible.  Even someone who knows the CB1100F gold boomerang wheels well enough to know what they are would have to take a second look to see what's going on with the oversized rotors.  Once the AK-20 stickers are off the forks, the only clue that anything is up is the compression & rebound adjusters on the fork caps.

My initial plan was to upgrade to 17" wheels and USD forks, but I became so fond of the look of the boomerang wheels that I couldn't make myself change them.  And I didn't think that USDs would look right with the old boomies - and radial calipers wouldn't fit with those wheels.  On top of all that, 17" wheels and almost any USD fork choice would result in decreased ride height which means big issues with cornering clearance when the motor is so wide.

There are other CBXs out there with more powerful front brake setups (specifically, Randakk's supercharged CBX with 330 mm rotors and 6-piston AP calipers http://www.randakksblog.com/cbx-farkles/), but I would expect mine to brake better in real-world conditions due to the much improved damping of the AK-20 internals.  Keep in mind that AK-20 internals are generally considered an improvement over high-spec OEM superbike components - the better damping should mean that the front wheel can maintain traction better when braking hard over a variety of surfaces.


Of course, I wouldn't be hurt or disappointed if other high-spec CBX bikes outperformed mine - it is #1 in the world at being exactly the bike that I want!    I do think that for the total package of handling, cornering, braking, and ride quality, it is probably a top 100 CBX.

If I had the resources, I'd do another with a custom frame, forged magnesium or carbon 17" wheels, gas-charged Superbike forks, and billet radial calipers.  But I don't have the resources for that AND a house, and the house is (and will remain) a higher priority. 

[754]

It looks great, nice work.
 So if the slit and bolts clamping fork tube on lower tree were front facing, would you have had better clearance?... Just thinking, if it were to get done for another bike..

[Syscrush]

It looks great, nice work.
 So if the slit and bolts clamping fork tube on lower tree were front facing, would you have had better clearance?... Just thinking, if it were to get done for another bike..

It stands to reason that they would.  I haven't looked at what exactly is the limiting factor for steering lock / clearance - the machinist added adjustable steering stops and set them so that nothing hits.  I'll have a look at it tonight and follow up.

[FunJimmy]

But from the start, the mantra for this bike has been: Do it right, do it once.  I'm very pleased with the looks, but even more pleased with the performance so far.  My goal is to have one of the best handling & stopping CBX's anywhere while retaining the vintage look as much as possible.  Even someone who knows the CB1100F gold boomerang wheels well enough to know what they are would have to take a second look to see what's going on with the oversized rotors.  Once the AK-20 stickers are off the forks, the only clue that anything is up is the compression & rebound adjusters on the fork caps.

My initial plan was to upgrade to 17" wheels and USD forks, but I became so fond of the look of the boomerang wheels that I couldn't make myself change them.  And I didn't think that USDs would look right with the old boomies - and radial calipers wouldn't fit with those wheels.  On top of all that, 17" wheels and almost any USD fork choice would result in decreased ride height which means big issues with cornering clearance when the motor is so wide.

There are other CBXs out there with more powerful front brake setups (specifically, Randakk's supercharged CBX with 330 mm rotors and 6-piston AP calipers http://www.randakksblog.com/cbx-farkles/), but I would expect mine to brake better in real-world conditions due to the much improved damping of the AK-20 internals.  Keep in mind that AK-20 internals are generally considered an improvement over high-spec OEM superbike components - the better damping should mean that the front wheel can maintain traction better when braking hard over a variety of surfaces.


Of course, I wouldn't be hurt or disappointed if other high-spec CBX bikes outperformed mine - it is #1 in the world at being exactly the bike that I want!    I do think that for the total package of handling, cornering, braking, and ride quality, it is probably a top 100 CBX.

If I had the resources, I'd do another with a custom frame, forged magnesium or carbon 17" wheels, gas-charged Superbike forks, and billet radial calipers.  But I don't have the resources for that AND a house, and the house is (and will remain) a higher priority. 

I think you and I have very similar views on the subject. There are many ways to make an old classic look and behave more like a modern motorcycle and very few ways to make a classic look like a classic while spanking a modern machine. Your choice to stay with (internally upgraded) conventional forks and the gold boomerang wheels is the perfect choice. Keep the CBX looking like a CBX and ride it like a CBR RR. That's what's so awesome about it.

[Retro Rocket]

But from the start, the mantra for this bike has been: Do it right, do it once.  I'm very pleased with the looks, but even more pleased with the performance so far.  My goal is to have one of the best handling & stopping CBX's anywhere while retaining the vintage look as much as possible.  Even someone who knows the CB1100F gold boomerang wheels well enough to know what they are would have to take a second look to see what's going on with the oversized rotors.  Once the AK-20 stickers are off the forks, the only clue that anything is up is the compression & rebound adjusters on the fork caps.

My initial plan was to upgrade to 17" wheels and USD forks, but I became so fond of the look of the boomerang wheels that I couldn't make myself change them.  And I didn't think that USDs would look right with the old boomies - and radial calipers wouldn't fit with those wheels.  On top of all that, 17" wheels and almost any USD fork choice would result in decreased ride height which means big issues with cornering clearance when the motor is so wide.

There are other CBXs out there with more powerful front brake setups (specifically, Randakk's supercharged CBX with 330 mm rotors and 6-piston AP calipers http://www.randakksblog.com/cbx-farkles/), but I would expect mine to brake better in real-world conditions due to the much improved damping of the AK-20 internals.  Keep in mind that AK-20 internals are generally considered an improvement over high-spec OEM superbike components - the better damping should mean that the front wheel can maintain traction better when braking hard over a variety of surfaces.


Of course, I wouldn't be hurt or disappointed if other high-spec CBX bikes outperformed mine - it is #1 in the world at being exactly the bike that I want!    I do think that for the total package of handling, cornering, braking, and ride quality, it is probably a top 100 CBX.

If I had the resources, I'd do another with a custom frame, forged magnesium or carbon 17" wheels, gas-charged Superbike forks, and billet radial calipers.  But I don't have the resources for that AND a house, and the house is (and will remain) a higher priority. 

I think you and I have very similar views on the subject. There are many ways to make an old classic look and behave more like a modern motorcycle and very few ways to make a classic look like a classic while spanking a modern machine. Your choice to stay with (internally upgraded) conventional forks and the gold boomerang wheels is the perfect choice. Keep the CBX looking like a CBX and ride it like a CBR RR. That's what's so awesome about it.

Actually Jim, my brother has a 2014 CBR1000rr, good luck riding it like that...  {Around 180 HP and 170KG..}

Syscrush, the CBX looks great, love the mods, very well thought out 

[Syscrush]

Actually Jim, my brother has a 2014 CBR1000rr, good luck riding it like that...  {Around 180 HP and 170KG..}

I ride my CBX about the same as I'd ride a CBR1000RR - the difference is that on the CBX I'm using 100% of the acceleration and 30% of the braking but on the RR I'd be using 30% of the acceleration and 25% of the braking.

Syscrush, the CBX looks great, love the mods, very well thought out 

Thanks very much!

[Retro Rocket]

Actually Jim, my brother has a 2014 CBR1000rr, good luck riding it like that...  {Around 180 HP and 170KG..}

I ride my CBX about the same as I'd ride a CBR1000RR - the difference is that on the CBX I'm using 100% of the acceleration and 30% of the braking but on the RR I'd be using 30% of the acceleration and 25% of the braking.

That sounds about right...

[Syscrush]

Wow! When you do it, you do it right. The rotor adapters and caliper brackets seam up perfectly. Absolute moto porn.

If you liked those pics, you should love seeing it after a quick wash:

310mm GSX-R1000 rotors on anodized adapters, Brembo 4-piston radial calipers on powdercoated adapters, 39mm forks with AK-20 full cartridge internals adjustable for compression & rebound.



Knockoff FunJimmy chainguard cut from 1/8" wall rectangular aluminum stock, plus fancy chain & SuperSprox sprocket.



LSL Superbike bend 1-1/8" bars in KTM Duke 690 risers on a custom triple clamp topped by a KTM-supplied GPS mount.



YSS 4-way adjustable shocks custom sprung and valved.

[Retro Rocket]

Beautiful bike and nice shots, those boomerang comstars really make the bike...I just got a set myself...

[jaguar]

That is one good looking bike!

[Syscrush]

those boomerang comstars really make the bike...I just got a set myself...

They came with the bike - I bought it basically because of those wheels (and a few other factors), but even so I planned to upgrade to 17" wheels and modern radials at the time of purchase.  But after living with them for a year and seeing what they look like in the sun when they're clean, I decided that they have to stay.

The end result is that the bike is basically built around those wheels - modern USD forks and radial brakes wouldn't look or fit right with those wheels, so I went with RSUs with AK-20 internals and axial-mount Brembos.  A lot of other stuff kind of flowed from there, including details of the brakes, triples, geometry changes, shocks, etc. etc.

[FunJimmy]

Syscrush,

The CBX looks fantastic. Have you had it out much yet?
Curious to read a performance review once you get the suspension fully dialed.
Pictures of your knee sliders, please. 

[Syscrush]

The CBX looks fantastic. Have you had it out much yet?

No.  My wife and I became parents 5 weeks ago - it was a miracle that I found time to go out and clean it!  Thank god for mom & baby yoga.

I am hoping to get out for a 300-400 km ride some time in the next few weeks, but to be honest as much as I miss getting out and riding - at this point by the time my work day (or week) is done I'm pretty intent on being home with my boy & his mom.

I hardly rode it last year because there was still work pending, plus we were in the process of buying then moving into then renovating a house, plus I was using all of my ride time on the bicycle to get into shape for a Toronto-Montreal cycling trip (which was awesome).  At this point, I think that my total investment vs. return on this bike works out to about $4/km, not including gas and insurance.  I would really like to push that to more like $0.50/km but that's gonna take years of persistent enjoyment. 

Curious to read a performance review once you get the suspension fully dialed.

Even without being all sorted out, the bike is 100x better than it was before.  It's more comfortable and better controlled, and with the geometry changes it's much more responsive.  I want to add a bit of compression to the front and remove some at the back, and take out a bit of rear preload, too.  I think that'll get me from 90% (where I am now) to 98%.  I'm getting so fond of this thing that I am pretty sure I'll keep it long enough to get it from 98% to 100% dialed in eventually.

I expect that it rides and behaves very much like your bike overall - both have high-quality cartridge forks (mine have slightly higher-spec damping, yours are less prone to flex), and upgraded brakes (you have a much higher-spec caliper and a lighter bike, I have 8 pistons instead of 4).  I think our tires are similar (Avon bias ply tires in early 80's sizes).  I changed my rake & trail numbers to be very similar to the stock #'s for a CB550, but you increased trail to be similar to stock for a CBX.  I expect that with my bike's more aggressive geometry and your bike's drastically lower weight, turn-in on both bikes is probably similar.

Pictures of your knee sliders, please. 

Haha, I gave 'em away to someone who will actually put some wear on 'em. 

On the track, I might get a knee down now and then.  On the street, it never has happened and never will.  It is amazing how easy it is to hustle this bus of a bike around now, though.  I wish I could get the Bostrom brothers to ride it and give feedback like on Cafe Racer TV!

[Syscrush]

And while we're showing stuff off...

Meet Beauregard aka Beau.  5 weeks old today and already showing an appreciation for the finer things in life:

[Bankerdanny]

Mazel Tov. He is beautiful.

[Retro Rocket]

And while we're showing stuff off...

Meet Beauregard aka Beau.  5 weeks old today and already showing an appreciation for the finer things in life:

Congrats...Proud Dad...

[Trevor from Warragul]

My eldest kid (James) is 21.  His first ride on my twin-shock CBX was inside his mother...
Congratulations!

[Retro Rocket]

My eldest kid (James) is 21.  His first ride on my twin-shock CBX was inside his mother...
Congratulations!

It must have been fun getting her to swallow the bike...