Topic: CB900C

[70CB750]

The speedo stopped working few month ago, the counting worked, just not the speed.  I finally replaced it with one from 81 CB750, it is the same thing except fort air sensor missing but I don't need that.

Mileage was within few hundred, not that it matters, but after so many miles riding by the tachometer, I realized I was speeding most of the time.  She does not do 60 at 4000 rpms like the old 750 does.

[70CB750]

Right fork was leaking, time to fix that.  Circlips were rusted in, quite the challenge to get them out.    Also yanking the seals out with the fork tube is a pain in the ass.  Oh well, I am sure Honda meant well. 

Seems like brake pads need to be replaced too. 

[70CB750]

Quality time yesterday.  Forks cleaned up really well.  New seals, o-rings replaced, filled with ATF. Dust shields are not fully seated, still waiting for C-clips.*

I will have to tighten the top plugs with forks in and than index them to line up ports for the air hose.

* The USPS service is quite awfull these days and estimated delivery times are just a joke.  Christmas card took 37 days to travel from Manassas to Winchester - thats about 60 miles or so.  Our mailman leaves somebody else's mail in our mailbox once or twice a week and every so often we find our outgoing mail in the ditch, because he dropped it.

USPS is the dependable service we used for last election, I #$%* you not.

[70CB750]

Assembled the front, filled up tires, cleaned up brakes to have her ready when the snow melts.

Yeah, right!

Both tubeless valve stems, front and back, cracked at the rim.  Message understood, time  to replace tires.

[Alan F.]

It'll be a good rider this season with all this work done, I hope you're able to get out riding as much as you'd like.

I just picked up tires for my 750K8 project, I figured it'd light a small fire under me to get moving before they get too old to use. I picked up Shinko 230 19 front 17 rear and I'll lace up some 750A/GL1000 alloy hoops. These were the best deal I'd seen in a while, $127 shipped. Now I just need spokes, tubes, rim strips, wheel bearings....ouch.

[70CB750]

It never ends

But I expect her to feel better, when I drained the old ATF, it was maybe half a cup from both forks together.   

[70CB750]

I changed handlebars and installed windshield.  Handlebars made amazing difference, since I am no longer forced to ride in gyno chair position, the seat is quite bearable.  I took round trip to Richmond, totaling 260 miles and it was a blast.   She can keep 80+ mph all day long with good mileage and not even braking a sweat.  The windshield is from Dorothy, it works but it is too short.  I can do it in Shoei helmet, but modular helmet is too noisy due to air stream redirected up.    I will eventually invest in better windshield.

The new handlebar puts the MC in awkward position - and the right mirror too.   I bent a spare mirror to 90 degrees to fix that, it looks weird but it works.

[Alan F.]

Those are pretty low. On my CM400C I used "Daytona" bars which are just a little higher than superbike bars, they worked ok but after a few hours the seat foam would flatten, same style stock stepped seat.

Glad to hear you're liking the change, positive change is good!

[Kelly E]

You need a master cylinder from an F bike or a V4 Sabre, they are not tilted for the buckhorn bars.

[70CB750]

You need a master cylinder from an F bike or a V4 Sabre, they are not tilted for the buckhorn bars.

Taking notes, thank you. 

[70CB750]

Added hard cases.  Now I need to make frames for Red.  The plan is to have cases interchangable between bikes without any adjustments. 

Cases are HF Apache, cca $60 for one, locks are from Caribou luggage system - universal key and the lock bolt turns 90 degrees and retracts 1/2".

I still need to add brace between those two franes and also paint.

[Alan F.]

That's a nice mounting solution.

[70CB750]

I added Garmin Zumo, practically doubling or tripling the value of the old girl. 

[grcamna2]

Prokop,will you use the 900 for your sidecar ?

[70CB750]

Prokop,will you use the 900 for your sidecar ?

Not planning to.  The 900 sits too low and I would have to change the hack wheel and rebuild the suspension, too.

She is poor man's Gold Wing, with hard cases all she needs is a better windshield - this one came from Dorothy and it´s too short. The power and mileage makes it a nice long haul bike. 

[grcamna2]

Prokop,will you use the 900 for your sidecar ?

Not planning to.  The 900 sits too low and I would have to change the hack wheel and rebuild the suspension, too.

She is poor man's Gold Wing, with hard cases all she needs is a better windshield - this one came from Dorothy and it´s too short. The power and mileage makes it a nice long haul bike.

Long distance touring machine,it will certainly do that.
Have you taken it on a long ride yet,how did you like it ?

[70CB750]

Last year I went to see my son in PA. He is 200 miles. On the way back I visited a friend and tried to stop at MoMo's - he wasnt home.  The leg home was over 300 miles.

The big difference was replacing handle bars, it changed my sitting position and made the seat bearable.  I still need to get one without the hump to be able to sit further back. 

[70CB750]

Last month I bought Plexistar 2 to put on this bike.  I ride year around and windshield makes a big difference. 

Anyway.  First problem. Drag handlebars do not work with the windshield so I got on ebay european handlebars.  Even the european turned out to be too low, they would work with the windshield but clutch and brake lever were too close to it.  Out comes handlebar from Dorothy, it fits ok but there is some rust and stuck puck from handlebar mirror.  Brutal force gets the puck out and spray paint covers the rust.

Second problem. Right switch screws are just spinning, can't get the dumb thing off.  Brutal force takes care of it and $140 gets new, aftermarket switches shipped to me.

I have switches, handlebars, windshield all ready to go this morning.  You would think it will be smooth sailing now, eh?  Wrong.  All connected, checking lights and there is no horn, no right turn signal and the engine does not turn over.  Luckily I have to get some paid work done and I step away before I start tearing everything apart.  I get back to the bike in the evening:

- no starting turns out to be engine in second gear, this bike has the safety module.
- no right signal is easily fixed by moving around the three blue wires coming out from the left hand switch, seems like the pairing is different than the original.
- horn is the hardest. For whatever reason the manufacturer decided to bring the lead to horn from the switch (light green) outside of the 12-or-so-pins plug.  Hard to understand why, since there are empty spaces in the plug and the original had the horn in the plug, too.  A bicycle spoke, ground flat on one side helps me get the horn pin and wire from the old plug/switch, I add a Honda bullet connector to the other end and shove the improvised pigtail in the new plug.  Now she honks as loud as ever.   

I will wait for the rain to stop - thanks Ian - take her for a spin and if everything works I am going to, finally, install the Plexistar 2.

[ekpent]

I think about every SOHC  750 and a 550 that I have bought that had a Vetter fairing on it seemed to always have had a pair of handlebar set backs mounted up also to clear everything. Might have been an option for you.

[70CB750]

I think about every SOHC  750 and a 550 that I have bought that had a Vetter fairing on it seemed to always have had a pair of handlebar set backs mounted up also to clear everything. Might have been an option for you.

Original handlebars for the Custom are way too far back.  I ditched them for better sitting position.

[70CB750]

She is done. Now for new seat. 

[Alan F.]

Looks good, which bars did you settle on?

[grcamna2]

Prokop,can that 2-speed driveshaft be shifted to either High or Low range while the bike is rolling ?

[70CB750]

Looks good, which bars did you settle on?

From Dorothy - the K0. 

[70CB750]

Prokop,can that 2-speed driveshaft be shifted to either High or Low range while the bike is rolling ?

Yes, it is possible.  I keep it in high most of the time for mileage.  I have to look down everytime I shift since I don't do it very often.

The Hi/Low shifter is great for catching shoe laces, btw  .  On my summer riding boots I started doing double hitch because of that.