CB-1... Use and abuse? or fix and keep?

[SpannerMonkey]

So I'm now a proud owner of a Honda CB-1, only paid 460 quid for it, but she's not in the greatest condition...
Frame has been repainted with underlying rust (Not severe, but still there)
Exhaust mount on the frame has snapped but exhaust is secure with other 2 mounting points.
Fuel tank is weeping slightly at the seam
Engine is sounding tappety too and is shim adjustment so that needs sorting.
Idle is slightly uneven and lumpy so carbs need sorting

Thing is, these bikes are becoming pretty rare from what I can see... and I'm unsure what to do. I'd hate to be partly responsible for there being no CB-1's left, but at the same time cash flow is an issue...

So I put it to you guys... Would you ride it into the ground, doing everythin you can to keep it legal until it just wont live anymore?
Or would you slowly fix it up and try to make a good useable possibly "Soon to be" classic?

I'm really torn on this =/
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My bike? A YX140 powered one-off Monkey Bike, something a little different!

[stinkwheel]

Balance the carbs and see if the noise settles down.

You'll need to do something about the fuel tank before the next MOT.

In my oppinion, they are nothing spectacular. A Universal Japanese Motorcycle. A well put together one but still nothing earth shattering.

I'd keep it serviceable and ride the thing, it'll just turn into a money vortex otherwise. If you want to spend time, effort and money doing something up, find something either rare or unusual.

They undoubtedly will become a "classic" but I for one will be laughing at people sat there at shows with one concourse polished when they do. In a similar way to people doing it with superdreams and BSA bantams. It would be like restoring an old Nissan Bluebird to concourse condition. They were good cars but only from the point of view of getting you to and from wherever you were going.

There aren't many of them over here but they are like flies around shit in Japan. Mate of mine went to Tokyo and said there are entire shops that sell nothing but tarty bolt-on bits for CB1s, she came back with a set of patent leather CB1 badged handlebar muffs.

They had a very limited release in the UK, most of the ones you see are Japanese grey imports (like your one, kph speedo). People import a container load every so often.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[neatbik]

If it were me, i would fix everything that needs fixing.
But i'm able to do the work myself, so it would cost a lot less than farming it out to a bike shop.

If you dont want it, i might be interested.

[SpannerMonkey]

[Nexus Icon]

As I've always really liked these for their non-pretentious good looks I have to say make it nice and treat it well.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[stinkwheel]

I thought you bought it for transport? You're going to land up with it in bits all over your garage and your mum will be pissed off at having forked out for some of it then still having to run you about the place.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Teflon-Mike]

Going by your track record.....
Neglect, abuse destroy....
Love Cherish, heartache, deceased.....
I don't think your 'intentions' will make that much difference!
Que cera cera!
A FEW things I think you ought to contemplate are your long 'fun runs'... so far its been one of your 'adventures' that has seen previouse bikes demises.
Maintenence, and getting on top of routine servicing; oil changes, engine, AND fork oil... greasing and lubing bearings, rear suspension, head race etc. Simply get 'on top' of all that, and keep ahead of it, but use opportunity, like when you have rear suspension linkage apart to 'touch up' where you can bits that are a bit flakey, like swing arm.
But main thing, get religiouse in your diligence to oil and fluid checks and control adjustments BEFORE you ride the damn thing.....
And get a BIT less enthusiastic with it when you do.....
THIS one shouldn't NEED to be thrashed full throttle for long periods to get anywhere.... BUT its still not got HUGE reserves... it only has little 100cc cylinders remember..... traeat it with a BIT of sympathy..... its no spring chicken, and it may LIKE to rev to 13K but you don't HAVE to take it there EVERY gear change..... kind of thing....
Enjoy, but dont take it for granted, learn its foibles and limitations, but dont abuse what it has got... and see how it goes.....
Keep on top of routine maintenence, and it will become routine, and doing a 'bit' here and there to 'improve' its standard, over time, it will get to a place where it can become a keeper....
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Slacker24seve...]

[SpannerMonkey]

Mike, I like that about you, you're painfully honest =P


I have a cycle with bikes that repeats itself...

1. Purchase
2. "OMG! THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!"
3. Spot a small job that needs doing "NOOO! MY BIKE IS RUINED AND NEEDS AN OVERHAUL!"
4. Seek advice from bcf...
5. Dont listen to aforementioned advice
6. Fuck it up.
7. Fix it.
8. "YAY! I'M SO PROUD!"
9. Bike develops serious fault
10. "OMG THIS BIKE IS SO UNREALIABLE!"
11. Sell.
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My bike? A YX140 powered one-off Monkey Bike, something a little different!

[P.]

Please, for the love of god, service it, keep it running.

Its a good bike, people would kill to have a CB-1... especially the guy sleeping on my floor

[hazza]

As has been said, they aren't anything special, but i do have a soft spot for them. I think they have one of the meanest looking engines out there. If it were me id do what im doing now, riding the thing whilst restoring it. sacrifice a couple of weekends in the garage with a tin of hammerite and get the alloy polished up, it will look miles better for it. Remember, Elbow grease is free.
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[Davo]

Hmmn, I was going to be lugging my CB-1 off to the scrapyard this weekend, but think I may be tempted to "restore" it back to good condition.

[Vincent]

The mistake was probably buying it in the condition it's in in the first place. The tank will be your biggest headache as there's not many good ones around. I would snap Davos arm off if I was you. And Davo, if he doesn't have it, I can use it to replace a dented one I have

You could have bought my sons CB-1 for £500 - a bit rough on the edges but no major faults.

Once any problems are sorted out, I've found them to be very reliable bikes, very well put together and great fun to ride.

[SpannerMonkey]

Here's how the engine sounds at the moment... from cold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ze8cOrFcv0
EDIT: According to a LOT of people, I'm hearing things and that sounds completely fine... I guess I'm just not used to multi-cylinder bikes
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My bike? A YX140 powered one-off Monkey Bike, something a little different!

[P.]

It sounds like you can clearly hear the cam noise?

All bikes, atleast older ones...run like bags of spanners until they are warm.

Take Nemo's XJ600, K reg... bag of spanners, fires really bad and revs fluctuate... but after being on for about 5 minutes and riding it around, its as smooth as my bike.

[sickpup]

CB-1's are rare as rocking horse shit these days contrary to what people seem to think. They were never officially imported to the UK, the nearest was Germany.

They only made them for two years and made two different models side by side. There is the US version where the pillion footrest hangers are part of the frame and the rest of the world version where they are separate bolt on parts.

The noise you can hear is worn cam gears, tends to happen on bikes that haven't been looked after very well but will probably last forever or at least 20k any way.

I've never quite understood why but people seem to confuse CB-1's with CB400's even though they are completely different bikes, the CB-1 being superior in many ways. The most obvious difference is the engine on the CB-1 is downdraught.

US version.

https://www.cb-1.com/frames/cb1.jpg

Rest of world.

https://www.dvmoto.ru/images/honda_img/27.02.2007/cb-1/cb-1(2).jpg

CB400

https://www.mcnews.com.au/Testing/Honda/2009_CB400/CB400_Blue_RHS_800p.jpg

[hazza]

I've always thought the cb400 'superfour' was one of the best looking bikes made.
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[SpannerMonkey]

So, Sickpup... what would you say? Fixer-upper? or run into ground?
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My bike? A YX140 powered one-off Monkey Bike, something a little different!

[sickpup]

[Johnser]

Why not go through a complete service and run it as a scruffy but mechanically sound bike. The tank might set you back a bit but general service items are cheap and procedures simple. then just stick to regular service intervals and I bet it will last ok with negligible depreciation until you want to sell it. waxoyl on rusty spots will help slow rust.

Just jumping on and riding; never check/changing oil e.t.c is asking a bit much, it might be ok for a honda cub, or your lawnmower, but this is a different animal.

[Chriss]

[stinkwheel]

[SpannerMonkey]