To buy or not to buy (CB1) ... I need info
Colin Foss
anyone who has experience with these bikes.
The bike is in very good condition and only has 1800km (1100 miles) on it.
Does the bike have any annoying habits? What about its service record?
How does it compare with larger bikes (ie 600s)?
Any information would be appreciated.
Dan Simoes
>I have a chance to buy an 89 Honda CB1 (400), but I would like to hear from
>anyone who has experience with these bikes.
Well, well. I just happen to have here the unofficial CB1 FAQ.
If someone wants to keep this, please do.
It's fortunate for you I popped my head in this group today.
Reading the various crash accounts is enough to keep away my
longing for a bike for another month or so. :)
| Dan |
---
Great bike, I love mine. I haven't had any major trouble with it, and I'm
not aware of any common trouble points. The only thing I've had battles
with has been the cooling fan: it keeps blowing 10A fuses for some reason,
but putting in a 15A fuse 'fixes' the problem. I've not heard of any other
CB-1 owners having this problem though.
I'm not too sure what it should cost in the US. Here in Japan a used one
goes for about $2-3K, and I've seen new leftovers in US dealerships for
$2.5-3K. If the bike you're looking at is in decent shape, then the price
sounds reasonable.
It has a fair amount of power for a 400: it *feels* like it accelerates
about as hard as my 750. Handling and braking are good, but not
crotch-rocket class. The engine is smooth, and pulls decently strongly
from about 3K rpm even in 5th or 6th gear, but real power doesn't come in
until 8K or so. Shifting can be a bit notchy, especially when cold, but
this is true of every Honda I've ridden.
It is surprisingly good for day-long rides, but the bars do force you to
lean forward a good bit (not a problem for me at 185cm, but shorter people
might find it strainful). The stock seat is comfortable, and the pegs
don't tuck your legs up too much. It's fine around cities, but your wrists
might get a little sore after a couple of hours of stop-and-go traffic.
Twisty backroads stuff is where the bike is happiest: you'll soon learn why
they put peg-feelers on it :-).
The bike was not that popular in the US or even Japan, so parts can be a
little tricky to find, depending on what your dealer situation is like.
Working on it yourself is not too bad. Most things are out in the open and
easily accessible, the exception being the spark plugs: the outer ones can
be removed without a problem, but the two inner ones are impossible without
removing the gas-tank and airbox and fiddling around various bits of
plumbing.
My only quibbles:
-the front brakes could be stronger. I am still not sure whether this is
because of having only a single disk, or if my pads are glazed (although
filing them off didn't help any). OTOH, upgrading to a dual front disk is
apparently easy, given some parts from a Hawk GT or a CB400SF.
-front suspension is too soft and non-adjustable. I have bought some
heavier fork oil but have yet to get around to changing over.
Overall, I'd highly recommend the bike for anyone who wants a semi-sports
400. The obvious competitor (and winner, by most peoples' standards) is
the Suzuki Bandit, which has better brakes and a slightly more powerful
motor, but also generally costs more. If you have any more questions, feel
free to get in touch.
--John
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Crossley DoD #0167 | Here: 1989 Honda CB-1
cros...@trc.mew.mei.co.jp | There: 1980 Honda CB750K
Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. | "You're pretty crazy for a white guy."
Tokyo Research Center | --Anonymous friend on my Japanese
Data Networks Group | style motorcycle riding
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
what would you like to know?
it's not a common bike... it was only made in the us for 2 years.
the blue is as far as i know, the ONLY color it comes in...
the engine is bulletproof (liquid cooled), the stock tires are so-so, it is very friendly to add ons...
hmmm.. what else... very light, very quick, top end = about 120ish
decent gas mileage, tank a bit small... i dunno what else ya want to know...
write back and ask :)
seth
--
From: "christopher,r." <394...@FCMR.FORESTRY.CA>
Subject: CB1
To: "dans" <da...@ans.net>
Status: RO
I saw your post on rec.motos regarding the CB1. I bought one in '91. It was
an '89 model but still new in the box. The local Honda dealer had a few left
over. They told me that they were originally selling them for $6500 CAN. I
bought mine for $3250. They only color they had was blue but I have been told
that they were also available in red.
Performance wise, its not a bad bike for a 400cc. It redlines at about 13500rpm
and has a fairly even powerband. My top speed so far is 175km/hr or about 105
mph with luggage. At that speed I was about 5-600 rpms off the redline. The
bike handles quite well, but the front suspension is a little soft for my
liking. The transmission is a little clunky and did take some getting used to.
The gastank is a bit too small. It looks huge on the bike but its
mostly a cover for the airbox.
The bike is basically a 4 cyl. 400cc version of the Honda Hawk GT650.
The only difference being the size and type of engine and the fact that the
Hawk has a single swingarm. In my opinion, its a pretty cool looking bike.
I do get a lot of looks and questions when I'm riding around town.
They didn't sell very many of them in this part of the country.
Unfortunately, the bike's uniqueness causes some problems. Finding parts for
the thing is a little bit of hell on earth. I lost part of the chain tensioner
on the left swingarm and had to wait over 6 weeks for a new one to be ordered.
I had to have one custom made in the meantime. I probably could have used a
part from on old hurricane since I did notice that the parts were very similar.
I'm sure you can interchange a lot of parts with the Hawk too. Seats, mirrors,
signal lights and so on. The dealer can't help you with this though. They say
that even if a part for the Hawk is identical to the one on the CB1, they will
have a different part number in the Honda database. They might even have a
different price! Speaking of price, count on paying a bit more for Honda
replacement parts than you would for any other bike. Some aftermarket parts
are available but these are few and far between. Again some Hawk parts might
work.
If I was in the market for another bike with the same budget, I would probably
buy it again.
If you have any specific questions e-mail me and I'll try toa answer them as
best I can
Rick
---
Ah, what a great bike.
I just bought a F2, and I'm fixing up my CB1 for my girlfriend to
ride.
I'm planning to keep the CB1 to maybe race with.
Pluses
Great handling, turn on a sixpence.
Cheap insurance.
Reasonably comfy riding position.
Great looks
Downsides:
no faring, not so good for touring.
can't think of any others
$1976 is a very good price.
I see them going for $2700 in the paper.
I paid $1550 for mine 2 years ago, but it had been *custom* painted
by the previous owner, crashed etc. Its in a fairly sorry state looks
wise, OKish mechanically.
tony
--
Tony Jones (a...@cray.com, ..!uunet!cray!ant)
CMCS Codegeneration Group
All comments expressed are my own, and NOT those of my employer.
---
Hi Dan,
Although I'm not an owner of a CB-1, I have taken one for a few rides (a
friend's bike). One particular ride stands out, because the road was
particularly twisty. We got about half way up Highway 9 (near the S.F.
Bay area), and switched bikes. I rode the CB-1 the rest of the way up,
and it was a blast! I've never owned a bike whose power band is as peaky
as that one; you've got to keep the revs up above 9K just to have any
reasonable power. Above 11K will actually get exciting; part of that is
due to the sound of the bike screaming (happily) along at high RPMs.
I think I liked the handling of the bike the most. It's really light and
nimble (compared to my ZX-7). Even though I probably pushed the suspension
a bit hard (not necessarily by riding; I'm 6'3", 195lb), the bike still
handled really well through the corners and over bumpy spots. It was a
little cramped in the leg area (for me), but otherwise was fantastic. A
really nice little bike; ran really well and never gave the owner any
problems.
Good luck with the search.
Bob Light (li...@sol1.gps.caltech.edu)
---
In my dealership, we have services several CB-1's, and I always go for a
zip if I have time. The engine has an intoxicating sound unlike any other
Honda, and the entire package has a crisp, sporting feel that I love. The bike
is a little underpowered by North American standards (ie. you feel lost droning
down 4 lane highways surrounded by Cadillacs and Lincolns) but more than makes
up for it on a nice road. The seating is a little cramped for me (I'm 6 foot 2,
170 lbs), but the sporty ergos would be perfect for a slightly shorter person.
In short, its a great bike if you like compact, high tech sport bikes, but may
not be for you if your idea of happiness is Gold Winging over the horizon. If I
could, I'd buy one for myself, but I would never be able to ride it since my
wife is so hot for them...
Go for it,
Wayne Bezner Kerr
---
Very nice bike, if it's in clean shape it's certainly worth $2000. I nearly
got one of them instead of the Hawk when I bought that, and kinda regretted
not getting it instead. They didn't sell well in the US and are now being
shipped to the UK and are selling like gangbusters.
Godfrey DiGiorgi - rama...@apple.com - DoD #0493 - Italian Fleet Operator
---
My Leslie has one and we love it. My comments include:
Suspension: I think it has progressive springs up front, since it
seems stiff enough for my 175 lbs. Rear is stock and
were it mine I'd buy a Fox shock, but Leslie is happy.
Currently running Dunlop Sportmax radials and they're
very good for street tires. Replaced the brake pads with
ferodo and then sbs and both work fine. Could use SS lines.
Power: Well, its a 400. If you don't want to tinker then the thing
is pretty good stock, although a bit lean. Ours has an Ontario
pipe, a Factory jet kit, and an ignition advancer. Jetting
is simple once you figure out that, unlike any other bike I've
ever tuned, the pilot jet needs to be increased one size.
Some idiot threw away the plastic air ducting from under the
tank and that makes it stumble in a cross wind. I'm going to
replace them as soon as I get off my ass.
>avoid some potential problems that might arise. The bike has 4000 miles
>on it and seems to be fairly well cared for. Thanks in advance for any help!
I think Leslie bought her's with aroung 4k, and now it has around
20k miles. Only things replaced are oil, tires, brakes and a chain.
Rich Sturges While death and taxes are inevitable, the continued
Falls Church, VA loss of our freedoms here in America is not. VOTE!!
--
Dan Simoes da...@ans.net
Associate Programmer (914) 789-5378
Advanced Network & Services Elmsford, NY
Andy Mutz
: In article <cfoss.9....@gov.nb.ca> cf...@gov.nb.ca (Colin Foss) writes:
: >I have a chance to buy an 89 Honda CB1 (400), but I would like to hear from
: >anyone who has experience with these bikes.
: Well, well. I just happen to have here the unofficial CB1 FAQ.
: If someone wants to keep this, please do.
: It's fortunate for you I popped my head in this group today.
: Reading the various crash accounts is enough to keep away my
: longing for a bike for another month or so. :)
: | Dan |
: ---
: Great bike, I love mine. I haven't had any major trouble with it, and I'm
: not aware of any common trouble points. The only thing I've had battles
: with has been the cooling fan: it keeps blowing 10A fuses for some reason,
: but putting in a 15A fuse 'fixes' the problem. I've not heard of any other
: CB-1 owners having this problem though.
Hmmm. I've got the same problem on my '86 VFR, having blown 2 10A fan fuses
in 2 weeks or so. Also put the 15A in as a stopgap (chuckle). I am going
to check out the current it draws and try to figure this out. Kind of
weird.
Andy.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Mutz mu...@hplabs.hp.com | Disclaimer under
Hewlett Packard Laboratories | construction. |
Palo Alto, California, USA. | |
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ka Lun Pang
Dan Simoes (da...@ans.net) wrote:
: In article <cfoss.9....@gov.nb.ca> cf...@gov.nb.ca (Colin Foss) writes:
: >I have a chance to buy an 89 Honda CB1 (400), but I would like to hear from
: >anyone who has experience with these bikes.
: Well, well. I just happen to have here the unofficial CB1 FAQ.
[...]
: Working on it yourself is not too bad. Most things are out in the open and
: easily accessible, the exception being the spark plugs: the outer ones can
: be removed without a problem, but the two inner ones are impossible without
: removing the gas-tank and airbox and fiddling around various bits of
: plumbing.
No, you shouldn't have to remove the gas tank for the plugs. It's very
hard but not impossible. You need to stick the plug socket up thru the
rubber plate at the holes as mentioned in the manual. I remember my
first plugs check took me like an hour! I ain't no mechanic but I'm
getting a lot better now and now it takes ~15 mins. BTW, the plugs are
&*$^# expensive, clean and re-use them if you could. On the other
hand, try to adjust the throttle cables or replace the throtte pipe
requires removal of the gas tank and the WHOLE air box!
: -front suspension is too soft and non-adjustable. I have bought some
: heavier fork oil but have yet to get around to changing over.
It really pisses me off when everyone else says the bike handles so
well and dragging the pegs :-( I had been riding it for almost 1 year
with a set of screwed steering head bearings. (see below) And I use to
get wobbles when I cornered hard. After the replacement of _tapered
roller bearings_ , the bike handles a million times better at medium
speed cornering but yesterday I tried a 90 degree corner with higher
than usual speed (not a smart thing to do two days before the Spring
Fling) and BIG WOBBLE! No doubt that the road is a bit bumpy but I
never used the half-an-inch of tire at the edges, the bike should not
wobble. Anyway, I did not wipe out or put my feet down 'cuz I'm used
to it, just more gas :-) I must looked like the GP racers ;^)
So for you CB-1 peg-dragger, did you modify your front end with after
market spring and/or heavy fork oil? And for you "normal" CB-1 owners,
have you experience any wobble when cornering hard?
: Overall, I'd highly recommend the bike for anyone who wants a semi-sports
: 400. The obvious competitor (and winner, by most peoples' standards) is
: the Suzuki Bandit, which has better brakes and a slightly more powerful
: motor, but also generally costs more. If you have any more questions, feel
: free to get in touch.
The Bandit? Nah! It does not have the cam gears and clip-on handle
bars. It should be more comfortable tho.
: what would you like to know?
: it's not a common bike... it was only made in the us for 2 years.
: the blue is as far as i know, the ONLY color it comes in...
I have seen a red one. ('90)
: the engine is bulletproof (liquid cooled), the stock tires are
: so-so, it is very friendly to add ons...
Stock tires are shit :-) It stepped out on me making turns in the
city, hard on gas. Not that it wasn't fun tho ;^)
[...]
: bike handles quite well, but the front suspension is a little soft for my
: liking. The transmission is a little clunky and did take some getting used to.
After I learned how to shift without the clutch and now shift with a
little clutch (no need to pull the lever all the way), the
transmission never bothers me but when it is cold and try to shift
close to redline.
:I'm sure you can interchange a lot of parts with the Hawk too. Seats, mirrors,
: signal lights and so on. The dealer can't help you with this though. They say
:that even if a part for the Hawk is identical to the one on the CB1, they will
: have a different part number in the Honda database. They might even have a
: different price! Speaking of price, count on paying a bit more for Honda
: replacement parts than you would for any other bike. Some aftermarket parts
: are available but these are few and far between. Again some Hawk parts might
: work.
Your dealer was bullshitting you or they weren't trying hard
enough. True that slimy Honda uses different part numbers on different
models with identical parts. However, the dealer should have another
book to find out if they are actually the same ones. So they have
different prices, so what? Order the cheapest one! When I decided to
change the steering head bearings with after market roller bearings, I
twisted my dealers' :-) arm to get him to cross reference the part
number and found out it is the same as the bearings of the Hawk GT,
Hurricane and ST1100! You may want to get new dust seals tho. Also,
the bar end weight is the same as the Hurriacne.
: If I was in the market for another bike with the same budget, I would probably
: Although I'm not an owner of a CB-1, I have taken one for a few rides (a
: friend's bike). One particular ride stands out, because the road was
: particularly twisty. We got about half way up Highway 9 (near the S.F.
: Bay area), and switched bikes. I rode the CB-1 the rest of the way up,
: and it was a blast! I've never owned a bike whose power band is as peaky
: as that one; you've got to keep the revs up above 9K just to have any
: reasonable power. Above 11K will actually get exciting; part of that is
: due to the sound of the bike screaming (happily) along at high RPMs.
Peaky? I'm really surprised. I found it quite linear. Above 9K is ok,
the redline is at 13,500, you've got 4500 rpm to go :-)
: In my dealership, we have services several CB-1's, and I always go for a
[...]
:not be for you if your idea of happiness is Gold Winging over the horizon.If I
: could, I'd buy one for myself, but I would never be able to ride it since my
: wife is so hot for them...
: Go for it,
: Wayne Bezner Kerr
Hey, that sounds like the guy I know at Darotune! Is that you Wayne?
Sorry for not quoting all the original authurs.
--
K. L. Pang (a.k.a. Andy) - k...@doe.carleton.ca
One bike, one car; no money, no wonder.
Michael J. Cavotta
In a previous article, mu...@fc.hp.com (Andy Mutz) says:
>Dan Simoes (da...@ans.net) wrote:
>: In article <cfoss.9....@gov.nb.ca> cf...@gov.nb.ca (Colin Foss) writes:
>: >I have a chance to buy an 89 Honda CB1 (400), but I would like to hear from
>: >anyone who has experience with these bikes.
I test rode one new back in 1990. Didn't buy it though. But I did pick up
this shiny new CB1000 about a month ago. Splurge! Get the big CB...
--
Michael J. Cavotta "I shave my head because it looks cool......
mj...@po.cwru.edu Haven't you ever seen The Ten Commandments?"
`94 CB1000: Long Live the Fighting CB's! ______________________________________
Ken Denton (Supervisor)
>From: mj...@po.CWRU.Edu (Michael J. Cavotta)
>Subject: Re: To buy or not to buy (CB1) ... I need info
>Date: 10 Jun 1994 13:08:32 GMT
>In a previous article, mu...@fc.hp.com (Andy Mutz) says:
>>Dan Simoes (da...@ans.net) wrote:
>>: In article <cfoss.9....@gov.nb.ca> cf...@gov.nb.ca (Colin Foss) writes:
>>: >I have a chance to buy an 89 Honda CB1 (400), but I would like to hear from
>>: >anyone who has experience with these bikes.
You can check out the following magazine issues for info on the Honda CB-1:
Motorcyclist 4/89, 8/89
Bike (UK) 1/94
Performance Bikes (UK) 1/94
SuperBike (UK) 10/93