CBX Racing

CBXs, new bikes, old bikes, cars, trucks, general chat, off topic, this is the place to post it.
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Syscrush
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

SpeedHut has a variety of tachs at lower price than the Scitsu, but once you factor in the time and expense of shipping from the US, you probably wouldn't be ahead. FWIW I'm happy with mine, but it was never subjected to race use:

Here are the models that display up to 10k and 12k.
Phil in Toronto
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Thanks Phil.
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

As I'm getting ready to head off to the Island Classic, I discover a stripped engine hangar bolt on the CBX. This must have been a legacy of our crash last January a its on the left and side. It may have affected the bikes handling at the subsequent mtg at Broadford where I was experimenting with the front fork position. In any event,

I can't use the bike for the coaching session next week as planned. That kind of defeats the purpose as I was hoping to improve my technique for hanging off to help overcome a lack of ground clearance. Does anything ever go to plan with a CBX?

I'm told that to helicoil it will require pulling the entire bike apart to put the fame in a jig. Roly reckons its a common problem wth CBX's. Has anybody else on the forum experienced the problem and have any tips on fixing it without dismantling the whole dam bike?
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by NobleHops »

Rick, which one is it? A longer bolt with a nut to clamp it is a possibility...
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

I think I would still need to drill it out tho' Nils. I can't recall whether the thread is blanked off at the back? I think it is, so would need to drill it thru'. We'll try the helicoil first.

It was an incident packed 2019 Island Classic. The field was down by more than 50% and there was no need for marquees this year. Is it the economy... Chump's trade war with China?

I was spectating on T11 when Beau Beaton on the Irving Vincent and Jason Pridmore spectacularly crashed just past me going into T12 (the fast final banked corner leading onto the straight) while they were contesting the lead in the second round of the International Challenge. I had photographed them on the previous lap (pic attached with Beaton on the very fast, very trick Daytona Twins winning Irving Vincent in the black helmet) but was too absorbed by the crash itself to think of the camera. Here is another pic showing the skid marks. Ignore the riders and note the black tyre mark and white scratches.

Thinking about it, one of them high sided (It was Pridmore apparently) and was flicked into the infield where a huge dust cloud erupted with the Irving Vincent shooting straight up out of it at least 3-4 metres like a rocket into the air, then spinning end to end, crashing down and then back up again a few times, disintegrating as it went. Pridmore hit Beaton and he came down very hard too, with Pridmore apparently sustaining a broken leg but Beaton was out for the count. I'm told he has spinal injuries as well as concussion. Both were helicoptered out by air ambulance.

Australia won the team cup followed by the north Americans led by Josh Hayes, Pridmore and Larry Pegram and New Zealand financed this year by wealthy DJ Carl Cox who imported a swag of British BSB champions including John Reynolds, bumping some of the genuine Kiwi riders like my mate Mark Lithgow. Its all getting a bit surreal with those guys getting dispensation to run 1985 GSXR's while the Poms had '84 Harris framed FJ1200's none of which qualify under our rules that cut out at 1982.

I scored some NC30 fork seals while there so now I have to fit them in readiness for Friday. I also caught up with many people so it was another great meeting with packed fields and close racing even if numbers were down.
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Here is the crash autograph... Note the black tyre mark running into the infield and the white scars where one of the bikes slid across the track.
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Unfortunately, the thread that is stripped is the front left hand side hangar and there is a frame bracing tube behind it so that the idea of drilling the hangar thru' to the other side and putting in a longer bolt with a nut will not work.
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by jnnngs »

Warwick Biggs wrote:Unfortunately, the thread that is stripped is the front left hand side hangar and there is a frame bracing tube behind it so that the idea of drilling the hangar thru' to the other side and putting in a longer bolt with a nut will not work.
R.
Hi,

I've helcoiled that thread without any problems - those threads seem prone to stripping for some reason. I did it with the engine in situ - didn't seem to be a problem.

Paul.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Yes Paul, Roly says the same thing. They are only 10mm bolts and have to be torqued up over 70 ft lbs. With a triangular bolt pattern and motor hinging from the back all the nuts should probably be loosened and then tightened evenly so as not to place undue strain on the hangar threads but if you are in a hurry its tempting just to undo the front hangars.

I would really like a CrMo frame but evidently I missed my opportunity to score a Martin b4 Georges retired.
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by jnnngs »

Warwick Biggs wrote:They are only 10mm bolts and have to be torqued up over 70 ft lbs.
R.
Hi,

JUst to clarify my earlier comment - I helicoiled the mounting points with the engine in situ (while supporting the engine from underneath) - didn't seem to be a problem, and the brackets all lined up OK.

If you do torque them to 70 ft lbs, you will have a problem - they are supposed to be 29!
frame torque.PNG
Paul.
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

That is interesting Paul and yes, you are correct. The Honda workshop manual lists the torque values for the engine hangar nut on page 1-4 under "chassis" as 65-72ft llbs but this is not the 10mm engine hangar bolt. No wonder I stripped it! Thanks for the clarification. Not the first time I've found the manual confusing.
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Here is a link to the film 'Pipe Dreams 6' by Kain Baigent made about Roly Skate's Beast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY7FAIU ... ture=share

Anybody who is interested in the racing history of the CBX or the realities of CBX ownership should watch this film as it has interviews with some of the great riders like Mick Cole who took the CBX to its first production victories. Unfortunately, Baigent didn't interview Graeme Crosby who was a very colourful early racer of the CBX and who features earlier in this blog. And of course you get to meet Roly and Karen, Trevor, Sir Al and some of the others who have all had a taste of the CBX bug. It was made just prior to my bike arriving onto the grid but has only just been released to You Tube. Enjoy.

Over the weekend we managed to get both the CBX and the NC30 to the track for a coaching session with young pro racers Levi Day (Ducati Tri Nations winner) and Dave Johnson (Norton works rider and now Honda Britain works rider). Levi was the last rider to ride the Beast and he was just as keen to see my 6 there as I was to get it there. But typically, it refused to take part, expiring as we left pit lane with a big back fire through the carbies. A bit like having a cracker go off just beneath your gonads and an exact repeat of the last outing it had at Mac Park. Same place and malady exactermont! Weird, because in between it ran without any trouble at the Broadford Seniors. It obviously just doesn't like Mac Park or being taken for granted. I could say more but would be accused of sexism again!

Altho' we got the damn thing going again after drying the plugs it was still missing badly (probably gummed up jets from the additives in modern unleaded fuel that does not work at all well in CR carbies) and dangerous to ride so I parked it and jumped on the 400.

My main purpose was to improve my riding technique to maximise ground clearance on the CBX. Coming from a background of racing pukka GP bikes in the 70's my inclination is not to move around too much as it tends to unsettle the bike at high speed. However, on a big road bike based racer like the CBX it is necessary "to hang off like a monkey" to quote Roly. Anyhow, we went around with both Levi and Davo observing and coming up with suggestions like 'you've got to hang off more'. Yes, well that's why I'm here and I am trying.

Then Dave pointed out that when I sat up and put my knee out at the end of the straight to tip into the right hander I actually moved my whole body to the left! That was a very interesting observation because on a 60's or 70's GP bike running on triangular tyres you don't need to use anywhere near as much effort to turn the bike. It can usually be accomplished by a slight lean on the inside clip on whereas Dave was saying modern bikes on slicks with round profiles should be steered with pressure from the upper inside thigh on the tank and with weight on the foot rests - a technique that involves a radical amount of rider body movement. And to do this smoothly without upsetting the bike and whilst counteracting major G forces whilst braking and changing gears requires considerable skill and dexterity, not to mention physical fitness.

If you are riding on the bars you can change your line easily if you have to but if you are throwing your weight across the bike your tip in point must be precise or you will miss the apex and run wide on the exit with potentially catastrophic results.

So after being told that I was doing it all wrong Dave finished up by saying, ' but its not all bad because your still fast'. That more or less made my day coming from one of the fastest young riders on the world circuit. But then he spoilt it all by saying, I rode like his dad. Of course, the 400 is a great little bike and doesn't lose a huge amount to the modern superbikes in spite of at least a 100hp deficit. Having all the apexes marked with witches hats also helped enormously because all the new track work has erased the tyre marks and other little markers I used to use. I could even see them over the bridge of my glasses that irritatingly tend to slip down my nose with the sweat.

As usual the CBX attracted a lot of attention amongst all the rather boring (but oh so reliable and easy to ride) modern roadsters but again let me down. Maybe I should ignore the rules and try running methanol?
R.

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Re: CBX Racing

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Levi explaining that the way I ride the bars risks arm pump.
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Warwick Biggs »

Move your bum, Rick!
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Re: CBX Racing

Post by Syscrush »

This is for sure one of my favorite threads on any forum on any topic. Thanks for the repeated updates from the trenches, Rick.

That documentary about the Beast & Beastess is very interesting. I feel like something is really upside down if you're in a situation where someone like the head of a major SBK organization is saying that they want the vintage as a support series, and they need that CBX on the grid, but the person in a position to put that CBX on the grid is scrambling for money to make that happen.
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