Meet Perry, my 1979 CBX

[daves79x]

If you re-read Aris' recent post about volt meter fixes - you will see that comparing the stock volt meter as it is factory-wired to any measurements at the battery (whether with a volt meter or monitoring light), is not an accurate comparison. And there is nothing inherently wrong or lacking with the stock charging system if all components are kept properly serviced. Modern replacements are clearly more trick-looking and high-tech, but sometimes are the solution to a non-existent problem.

Dave

[EMS]

Dave has a very good point. There are many CBX owners who rely on the stock alternator and it serves them well. They do maintain it meticulously, though, check brushes and clean the collector regularly.

Personally, I am concerned running a large amount of accessories (i.e.: electric users) on any of my bikes. (additional) Running lights, GPS, radios, heated garments and gloves have become standard equipment and even on modern touring bikes, like BMWs for example, the alternators are not able to keep up.

[NobleHops]

The Suzuki VStrom I have has a weakish charging system, and the PO did some common things to remedy it including installing a toggle switch to disable one headlight and removing one taillight bulb (!). I just installed a set of HID hi/lo bulbs in it and that has dropped the consumption by about 50 watts while greatly improving the quantity and quality of light. Not an option for our old-school headlamps on the CBX, but for modern bikes that are electrically challenged as this one is, it was a great dual benefit.

N,

[Kool_Biker]

I believe there is a continuing revolution to vehicle lighting, with more and more ultra efficient but also powerful LEDs gradually replacing each and every 'conventional' bulb on them.
Indeed, I read somewhere the new 1200 GS (liquid cooled) has an (expensive) option for LED headlight(s)!

If you follow manufacturers announcements and various industry leaders in the internet, you will see how this is evolving with increased momentum. A good place to surf for the latest available to mortals is http://www.superbrightleds.com. You will be pleasantly surprised.

And this is very good news for us , especially those romantic supporters of the original puny CBX alternator (me).

Personally, I have already successfully replaced the two rear lights with LED equivalents with very good results. See viewtopic.php?f=21&t=7437
I have also replaced three of the dash idiot lights (neutral, oil P, main beam) with little LED bulbs (pic below). Not so happy with these yet, they seem too bright.

P1000538.jpg

My next step is to identify and replace the 5 bulbs lighting the 3 dash instruments, which amazingly enough together consume a whopping ~17W (5 X 3.5W) for doing absolutely nothing during my riding which is 99.99% day riding, with lights on. As these bulbs are quite short, and reach inside the instruments quite limited, I have yet to locate suitable LED equivalents but I know sooner or later this will happen.

And of course every little helps, and my alternator nowadays feels measurably happier.

Aris

[Syscrush]

The Suzuki VStrom I have has a weakish charging system, and the PO did some common things to remedy it including installing a toggle switch to disable one headlight and removing one taillight bulb (!). I just installed a set of HID hi/lo bulbs in it and that has dropped the consumption by about 50 watts while greatly improving the quantity and quality of light. Not an option for our old-school headlamps on the CBX, but for modern bikes that are electrically challenged as this one is, it was a great dual benefit.

I had that same crap charging system on my SV, and I strongly advise you to do what I did:

1) Get a good FET R/R to replace the stock SCR timebomb.
2) Wire it straight to the battery via 10ga wires (using a suitable fuse, like 30A).
3) Fit the SD LED voltmeter linked above for peace of mind.

There is a ton of info on doing this mod here.

After upgrading the R/R on my SV, I rode around for a week with a DMM wired to the battery so I could keep a very close eye on the charging performance. It made 14.2V at idle, and then stayed at 14.4V from ~2500 RPM to redline. My wife's Monster 620 has the same kind of crap SCR R/R and I have picked up a good FET type to replace it before the start of the next riding season.

[Syscrush]

To get a day this beautiful in Toronto in March is awesome. To get it on a Saturday is even better. To get it on the Saturday when you're picking up a bike you've wanted for 25 years and you're riding it for the first time is straight-up ridiculous!

The bike has some issues still to resolve - carbs need to be tuned, and the turn signals cut out on me mid-ride. Also needs new mirrors & a mount for the GPS.

Overall, though, it's working well and I'm very happy with it.

Also, after one ride I am slightly amending the name: Perry will now more formally be known as Perry the Banshee. Perry or PTB for short. :)

[bikeymikey748]

Phil, sometimes, when you've thought about something for such a long time, the reality of actually living with it can be a disappointment. So glad that doesn't seem to have happened in your case.
Small 'niggles' to correct? Not a bother,and honestly you could have predicted those, right ? My first few rides were more of a 'shake-down' than a pleasure cruise. In the end though....a Happy Bunny you'll be.
Oh and, you being able to get out for a ride on a day like yesterday? I hate you! I only managed my inaugural wash and post-wash front-stoop coffee ( and I had to hose/chip the damned ice off the driveway so I could wheel the 'X' around without fear of dropping it, without even having gone for a ride. Ya, that would suck to have to recount that tale ).

[daves79x]

"carbs need to be tuned" can be translated into the biggest single reason guys can't fully enjoy just how nice these bikes run. Usually this means a total rebuild. Be prepared for this as there are no 'quick fixes' for underperforming carbs. If you can describe the problems you are having - we can steer you to the solution. But you have all the rest - a beautiful bike!

Dave

[Syscrush]

"carbs need to be tuned" can be translated into the biggest single reason guys can't fully enjoy just how nice these bikes run. Usually this means a total rebuild. Be prepared for this as there are no 'quick fixes' for underperforming carbs. If you can describe the problems you are having - we can steer you to the solution. But you have all the rest - a beautiful bike!

Carbs were completely rebuilt in Jan by a guy named Paul Nelson, who is supposedly something of a CBX carb expert, but have not been tuned at all since going back on the bike.

I haven't ridden it enough yet to have a comprehensive/analytical list of issues & behavior. I put a tank of fresh 91 octane ethanol-free gas in it and want to run that through the bike to make sure that bad/stale gas is not causing any of the issues. As noted in my other thread (thanks for your pointers there), I'm going to replace the airbox lid as well before trying to get the carbs sorted. Next step after that will probably be to put it on a dyno with a sniffer to eliminate guesswork & subjective impressions.

[Syscrush]

Honda mirrors have arrived. Should look great on the bike - I like how the shape and size echos the turn signals. I shopped around for different styles and decided that nothing would look better than the stockers.



Before:


After (The other side is waiting on a helicoil - but I couldn't wait to fit this one and snap some pics):

[EMS]

I like the stock mirrors too, Phil. I think the main reason people change to others is, that the stock mirrors seem to have a stem a tad too long in combination with the low "sport-kit" handlebars.

[Syscrush]

When I started looking for something to replace the ones installed by the PO, I started out thinking that the world is my oyster - it's so easy to change mirrors, almost anything works. I must have looked at close to 500 different designs BEFORE checking out the stockers and realizing that was the way I wanted to go. :)

[Syscrush]

Went out for a nice ride today - about 200 miles or so. Looking forward to getting out for some longer rides!

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Hey, i have been to that fountain in Barrie.
Phil, glad to hear you are finally getting to enjoy your hot rod.

[Syscrush]

The week before last, I cleaned the bike up and rode around looking for some interesting places to take some glamor shots:




I think I've officially decided that I'm not gonna replace these wheels. After seeing them so bright and shiny in the sun a few times, I've become very fond of them. They look really right on the bike and the RoadRider tires work just fine for how I ride on the street.






I wish I had thought to flip up the sidestand and had lined everything up better so the bike doesn't appear to be missing the left rear turn signal...


Then last week I (finally) had a mount for my GPS fabbed up and I hit the road with my cousin for a little Toronto-Montreal trip via the beautiful backroads around Peterborough-Calabogie/Ottawa. One day to get there, an excessive & exuberant night out, and then a semi-cold and very wet ride home just pounding out miles on the superslab (first time in hours of rain far from home since I picked up the bike).


Here we are in Montreal, Team Honda enjoying our last few moments of not being soaking wet. :) Each of these bikes, when new, represented the pinnacle of Honda's engineering. My cousin has had that 1999 VFR800 for just over 11 years now, and he swears he's never going to let it go. He seems to love it more every year, and to be honest I think I do too. That's the last generation before the ugly undertail exhaust and (IMO) inappropriate V-TEC, and the new 1200 seems to be a replacement for the ST1300 rather than a successor to the mighty Interceptor. I have a hard time right now imagining Honda ever making a bike as awesome as the 5th gen VFR800 again, but I really hope I'm wrong.


Things I learned from this trip:
1. The suspension as currently set up is a bit better than I thought/feared it would be, but it is still absolutely awful. I plan to have it all replaced over the winter, so on one hand I don't want to spend anything on fixing/tuning the current config, but on the other hand the combination of harshness (front and rear) and bottoming out (rear) makes it dangerous unless ridden with great care and foresight.

2. The ergos are a bit too punishing - my knees suck and I think I'm going to have to lower the pegs an inch or so. I hate to lose the cornering clearance but if I'm honest with myself, I can accept that I was never gonna use that last inch on the street anyhow. Also, I'll gain some back when I get the suspension sorted and have consistently better sag #'s.

3. Despite being more than 100 pounds heavier than I think a bike should be, it is really fun to ride. I'll never be one of those people who say "once it's moving the weight disappears" - I suspect that those people have never ridden something like a Ducati Monster or a KTM Duke. When I go back and forth between the CBX and my wife's Monster it's like a whole different world. When she still had her CBR125R, it was like a different dimension. :) Still, it's gratifying and fun to try to hustle it around a bit, and it's pretty decent on the highway.

4. I can not park this thing in any lot anywhere without someone coming up to me and saying how nice it is, how they always wanted one, how their brother in law had one, how they had a CB750 back in the day, asking me if carb work is expensive, etc. etc. etc. It is without fail a dude in his 40's-60's with a bit of a gut. I have no expectations of it ever being a cutie-pie in her 20's, but my god that would be a refreshing change! I have to admit, though, that it's gratifying to roll into the Ducati dealership and have guys with $25k bikes snapping pics of my old beast.

5. My carbs still need some work in order to be dialed in. They are good but not great, and I would like it if they'd be great. My main concern is part-throttle driveability under 4k, but I sure wouldn't mind an improvement in mileage, too. This bike goes through a lot of gas, requires a stop every 200km, and the expensive ethanol-free gas means that this is the first bike I've had where my gasoline spending on a trip exceeds my beer spending!

6. The more I look at it, the more I like it. I also like the feeling of being connected to something really iconic and historical. It is gratifying to go out riding on something that people respond to so much and that I personally like so much. Once all of the wrinkles are ironed out, it's gonna be a very special machine.