Anyone ever done business with Classic Motorcycles Supplies

[SS]

Has anyone ever done business with "Classic Motorcycle Supplies" they are based in the Netherlands?

They are a European Honda parts supplier, and they offer the NOS speedometer that I've been looking for at a somewhat reasonable price (compared with ebay)

I'm really frustrated trying to find a 150 MPH/KPH new/NOS speedo.

I have purchased 2 used units and both were pieces of "Cr^p", and
the new/NOS units that are selling or have sold (on ebay) are beyond my "pain threshold".

Anyone that can give me a place to purchase one PLEASE let me know via email, or the board.

Thanks

[John S. (5594)]

Hi SS,

I have purchased a number of items from CMS and am pleased with each of the transactions. Their prices are fair but not the best - but they sometimes have CBX parts that I can't find using other suppliers.

And I too have an extra low-mileage but sun-faded '79 speedo and am starting to look around for a shop that will recondition it. I have read a few articles on the process but would like to find someone that can do a full restoration including a "re-dial". Perhaps someone here could offer a suggestion or two.

All the best,

John
San Jose, California

[SS]

John:

I spent several $'s and a bunch of phone calls & emails and wasn't able to locate anyone here (USA) or overseas, that would do a refurb. on "plastic gauges" . Even sent email to the OEM, but no response.

I had a fantasy that someone might re-calibrate and or re-face the later model speedo.

[John S. (5594)]

Hi again SS,

For the CBX speedometer repair/recalibration - have you checked with these folks?:

North Hollywood Speedometer

Contact: Hartmut Behrens
North Hollywood Speedometer
6111 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA. 91606

Ph. (818) 761-5136
Fax (818) 761- 4857

nhspeedo@thevine.net

I have read some favorable (but dated) posts on their repair work - not sure if they can re-dial and/or re-calibrate them though.

Unless I find a shop that does this work - I'll probably give it a whack myself (on one of my ratty ones). If a vintage Swiss mechanical watch can be re-dialed and serviced - you can bet a properly motivated and skilled individual can work magic with a CBX speedo. At least I fit the first criteria. Heck - I may even do the dial indicies in Luminova - glows in the dark don't you know :)

All the best from San Jose, California (where I plan to sneak in a ride before the "Honey-do's" this morning),

John

[SS]

N. Hollywood was my very first attempt, I can not tell you who I spoke with, but he explained that they couldn't do plastic gauges. I also ask for a referral, but no avail. I tried a fellow in the UK that has done some super work on Kaw's, but he politely told me he had all the work he could do for many years to come.
Let me know if you cross paths with anyone capable & willing.

[EMS]

CMS is good to deal with. Only drawback may be shipping cost. They use Federal Express to the U.S.
What is the fascination about new instruments? The reason new speedos on ebay are so expensive is that there are people out there who are willing to shell out $480.00 for a new speedo to put on an old bike that is worth maybe $4,000.-. What is wrong with this picture?
Why does it have to be a new speedo? Does the old one no longer work?Or is it just faded? Used, working (150mph) instruments are available for reasonable prices. Who will believe, that a CBX that is in decent but user and not museum condition has 50 miles on the clock. And as soon as you put 500 more miles on it, the value of the $500.00 piece has dropped to $150.00. Let me tell you this: As a serious bike collector, I am very vary of bikes with new instruments. Any new clock on anything other than an immaculate ground up restoration to original showroom condition is suspect and takes away from the value of the bike. The same goes for 150 mph instruments on anything other than a 1979 CBX.

[SS]

EMS

What is the fascination about new instruments? The reason new speedos on ebay are so expensive is that there are people out there who are willing to shell out $480.00 for a new speedo to put on an old bike that is worth maybe $4,000.-. What is wrong with this picture?
Why does it have to be a new speedo? Does the old one no longer work?Or is it just faded? Used, working (150mph) instruments are available for reasonable prices. Who will believe, that a CBX that is in decent but user and not museum condition has 50 miles on the clock. And as soon as you put 500 more miles on it, the value of the $500.00 piece has dropped to $150.00. Let me tell you this: As a serious bike collector, I am very vary of bikes with new instruments. Any new clock on anything other than an immaculate ground up restoration to original showroom condition is suspect and takes away from the value of the bike. The same goes for 150 mph instruments on anything other than a 1979 CBX.

I have already made two (frustrating )attempts to buy a good used piece, without success. Both were pieces of crap, one was faded and the other was broken in half then superglued back together. My 80MPH works just fine.

I'm sure you are a serious collector, but I am NOT a collector. I'm an enjoyer of life , my CBX is a very, very clean 6K 82, and if I ever decide to part with it , (it will have as many miles as I physically drive it). I mistakenly sold my 79 CBX in 1982, and have no intentions of selling this one.

I personally wouldn't try to sh!t a buyer by replacing a speedo for miles/$'s sake. (actually I resent your implication of that ). Also if you buy a bike w/o doing your home work (knowing 82 didn't have a 150mph speedo), shame on U.

I respect the owner of a bike with miles on it, IMHO they are my kind of people, they bought the bike to use and enjoy. You can't normally put lots of miles on a bike without enjoying or taking care of it

For those who collect, bless you, and someday I may purchase one of your beloved bikes @ some un-godly price.

If you expect me to own it and not enjoy it MY WAY, you are wrong, NOT me, I want to hit triple digits and know it, I want to hear the sound of 9K rpm's, and I like having people admire the fact I ride and enjoy something very few can own.

For the collector that used their bike a total of 42 mikes one sunny afternoon last year, think how much fun it would have been to travel thousands of miles on it.

Lastly, I want what I want, because I want it!!!!!!!!!!!

I appreciate your answer to my original question, but for your assumptions/lecture, "that many have some ulterior motive", your INCORRECT, does it happen? YES, Often,? NO.

[EMS]

Whew! Did I poke into a horness nest or what? SS: Nobody implied any dubious motives behind your search for a NOS speedo. Just the reason for the quest as such was the issue. Of course, you offer the typical teenager response: "I hit triple digits all the time and I want to know it." Let me ask again: Why? Do you want to be able to argue with the cop who writes you a ticket, whether you went 101 or 107 mph?
Where are you riding your CBX "all the time"? In Montana? On the Autobahn? Here is some advice: Enroll in a riding school that offers track time with really fast bikes and get it out of your system. I have the feeling that a vast majority of people out there are a lot of talk but very few know what it means to ride a motorcycle into triple digits for longer than 2 seconds.
And by the way: The fact that someone collects bikes, doesn't mean he doesn't ride them. Neither does it mean the bikes are all low mile museum pieces. Both my Xes have 20,000+ miles on them. Sure, if I want to go more than 300 miles a day on a bike, I use one that is more reliable, more practical and more fun to ride than any of the CBXes.

[sr71cbx]

-------Dang! This one sure got off on an interesting tangent!I use an AutoMeter 14,000 RPM tach on my turbo bike along with boost & oil pressure gages and that's it.My stock '79 speedo with 76,860 miles recorded on it was taken off 10 years ago and put up in a safe place for the time being.
EMS brought up a good point about vehicle speeds,if you want to do a c-note or better on your bike,best to do it on the racetrack.My turbo bike will clean up 100 mph just into 3rd gear no problem and I know what he means about the major differences between sustained hi-speed operation of a motorcycle and just touching that speed for an instant----big difference!!You better have a real good clue on what you're doing at that speed & above.SS also made a good point about collectible bikes,etc.--I feel also that they were meant to be driven & not parked in a museum.
Good discussion & opinions!!This is just my $.02 tossed in the fray.
Take care & ride safe,
-------Mark Miller#0938

[EMS]

Thanks Mark. :) I think, I owe you all an apology! Some of my comments may have been taken way to personal.
I joined the discussion, because a) I had quite some experience with CMS through different restoartion projects and b) more important - I am particularly upset with some of the price development for good used and NOS stuff caused by ebay.
My question about "why a NOS 150mph speedo" was more a general question and not necessarily directed to SS personally. His reaction, however, answered part of that question along the lines I suspected.
Everybody has the right to enjoy motorcycling and his/her motorcycle as he/she sees fit. But we have to admit, that the interest in the CBX in its 4 model variations is to a great extend the uniqueness and the collectibility of the bike not so much performance and handling (anymore). Ergo, orginality of the equipment maybe important to a lot of us. Let me ask you, how many of you would consider a lime green paint on an otherwise stock 79 CBX a nice touch?? By the same token, a 150mph speedo on a 80/81/82 bike should be out of place. Am I alone with my opinion
As far as going fast: Mark got the drift here. The element that many people ignore is RESPONSIBILITY. I grew up in Germany, with a nice portion of freeways with no speed limit. I have a racing license and I am a MSF instructor. And it makes me sick, when I see how irresponsible many people use the speed capability of their vehicles. Don't get me wrong, I am not an "obey-the-speed-limit!"-preacher. I break the law too. But beleive me, our public roads in the U.S. are nowhere near a shape and condition to allow triple digit speeds on a motorcycle for any extended period of time.
Maybe this explains MY motivations behind my posts. If they got too close for anybodies comfort, I am sorry!

[chevok]

I had to replace a speedo on a friend's 82 CBX because her cable snapped and pegged the needle so hard it broke off. I did replace it with a used 150mph version (I documented with pics the mileage at exchange and still have the original in a box just in case someone asks). The only reason I used a 150 instead of an 80 is that there are some great backroads around South Texas that are remote and perfect for a little aggressive playing and she wanted to know just how fast we were actually running on the X's. We normally don't hit triple digits but when your out in the boonies scraping the pegs, the adrenaline starts pumping and things sometimes get carried away. We've become accustomed to seeing the needle bouncing around at the limit and it's nice to know just how fast you're running so things can be kept in check.

[SS]

Hi Chevok:

Welcome!

I also lived in Texas for 14 years, in fact bought my 1st. CBX (1979 model) in Houston, TX. We rode to Galveston, the first day I owned the bike.

As for having some great roads to "strech your legs on" (get your adrenaline level maxed out) Texas has many.

Where in South Texas are you?

Where do you ride to Corpus, Browsville, McAllan?

[Jeff Ellmore]

Well guys; I have on occasion done the dirty deed. In fact I have gone fast enough to break my speedo last year. I had no choice but to buy a new 150 last year as Honda was out of stock on the 82 speedo. I was told that pegging that bugger will cause it to fail.

PS Mark;
Where would someone find a race track with a 3-5 mile straightaway?

Death Valley Bro! NO COPS!!!
:)


Ha Ha

Jeff

[sr71cbx]

Hey Jeff,
Panamint Valley Rd. fills the bill...........now,if they'd just resurface it all the way.......gorgeous ride just the same!!
Take care & ride safe,
------Mark Miller#0938

[Tom Neimeyer]

Jeff,
They got two at Bonneville. :twisted: