The International CBX Owners Association

I too have 2 CI kits I would like to find optional rings for. I've jumped through all kind
of hoops trying to get total seal rings only to hit a brick wall. One possibility that came
to mind was going to the suppliers to the Japanese motorcycle industry.* I was rebuilding
a SOHC 750 for a customer and when I got the OEM rings for it I noticed there were two
different brands. One pair was Riken and I don't remember the other. I looked up Riken
and they are a Japanese co. that produces rings and still in existence. I haven't had a chance
to explore any further but it might be a possibility for a quality (good enough for Honda) source
for odd size rings. Someone like Riken just needs to be convinced there is a sustainable market
for replacements (if they don't already make them).

*like ART supplies pistons to all four major Japanese brand bikes.

Riken was/is a supplier to Honda.

NobleHops wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:34 pm Nobody I know has had any success in getting Cruzinimage to sell them rings. Piston and ring sets only, and any complaining about it has resulted in an outright ban. I hope that changes with you Mike.

Thanks for that, Nils.
I guess I just got lucky. Messaged Monday night, got a reply from Mitsuo Tuesday morning. Went like that for the next two days as we sorted out the shipping costs. I have to say that Mitsuo was most helpful.
The CI ring set is inbound

bobcat wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 2:00 am I too have 2 CI kits I would like to find optional rings for. I've jumped through all kind
of hoops trying to get total seal rings only to hit a brick wall. One possibility that came
to mind was going to the suppliers to the Japanese motorcycle industry.* I was rebuilding
a SOHC 750 for a customer and when I got the OEM rings for it I noticed there were two
different brands. One pair was Riken and I don't remember the other. I looked up Riken
and they are a Japanese co. that produces rings and still in existence. I haven't had a chance
to explore any further but it might be a possibility for a quality (good enough for Honda) source
for odd size rings. Someone like Riken just needs to be convinced there is a sustainable market
for replacements (if they don't already make them).

*like ART supplies pistons to all four major Japanese brand bikes.

I feel ya, Bob. Reached out to them and these fine folks as well: https://www.npr.co.jp/english/
No bueno, neither group replied.

To be clear, I’m after replacing the rings not because they have worn/lack of compression. Rather, my cylinders have fine scratches on the walls that extend well past the swept area of the rings, and have no evidence of being caused by either the rings nor piston themselves. It’s actually a mystery. It would appear that some very fine debris in the oil was the culprit, though there is no similar wear on any of the crank/rod bearing shells, nor roller bearings. I change my oil & filter regularly, and check the pan every second oil change.
At this point I prefer to do a quick hone of the bores and put in some new rings to, hopefully, correct for this.
I had thought the marks may have been caused by the engine overheating/ material transfer from micro-welds of stressed rings/piston skirts. I had been on a benefit run for Cancer. We had been in ‘parade mode’ for an extended period on an extremely hot day. The motor started to knock slightly and then stalled out. I let it cool for a good long while and opened the motor to check once home. I did not check the bores at the time, but the mains and rods were minty. The thing is the skirts and ring condition do not support that assumption, they are in fine form.
As I said, a mystery.

A side note - thanks Mike for reminding everyone why these bikes don't do well in stop-and-go traffic.

Dave

You’re not using an airbox if I remember correctly, could dirt have entered your pods, what brand pods are you running ?

daves79x wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 1:20 pm A side note - thanks Mike for reminding everyone why these bikes don't do well in stop-and-go traffic.

Dave

De nada

Jeff Bennetts wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 1:23 pm You’re not using an airbox if I remember correctly, could dirt have entered your pods, what brand pods are you running ?

Deffo, that’s the smoking gun. Still using no-name pods, but of much better quality/surface area than the budget ones I had rolled with for many a kilometre I mean, the bores aren’t all that bad, but you know…

bikeymikey748 wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 10:34 am

NobleHops wrote: Wed Feb 09, 2022 9:34 pm Nobody I know has had any success in getting Cruzinimage to sell them rings. Piston and ring sets only, and any complaining about it has resulted in an outright ban. I hope that changes with you Mike.

Thanks for that, Nils.
I guess I just got lucky. Messaged Monday night, got a reply from Mitsuo Tuesday morning. Went like that for the next two days as we sorted out the shipping costs. I have to say that Mitsuo was most helpful.
The CI ring set is inbound

I'm happy for you AND me. We busted a set of CI rings and had to break into a second set of pistons and rings to assemble an engine. If I can get another set of rings then I have another set of pistons, if you see what I mean. Very glad to hear that. Side note, those are very much "file to fit", we spent half a day adjusting ring end gaps on those.

Your persistence paid off, buy two sets, they’re small.LOL

NobleHops wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 6:38 pm I'm happy for you AND me. We busted a set of CI rings and had to break into a second set of pistons and rings to assemble an engine. If I can get another set of rings then I have another set of pistons, if you see what I mean. Very glad to hear that. Side note, those are very much "file to fit", we spent half a day adjusting ring end gaps on those.

Hopefully, your interaction with Mitsuo san will go just as easily as my own. How did you manage to break a ring? Those brittle second compression rings always make me sweat

Jeff Bennetts wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 7:31 pm Your persistence paid off, buy two sets, they’re small.LOL

Yup going in the ‘win’ column for sure.

Glad you got it sorta out with Mitsuo. !

jt wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:40 am Glad you got it sorta out with Mitsuo. !

Well then…that’s two of us
Thanks jt.

Just curious as to why it's an issue with CI not to sell ring sets....he still would be making money and have happy(er) customers???

Apparently he IS now selling them. Happy news.