What I did to my CBX

[NoRiders]

Owned over 25 years......stock to not 4-5 years ago.







That's enough of that nonsense.....back to the Suzonda :)

[m in sc]

ha! ive seen that pic on a DGR page. Nice!

[AAAltered]

Or

[m in sc]

@ noriders:
i have to ask, what is the deal with that front wheel/brake on the honda? im very intrigued.   

[IR8D8R]

Honda VT500 wheel.

IR8D8R

[m in sc]

Had to dig around , neat. weird, but neat.

never seen one before.

[NoRiders]

@ noriders:
i have to ask, what is the deal with that front wheel/brake on the honda? im very intrigued.   

Front brake background as I understand it....Jap bikes in the 70s that had stainless discs struggled in the wet with brake performance. Italian bikes ran cast iron discs and were much better performing, however, iron discs looked cruddy when rusted up.
So, Honda designers came up with a complex hidden iron disc system, where the disc ran on the outside of the caliper, the caliper sat inside the disc centre so the entire assembly could be wrapped up in what looked like a drum brake cover with two vents that resemble old Brit bike TLS drum brakes.

This worked to some extent, but meant to drop the front wheel out the entire assembly had to be, largely, disassembled...a complete PITA.
I think there was only two models to carry this braking system, the baby CBX550 twin disc and the VT500 single disc.

[NoRiders]

Honda VT500 wheel.

IR8D8R

Close...VT500 had single disc, the CBX550 was twin disc.

[IR8D8R]

Also VF400F apparently. None of these seem to be U.S. models. I didn't even know there was a CBX 550 4 cylinder... I thought they were all 6 cyl. 1000cc.

F1 uses enclosed discs. Honda described them as "inboard encapsulated disc brakes" in an article I found. ...Having owned several Alfas with inboard disc brakes I understood that to mean PITA. Separate mechanical adjusters for each pad!

I agree with Mark. They look cool. Very retro. I always liked the look of the British vented drums.

How do they stop?

IR8D8R

[NoRiders]

Also VF400F apparently. None of these seem to be U.S. models. I didn't even know there was a CBX 550 4 cylinder... I thought they were all 6 cyl. 1000cc.

F1 uses enclosed discs. Honda described them as "inboard encapsulated disc brakes" in an article I found. ...Having owned several Alfas with inboard disc brakes I understood that to mean PITA. Separate mechanical adjusters for each pad!

I agree with Mark. They look cool. Very retro. I always liked the look of the British vented drums.

How do they stop?

IR8D8R

Ah, yes Japanese home market 400cc models may have run them too.

Only the CBX1000 was 6 cylinder the CBX750 was a 4pot too.

I worked on Alfa Suds back in the late 70s, great cars in one respect but peculiar engineering when you're used to European Fords, Escorts and Cortinas we basic text book stuff compared to exotic Italian motors.
You're correct Iradi8, the inboard discs did need pad running clearance adjustment, the tool was a small ring-spanner thingy for the caliper lock nut  and allen key for pad adjustment.....access was tight, shall we say? 

Interestingly, to change the handbrake cable, which acted on the front discs???...you had to remove (or lower the entire front subframe) to get to a single bellhousing cable attachment bolt. Speedo drive worm gear would shear as they were hard plastic and way too brittle.

Two door models had a problem of dropped doors....Alfa used the same flimsy hinges as a 4x door, but the weight would have them drop, under warranty. The official repair was to jack up the door (you could just lift them by hand) and touch up the B pillar paint chip caused by the window frame striking the pillar....then pop the touch up stick in the glovebox....I shit you not :)

The enclosed discs work OK....nothing like a modern CBR set up (I rode a 600 and nearly went over the bloody bars!! ) so full blast on twisties could be interesting....I prefer to ride a bit more sedately and enjoy the scenery these days.

The look of them inspired the entire look I tried to style it on...ie: late 60s Brit bike.

Same for the rear too.

[m in sc]

interesting indeed, i do love the look of those. weird, but cosmetically fantastic.  thanks for the info, learned something. 

[NoRiders]

interesting indeed, i do love the look of those. weird, but cosmetically fantastic.  thanks for the info, learned something. 

You're more than welcome fella.

[NoRiders]

The old Honda featured in an online biker magazine - Off Beat Bikes.  8)

Link: https://www.offbeatbikesmagazine.co.uk/offbeat-bikes-magazine---issue-17

[AtLarge]

interesting indeed, i do love the look of those. weird, but cosmetically fantastic.  thanks for the info, learned something. 

Same here.  Never saw them before but, agreed, they do look nice.

[NoRiders]

A brief update on the old Honda....dragged it blinking out of the garage after a 9 month lay up.....topped up battery and fuel, it fired on the second stab of the starter :)

It now has a fresh MOT and ready to go for the annual DGR ride out Sunday 27th September 2020.



Lookin' quite nice in the sun shine :)