Call it the calm before the storm. At first blush, it might not look like we’ve gotten very far on our Honda CB1100F build. We’ve stripped the bike and we’ve sussed out the front end, but yeah, it doesn’t look like much yet. But just wait, because a storm of change is right on the horizon.
We’ll be the first to admit we’re a little frustrated at just how far we haven’t gotten. Yet we know that’s mostly because we want to “see” more change, because experience tells us we’re actually making OK time. We know from previous builds that it’s the little stuff, the planning and the preparing, that really sucks up time.
That’s not to suggest that getting from what you see now to our finished bike is a simple matter of just bolting on parts. It’s not. There’s still plenty of fabricating and knuckle bashing to come between now and when our CB1100F takes final form, but now that we’ve settled some basic questions, it’s a lot easier to start making time.
For the record, I should be careful saying “we,” because the only people actually getting grease under their fingernails on this build right now are Herm Narciso and Jason Paul Michaels. They’re the two amigos who run Dime City Cycles in Largo, Fla., who we somehow talked into doing our dirty work. And recently, it’s been mostly Herm tackling the hard work, most notably sorting out what to do with the CB’s suspension before stripping it to the frame for media blasting and powder coating.
The bits and pieces
Looking at our Honda’s suspension, we’d already settled on installing a set of Gazi Sport X shocks at the rear. We put a set on our BMW build, and they looked perfect and worked great.
Simple enough, but what about the front suspension? Herm has pushed for a front end upgrade from the start, and while the rest of us stumbled on details he decided to just get it done, skillfully grafting a set of upside-down forks from a Suzuki GSXR600 (thanks Sun Coast Cycle Sports) onto our Honda.
Stripping down the Honda’s headset showed the Gixxer’s steering stem was too short for the Honda’s neck. However, most steering stems are a press fit in the lower yoke. Further, through what’s probably just a quirk of manufacturing evolution, Japanese bikes tend to use the same steering stem bearings, whether roller ball or tapered roller. Knowing this, Herm swapped the Gixxer’s steering stem for the Honda’s and hey presto, the Suzuki front end fit.
There’s a bit more to it than that, of course, as it takes care and skill to remove and refit the steering stem, followed by confirming bearing fit and final assembly. The short story, however, is that it works — and better yet, it looks great.
The Gixxer front end means we can’t use the stock Honda mag wheels, but we didn’t want to. To emphasize the CB1100F’s classic status, Herm and Jason are having Kennie and Rob at Buchanan’s Spoke & Rim lace up a new set of custom-spoked wheels. Hubs will be Suzuki units, with stock Gixxer calipers and rotors at the front, and the stock Honda single caliper and rotor at the rear. Pretty slick.
By the time this issue hits the printer Herm will have mocked up the replica Harley-Davidson XLCR quarter fairing from Airtech, along with Airtech’s “vintage large” fiberglass seat. The stock tank stays, although it gets a makeover, with modified side panels set deeper into the tank for a slimmer profile and the rear edge adjusted to line up with the new seat pan and modified side covers.
Cone Engineering will help sort out the exhaust, and we turned to Barnett Clutches & Cables for their trick Kevlar-lined clutch plates and a set of matched clutch springs to make sure our CB gets its power to the road. Apart from a set of Keihin Round Slide CRs from Sudco, we’ll keep the engine stock.
So that gets us to here, the calm before the storm. The quiet work is done, now the sparks really start to fly as Herm and Jason burn the midnight oil pulling our build together. Come next issue, our one-year wonder 1983 CB1100F will be transformed into the wonder of the year. MC
Race To Rebuild Suppliers
Airtech: Fiberglass replica XLCR quarter fairing and vintage seat pan
All Balls Racing: Steering and wheel bearing kits
Barnett Clutches & Cables: Custom clutch and throttle cables, Kevlar clutch plates, steel drive plates, clutch spring kit
Buchanan’s Spoke & Rim: Custom wheel build with anodized aluminum rims and stainless steel spokes
Cone Engineering: Custom exhaust fabrication
Continental Tires: TKV11/12 Sport Classic tires
Ferodo: Brake pads and rotors
Flatland Custom Cycles: Gazi Sport X shock absorbers
Gustafsson Plastics: Smoked windscreen and hardware for Airtech fairing
K&N Filters: Air and oil filters
Motobatt: Absorbed Glass Mat battery and charger
Regina Chain: Z-ring chain, replacement sprockets
Spiegler Performance Parts: Braided stainless steel brake lines, Motogadget digital instrument cluster
Sudco International: Keihin 31mm Roundslide CR Carburetors
Read about the finished project in Race to Rebuild: Honda CB1100F Resto-Mod Sponsored By Dairyland Cycle.