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Date: Wed Jul 17 05:33:48 2002
Name: dave
Email: davehead633@msn.com
Type: CBX 550F

did the grand tour of wales yesterday with a couple of friends ( fireblade and bandit) and the cbx was brilliant although it probable went through a pint of oil in four hundred miles . at present I've removed the headlamp and fitted the suzuki fairing mounts complete with head lamp and the bike is rock solid without a damper, I'm not saying the head lamp on the f1 is the cause of the steering shake but it certainly magnifies them, comeing down from the mountains from Bala with my chin on the clocks and my left foot brushing the road on a sweeping left hander I saw 120 and the front end was great but i think the back tyre was only touching the road every hundred yards!A friend following on a bandid said it made Ben Bostrom look neat!,
I'll press on with the fairing (if I can get this kitchen finished ! damn MFI )
Dave

Date: Wed Jul 17 04:04:49 2002
Name: Gary Lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F

Well lads i`ve cracked it,the exhaust is no longer blowing.
i got some copper exhaust gaskets from B and J bikes in willenhall yesterday an today i spent two hours stripping the old exhaust off and finding the best bits from my other motad exhaust and put it all back together again turned the key fired her up and she sounded sweet as a nut(stops to take bow from clapping audience).She even accelerates a whole lot better, i even managed to put a nut on the broken exhaust stud,after i fashioned a modification to the collar.
I.E. i got the old mans bench grinder an thinned that side down so there was enough room to attach a stud and tighten it up the thread was ok so i gave it a go and hey presto it worked.Now i even feel i could get the back room re-painted now.......(just don`t tell the missus i said that...)

Date: Mon Jul 15 02:05:19 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

yup, pound sign and first digit missing...

Date: Mon Jul 15 02:02:54 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

hi again john
once again the mystery number snatcher is at work.....
that price should read eleven pounds and sixty nine pence.

If your reading this Yasu check it out. the system seems to have problems when i put a (pound) sign in followed by a digit as mentioned above...here goes lets see if it does it again, the following should read eleven pounds and sixty nine pence, with the pound sign in front.
1.69.
now to post it to see if it worked

rob

Date: Mon Jul 15 01:53:06 2002
Name: rob

hi gary
johns right, halfords can be s**t. take a look in your local yellow pages for tool suppliers. or try one of the local motor factors. Ever go to any autojumbles, always a good source for cheap tools. you could also try and have a look in classic bike for the Machine Mart advert their web address is listed as www.machinemart.co.uk....just gonna have a quick look now.....yep, go to hand tools,tap & die sets,files and extractors. the kit is 1.69 inc vat.

and johns right about re-taping the hole. make sure you drill straight. and remember this will also apply to using a screw extractor, best advice is to see if you can find a small piece of metal tube as a guide for the drill to go thru.

good luck and keep posting

rob

Date: Mon Jul 15 01:16:02 2002
Name: john 

you need to find a shop that sells tools not halford sugest
snapon or any type like that

Date: Mon Jul 15 01:11:33 2002
Name: john

its easier to drill out and retap hole but be carefull must be straight

Date: Mon Jul 15 01:07:07 2002
Name: john

i got stud extracters where you to im in caerphilly wales

Date: Sun Jul 14 03:56:21 2002
Name: Gary Lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F

Yeah Rob it is the type you attach to a ratchet,i have not been able to find the type you suggest any ideas as to where i can buy one from?(halfords have`t even heard of stud extractors).As for the car its now been with a ford dealership near stafford for 3 days and so far its gonna cost me 240 quid plus labour and vat,knew i should of bought that gsxr 750 i fell for at the same time of seeing the mondeo but you can`t put the missus and two brats on a gsxr now can ya?
I let you know if i ever get the exhaust to stop blowing....

Date: Sat Jul 13 10:23:21 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

hi gary
may sound like a daft question,but.......
is the stud extractor that you bought one of those ones that fit to a ratchet and are for getting exposed studs out (ie. stiff ones.....)
If the stud has snapped flush/recessed with the head then your going to have to use one of the screw-in type...(ie. drill small hole down centre of stud then insert extractor and turn it to remove stud)
i hope you get what i mean?

rob
p.s. bet you were popular with the neighbors with the car alarm!

Date: Thu Jul 11 21:47:56 2002
Name: Gary Lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F

AAAAHHHH this blinking exhaust is doing my head in.
1st problem the bloke who had it before me has broke an exhaust stud on no.4 cylinder so it blows no problem i thought get a stud extractor and replace it on me week off.
Now after buying one theirs not enough of the stud showing to extract it.(any ideas anyone?)
2nd problem for some reason the exhaust collar on no.3 cylinder will not budge evan after removing the nuts it looks like the collar has either seized on to the stud or its an oversized stud thats seized into the head?(any ideas on this too)
Plus my Mondeo decided yesterday that the alarm would go off every 30 seconds so at the moment i`m bikeless and carless because our local ford dealer in wolverhampton can`t book it in till the 25th of august,cheers ford bunch of prats that they are and of course its one of those problems that a back street garage can`t solve because of the EEC passing a law saying that car manufactuers don`t have to pass on info of their cars i.e. blueprints to after market or small garages that request them.They will sell you the parts but won`t tell where on the car it goes or how to fix the problem,I.E they get in to the dealership to charge you 5 per hour labour to replace a micro switch in the door or put new batteries in your key fob.GOD AM I PISSED OFF TODAY......

Date: Thu Jul 11 06:20:55 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

ciao guido
have fun, drink lots,eat lots,if your taking a girl with you, take care, and if your not taking a girl, HAVE FUN! and take care on Corsica....local mafia love to blow things up/kidnap people, somthing to do with independance from france. then again we all want to get away from the french..only kidding! (any country that can stick two fingers up to the rest of the world, is ok by me)

boun viaggio, spero che il tempo fa piu bello dell'a inghilterra.

rob

Date: Thu Jul 11 04:08:55 2002
Name: Guido 
Email: itrael@tiscalinet.it
Type: CBX 400F

Hi everybody reading,

next sunday I'll start vacations between Sardinia and Corse
with my 20 years old CBX 400F.
I got the feeling it'll ride again for many years....

It's Red(I guess was the only choice), 1982,
in Italy just from this year can be considered as classic
motorcycle

Date: Tue Jul  9 20:00:54 2002
Name: Gary Lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F

Well pete since you did not specify what type of chain i.e. standard or heavy duty.I would give m and p a ring as they always have all kinds of chains and sprockets in stock and are quite reasonable on price.
They are on 08705 703030 and while your at it why not ask for one of their catalogues you will be able then at a glnce see what else you might need in future,i hope this helps you out pete.

Date: Tue Jul  9 04:15:06 2002
Name: peter barras
Type: CBX 550F

where can i get a chain and back sprocket for my red white andblack honda cbx 550 f1 1983
please email me quick with price

Date: Tue Jul  9 04:13:48 2002
Name: peter barras
Type: CBX 550F

where can i get a chain and back sprocket for my red white andblack honda cbx 550 f1 1983
please email me quick with price

Date: Mon Jul  8 08:21:29 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

hi all
Dave i have to say that i do like the look of the F over the F2 these days, might be cos it has a bit more of a "streetfighter" look about it. odd how taste in bikes changes. one thing that i will agree on, is the fairing is a help when touring.

Gary, nice to see that there is someone else out threre who is spending just as much time/money on rebuilding a bike as me, thats about the same amount of time i have spent on my guzzi. but more money i bet!! anyone ever rebuilt a guzzi gearbox................????
and yes i would belive that people will try and fob you off with crap, but copper pipes!!! must have been a plumber!

John, try lots of WD40 over a few days then a blow torch to heat them, but keep a cordless drill and bolt extractor on standby, just in case.

Date: Mon Jul  8 05:59:41 2002
Name: john
Type: CBX 550F

been on the road now since the 1st july blasting about but now my exhaust sounds rattly i think the baffles are loose i dont want to take it off because i hasnt been off for many years and you know what the studs are like in the barell any hints on getting it off is it better hot or cold i dont want to snap studs

Date: Sun Jul  7 07:20:24 2002
Name: dave
Type: CBX 550F

Rob
yes , "interesting" descibes most of my projects the less kind may say strange ! all the mods so far have been made to make the bike more comfortable for my more than adequate frame !the trouble is the standard cbx is a pretty sweet looking machine so although mine rides and handles like a dream I'm afraid I've not really improved the looks ! for instance I went with a few friends to classic bike meet a couple of months ago near Witchurch and there was a standard f2 there in really good condition (was it anybody on the list ?)and one of my friends said " Oh is that what it's surposed to look like" . I still think the naked cbx looks the best but on a recent ride round the lakes I really found the need for a fairing.I'll make an effort to take more pics. , I've already posted some "before" pictures on this site along with one of my 360.Mods so far are 20 mm spacers on top of the fork springs and I run them with 10 psi pressure , Ive jacked up the rear by about 100 mm , I've replaced the standard bars with some lower clip ons ,I've fitted some modified raask rear sets plus some cometic changes.
dave

Date: Sun Jul  7 02:01:35 2002
Name: Gary Lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

Well Rob its not gonna be a show bike,just a fun bike and commuter till i can get my hands on Ducati 888.Mind you it has taken me 7 years to get as far as putting the wiring loom back on it!!!.But the frame has been powder coated,new shock absorber(courtesy of jason at Silvermachine)new bushes on the linkage.Of course the engine has recieved its fair share of work like a new crank as the other one gave up the ghost after a week of despatching on it(word to the wise check what type of oil is in the engine when buying as there are some really dubious people out there)i got caught big time knackered engine knackered frame(can you belive that someone would WELD a copper pipe over the bottom frame under the engine on both sides and pass it off to some unsuspecting an honest person last time i buy from an add on a wall in bike shop...)well at least i have a decent runner now but by this time next year finances allowing it will be in the top ten of running cbx`s.....

Date: Sat Jul  6 10:06:32 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

hi Dave
this bike of yours sounds interesting. hope you can put some pics in when your done? would love to see what the bike looks like with the fairing from the suzi.
And Gary, tell me more about this "frame upwards" rebuild.
is this going to be a show bike, or a rider!!

rob

Date: Sat Jul  6 05:46:32 2002
Name: dave
Type: CBX 550F

Gary
knocked up some crude brackets just to see what would happen and it really works, although the wobble wasn't that bad before it made the bike rock steady hands off, the problem was with a ducati type mounting you get ducati turning circle !I think the torre canyon had more rudder, so I'm going to try and mount it conventionly ,today started fitting a full fairing off a suzuki 550 efe so hopefully it'll give me some mounting points.
Dave

Date: Sat Jul  6 01:08:44 2002
Name: gary lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com

It leaves plenty of room dave,the thing is this tyr was already fitted when i bought this bike 3 months ago a spare for my other 550 which is being rebuilt from the frame upwards.So when i put the wheels on from my original it had a 100/90 rear which to say the least upset the handling quite a bit,so when i cured my knocking sound which was coming from the rear wheel when braking(if you get this problem change the brake disc spacers which hold the disc to the wheel works wonders!!!)i put the original wheel back on and it now holds a much better line.As for your wobble i get the same,it seems to come at approx 40-50ish? i have an idea it something to do with the fork springs and anti-dive unit being worn out? let us know if you mange to cure it with your damper.

Date: Sat Jul  6 01:01:07 2002
Name: 
Email: grybertie@aol.com

Date: Fri Jul  5 23:14:42 2002
Name: john
Type: CBX 550F

my tyres are bridgestone battlax bt45r front and rear

Date: Fri Jul  5 06:48:59 2002
Name: dave

gary
I like the sound of a 120 rear , if nothing else a meatier rear tyre looks the part( to harness all that power !)I mentioned earlier about finding a 2.50 rim at my local breaker ( 2.15 fitted at moment same as front), and provided there's clearance I'd like to try a 130 tyre.how much clearance to the swingarm does the 120 give you?
Dave
ps I know its an old walnut but some cbx's seem to develop a mild front end wobble at certain speeds, my own included. I thought i'd got rid of the problem when I fitted taper head bearings, but the wobble has sneaked back in , perhaps its down to tyre wear or something, anyway I've just dug out an olins steering damper from the back of the shed and I'm going to have a go at fitting to the cbx ducati 916 style across the tank , I'll keep you updated.
TTFN Dave

Date: Fri Jul  5 05:13:29 2002
Name: rob
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

hi Dave
the avons are fine. but considering that the bike is very much a plaything, it dont see the rain too often. i think you were right about the behavior of the avons. the rear can be a bit of fun under heavy breaking!! or is it me?
but on the whole they've been good. can still leave my mate on his GS1000 shaft drive for dead on a twisty back road, then again that would'nt be to hard even with a C90....

Date: Fri Jul  5 01:08:08 2002
Name: gary lovatt
Email: grybertie@aol.com
Type: CBX 550F2 (Integra)

i use a 90/90 front avon road runner and a 120/90 rear avon road runner,both are good in the wet and the dry.

Date: Fri Jul  5 00:12:15 2002
Name: dave
Email: davehead633@msn.com
Type: CBX 550F

John
what size and type of Bridgestones ? and why not you take the centre stand off ?
Dave

Date: Thu Jul  4 06:50:12 2002
Name: john
Type: CBX 550F

bridgestones front and rear seam good in wet and dry not fell off yet and scraping the stand on corners