My 89 CB1

[bell boy]

My first bike bought back in 2000 and stored since 2002. Had a ZX6R until June 2007 when I was taken out by a car and the ZX6 was destroyed along with my confidence.

But the bug is back and the CB1 is about to see daylight again.

I am thinking of changing the rear shock and perhaps the swing arm, maybe a gull arm or a single sided one to change the look and possibly inprove the handling.

[ptlcb1]

Changing the rear shock will help the handling.  A CBR900RR rear shock from 1993-95 will bolt right in.  You just have to find a place for the resevior.  A swing arm change will change the look of the bike, but Im not sure it will affect the handling.  I race my CB-1, and the stock swingarm is plenty strong enough, and I have more power than a stock CB-1.  I would suggest you change the rear tire to a 150\60.  If your bike has been stored since 2002, you should check the tires for dry rotting, since it has been sitting for so long.

What was it about the handling that you did not like, being that you want to improve it?

[bell boy]

I just felt that the original shock is on the soft side and is probably well past it's best. The change to the swingarm was just a cosmetic thought to change the look of the rear end.

As this is just the start of the project I am still undecided on the changes and direction that I am going to make.

What do you recommend for the front end, have you changed the forks or the fork internals?

[bbanna]

I am all for changing. I love rebuilding bikes. I am never happy with anything stock, so my CB-1 is being rebuilt from the ground up. I just do it for fun. Some is for performance and some is just purely cosmetic for what I think will look cool.

One thing you need to understand about replacing the shock. Though the 900RR shock is a direct fit (I have one in also), it is not the same type of spring. The CB-1 has what I call a hard mount, meaning no linkages. The 900RR has a linked suspension. I am not an expert on this, btu I do think the two suspensions treat the spring differently. The 900RR shock might be even softer than the CB-1 shock (anyone who knows might want to chime in on this).

As for the swing arm. I am changing mine to a CBR400RR gullarm. With that, you can use any CBR400RR exhaust. Opens up your choice of performance exhausts. The idea for this came from a fellow CB-1er from the UK forum. It is not a direct fit, but almost. The bearing spacers need to be modified or have new ones made. I am doing a combination of both. I will reuse the needle bearing spacer and have it cut shorter and also have an insert made to press fit inside. I will be reusing the CB-1 pivot bolt. The other spacer will be new as well as the center tube spacer.

If you want to use a single sided swingarm, then I highly suggest you get an MC28 (NSR250) or the NC30/35 VFR400R/ RVF400R swing arm. These will be the easiest to fit with minimal spacer modifications needed. I have an MC28 swingarm I am saving to fit to my yet to buy 2nd CB-1. I was lucky and also go ta set of magnesium wheels to go with it. Front and rear. Same for the bike I am working on now. I have a set of Honda MAGTEK wheels.

The CBR400RR swingarm also has a linked suspension. I will be removing it and making it a hard mount like the CB-1. I can mount the shock at the linked suspension mount point. I will need to either have a new shock made or see if I can have my CBR900RR shock rebuilt to fit. I will work with Lindemann Engineering on this part.

As for the front end, a direct swap would be from a CBR600F2/3. The F3 has all the adjusting knobs on top. I am putting a CBR929RR front end on mine. Suprisingly, the bearings are a direct fit and the length is correct, but I will be replacing them with the needle bearing option. What I ned to do though is to either design and have made a new upper triple or have the original upper triple modified to allow the mounting of the clocks. The use of the 929 front end means you have to put the clipons below the top triple. The forks are long enough to keep the stock frame to wheel distance, but only long enough to the top of the top triple.

I do have the CBR600F3 front end available. Includes wheel, brakes, fender and forks.

When I really get working on my bike in earnest, I will be creating a web site with everything I do to it well documented. I will not refuse any donations 

Brian

[ptlcb1]

bell boy,
     Both ends of the CB-1's suspension is on the soft side.  I road race my CB-1.  The 900rr rear shock, I took to a suspension shop where they re-valved it according to my weight and the fact that I roadrace.  I also used the blue CB-1 spring instead of the red spring that was on the 900rr shock.  This mod has worked great for me!  The first time I took the bike on the track with this shock, with all the settings in the middle, I lowered my personal best in the 3rd session that day!  I didnt even fine tune it.

My forks are stock except for the internals.  I have Race Tech springs, .95s, that are stiffer than stock, a heavier oil, and Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators.  These mods keep my front end planted!  My bike corners like a slot car!  With the Pirelli Supercorsas Dragons, I have 100% confidence in my front end! 

What you need to decide is whats more important, based on the riding you will be doing, performance or looks. Keep this in mind if you go for more performance...there wasnt many performance parts made for the CB-1, since it was only sold here in the States for 2yrs.  So your best performance gains are going to come from keeping the bike as light as possible. 

Example... Many have advised me to go with a dual disks brake set-up for the front end.  I decided not to, because of the extra weight of a dual disk set-up, for a bike that doesnt make big power to begin with.  My bike is stronger than stock, and to take full advantage of the horsepower increase I have, I decided to stay with the stock single brake disk.  I changed the brake line to steel braided and that single brake has tremendous stopping power!  The few that have rode my bike at the track, have been amazed at the stopping power it has!  I even keep my own weight down to achieve the best possible power to weight ratio...