17th Sep 2007, 12:40
I am restoring my '83 Honda CB1000 Custom. It is a rare bike. The Honda 4 cylinder air cooled engine is a marvel of simplicity and dependability.
All that has gone wrong with mine is a leak in the right front fork. Parts are easily obtained from motorcycle parts houses and on eBay.
The '81 - '82 CB900 Custom is almost identical to the CB1000C. Many parts will interchange. Also, most any pre-90s CB 750 will have parts on it that will also work on the 900c and the 1000c.
The CB1000C is a great street/touring bike. They are hard to find in any kind of shape, now. If you have to settle for a CB900C, you will still get a great bike. These bikes are fast and handle well due to the infinitely adjustable air-ride shocks and forks. I have ridden my CB1000C on the TAIL of THE DRAGON in Deal's Gap, NC, several times. It handles much better than any Harley or Goldwing I have ridden.
Normally, I ride in the 50 - 70 MPH range, but I had to hang it all out just once before I started taking her apart. I got up to 130+ before I backed off. She was still winding at that speed.
I use the low range gears in town and on mountain roads. I use the hi range gears on the open road and the interstate. I usually get about 45 - 50 miles per gallon in mixed riding.
8th Oct 2007, 22:32
I bought mine two weeks ago for $3000 (Canadian) but what's the difference now! 49,000 kms (30,000 miles) and it cleaned up real nice!! I took the windjammer fairing off and the Diamond seat (previous owner loved it, but it's not stock), both of which are for sale. I've got the replacement front headlight and signal light, but the brackets that hold them on were almost impossible to find.
The bike is fast, smooth and sounds great. It's the two tone brown and I need a left sidecover (it's hanging on by one peg) if anyone has one for sale. Anybody know how to fix those broken pegs??? A perennial problem with Honda's.
23rd Oct 2007, 07:46
I had a guy just give me an 83 CB1000C. It sat for about 4 years in a garage. Before he put it away he had the carbs jetted, synced, and emptied. I drained the tank, cleaned it and put new gas in it. I also replaced the plugs. The motor turned over, but I just can't get it to fire... any help would be appreciated.
I am also customizing the bike and getting rid of some parts like the entire windjammer assembly, but I'm not sure what to price it at.
1st Nov 2007, 14:19
I just bought my second CB1000C. My first one was a black and gray, and had 21k on it when I bought it. The paint pealed and faded, so I painted it blue like my 80 CB750. Last month it turned 47K.
I have been wondering what I would replace it with, until I found this CB1000C with 7482 miles on it. It is a brown and tan one. It has the Hondaline faring and trunk. I would like to find Hondaline saddlebags to match.
These are great bikes. Good for highway, town, and two up. Contact me if you know where there are brown and tan saddlebags and brackets. Or any color and I can paint. Contact ratler.95@att.net
15th Nov 2007, 23:59
Does anyone know what is the original color of HONDA insignia on the back of 1000C seat?
Let me know at chi444@gmail.com
Thanks!
30th Nov 2007, 12:27
I am looking at buying a guys 1983 CB900 Custom. He is looking to sell it for about 500 bucks and the body is in beautiful condition, has a new gas tank and new covered seat. He has replaced the exhaust valves with stainless steel ones, but it needs the carborator rejetting and the float sticks. So I am hesitant because one Honda mechanic said it's not worth getting into at all.
Any advicem or have any of you worked on a 83 CB carborator or what not? Thanks a lot.
2nd Dec 2007, 07:46
Can someone please send me pictures of how your Windjammer Fairing mounted up to your CB1000 Custom? I have one of these fairings and want to mount it to my CB1000 but can't figure out how. I also think I may be missing some mounting hardware. I'd really like it if someone could send me some pics of a mounted fairing (or the entire process) and all the hardware necessary to mount one.
My email is shane_123066<HELMET>@hotmail.com.
Remove <HELMET> to reply.
Thanks in advance.
6th Dec 2007, 23:43
Good repair for broken luggs on plastic side covers. Go to your nearest hobby shop and buy a length of 1mm carbon fibre rod, and a small bottle of thin cyano achrilate glue (zap). You will also need a 1mm drill bit. Clean the broken surface with acetone or a cleaner, which leaves no residue (not solvent). hold the two pieces tightly together and add a drop of glue to the joint. Don't move it for at least a minute. After a minute or two it should stay, but it won't be very strong. After curing all night, carefully drill 2 holes from the end of the lugg through the joint, and insert the carbon fibre rod and a drop of glue, and it will wick down the rods and weld it all together.
11th Dec 2007, 12:00
Lots of your questions can be answered by a really great group of guys on the Honda DOHC Custom forum.
Everything about the 900 and 1000 is on there as well. If you have one of these bikes, don't get rid of it and don't give up on it. They are very easy to repair, and everything you need is available on eBay. If you still won't listen to me, email me at nbhab@nbnet.nb.ca and I'll take the bike off your hands.
12th Dec 2007, 14:40
Comment back to 30 Nov guy thinking about the 83 CB900. Ask to see the title - 1983 Honda CB was a 1000. CB900s were made for 3 years, 80-82.
Shane (looking for faring pics) did you get them? I have a 83 CB1000 with a Hondaline faring, but hey, I'd take some pics and push them to you.
7th Aug 2007, 00:46
The shifting is pretty straight forward. The regular shifter (1-5) is in the normal place and works like any rice burner (1 down & the rest up).
The splitter (or sub-transmission - as Honda calls it) works like a Harley rocker style shifter, and is located left side, behind and slightly higher than the regular shifter.
Mine's been in the garage for a couple of years, but if I remember right, it works like this: rocker down for street/low range gears and rock it back/front up for highway gears.
Just reading you guys makes me want to get it fixed up again. Unfortunately that $600.00/ 4 carb. rebuild is gonna suck. Note for new buyers: if you get a flat back tire - don't listen if someone tells you they can tube it. Low range easily spins the rim in the tire and cuts off the valve stem for a quick 2nd flat.
These bikes are double fast. I've had mine up over 120 (the wind sucked) before I started to slow down for gas and saw D.P.S. three hills back come off the ground (cresting the hill) trying to catch me. I pulled over and waited for him - I didn't want a brother officer's death (from an accident) on my conscience.