Confessions of a born again noob

[ZenBiker_imp]

I replaced all the parts I listed above, which included the crankcase cover and cover cap. As DAC said, when a CB drops the engine hits the ground. My cost was $266 for parts and $101 for labor.

There are some very fine scratches on the muffler; you have to get close to see them. I'm living with them for awhile.

 

[PowderToastMan_imp]

At 600 bucks for a new muffler, I don't blame you!

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

As the old saying goes, if you ask 100 motorcyclists if they've ever dropped a bike, 50 will say, "Yes," and the other 50 will lie.

I dropped my Deluxe two weeks after I took delivery, but I was glad I did. A nice (really, she was) middle-aged lady driving a silver Malibu pulled out of a gas station and turned left towards the cross street. I was traveling in the same direction, to the same intersection. Of course, she "never even saw me!"

We both approached the stop line at the same speed, with the same destination in mind; the light was red in our direction, and she was on track for a full broadside. I banked right but I couldn't turn onto the crossing street due to thru-traffic. The shoulder fell away steeply to the inside of the turn, with a gravel-covered ditch at the bottom.

I decided stopping on the incline and putting my right foot down on the slope was better than getting creamed on the left. But of course, my stubby little 29-inch inseam legs weren't even close to adequate for the task. Inexorably, gravity took control of the situation and my bike and I hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Fortunately, that sound wasn't my leg but the gravel shifting as the right bar end, front brake lever, foot peg, and crankcase cover ground to a stop. But I picked it up (using the backwards-leg-lift technique) and rode it home, the nice lady's apologies drafting in my wake.

Cormanus may be right about droppage frequency. I waited three weeks for the front brake lever and foot peg frame to arrive at the dealer--those parts were on back-order.

Oh, and my bike now sports a set of Moriwaki frame sliders Takashi sent me lickety-split after my order. I had them in five days.

In Oz we call that a "Sorry Mate I Didn't See You" - a SMIDSY. Same in the States?

Cheers

 

[ZenBiker_imp]

I've never heard a State-side acronym for this all-too-common event, but I like yours a lot. I'm adopting it.

Oh by the way, I lived in Canberra for six months attending a military service school, and I'd been to Darwin in B-52s several times when I was stationed on Guam. I was the navigator on the final flight of the B-52 in the Darwin aviation museum. My family and I loved our tour in Oz, and my wife and I will visit again after we retire.

 

[PowderToastMan_imp]

I think the term SMIDSY is slowly starting to be popularized in the US via /r/motorcycles on reddit and other popular internet bike-related places...

 

[naveed.shaukat_imp]

I am not feeling as bad now after reading fellow bikers experiences. I dropped my CB 1100 pulling it out of a parking spot that was on an incline. The Darned Engine on this Bike is So heavy despite best effort to stop its fall NO nothing worked. Thanks to a by standing mate who quickly lunged forward to help lift the fallen bike which felt like a ton especially when i saw the damage to Left crankcase. The Left Speedo had the Chrome Plastic covers I bought from Takashi at Samurider so not much damage done except I had to buy these chrome covers again. I am now working out how to replace the L crank case I have bought new but as it seems the original gasket will be damaged on removing it. But I have bought the Engine Bars for at least some protection which I will install someday. After this experience I am riding less of Honda and I am back to riding more of my other bike Kawasaki W 800 which is so much easier to handle due to much lighter weight and so well balanced. The Engine on Honda Protrudes too much outwards so damage prone it is..

 

[Houtman_imp]

Always buy the engine protectors first , even before you take the bike out the first time.

 

[Cormanus]

G'day and welcome naveed.shaukat. How about telling us something about yourself in the New Members section? Good to have another Aussie on board.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

I am not feeling as bad now after reading fellow bikers experiences. I dropped my CB 1100 pulling it out of a parking spot that was on an incline. The Darned Engine on this Bike is So heavy despite best effort to stop its fall NO nothing worked. Thanks to a by standing mate who quickly lunged forward to help lift the fallen bike which felt like a ton especially when i saw the damage to Left crankcase. The Left Speedo had the Chrome Plastic covers I bought from Takashi at Samurider so not much damage done except I had to buy these chrome covers again. I am now working out how to replace the L crank case I have bought new but as it seems the original gasket will be damaged on removing it. But I have bought the Engine Bars for at least some protection which I will install someday. After this experience I am riding less of Honda and I am back to riding more of my other bike Kawasaki W 800 which is so much easier to handle due to much lighter weight and so well balanced. The Engine on Honda Protrudes too much outwards so damage prone it is..

Naveed, welcome. Don't despair, the more time you spend on this bike the better will be your control. You will, I feel, get a lot of enjoyment from the CB with greater familiarity. The crankcase damage is easily repairable. I have lowsided mine at speed on dirt and repaired all the damage myself (see below). A professional will do an even better job.

Bush mechanic at work:

Good as new:

And, as Cormanus suggests, tell us about yourself and post some photos of your bike.

Cheers, and look forward to more posts from you. Maybe we can get together for a ride.

I replaced all the parts I listed above, which included the crankcase cover and cover cap. As DAC said, when a CB drops the engine hits the ground. My cost was $266 for parts and $101 for labor.

There are some very fine scratches on the muffler; you have to get close to see them. I'm living with them for awhile.

See above. Two sheets (800/400) of of wet and dry, rattle can etch primer and paint, masking tape and newspaper. $50??? Labour free. OEM muffler destroyed but that was a convenient excuse for a Staintune .

Cheers.

 

[naveed.shaukat_imp]

Pterodactyl THE Bush Mechanic Did a GREAT job. Mate it looks neat. Good on you!

I will be posting a few pics as Carmanous suggested and a great way to share our bike hobby. I will try posting Just starting to learn how to use this website Carmanous I am sure I can try and work it out slowly but surely.

Pterodactyl Might be great catching up for a ride on a fine sunny day. Thanks mate. PLEASE can you tell me first how did you manage to pry off the covers I took the bolts off L crank case but the cover was stuck like it will never come off. Did you use the Honda sealing rubber tube how did you restore the rubber seal my feeling is once the cover is taken off the rubber seal will be damaged and cannot be reused. Did you have difficulty finding the matching silver paint?

On another note Houtman is RIGHT Engine Protectors FIRST!! Tells me I should spend time and install mine that are sitting in the packing..
Cheers

 

[emptysea]

My bike has been dropped twice, once on each side and both causing damage to the engine covers. The second drop caused enough other damage to justify an insurance claim which is paying for the repair to the crankcase cover. Frankly, I would have left the scratched covers alone if I was paying for them out of pocket. I weighed the cost of repairing them against the cost of the engine guards, added in that I haven't yet to see engine guards that I find particularly attractive, and have come to the conclusion that I don't really need them. Now I just call the scratches "character marks".

 

[Cormanus]

My bike has been dropped twice, once on each side and both causing damage to the engine covers. The second drop caused enough other damage to justify an insurance claim which is paying for the repair to the crankcase cover. Frankly, I would have left the scratched covers alone if I was paying for them out of pocket. I weighed the cost of repairing them against the cost of the engine guards, added in that I haven't yet to see engine guards that I find particularly attractive, and have come to the conclusion that I don't really need them. Now I just call the scratches "character marks".

+1

 

[Houtman_imp]

I am at a loss why people do not put some kind of protection on their bikes to prevent damage to the engine.
There are many different types available, just look at Samuriders website.
They might not always prevent damage in a bad crash but help a great deal with fall overs etc.
Character marks , some times called stupidity scratches

 

[emptysea]

Well, here's my reason, Houtman...engine guards cost about as much as the engine parts they are protecting. Some other look good to me on some bikes, but I don't like the way they look on my bike. When the engine guards get scratched, those scratches are more noticeable on them because the guards are more noticeable than the undersides of the parts they are protecting. In the event of a drop, I'd just be replacing a different part.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

I am at a loss why people do not put some kind of protection on their bikes to prevent damage to the engine.
There are many different types available, just look at Samuriders website.
They might not always prevent damage in a bad crash but help a great deal with fall overs etc.
Character marks , some times called stupidity scratches

I agree with you Houtman. It kind of reminds me of the people who, as soon as they buy a motorcycle, spend 2K on accessories and then refuse to buy a good helmet or boots, or other protective gear.
EmptySea, My feelings are different. I'd be more embarrassed with permanent scratches in my engine side cases than in my engine guards. I chose the black guards from Samurider not only because I felt they'd look good with my black engine paint, but because if I did have a minor drop and they got scratched, i coud always lightly sand them and repaint them a gloss black and you wouldn't know they had been damaged. With the chrome ones, I figured once scratched or gouged, you'd have to live with the scratches, and then the inevitable rust in those scratches.

 

[Houtman_imp]

Well, here's my reason, Houtman...engine guards cost about as much as the engine parts they are protecting. Some other look good to me on some bikes, but I don't like the way they look on my bike. When the engine guards get scratched, those scratches are more noticeable on them because the guards are more noticeable than the undersides of the parts they are protecting. In the event of a drop, I'd just be replacing a different part.

Hopefully you will not drop your bike too often !

 

[emptysea]

That's the plan, Houtman.

And, in my opinion, protecting my person is not at all similar to protecting my property, Classic. I don't see where the engine guards I've seen for this bike provide any significant protection to my person, although I've seen some on other bikes that might protect an ankle from getting pinned.

Engine guards are great if you like them and if you are worried about drops (like if you have to park often on slopes), for me, though, they are not worth the cost.

 

[Houtman_imp]

Protecting your bike AND yourself are different matters.
I think what Classic was saying was not meant for you but in general, I agree with him and spend the first money on yourself to protect yourself from injury.
With a motor cycle it is not only protecting the engine cases (and they can be very expensive) but in a fall the engine bars also often result in less damage to the indicators, levers ,handle bars etc.
But each to its own, I only have to pay for the damage to my bike in a fall and nobody else's bike.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

Yes, I was speaking in general about what some people choose to do first, without regard for what should really come first.

But it does have some parallel with what you chose, EmptySea. If you had purchased engine guards, you wouldn't have had the aggravation of damage to your cases, and the hassle of an insurance claim. Yes, comparing the dollar amounts of guards and what you have spent on repairs may be a wash at this point, but one more drop and you're in the red. And what if your insurance company raises your rates? And you must have an out of pocket deductible, no? And they probably will protect a lower leg/ankle/foot when the bike goes over. If you really don't like them, that's fine. I'm just giving my view.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

After those nice chrome engine guards are fitted then it would be appropriate to fit protection for those. Timidity tape is also available to wrap them.

Cheers