Honda CB 900 Custom

[Tripod_imp]

Hi All,

I have always wanted to try out the CB900 Custom. Shaft drive, Hi/Low transmission, etc.

I would be interested to hear opinions, comments, etc. from people who have owned them or ridden them.

Do they make a nice two-up, country backroads, kind of bike? Not going to be used for long distances or interstates.

Thanks!

 

[the Ferret]

Very nice bikes. interesting story about that sub trans. Honda had the chain drive cb 750s 900s with chain drive on one side, and they had the GL wing series with shaft drive on the other side. the switchable sub trans married the two.

They are just like any other inline 4 Honda of the time period, weak alternators after 30 years, but the rest of the bike is solid. Remember the newest one you can get is over 30 years old so they will have old rubber ( tires, seals, orings etc) old fuses, maybe old battery, maybe haven't ever had a valve inspection or carb clean. Id place value of a super clean running model at $1900 to $3500.

 

[Tripod_imp]

Ferret, do you know of any good shops or mechanics in Ohio that are familiar with these older Honda's? So many of the shops don't have any experience with synching 4 carbs, etc.

 

[the Ferret]

No not really but there is a forum for them and someone will know. Synching isnt that hard if you have a set of vacuum gauges and Im sure there will be youtube instructions on how to do it. There are mercury gauges and dial gauges. I know with the mercury you have to be careful not to suck the mercury back into the carbs. Doubt you can find mercury gauges anymore to buy with mercury being hazardous and all. Most bike shops don't want to mess with bikes older than 10 years old these days. maybe an independant shop?

 

[cbfan_imp]

I have several old CB's. If you know your way around a tool box you can do all maintenance yourself. Shop manuals are easy to find on the net, you can find most jobs on YouTube and a great forum is SOHC which is a good place to ask questions. Most parts and aftermarket stuff can be easily found.
This is what I don't understand, just about all Metric bike shops will not work on their product if it is over 10 years but a Harley shop will work on all Harley's.
If you find a good deal on a low mileage clean CB go for it and see how much fun it is.

 

[cb400four_imp]

Ferret and cbfan are right on all counts. I also have a couple old Honda CBs, specifically with the DOHC engine type in the CB900 Custom you asked about, so let me add:

I would suggest logging onto the CB900 Custom forum at CB900 Custom and the sister forum for at [url=http://www.cb1100f.net/]CB750F/CB900F/CB1100F (you probably know this but the Custom and the F share a substantial majority of running gear, with the exception of the transmission as Ferret noted).

I don't own a Custom but my understanding from being a longtime member of the CB900 Custom forum is that they make great 2 up touring bikes as compared to other bikes of their vintage. The CB900 Custom is an antique (at least according to the RI DMV) and therefore if you are riding far from home, you might be advised to be prepared if a mechanical failure occurs.

 

[wildezt_imp]

very well kept bikes...!

 

[SanPete_imp]

Three different front tires design.

 

[rboe]

I used to sell them back in the day. Very hard to sell for touring when the Goldwing could be had for similar coin and was liquid cooled. The only bad thing I've heard about them over the years (and never when I sold them so I'm sure it's because our standards have changed) is that the handling is sub-par. It ain't no sportbike so why try it that way?

 

[CA200_imp]

We had many customers with these over the years. They made good touring bikes and had some women who liked them because of the
low seat.
I did see a couple with high miles that had a lot of drive line lash. The power came out one side of the motor and had to make big U-turn then back to the trans before it went to the shaft so if the bike was abused it would really clunk when you put it in gear.

 

[dBuster_imp]

Just saw the comment about syncing carbs. There is an easy Simone sync till you can make for under $10! Made mine for my xs850 with the three carbs. It is quite simple once you read up on it.

Sent from my XT901 using Tapatalk 4.2.2

 

[cb400four_imp]

No not really but there is a forum for them and someone will know. Synching isnt that hard if you have a set of vacuum gauges and Im sure there will be youtube instructions on how to do it. There are mercury gauges and dial gauges. I know with the mercury you have to be careful not to suck the mercury back into the carbs. Doubt you can find mercury gauges anymore to buy with mercury being hazardous and all. Most bike shops don't want to mess with bikes older than 10 years old these days. maybe an independant shop?

I bought a carbtune which looks (and works) like a mercury-filled tube but in fact it is a close tolerance silver metal piston which cannot be spilled or sucked into the engine. Some people find the vertical 'tubes' easier to read than gauges but that is probably personal preference and either would work just fine. I've seen the home-made tubes as well, they work just fine.

My bigger problem was that my next door neighbors got tired of me revving the engine in the driveway in my afternoon effort to balance the carbs, but I eventually got it fairly even.

 

[davidsargee_imp]

Had one that was already up in years, I think it was in 98 and 99. It had about 18k miles on it when I bought it, (for $600), I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "project", but it required TLC to get it right.

Once I cleaned the carbs, replaced the tires, plugs, wires, brake pads, one of the side covers and some other odds and ends, it turned out to be a really good bike. I rode it for a couple of years and sold it. It was great for around town, and the occasional day trip. It wasn't a drag racer, nor was it particularly well suited for carving up a curvy road. But it was a great cruiser, and lots of fun to ride. It was good for two up riding, and probably would have been quite adequate for touring, with some accessories, I never really strayed more than a 100 miles or so from home.

Classic Honda inline four, slightly buzzy at higher RPMs, kinda torquey, and the rear end had that tendency to rise up when you poured on the coal, (driveshaft).

Cool bike, lots of fun.

 

[rick1366_imp]

hi. Just got a 1981 CB90. It has 10,000 miles.
starts and runs smooth, but it has like a ratteling noise. I believe is coming fom the valve cover. more noticiable at idle.
any suggestions?
Tip. I was told bike was stored fir the last 3 years.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

hi. Just got a 1981 CB90. It has 10,000 miles.
starts and runs smooth, but it has like a ratteling noise. I believe is coming fom the valve cover. more noticiable at idle.
any suggestions?
Tip. I was told bike was stored fir the last 3 years.

Hi. I assume you meant to type CB900 not 90.? Usually on these Hondas the ratteling noise is the cam chain. It gets stretched and needs to be adjusted. On many Hondas there is an adjustment nut, but the good/bad news for you is on the 900 Custom, it's automatically adjusted.

Since the bike was stored for 3 years (if they admitted to 3, it's more likely it's really 8 or 10) I would get some Marvel Mystery Oil and add it to the crankcase and ride the bike a couple hundred miles then change the oil. (I hope you already changed the oil after you bought the bike) MMO will clean things up and it frees up parts that could be sticking. You also can add MMO to the gas tank to clean the upper engfine area.

If the noise persists, and it's the cam chain tensioner, it's a somewhat big job- on the 900 the engine needs to be removed from the frame. And parts could be several hundred dollars. Other Hondas you could just pull the heads while on the bike.

 

[Chuckk_imp]

Hi All,

I have always wanted to try out the CB900 Custom. Shaft drive, Hi/Low transmission, etc.

I would be interested to hear opinions, comments, etc. from people who have owned them or ridden them.

Do they make a nice two-up, country backroads, kind of bike? Not going to be used for long distances or interstates.

Thanks!

I owned one.. its seems like it would be fun, but I didn't care for it.. if I remember it had some gear noise also.. "the 2 best days" the day you buy it and the day you sell it.. just my personal opinion.. I think one is better off with a 5 speed with the right gearing

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Heck, doesn't sound like much fun at all.

Too bad there wasn't a place where you could rent any bike ever made by the day or hour. It would probably be fun just to rent the CB900 and not have to own it.

 

[Chuckk_imp]

Heck, doesn't sound like much fun at all.

Too bad there wasn't a place where you could rent any bike ever made by the day or hour. It would probably be fun just to rent the CB900 and not have to own it.

sometimes you just have to roll the dice.. I have had quite a few bikes..If you can buy them right and not put too much into them, one can often come out ok.. that was my logic.. save the paint jobs, seats, and other costly items until you can ride it for awhile..then, once you like it, sink way too much money in it !! .. haha ..

 

[the Ferret]

You can do great with used bikes if the timing is right. My last FZ-1 I paid $3150 for it. Rode it 3 years, put nothing but consumables in it, gas, oil, filter, chain $ sprockets, brakes and tires, rode it about 40k miles, and sold it for $3k. So I rode it for 3 years for $150. But you have to buy them at a point they are not going to go down much more and they have to be in good condition when you buy them.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

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