Just bought 83' CB1100F for $200

Champion.Motors_imp

First service completed
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Well... I know essentially nothing about CB1100F's beside what I read off of Wiki and a few quick google searches, so bare with me...

I buy & sell motorcycles/cars for a living (own a small pre-owned lot in Oceanside, CA) and this Saturday I went to go buy a KTM 450EXC Dual Sport for next to nothing in Huntington Beach. As I walk up this guys drive way I notice he has about a 4 bedroom house worth of furniture and miscellaneous items laid out front like a garage sale. Next to the KTM is this red/white nighthawk looking thing that I paid virtually no attention to until I loaded up the KTM and was about 10 seconds from going on my way. I asked him what that bike was and what he wanted for it, "It's a 1983 Honda CB1100F," he says, "they only made them for one year". Unknowly what this thing was worth, I asked what he wanted for it, he replied $300 should do it, I have the pink in hand, but the tags are out since 2012. I offered him $150 thinking it had to be worth 4 times that in parts alone for my ebay business. He said $200 and its yours. 5 minutes later, I'm short $200 bucks and a new owner of a 1983 CB1100F.

A day rolls by and I start realizing the following these bikes have and how much they are potentially worth. This bike doesn't not currently run, but turns over freely (carbs have been removed for cleaning and will need to be synced, which my mechanic can handling for a mere $150, everything is there. It will need your typical items like tires, fluids flushed, battery, Etc. but the bike looks to be in really good shape, there are a few things that could use powder coating (rims, headers, a couple trim pieces, but it's all there (even the front cowl fairing). Has an aftermarket ignition, coils/wires, Vance Hines Exhaust, and 33k miles on the odometer, but the guy had a 2 inch thick stack of service records which state he spent $2900 rebuilding the motor less than 1k miles ago. I guess my question is, what is the best route from here? I've been dying to build a badass dirt/street tracker style motorcycle, but I wouldn't want to diminish the value of an original bike if there is too muc value to lose. Should I get it running and turn it? Build it into a badass cafe or street tracker for myself? Or should I restore it as original as possible before turning it? I'd love your guy's input because like I said, I know virtually nothing about these legends. Thanks!
 
If the $$$ doesn't add up to quickly on parts and labor I'd be inclined to at least get it up and running. Your CA climate should of been nice to it.
 
oh don't chop it up, It's in amazing condition from what I can see, Restore restore, Restore!
Those are the best of the 80's Cb's IMO, the 1100 was a one year bike. If you have the stock airbox still, put it back on! the bike will almost never run as well as with it.
 
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Yes I have a ton of parts w/ it including the Airbox, Carbs, Cowl Fairing, Side Panels, etc. it's in pretty good shape for a 30+ year old motorcycle. Small touches here and there would go a long way. I'm definitely going to get it running first and assess the situation from there. If it's as simple as carb cleaning, syncing, and tuning then I'll be much more inclined to spend some more one it.
 
jazzmans_imp said:
oh don't chop it up, It's in amazing condition from what I can see, Restore restore, Restore!
Those are the best of the 80's Cb's IMO, the 1100 was a one year bike. If you have the stock airbox still, put it back on! the bike will almost never run as well as with it.
+1, do restore this beauty.
 
Look up soaking the carbs in pine sol to clean them. There is a big following with it and it seems to work very well.
 
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Here's some more pics w/ the fairings on it, I have about 2 boxes of extra parts (OEM & aftermarket), spares, etc. so I should have everything I need to get it running and rolling, but I will have to do fork seals & bushings, brake pads, etc. to make it a daily. How hard is it to come by parts since it's only a 1 year model?
 
what a beauty in the rough !

restoring that to as near stock as possible is what I would do..
it would make the right people all misty eyed...
 
AaaaaAAG! you got a Kerker pipe as well?

DUDE! find of the decade!

I'll pay you double right now what you have in it.


That is, if the Title is free and clear.


No, I'm not joking.
 
Thread starter
jazzmans_imp said:
AaaaaAAG! you got a Kerker pipe as well?

DUDE! find of the decade!

I'll pay you double right now what you have in it.


That is, if the Title is free and clear.


No, I'm not joking.

Haha if you offered me $400 before I joined this site I would have taken it in a heart beat. I'm starting to feel the pressure and itching to restore her to her former glory. Everything I need is here, I just wish I could sync carbs on my own and I would have a running CB1100F w/ current tags and a clean title for $283 (cost me $83 for reg & sales tax to register in my name). I should have it running by this weekend, then I'll buy tires, change fluids, change fork seals/bushings, etc. Then from there I'll assess the situation. I would love to keep the paint scheme original, but there are few areas that need minor touches as you can imagine over the 30 years it has existed.
 
Some guys...are just lucky.

I have NEVER found a buy like that. If I had...I probably wouldn't have taken a bath on the new CB. Or the other new or lightly-used bikes I had.
 
Thread starter
Honestly I make a living off of being "lucky", most of deals I come up on are a result of persistence (constantly refreshing classifieds) and having cash in hand ready to move. That KTM I originally went to to his house to was also a give away. 2005 KTM 450EXC that's was CA Plated Street Legal, for $1000, did a little carb cleaning and detail, sold for $2500 the next day w/ a line out the door. I was just lucky, to inquire what the "other bike" was, made a call to a guy who specializes in vintages bikes, and he gave me the green light to jump on it.
 
Champion.Motors_imp said:
jazzmans_imp said:
AaaaaAAG! you got a Kerker pipe as well?

DUDE! find of the decade!

I'll pay you double right now what you have in it.


That is, if the Title is free and clear.


No, I'm not joking.

Haha if you offered me $400 before I joined this site I would have taken it in a heart beat. I'm starting to feel the pressure and itching to restore her to her former glory. Everything I need is here, I just wish I could sync carbs on my own and I would have a running CB1100F w/ current tags and a clean title for $283 (cost me $83 for reg & sales tax to register in my name). I should have it running by this weekend, then I'll buy tires, change fluids, change fork seals/bushings, etc. Then from there I'll assess the situation. I would love to keep the paint scheme original, but there are few areas that need minor touches as you can imagine over the 30 years it has existed.

Haha if you offered me $400 before I joined this site I would have taken it in a heart beat. I'm starting to feel the pressure and itching to restore her to her former glory. Everything I need is here, I just wish I could sync carbs on my own and I would have a running CB1100F w/ current tags and a clean title for $283 (cost me $83 for reg & sales tax to register in my name). I should have it running by this weekend, then I'll buy tires, change fluids, change fork seals/bushings, etc. Then from there I'll assess the situation. I would love to keep the paint scheme original, but there are few areas that need minor touches as you can imagine over the 30 years it has existed.
They are a great bike; I took mine out for a ride last weekend, after a bit of battery refreshing...

af2bd063dcf30430bd64090e589fd75a.jpeg


Ready to ride
d1633b313f8ea2095363e46e85476912.jpg
 
Thread starter
There's only a couple for sale on ebay and CL. So it's hard to guage what these things are worth. Especially since the only ones I'm seeing for sale are either showroom restored or trashed. Any idea what these bikes are valued at these days? I just got it running and she purrs. New tires this week, and I'll probably just do a heavy duty detail. The bike is decently clean as it is.
 
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