1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Hey, what projects are you planning or preparing for? CBX, other motos, workshop, WHATEVAH!
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Rick Pope »

Jeff Elmore's '81 may have been the bike Pete Ruff did many years ago. I only saw it once, at Pete's house in Sacramento. It was the first ProLink I ever saw w/ a VFR swingarm.
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by patzx12 »

20190822_144530.jpg
Well my contribution to the debate:
From a piece of engineering art the bikes shown here are magnificent.
If you are building a riding bike, The USD forks would need new triples and lengthening.
I have messed around with front / rear conversions and IMO a waste of a lot of time.

The CBX is a big heavy lump in a puny frame designed to show off the engine not handle. The Prolink wheels and brakes weigh a ton.
I gave my 82 a moderate upgrade to make it more usable.
The Prolink swinger is massively strong and you will not find a stronger arm.
The weakness is in the frame and the small pivot bolt. 16mm on the Prolink and 14mm on the Z.
I use Adventure bike tyre size with 17 x 150 rear and 19 x 110 front. There is a huge choice of road tyres in those sizes and 19 front suits the bike.
I had to modify the suspension linkage to get the clearance for the 150 tyre. The rear uses a Wilber 530 which works very well.
The front was upgraded to the standard 43mm type of Honda forks. I did have to lengthen them. there is a proper way to do this not just long fork caps.
Front brakes are a big improvement from stock but no where near the performance of modern stuff like my 2016 R1200RT. BMW brakes are the benchmark.
My 82 rides nice (the white one) my silver naked Prolink is stock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7j7f66PeQg

I am building 2 x Z bikes, one for riding and one standard.
The riding bike will use Suzuki DL650 \ 1000 wheels and brakes, these forks are the correct length for the CBX. Also the triples have the correct offset, all i had to do was fit a Z steering shaft and modify to look like stock CBX.
The Z swinger is stronger than it looks but it's weakness is the 14mm pivot. I will probably open this to 16mm and fit an alloy arm but i will not lengthen, The spindle to spindle length is: Z=470 to 520 and slightly more for the Prolink, most modern stuff is longer. .
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Jeff Bennetts »

The CBXPress article I was referring to is Summer and Fall 2007, volume 27 ~ Number 2 & 3

The CBX featured checks all the boxes you mentioned in your original post but is executed on an early model!
The article isn't very technical, it was written from the perspective of his wife, the author of thr article. It does in general terms highlight the different processes of the build and has some great pictorials accompanying the text. There is also a connection to Jim Z in there, along with some insight from the builder detailing the ups and downs of a long build.

The article is available here on the forum to be downloaded, if you are a member.
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by EMS »

patzx12 wrote: The CBX is a big heavy lump in a puny frame designed to show off the engine not handle.
The weakness is in the frame and the small pivot bolt. 16mm on the Prolink and 14mm on the Z.
Kudos, patzx12, for telling it as it is. I have experimented with attempts to improve the CBX chassis over 30 years ago, when I was still in Germany and I gave up after a while.
We used Spondon frames and even a custom built Harris at one time. And these radical transplants were almost the only effective way to really get the CBX into a class of a handling bike.
Anything else you do is a marginal improvement at best.
If you think about taking a bare frame and then stick a long round bar through the steering neck and another one through the swingarm mount and then twist both and watch how the framework distorts, it is amazing.
I am using a Calfab swinger with a 16mm axle in my 79 and the 41mm front forks from a VFR1000. Still, the weak points are in the frame and there is no effective way to brace, no matter what anybody tells you.
The lack of a frame structure around the engine is the main problem.
The CBX was never intended to be a superior handling performance bike. Honda based their factory efforts on the 900F (with the CB1100R) and although even these bikes had a reputation of being ill-handling in extreme situations, they were better than the CBX could ever be made.

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Jeff Bennetts »

EMS would you please stop high jacking new member's threads! You are the biggest thread killer this forum has ever had, take a break and go mow your lawn Grampa!

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by EMS »

Bennets, I went back and read the thread from the beginning again and I cannot see any contribution from you that helped the OP.
You seem to get upset if the conversation goes into an area where your hamfisted approach to working on a bike doesn't get us anywhere. I remember the time when several other members had to waste a few days to rectify the crap you did to Mike Barone's Dawgie.
Why don't you go to your friend Mike C's facebook page and share your vast experience of mangling CBXes by bolting random components to them. :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Rick Pope »

Well, I stopped bye to post that Dave is correct, Jim Z has done a half dozen twin shocks, but so far, no pro-links, only to find a pissing match. Gee whiz guys, lighten up. I get the impression the OP is looking to achieve a certain look, and performance is secondary. Not everyone's cup-o-tea, but hey, I'm not writing the checks, so my opinion doesn't really count.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programing, I hope.
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Jeff Bennetts »

I'll extend an olive branch to you EMS, come on down to the rally in Marietta, we'll talk!

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Fw66 »

Rick Pope wrote:Well, I stopped bye to post that Dave is correct, Jim Z has done a half dozen twin shocks, but so far, no pro-links, only to find a pissing match. Gee whiz guys, lighten up. I get the impression the OP is looking to achieve a certain look, and performance is secondary. Not everyone's cup-otrea, but hey, I'm not writing the checks, so my opinion doesn't really count.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programing, I hope.
Thanks to everyone for the replies and Rick for the re-direction of the topic at hand. I do genuinely appreciate the comments about the CBX's limited performance but to clarify, I am not trying to build a CBX that will out-corner/outmaneuver my 2017 Monster 821! I am simply trying to capture the principles of modern controls/suspension on this CBX.

The bike Jeff shared on the cover of the CBXPress definitely steers me in the right direction so thanks for the link, I'll definitely get a read-through.
A Ducati swingarm seems like a really interesting swap, wondering how much fab work and frame modification would be required...

At the end of the day I'm still looking for any knowledgable source for swapping a single sided swingarm into a pro-link!

Thanks all!

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by patzx12 »

FW66,
If you sit down and calculate how many hours it will take to do a special against the hours available.
Say for example:
If you have a regular job you may be able to spent 10 hours a week x 40 weeks a year in the man shed.
A special would take 1000 to 2000 hours the bike will be ready to test ride in 2.5 to 5 years.
This is all good fun and enjoyable but i would suggest having 2 CBX.
1 in the man shed for pleasant evenings and mental exercise.
Bike 2 running and on the road so you don't have that longing to ride the bike.

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Rick Pope »

I emailed Pete Ruff. Yes, he did build an '81 w/ VFR swinger, and sold it to Jeff Elmore.
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Fw66 »

Rick Pope wrote:I emailed Pete Ruff. Yes, he did build an '81 w/ VFR swinger, and sold it to Jeff Elmore.
What a coincidence! I have been emailing Pete over the past week to get some feelers, all leads are pointing back to him!
Let me know what you find and thanks for helping out.

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Rick Pope »

He said someone had contacted him this past week. He sent me a link to a bunch of photos documenting the build and the final result both in stock paint and later with a nice custom job.

And to clarify, I was remembering Jim Z's Pro-links incorrectly. They all had two sided swingarms. Dang, Dave's right again. He must have a photogenic memory.
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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by bikeymikey748 »

It’s a rare occurrence that I check back here, for a number of reasons.
The title on this post drew me in.
Why don't you go to your friend Mike C's facebook page and share your vast experience of mangling CBXes by bolting random components to them. :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:
Still, this singularly ugly and personal attack comes as a hurtful surprise.
I am dumbfounded.

That aside...FW66, the depth of knowledge on this forum is something you just cannot find anywhere else. Quite a few of the members have forgotten more than most folks will ever hope to know regarding CBXs. You’re in the right place if you are looking for advice.
I built up an ‘X’ of my own as well. There’s a post somewhere around here ‘bout it.
Coming up on 55,000km. since that time and it’s been nothing but fun.
You would do well to heed the advice of the forum’s members, but always keep in mind you are building the bike for you.
Also, no CBX build is ever ‘finished’, it is a pleasant disease.

Mike C.

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Re: 1982 Prolink Custom Plans- Input Needed!

Post by Jeff Bennetts »

FW66, there are literally hundreds of threads describing member's builds here, from mild to wild and quite a few CBXPress articles too, the European CBX community is another great source for custom builds.

For instance this forum thread may interest you!

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9193

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