New to be CBX owner

[willyb99]

Hello

So I will be getting a 1979 CBX with about 32k one the clock. It is a backyard find and been sitting at least since 2016. There is something in the tank but we haven't found the keys yet. It is missing a few things like the seat and airbox. None of that is a deal breaker. The rear wheel does turn and the throttle does move. The clutch feels like crap as does the rear brake. What should I look for once I am able to free this beast? Here is a pic.

I basically resurrected a VN750 but this is a lot more cylinders

Bill

[JoeInTUS]

Revival checklist. viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11043

This is a pretty good restoration guide. viewtopic.php?f=27&t=12468&p=103556&hil ... de#p103556

If you cannot find the key remove the ignition switch or the helmet lock. The last 3 digits of the number stamped on them is the key code. eBay seller cyclekeysonline can get you a key in a few days with that code

Post a wanted ad for parts you need a lot of members have parts laying around.

Louis has everything but if it is rare it will cost you. http://www.usedcbxparts.com/

Good luck

[NobleHops]

New friend, don't start with this bike. Save this bike for odds and ends you may need. There are far better bikes to begin with, that will wound you far less than this one will. That's sincere and well-meaning advice. If you persist, I'll help, but I wish, for your sake, that you found a better bike to start with.

[willyb99]

I have been thinking about that, I'm not concerned about general mechanical abilities but its a lot of bike. On the other side of that CBX is an old 40's harley, a 70s Triumph, a Norton and few 70's honda 185-ish bike an an old Suzuki DS80. I'd like the Triumph and will try to get that one too. But the CBX is mine just gotta dig it out.

[willyb99]

Hello again

I was able to get a few more pics of the bike and did manage to find the seat, I have this persons son on the lookout for the airbox (which is 2 pieces I believe) With a reward attached to the find. took the tank off (it was unbolted) an noticed the harness from the coils to the connector is completely fried as you may be able to see in 2 of the pics. It looks like someone may have repaired this with crappy wire. Why would this happen? It seems the white female connector is ok.

Also I did see a post about the actual "pins" used to repair/create a new one, but now i can't find it. I do have a proper crimper and pin extractor and am willing to make a new harness maybe with heavier wire. Also where do these 3 ignitor little square doohickeys live?

Thank you so much

Bill

[JoeInTUS]

The igniters are below the battery box along with the regulator/ rectifier.

Factory service manual can be downloaded here:
http://www.cbxclub.com/manuals

There are three major parts to the air intake. The plenum that connects to the carbs, the box for the air filter and its lid. The lid frequently is missing.
https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/hond ... ir-cleaner

Before you go any further you should inspect the frame for rot, especially down low. There are drain holes that can get plugged and allow significant corrosion to occur. If that has happened the frame is likely junk.

[NobleHops]

That's clearly a very damp climate, given the moss on the shingles behind you. This bike is going to bleed you, last warning and I'll pipe down. The area Joe refers to is at the bottom of the frame, on the engine side, there's a gusset welded on where the two frame members meet, it's open at the top with a drain hole in the bottom that can get clogged. Critical area. Pressure wash this and get the mire off of it, get a strong light and look down there, just to the rear of the sprocket on the left side is probably easiest. If you see rust or perforation there, you need to blast that frame down to bare metal and see if it's sound.

Every surface of every part is going to have to be refinished on this bike. I've been there, and done that, and it's hundreds of hours and probably at least 10K in pure expense on top. I'd be amazed if the engine was free, but it's easy to check - remove the cover on the right front side of the engine and put a 17mm wrench on it and try to move it. Don't go nuts doing revolutions without lubing the bores, you just want to see if it's locked-up.

[willyb99]

Hello

I appreciate all your concerns but the bike is a freebie (why would I not take it?) and all the other bikes motors do turn, this guy had a clue and from what I've been told have been somewhat covered for the duration, the CBX was last running in 2017, even the Harley's motor that has been sitting since 1987 does turn. I do not plan on making this thing perfect, just to get it running and road worthy. Will it bleed me? Maybe depending on how far I want to go with it. I'd really like to get the complete airbox. I may get it running, registered etc take it out and this is say this is way too much bike. As far as the rust/rot it is hard to tell as I really can't get it out of its space right now an the bikes are pretty well packed together. I like to get the CBX on its center stand. I go to this house to help her clean it out not to work on the bike and we really haven't gotten to the backyard. So when I do have a few spare minutes I try to get back there and look certain things over. The current mission is to find the ignitors, I'm sure they are there.

As far as turning the motor over, I need to get the "cash bar" off and I don't have a lot of room, I'd like to spritz some pk blaster (or something) in the cylinders but the requires getting the plugs out, again very little room and the bikes are chained to each other. I'll keep you posted.

She also has a 59 Jaguar XKE150s in the garage

Should i start a new post?

Thank you again for the info, yes I have the manual but its not really indexed

[512tr]

Of Course you should take the bike if it's a freebie, bring it home and clean it. In worst case you could use it as a spare bike or sell the parts.
If it's better than it looks and you decide to build it up...it has the potential to be on the worlds best before and after pictures

If you dont find the ignitors there are several aftermarket ignitions to use with the stock coils.

Workshop manual: http://www.cbxclub.com/downloads/CBX_79_Manual.zip

If you get the Jag cheap, grab it.... and never look back.

https://www.google.com/search?q=59+Jagu ... r7-OyYVT8s

[willyb99]

Hello

Sadly I'm not interested in the Jag but I'm helping her look into a value. I told her don't sell it cheap to the first clown that offers anything, you (we) need to find the right buyer who appreciates what it is and that person may not be in the US. I have the Diamler-Jaguar heritage people looking into it.

The bike does look like hell but I think its got potential, 87% is there (a guess). Both wheels turn, all the cables move. Gas tank is holding something (hopefully gas). Rear brake is stiff, fronts need help. Shifter mechanism is loose.

I'll try to get a 17mm on it next time I'm there, do you think that can be done without removing the crash bar?

She doesn't really want to unlock them because someone somebody already stole the Norton but she knew who it was and went to the guys house and demanded he return it, she's a tough cookie!

There is also an 1982 GMC 2500 diesel 4wd with a manual transmission that has to go. it a treasure trove of barn find stuff!

I'll try to get some more info as I can. Believe me, I'd love to have it home. but even that has a host of problems

[512tr]

If you can't get the side cover off without removing the crash bar...remove the crash bar.

You can put the bike on the main stand, put it in fifth gear and carefully try to turn the engine by turning the rear wheel.
It is best to remove the spark plugs first, but then you need to bring a compressor and blow away all the debris before removing the plugs.

I don't know what skills you have, what tools you have and what workplace you have at home. But this is not a project you do in the driveway with a wrench and a screwdriver.

[willyb99]

Hello again!

I appreciate your response. I have enough metric stuff as well as JIS screwdrivers in my car with me when i go there to do just about anything. I tried to get it up on the center stand, I figure if I can get my 500lb VN750 on the center stand I should be able to get the CBX on it too. But it is locked up and quite close to other bikes. Not much perimeter room but I will reassess next time I'm there. I do have a small compressor i can take with me but electricity may be a problem.

Sadly I do not have a garage nor shed to do any of this when i get her home so I'll be in the evil blazing sun most of the day. But I think that may be good as a I can't overdo myself. I'm 52 and also with MS (look it up), heat is bad.

I think I'm going there on Tuesday, I'll keep you all posted on my findings

[willyb99]

Update: 8.14.23

I managed to get the bike on the centerstand, removing the crash bar was a little more involved so I didn't attempt that today. Front wheel was frozen and wouldn't roll at all so I removed the calipers. Rolls like a charm now! Hooked up my jumper pack and turned the key...nothing. That's ok! Used my little air compressor to clean up around the spark plugs and around the carburetors but didn't do much as this thing has velocity stacks that are quite open, not even some kind of air filter pod! I also removed the fried coil harness. I think it might have been on backwards. I am looking into making my own, this looks like it was built with about 14ga wire at the factory, I'd like to go with at least 12ga. At least the #1 wire (that links to all the coils) should be a heavier gauge. So would that mean that the sparky ignitor thing grounds the coils? without the bike in front of me, on the coils looking down, left to right: terminal1---mount---terminal2.

Is the left terminal (terminal1) positive? Does it matter? Also the 3 ignitors are where? I think I see the voltage regulator under the battery

So she is mostly free and ready to roll and come home. Yes she's heavy and not much in the way of brakes right now but she ready to be moved

[daves79x]

To be blunt - you are getting the cart way ahead of the horse. Trying to jump it to turn it over is not a good idea in any case, especially this one. With open stacks and sitting outside, the engine has absolutely taken on a lot of water and is surely frozen, but jumping it is NOT the way to find out! Turning the crank by hand is, but it'd be a miracle if this one isn't frozen solid.

The wiring is the last of your worries at this point. You need to see if the engine/frame are even salvageable. Rebuilding a frozen-solid engine is VERY expensive.

Dave

[willyb99]

yes I want to turn it over by hand, I just wanted to see the thing light up, but no bueno. I'll need more room around the bike to get the crash bars off, but now that it can be rolled it may make it a little easier. Then I will pop the plugs out and get some sort of wrench on the brake side crank. I really haven's seen the brake side of the bike, I can really only lean over the seat. As you can see in m pics that's the only view I really have

Where would I look for frame issues? AFAIK, the motor does make up a lot of the rigidity. Someone had mentioned weep holes. Where would I find those?