CB900F Super Sport - 1981 - Should I?: Sprockets forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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May 19, 2009 8:17 p.m. eastpark New Reader

I test drove a 1981 CB900F Super Sport. I always wanted one of these when i was a punk ass teenager, back in '81.

The good: It stops well, good power, all lights and signals work. Tires are new, brakes have lots of life, good clutch feel. All gears engage well.

My concerns: The mileage is unverified (supposedly 35,000 Kilometers) , it was stolen a couple of years ago and when recovered the insurance paid for a new cluster, new tank and side covers. The speedo reads 8000 kilometers.

Last year the present owner had it out on a ride and the timing chain broke, taking out the valves. He replaced the head with one from a 900 Custom. He says they're the same except the Custom is silver, the SS is black (Is this correct?). Fuel is weeping at the base of one carb. Oil is weeping at the base of the head.

The guy is asking 2000.00 but I know there is room for negotiation.

By heart says go for it, but I think it's the punk ass in me...

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Paul
May 19, 2009 10:32 p.m. 93gsxturbo Reader

Id hold out for a nicer one, my friend picked up a cherry one for $1200. It was great until he dumped it.
May 19, 2009 10:57 p.m. wherethefmi HalfDork

the red X ones were a little unreliable
May 19, 2009 11:22 p.m. captaincog New Reader

All the 750/900 engines had head gasket issues over time, but breaking a timing chain? Not cool. The valves might be the same, but why did this owner go cheap on the fix. Find another one.
May 20, 2009 6:02 a.m. 914Driver Dork

$2000 is a lot of money for a 28 year old motorcycle of undocumented milage with a bastardized head that leaks from two different systems. But that's just me....

For reference, I sold a pristine GPz-1100 for $1100 three years ago. 80's sport bikes are kinda like the sport touring bikes of today, heavier than squids with a more upright seating position. $2k to fill a teenage fantasy? Meh.

Keep looking, I know you can do better.

Dan
May 20, 2009 7:39 a.m. 4cylndrfury HalfDork

big newb question...explain squid?
May 20, 2009 7:59 a.m. minimac Dork

The CB900s were awesome bikes at the time and are still pretty good rides.If you're set on one, $2k will find you one in a lot better condition. The technology of newer bikes make the classics seem like dinosaurs, but my experience has been that people took better care of their bikes in the old days. Around here, you find many more excellent condition bikes from the late 70s and 80s, than late 90s/200x. The later model bikes seem to have been ridden hard and put away wet, if you know what I mean.
May 20, 2009 9:12 a.m. 914Driver Dork

Squid is a crotch rocket rider. Sport bike person, usually young.
May 20, 2009 10:26 a.m. Xceler8x Dork

4cylndrfury wrote:

explain squid?

A motorcyclist who rides without due regard for basic safety gear or riding etiquette.

That guy blasting through traffic, cutting everyone off, all while wearing no gear and with the loudest pipe they make? Squid.

The next thing you'll hear is his Mom telling you motorcycles are dangerous because her precious little snowflake is now dead.

Squid.
May 20, 2009 11:34 a.m. eastpark New Reader

914Driver wrote:

$2000 is a lot of money for a 28 year old motorcycle of undocumented milage with a bastardized head that leaks from two different systems. But that's just me....

For reference, I sold a pristine GPz-1100 for $1100 three years ago. 80's sport bikes are kinda like the sport touring bikes of today, heavier than squids with a more upright seating position. $2k to fill a teenage fantasy? Meh.

Keep looking, I know you can do better.

Dan

Thanks for your perspective Dan, I did keep looking last night and I also found a very nice (at least in the photo) '83 GS1100. The owner has not yet replied to me, but I hope to see it 'for real' later today or tomorrow.

While my preference would be to find an interesting (to me) older Honda like the CB900F, I'm going to keep my mind open to other options.
May 20, 2009 3:09 p.m. 4g63t Reader

www.cb1100f.net I have a 79 CB750F with 156,000 miles on it.

The heads are the same. F has a black motor Cs have a silver one. They go together like legos. The carbs float bowl gaskets don't like alcohol gas. So use new ones EVERY TIME you take the carbs apart. The carbs also do not like being run without the airbox.

What I don't know about these bikes isn't worth knowing.
May 20, 2009 8:04 p.m. kevlarcorolla New Reader

Sounds like too much money to me,I sold my hotrodded CB900F last year for $4000 canadian.It was over 10k to build the bike 10 years ago.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o50/kevlarcorolla/100_0773.jpg

It was pretty,sounded very nice and handled well but was also pretty slow compared to pretty much anything modern.