My Bike: Restoration, it starts...

Over the past year I have been collecting NOS parts (I have more goodies on the way), but now is the time for the actual restoration to start.

The first task is to strip the bike to the bare frame so this can be powder coated, the strip down was rather uneventfully. Expecting the worse, after all it is a29 year old motorcycle, the only real problem area were the nut and bolts that hold the rear mudguard on. The lower nut sits under a cover (for weather protection) but just spins. The bolts that hold the bracket that located the rear of the seat were also sized, and after a fight snapped, so out of the whole bike one snapped bike was very pleasing!

The other things that were apparent was just how much rust was on the lower front of the frame, however nothing that can be cleaned and treated. This cannot be said for the exhaust, the rot on the down pipe is so extensive I don’t want the headache of trying to fix it…. 

This weeks job is going to be the front fork, to be continued...

its started

engine out

suspension off

Brochure: 1984 Honda MBX80 dealer

This is the MBX80 page from the 1984 Honda dealer brochure, basically it is the same as the 83 vesion I already have but with a different header.What is interesting is that the same shot of the white bike is basically used in all of the literature Honda produced.

News: Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford

On Saturday 19th we visited the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics show at the Stafford county show ground.

If you have never been to this show I would seriously recommend you do so, busy doesn't describe it, if you are in to bikes from the 70's, 80's and 90's this is the place to be.

MBX80 wise, there was unfortunately nothing bike wise, I was hunting for a mudguard but this time there was nothing. I did also try to buy some oil seals, but they didn't have them on the booth.... Oh dear!

The Guest of honour this year was Christian Sarron, but again a little disappointed there was no YZR500...

Sarron's 1983 Yamaha TZ250

This caught my eye on the Different Strokers stand as my brother had a YSR80 in blue, possibly the only bike I have ridden that could upstage a RC30!

Yamaha YSR 'Gag' bike, very cool!

The MB guys were there again with two MB5's, an MT50 and a pristine MBX50. Love the MB5, as this was the machine I leant to ride on when I was at school!

MB5

MBX50

Our aim is to show my MBX at this show when it is finished...

NEWS: Stafford Show 2013

This years Stafford classic motorcycle mechanics show will be held on Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th October 2013 - Stafford County Show Ground, Staffordshire, ST18 0BD.

This show is a must for all fans of 80's motorcycle's and features a wealth of machines on display plus lots of traders outside selling bikes and spare parts. So if you are looking for an elusive part or even for your next project bike it is a great place to start.

from Stafford 2012 on the MB5 display

For Sale: bikes for sale via honda80cc.nl

I lot of people ask if I know where there are any MBX's for sale, well Jo contacted me from www.honda80cc.nl and they have lots. Holland is not far, grab a van and head of through the tunnel for a bargain.

€1750, mk2 with full fairing

€1050, I would like this one myself!

€2000, like new

€1500, nice red Rothmans model

€1250 with aftermarket exhaust

€1650, Mk1 with full fairing, just 9000kms!

€700, cheap!

€800, also cheap!

MBX value chart

Here is my first look at long term values and trends of the Honda MBX80, the graph tracks all the machines that were sold in the last year.

I have graded (out of 10) the condition and also mentioned if it was standard and/or running.

I think the top value of around £2000 is actually about right, as this is about the money that you would need to spend to take an average condition bike or basket case (including the price of the bike) back to a very high standard condition. If you are looking at concourse condition machine maybe a little more? Good usable bikes seem to be worth around £6-700.

Ultimately a bike is only worth what you are willing to pay for it, but at current count there are just 39 bikes in the UK, 14 on the road, 25 on SORN, there is not a great deal of choice...

Advert: "Cheaper to insure than they look"

I found this classic Honda advertisement on the web recently via http://www.classicmotorads.com

The MBX80 takes centre stage with the H100 and CB100N with the strap line "cheaper to insure than they look"

Bike for sale: Honda80cc.nl

I have been contacted by Jo at www.honda80cc.nl to introduce there website and forum for MBX chat and a lot of second hand spares.

My eyes were drawn to this bike for sale with just 1900km that's just 1179 miles.... The asking price is €2250 or about £1923, top money, yes, but show me another one? Holland isn't far away either....

http://honda80cc.nl//product_info.php/cPath/65/products_id/1046

My Bike: Restoration, new old stock parts from the Honda M Shop

I have been eyeing up some purchases from the Honda M Shop in the Netherlands, very handily they take paypal! After several conversations with Dirk, who mentioned that it is always worth speaking to them first as they often have stuff in stock but not on the website, I made my order. 

It is worth noting that they only charge €17.95 for shipping to the UK for up to 30KG, so it is worth trying to get as much as possible as it makes the shipping great value.

what's in the box?

NOS gear shifter and rubber

NOS rad cowl

NOS grips

NOS chain slide

NOS chain guard

NOS left hand switches

NOS seat

Other parts that I have not had time to picture (yet) are:

NOS handle bar

NOS stanchion tube (I already had 1 to make a pair)

Paypal is now cleared out, but I will be on another selling frenzy for my next order with Dirk.... watch this space!

My bike: Restoration, Parts, New old stock petrol tank

Its been a while since I have done something positive towards my own restoration and the petrol tank is something I wanted to get perfect.

On a web search I found a Dutch website called  Brommer Classics and they actually had a brand new old stock fuel tank in white, this I had to have....

I spoke a couple of times via email to a chap called Rob and the deal was done and the money transferred. They shipped on Friday 5th April and the tank turned up on Monday 8th, not that's service! The tank was extremely well packaged and was completely as Rob described, New, New New!

Brommer Classics have a selection of new and used spare parts for the MBX as well as a few bikes for sale, check them out here.

MBX80 - model code data

I have been trying to collect the model data for all variants of the MBX80, I have decided not to include the 75 in this as that had its own post. This is very much work in progress, if you can help with better images of the bikes or have the codes for the 3rd gen models please drop me a mail so we can complete the picture.

First generation; colours white, red or black

SWD: Single front disc, head light cowl

SWDD: Single front disc, bikini fairing

SW2D: Single front disc, full fairing

FWDD: Twin front disc's, bikini fairing

Second generation; colours white, red or black, often called the 'rainbow' colours.

SWDF: Single front disc, bikini fairing

SW2F: Single front disc, full fairing

FWDF: Twin front disc's, bikini fairing


Third generation; colours 'Rothmans' blue or red

Codes TBC