My guide to restoration, part 3

Following on from the guide to restoration part 1 and 2 blog posts here is the parts listing for my restoration. Where possible I have included the original Honda Part number and where the item was bought from, shop links at the bottom of the page.

Item                description                 Bought from     Part number

Bike         MBX80 FWDD         ebay

Bolts         Bolt 6x12 x 2                 CMSNL            95701-0601208

Bolts         Bolt 6 x 16 x 2         CMSNL              95701-0601608

Bolts         Bolt 6x16 x 4                 CMSNL             96001-0601600

Bolts         Bolt 5x16 x 2                 CMSNL             92000-050160A

Bolts         Bolt 5x12 x 2                 CMSNL             92101-050120B

Bolts         Bolt 5 x 12 x 2         CMSNL             92101-050120G

Bolts         Bolt 6 x 22 x 2         CMSNL             95701-0602207

Bolts         Handle bar clamp bolts x 4 CMSNL     90117GE2000

Brakes         Front brake light switch ebay

Brakes         Brake calliper repair kit ebay

Brakes         Brake calliper repair kit ebay

Brakes         Reservoir window         ebay

Brakes         Rear brake light switch ebay

Brakes         Brake boot seal         ebay

Brakes         Brake lever                 ebay

Brakes         Brake pads                 ebay

Brakes         Brake lever repair kit ebay

Brakes         Front brake hoses         Brake Quip

Cables         Tacho cable                 ebay

Cables         Clutch lever                 ebay

Cables         Throttle cable                 David Silver Spares

Cables         Clutch cable                 David Silver Spares

Cables         Speedo cable                 David Silver Spares

Engine Parts Spring kick ester         David Silver Spares

Engine Parts Pinion kick starter         David Silver Spares

Engine Parts Gear Idle                         David Silver Spares

Engine Parts Engine Rebuild         M Shop

Engine Parts Water pump shaft         CMSNL         19230-G32-000

Engine Parts Water pump bush         CMSNL         90436-GE2-000

Engine Parts idler shaft                 CMSNL         13430-GT5-690

Engine Parts Crankcase gasket         CMSNL         1393-GAA-000

Engine Parts air filter                         CMSNL         17211-GE2-000

Misc         misc small parts/ springs/ washers Various

NOS Parts Fuel Tank                 Brommer Classics

NOS Parts Tool Tray                 CMSNL         77308-GE2-000

NOS Parts Collar                         CMSNL         80112-443-850

NOS Parts Luggage Rack                 CMSNL         81200-GE3_610

NOS Parts Fairing stay                 ebay

NOS Parts Radiator                         CMSNL

NOS Parts Fuel filler cap                 M Shop

NOS Parts Clock case upper         ebay

NOS Parts Clock case lower         ebay

NOS Parts Headlight                 Facebook

NOS Parts Throttle                         M Shop

NOS Parts LH switch gear         M Shop

NOS Parts Fairing                         ebay

NOS Parts Radiator cover         M Shop

NOS Parts Belly pan                     ebay

NOS Parts Seat                                 M Shop

NOS Parts Rear brake pedal         German ebay

NOS Parts Chain cover                 M Shop

NOS Parts Exhaust                         ebay

NOS Parts Fork stanchions x 2 M Shop/ ebay

NOS Parts Oil tank                        ebay

NOS Parts Rear Shock                ebay

Paint         Caliper paint                 ebay

Paint         Paint                               ebay

Paint         Powder coating         Local

Paint         Misc paints                 Local

Parts         Washer (6x20) x 2         CMSNL         90512-300-000

Parts         Band B Battery         CMSNL         95012-12001

Parts         Battery                         ebay

Parts         Chain and Sprocket Kit ebay

Parts         Rubber Air/C mount x 2 CMSNL         17245-107-010

Parts         Winker assy x 2         CMSNL         33400-GG4-601 

Parts         Cover winker x 4         CMSNL         33425-437-711

Parts         Winker assy x 2         CMSNL         33600-GG4-601

Parts         Washer winker mount x 2 CMSNL 33611-437-710

Parts         Rub, RR, winker x 2 CMSNL         33612-437-710

Parts         Rub, RR, winker x 2 CMSNL         33614-GE3-610

Parts         Grommet                         CMSNL         45451-GE2-0000

Parts         Collar fender x 2         CMSNL         61104-428-010

Parts         Collar 7.5x6.8 x 4         CMSNL         90501-437-710

Parts         Collar winker x 2         CMSNL         90506-GE3-610

Parts         Spring washer x 4         CMSNL         94111-05000

Parts         Fuel hose                         ebay

Parts         Clutch lever rubber         ebay

Parts         Handlebar                 M Shop

Parts         Handlebar grips         M Shop

Parts         Gear shifter                 M Shop

Parts         Gear shifter rubber         M Shop

Parts         Front foot peg complete x 2 M Shop

Parts         Rear foot pegs                 M Shop

Parts         Chain rubber slider         M Shop

Parts         Rear brake rocker arm CMSNL

Parts         Headset bearings         ebay

Parts         Swing arm bushings David Silver Spares

Parts         Horn                         M Shop

Parts         Fork oil seals                 ebay

Parts         Mirrors x 2                 M Shop

Parts         Fuel tap                         M Shop

Parts         Tyres Metzler ME22 Tweeks

Parts         Number Plate (custom) Retro Plates

Plating         Zinc plating                 Local

Stickers         Sticker kit                 ebay

Stickers         Tank warning sticker CMSNL     87560375680ZB

Stickers         Tyre inflation sticker ebay     87505GE3610

Used Parts Tail unit                        German ebay

Used Parts Side panels                German ebay

Used Parts Front mudgaurd        German ebay

Part 1 of the restoration guide here

Part 2 of the restoration guide here

view the complete restoration here

Visit CMSNL here

Visit the Honda M Shop - now Honda M Parts here

Visit David Silver Spares here

My guide to restoration, part 2

Following on from the guide to restoration part 1 blog post here I have broken down each section of the bike and listed if I used a new, second hand or refurbished parts for my restoration. Being honest, there are a lot of NOS parts which in reality probably didn't need changing, but a lot were cheap ebay buys and I collected a lot over the years.

Frame
Main frame: stripped and powder coated black. ID plate re-riveted. New head race bearings.
Side stand: Stripped and powder coated.
Swing arm: Stripped powder coated. New bearings, New decals.

Suspension
Front, lower fork legs cleaned and polished with wire wool. NOS stanchions. New seals. Triple clamps re-painted.
Rear, NOS rear shock complete. Pro Link Linkages painted. New swing arm bearings.

Wheels & tyres
Cleaned, hubs painted, wheel spacers re-plated, axles zinc re-plated
New Metzler ME22 tyres

Brakes
Front: New OEM style brake lines, master cylinder piston, master cylinder inspection window, brake lever, brake light switch, caliper pistons, seals, pads, caliper bolts and pins
Rear: NOS pedal, spring, brake light switch, re-plated actuator rod, new rocker arm, new wear indicator, new wear indicator felt, painted drum.

Engine
Engine re-bored, new piston, all new bearings, new seals, new clutch, new kickstarter mechanism, new gear shifter pedal and rubber, new carb, engine painted. NOS exhaust. New Carburettor (original broken) 
Cooling system: NOS radiator, NOS hoses & clips, radiator mounts painted, expansion reservoir cleaned.
Lubricating system: NOS 2 stroke oil reservoir.
Final drive: New chain and sprockets. NOS chain guard. Tyre pressure decal

Electrical
Wiring look cleaned and re-wrapped in places. NOS indicators, mounting bolts and rubbers. Indicator brackets repaired and painted. New horn. Cleaned and painted rear light assembly. NOS head light. New battery. Battery box cleaned and bracket painted.

Bodywork
NOS fuel tank, NOS Fuel cap, new fuel tap and hose, fuel tank warning decal. NOS fairing, NOS belly pan, NOS rad cover, Liquid cooled decal, NOS seat, re-painted front mudguard, side panels and tail unit with decals applied.

Cockpit
NOS upper and lower clock cases. New case screws. NOS LH switch unit and clutch lever. NOS throttle housing. NOS grips. New cable tidies, New mirrors. NOS faring mounting frame. NOS handlebar. 

MISC
New speedo cable, tacho cable, clutch cable .
Re-plated nuts and bolts + various NOS bolts and washers
NOS foot rest rubbers. New rear foot pegs on painted brackets
Stripped and powder coated rear carrier rack.
High quality used rear mudguard with NOS shock guard
Painted front mudguard brace.
Custom number plate.

Read about the part 1 of this series here

Follow the complete restoration here

My guide to restoration, part 1

I often get asked the question ‘how much did it cost you’ or ‘how much would it cost to restore another bike’?

It’s a difficult question to answer as prices for parts and bikes vary so much as parts bikes get harder to find and there is not an indefinite supply. Over the next few posts I will try a break it down to give you a realistic guide depending on how deep you want to go and what finish you want to achieve.

Bike

Prices are varying wildly right now but the days of the £300-400 project bike are long gone. Budget anywhere between £1000 and £2000 for a good usable bike, but again I would also consider what you want to end up with. If you are thinking about a factory fresh bike a £2000 bike will cost similar to a £1000 bike to fully restore, but a £2000 bike will need minimal spend to get it into decent usable condition.

Engine

I would always recommend re-building the engine, this way cases can be painted when apart so it looks so much better when its put together. If you are paying someone to do this factor in £400-£500 depending on the parts used, but if its coming apart fit new bearings, seals and gaskets.

Painting

Powder coating is easy but don’t be tempted in taking this short cut and get everything done as again this wont match the factory finish in a lot of places. Spray painting gives a ‘thinner’ finish so is more applicable to a lot of brackets, yokes, handlebar etc. You can get a good finish with a rattle can for not a lot of money. Be carful with mixing OEM painted panels with freshly painted panels as the OEM will most likely be faded by now and they won’t match. If you are painting everything, budget anywhere between £300-£1000 depending on finish and who is doing it?

Graphics

There are some genuinely good graphic kits out there now that are inexpensive (£50) and give great results. Be very careful with tank graphics placement, poor placement kills the whole visual look of the bike.

Bolts

I went down the path of re-zincing all my original bolts, however if the bolt is chewed up or rusty all you will end up with is a clean looking corroded bolt. Bath zinc plating is actually pretty cheap, so is good value and keeps an original part. Lots of replacement bolts are available from Honda and I used this as the next level replacement. Lastly you can easily and cheaply replace any bolt with alloy or stainless replacements, this for me is the last option. Zinc plating from around £30.

Shiny parts

The bike didn’t really have anything polished as standard, don’t be tempted to over polish fork legs as they should have a satin style finish. The fuel filler cap is chrome and the advice I had (and will pass on) was to only fit a genuine Honda item as aftermarket caps leak and can damage the paint on the fuel tank.

Rubber parts

Nothing makes a bike look new more than by fitting fresh rubber. Consider new handlebar grips, foot peg rubbers and tyres.

Plastic parts

A really good level of finish can be achieved using plastic trim creams and polishes. New parts can still be found, or a good quality second hand part? For example my original rear mudguard was cut down, so I used a good second hand part cleaned with a plastic polish.

Details

It’s the small things that make a difference such as warning decals, cable tidies, washers and springs. Make an effort here to lift the overall project.

No longer available parts

You will encounter some road blocks along the way where you will find that some parts are no longer available so will require either specialist restoration, for example the front brake or replacement with a good quality used option.

The end result

My personal bike required a lot of replacement parts in the end to achieve the level of finish I wanted. I could of achieved a quality non-original finished bike for less money, but that was not what I was aiming for. 

In the next post I will share the break down of all the re-finished and replacement parts I used to complete my restoration.

The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show 2024 - show prep 1

Great news! Once again I have been invited to display my MBX80 as a private entry at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show, Stafford Showground on the 12-13th October 2024.

Show prep 1 is a little different than last year, although there will be a list of mods in-coming to get show ready. This time I have been thinking about how the bike is displayed, the show information and any potential goodies I can give away, not for bribes (!!!) but to friends for their own show memorabilia collections or tool boxes. 

First off I have been playing around with some new logos based of a scan from the actual side cover graphic and also a graphic version of the bike set to a back drop of body colours. To commemorate the Stafford show I have made a small batch of 'Safford' edition decals which I will give away to friends at the show. If there is any demand I have also made a black bike version of the graphic as well that I could print to sell, not to make any money on but just because they are nice! Leave a comment or message me if you are interested?

everybody loves a sticker!

Secondly I did miss a few people at the 23 show so I have decided to make myself a little more obvious this time... This is the MK1 t shirt, but I have a better idea for the front graphic so I will be making a MK2 t shirt. If you see someone in a MBX80 T shirt, its me, so hit me up! Again if a T shirt is of interest I can get these printed with either the white bike or black bike depending on preference. Leave a comment or ping me a message if you are interested?

T shirt time

Lastly I wanted to up my game with the machine info card, so instead of an A4 stand I have opted to use an A3 (basically 2  A4), this way I can show a few resto progress images as well as include bike and 'about me' info.

info card V1

Lastly if you want more show info or to buy tickets, you can do so here:

MBX80 full fairing

In the UK the MBX came with the 'bikini' style faring that we know and love, however in the owners hand book there was a line drawing of a bike with a full fairing that hinted there was something much more exotic out there....

original image owners manual, processed image www.mbx80.co.uk

Honda officially produced the MBX80 with a full faring, originally marketed in Japan as the 'Integra' perhaps alluding to a connection to Honda's super-sporty coupe of the same name? See the original Honda press release for this model here:

The full fairing model was available in all three MBX colour generations. See all models/ colours here:

MK1 white, black or red. ***NOTE Honda Wing logo on the fuel tank

MK2 White, black or red

MK3 Rothmans blue or red

A few aftermarket fairing suppliers also popped up so you could convert your standard MBX and five it the full fairing look. Two notable mentions are Kitaco of Japan and Pichler Germany.

Kitaco fairing on MBX50

Do you want one? 

Check out this one for sale right now for €4450:

My bike is on the classic bike show's feed again!

 My bike featuring in the Classic Bike Show's feed again plus one of another one of my bikes...

We were talking 80cc recently - here's The MBX80 of Classic Bike Shows follower @danjones34

Any more 80cc bikes out there?#classicbikeshows #motorcycle #motorbike #motorcyclelife #classicmotorcycle #classicbike #motorcycleclub #classicmotorcycles #motorcycleevent pic.twitter.com/Ba4aKEiWTI

— ClassicBikeShows (@classicbikeshow) June 3, 2024

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Classic Bike Shows (@classicbikeshows)

From Classic Bike Shows follower Dan Jones:

"1963 Triumph 3TA with matching numbers. Restored by my Dad, and re-commissioned by myself"

How about that!#classicbikeshows #motorcycle #motorbike #motorcyclelife #classicmotorcycle #classicbike #motorcycleclub #classicmotorcycles pic.twitter.com/wb7WxeG8Dt

— ClassicBikeShows (@classicbikeshow) March 6, 2024

Honda accessories instruction booklet

This is a Japanese 'Honda Accessories' instruction booklet that I actually got with a belly pan, however the instructions are for the fitting of the nose fairing which was also available as a spare part. The gatefold booklet is written in Japanese with the English words 'Co-ordinate Fine & Motorcycle Life' written at the top. Have you ever seen one before?

MBX80 Double Disc

The UK market MBX80 gained a front double disc brake, this made an already well specked machine even more desirable especially when you are 17!  The model codes for the double disc models are FWD-D (1983) and FWD-F (1985). 

To make this conversion you need quite a few parts and they are also quite rare as it seems they are not shared with any another Honda model, you will need:

1/ left fork leg - 51521GE3601
2/ disc rotor  - 45121166000
3/ brake callipers LH + RH (these are single piston sliding callipers) - 45100GE3601 + 45101GE3601 
4/ fork brace with left hand hose guide - 61102GE3600
5/ brake hoses (3pcs) - various, I used these
6/ Front brake two-way joint - 45128GE3601 
7/ front brake master cylinder (different piston size). - 45500GE3601

8/ disc rotor bolts x 3 - 90155GE3600
 
You can get the part numbers and some parts on CMS  https://www.cmsnl.com/honda-mbx80fwd-1983-d_model49948/partslist/

For the front brake restoration and to more closely look at the parts take a look at these previous posts

Allspeed Exhausts

 A friend of the page Alan Price has contacted Gibson exhausts today to enquire about producing the classic Allspeed exhaust in chrome for the MBX80.

Alan is happy to lend them his bike as a template but the one-off cost is £500. If anybody else wants an Allspeed Gibson needs to get to a batch of 5 to get the unit price down to £445.

If you want to get a new exhaust at the better price please contact via the facebook group

FWD-F second sighting

The elusive 2nd generation MBX80 FWD-F UK bike that I last posted about here has made another appearance, this time I found an old article in Practice Sprotsbikes (Oct 2012) about 125's in the 80's and here was a FWDF hiding in plain site! This bike is another black and red machine, registration C921 TRE.

Vehicle Details

Vehicle make HONDA
Date of first registration
March 1986
Year of manufacture 1986
Cylinder capacity 79 cc
CO₂ emissions Not available
Fuel type PETROL
Euro status Not available
Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Not available
Export marker No
Vehicle status Untaxed
Vehicle colour RED
Vehicle type approval Not available
Wheelplan 2 WHEEL
Revenue weight Not available
Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 22 April 1988
Tax due: 1st April 1989

does anybody have this bike, is it in the back of your shed?