The Honda CB900 began its production in the 70s and became popular through its low price and strong build, being a naked bike with a functional intention. This bike has excellent handling that makes it ideal for the learner rider, but that’s not to say that the bike can’t keep up. With a top speed of 135mph, this was a super bike in its day and still provides the vintage rider with a retro thrill through the country lanes. Packing a 901cc engine, you’re bound to feel every revolution as you blast up the highway on this windscreen-less, raw machine. This is a true classic of a bike that combined speed with reliability in a bare bones package.
If you’ve bought a Honda CB900 as a second hand bike for commuting, you may, or may not have experienced a repair fee by now. If you haven’t, you won’t want to. The reason for this is that vintage bikes command a high cost for their maintenance today thanks to the increasingly rare supply of spare parts. Luckily, the CB900 was a widely produced model, but you still don’t want to be taking the bike to your local garage every month, otherwise you’ll be out on the street faster than your bike. The solution to avoiding those garage fees is quite simple – CB900 Manual
1980 Honda CB900C Specifications - taken from the workshop manual (CB900 C/F - 1981, 1982 models follow)
| DIMENSIONS |
| Seat height |
780mm |
| Weight (with fluids) |
277kg |
| Length |
2310mm |
| Weight (without fluids) |
259kg |
| Width |
915mm |
| Foot peg height |
330mm |
| Height (overall) |
1170mm |
| Ground clearance |
150mm |
| Wheelbase |
1580mm |
| ELECTRICAL |
| Spark plug |
standard - NGK D9EA / NGK DR8ES / ND X27ES-U / ND X27ESR-U | cold weather - NGK D8EA / NGK DR8ES-L / ND24ES-U / ND X24ESR-U |
| Gap of spark plug |
0.6-0.7mm |
| Ignition |
transistorized |
| Fuses |
10/30A |
| Ignition timing |
10 ° BTDC @ idle |
| Battery |
12V-14Ah |
| Full advance |
38.5 ° BTDC @ 3200rpm |
| Generator |
3 phase A.C generator 266W / 5000rpm |
| Starting |
starter motor |
| Firing order |
1-2-4-3 |
| LIGHTS |
| Warning light rear suspension air pressure |
3.4W - 2cp |
| Stoplight/tail |
8 / 27 W - 3/32cp |
| Neutral indicator |
3.4W - 2cp |
| Headlight low/beam |
60 / 55W H4 bulb |
| Speedo light |
3.4W 2cp |
| Tachometer light |
3.4W - 2cp |
| High beam indicator |
3.4W - 2cp |
| Front turn signal / running light |
23 / 8W - 32 / 3cp |
| Turn signal indicator |
3.4W - 2cp |
| Rear turn signal |
23W - 32cp |
| FRAME |
| Rear suspension |
shock absorber / swingarm - 101mm travel |
| Front suspension |
telescopic fork - 160mm travel |
| Vehicle load capacity |
208kg |
| Gross vehicle weight (rating) |
485kg |
| Type of frame |
double cradle |
| Rear tyre size |
130 / 90 - 16 - 67H |
| Front tyre size |
110 / 90 - 19 - 62H |
| Front brake |
Disc brake (double) 1200cm2 lining swept area |
| Rear brake |
Disc brake (single) 653cm2 lining swept area |
| Capacity of fuel |
16.5 litres (reserve 4.5 litres) |
| Trail |
124mm |
| Oil capacity (front fork) |
280±2.5cc |
| DRIVE TRAIN |
| 1st gear ratio |
2.375 (38 / 16) |
| 2nd gear ratio |
1.789 (34 / 19) |
| 3rd gear ratio |
1.391 (32 / 23) |
| 4th gear ratio |
1.160 (29 / 25) |
| 5th gear ratio |
0.964 (27 / 28) |
| Clutch |
multi plate, wet |
| Gear oil capacity - final drive |
0.15 litres |
| Transmission |
dual range subtransmission, five speed |
| Gear oil capacity - subtransmission |
0.60 litres |
| Primary reduction |
1.000 (28 / 28) / 2.041 (49 / 24) |
| Pattern of gear shift |
1 - N - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 operated by left foot |
| Final reduction |
3.091 (34 / 11) |
| Thrid reduction |
1.200 (18 / 15) |
| Subtransmission - secondary reduction |
high range - 0.638 (30 / 47) | low range - 0.721 (31 / 43) |
| ENGINE |
| Weight of engine |
106kg |
| Type of engine |
four stroke air cooled |
| Engine idle speed |
1.000±100rpm |
| Arrangement of cylinder |
in line 4 (vertical) |
| Cylinder compression |
12.0±2.0kg / cm2 (170±28psi) |
| Bore / stroke |
64.5x69.0mm |
| Air filter |
paper type |
| Displacement |
902cm3 |
| Lubrication |
wet sump system |
| Compression ratio |
8.8:1 |
| Capacity of oil |
4.5 litres |
| Valve train |
DOHC four valves per cylinder, chain driven |
| Max. torque |
7.8kg-m / 7000rpm |
| Max. power |
84bhp / 8500rpm |
| CARBURETTOR |
| Float level |
15.5mm |
| Type of carb |
VB, 32mm - venturi bore |
| Id number |
VB43A / VB43B |
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Honda CB900C - 1981 ADDENDUM model specifications that vary from above (1982 models follow)
| DIMENSIONS |
| Ground clearance |
140mm |
| Height (overall) |
1165mm |
| Wheelbase |
1585mm |
| Foot peg height |
325mm |
| ELECTRICAL |
| Fuses |
15/30A |
| Spark plugs |
standard - NGK D9EA / NGK DR8ES / ND X27ES-U / ND X27ESR-U | cold weather - NGK D8EA / NGK DR8ES-L / ND X24ES-U / ND X24ESR-U |
| Full advance |
38.5 ° BTDC @ 3200rpm |
| FRAME |
| Capacity of front fork oil |
290±2.5cc |
| Fuel capacity |
16.5 litres (3.0 litres reserve) |
| Caster angle |
61 ° 30' |
| Trail |
114mm |
Honda CB900F - 1981 ADDENDUM model technical specifications (1982 models follow)
| ENGINE |
| Bore / stroke |
64.5x69.0mm |
| Engine type |
four stoke air cooled |
| Engine weight |
92kg |
| Displacement |
902cm3 |
| Engine idle speed |
1000±100rpm |
| Cylinder arrangement |
in line four vertical |
| Cylinder compression |
12.0±2.0kg / cm2 (170±28psi) |
| Type of air filter |
paper |
| Compression ratio |
8.8:1 |
| Oil capacity |
4.5 litres (3.5 litres reserve) |
| Valve train |
four valves per cylinder DOHC chain driven |
| Lubrication system |
wet sump |
| Max. power |
89bhp @ 9000rpm |
| Max. torque |
7.8kg-m @ 7500rpm |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Weight |
263kg with fluids / 242kg dry |
| Width |
850mm |
| Ground clearance |
150mm |
| Length |
2195mm |
| Wheelbase |
1515mm |
| Height to seat |
815mm |
| Height overall |
1145mm |
| Foot peg height |
350mm |
| CARBURETTOR |
| Type of carburettor |
venturi bore 32mm VB |
| Float level |
15.5mm |
| FRAME |
| Capacity of front fork oil |
345cc |
| Trail |
110mm |
| Type of frame |
double cradle |
| Caster angle |
62 ° 30' |
| Suspension (front) |
telescopic air forks 160mm travel |
| Suspension (rear) |
swingarm / shock absorber 110mm travel |
| Fuel capacity |
20 litres (reserve - 2.5 litres) |
| Gross vehicle weight rating |
451kg |
| Capacity vehicle load |
188kg |
| Brake (rear) |
disc brake - 516cm2 lining swept area |
| Brake (front) |
double disc brake - 952cm2 lining swept area |
| Tyre size (front) |
3.50 V19 - 4PR |
| Tyre size (rear) |
4.25 V18 - 4PR |
| ELECTRICAL |
| Generator |
3 phase 260W / 5000rpm A.C generator |
| Firing order |
1-2-4-3 |
| Ignition |
transistorized |
| Spark plug |
standard - ND X27ES-U / ND X27ESR-U / NGK D9EA / NGK DR8ES | cold weather - ND X24ES-U / ND X24ESR-U / NGK D8EA / NGK DR8ES-L |
| Gap of spark plug |
0.6-0.7mm |
| Ignition timing |
10 ° BTDC @ idle |
| Fuses |
10/30A |
| Full advance |
38.5 ° BTDC @ 3100rpm |
| Starting |
starter motor |
| LIGHTS |
| Speedo light |
3.4W |
| Headlight (low/high beam) |
60 / 55W H4 |
| Tachometer |
3.4W |
| Rear turn signal |
23W |
| High beam indicator |
3.4W |
| Neutral indicator |
3.4W |
| Tail light / stoplight |
27 / 8W |
| Front turn signal / running light |
23 / 8W |
| Turn signal indicator |
3.4W |
| DRIVE TRAIN |
| Clutch |
wet - multi plate |
| Drive chain |
DID 50ZL / RK 50L0 |
| Transmission |
constant mesh five speed |
| Primary reduction |
1.000 / 2.041 |
| Gear ratio 1 |
2.533 |
| Gear ratio 2 |
1.789 |
| Gear ratio 3 |
1.391 |
| Gear ratio 4 |
1.160 |
| Gear ratio 5 |
1.000 |
| Final reduction |
2.588 |
| Pattern of gearshift |
1 - N - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 left foot operated |
New Specifications for the 1982 Honda cb900 C/F models
| FRAME - CB900C 1982 model |
| Rear brakes |
Disc brake (double) - 516cm2 lining swept area |
| Front brakes |
Disc brake (single) - 942cm2 lining swept area |
| FRAME - CB900F 1982 model |
| Gross vehicle weight rating |
452kg |
| DRIVE TRAIN - CB900C model |
| Subtransmission secondary reduction |
high range 0.595 (28 / 47) |
| DRIVE TRAIN - CB900F model |
| Primary reduction |
1.000 / 2.042 |
| ELECTRICAL - CB900C model |
| Spark plug - standard |
NGK DR8ES / ND X27ESR-U |
| Spark plug - cold weather |
NGK DR8ES-L / ND X24ESR-U |
| ELECTRICAL - CB900F model |
| Spark plug - cold weather |
NGK DR8ES-L / ND X24ESR-U |
| Spark plug - standard |
NGK DR8ES / ND X27ESR-U |
For more Honda CB900 C/F Technical Specifications see the full - Workshop Service Manual |
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