My Motorcycles

Bikes I currently own:
    None. :-(
Bikes I used to own: Bikes I have borrowed: Back to Toby's home page

My 1996 Honda CBR900RR

I bought this bike brand new in 1996. I went to the dealer in Sanford, NC, the weekend after a snowstorm. They had uncrated the bike on a Thursday, and I put my deposit down on it on Saturday. I had heard the specs on this bike some months before, but seeing it in person really got me salivating. After the weather warmed up a little, I logged 7,500 miles in the first five months of ownership, with trips to the mountains of NC, and solo trips to Pennsylvania and a circuit through Tennesee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. I loved this bike. It traveled faster than a fart and is comfortable enough for 600 mile days in stock trim. Maintenance was always minimal, and the bike ran well in 89 pump gas. I must be about the size of a large Japanese male; this bike fit me perfectly.

This bike (like most) rewards a smooth rider. A heavy hand on the bars will result in the bike feeling nervous. I can tell when I am rusty or not feeling very good. This bike is at home on sweeping curves (which we have a lot of here), but is not really meant for technical twisties. The gearing makes tight turns an excercise in clutch play and first-gear windouts.

Some of the things that I added:

  • A three-horn air horn setup (recently removed)
  • A BEL 615STi-R radar detector (stealth mounted)
  • Lockhart turn signals (squid!)
  • Lockhart dark smoke Euro windscreen
  • Lockhart tank bra
  • Factory 1.0 Jet Kit
    • 118/120/120/118 mains
    • #3 needle position
    • 3 turns on the idle mixture screws
  • K&N filter
  • 16/45 sprockets and a 525 chain
  • Russell stainless steel braided brake lines (front and back)
  • 1998 CBR900RR stainless steel exhaust
  • Fan switch override (for those long traffic lights)
Toughest maintenance to date:
  • Shim-under-bucket valve adjustment at 16,000 miles (all were in spec!)
Repairs to date:
  • Separated petcock vacuum diaphragm (my fault)
In May of 2000, I traded the CBR in on a custom-painted Magna. I felt like I was leaving an old friend at the dealership, but with the Duke on the way and wanting another cruiser to ride, I couldn't see keeping 5 bikes. The CBR was mostly a solo ride, since not much could keep up. 8-)

I owned the bike for 4 years 2 months and 20,324 miles.