'85 CB650SC

[JWBrockman]

Hi, I bought this '85 Nighthawk 650 as my first bike last fall, and had some fun learning to ride it in October.


I have some plans for it though. I bought it in very good condition with under 7000 miles and brand new tires for $525. I got a great deal, but it needed a few things - the fork seals were weeping, the seat was torn, the battery was toast, there was a crack in the fork brace, and it could use minor cosmetic cleanup/corrosion removal on the trim. I replaced the fork brace and battery and rode it for the rest of the fall, but now I'm working on making it perfect and a little more aesthetically pleasing before I ride it again. I wish I had it done already, but my Miata autocross car has also kept me busy. I'm hoping starting a thread here can give me some real motivation to get it done :). Here's the project list so far:

Replace fork seals/heavier fork oil
Install Progressive 412 socks
Replace Brake Pads/install CBR600F2 Rotors
Replace throttle cables
Change oil & filter
Powdercoat wheels black
Black Paint or powdercoat for aluminum trim, brake pedal, shifter, pegs, fork legs
Black Exhaust
Low rise handlebars
New grips
CRG knockoff bar-end mirrors
New turn signals
Reupholster seat
Round H4 headlight from '02 Buell M2
Buell Blast flyscreen

I think that's it, I'll update the list if I've forgotten anything. I've been collecting parts for a while now, it's finally time to get this project moving! Ive done a few of the things already, but haven't made enough real progress to note. I'll update this thread with the finished product or once I show significant progress, but I plan on documenting everything that I can in a thread in the Project forum. Thanks for looking, and hopefully posting this will keep me motivated and get this back on the road soon.

EDIT: And here are the results of my efforts:

[Puppysnake]

Wow, that's a nice looking bike. Definitely worth some wrench time.

[detdrbuzzard]

hello and welcome to nighthawks forum jwbrockman, what a steal you got on your NH

[Steve E]

Great looking NH, I bought a Red 85 for my Wife(she loves it). Were the CBR600F2 Rotors a direct bolt on replacement? Thanks for any info.

                               Steve E..........

[MrF]

Nice looking bike!  I really like that color.  Is that stock?

[Hondo]

You're on the Front Page now JWB -

http://nighthawk-forums.com/Home/

[cjbear11]

Where did you get the fairing!?  I've been looking for one just like that, but can't find it.

[happycommuter]

More proof that the CB650 should have been designed with a round headlight!
Flyscreen shrouds the still rectilinear instruments fairly well too.

[Bumblebee]

More proof that the CB650 should have been designed with a round headlight!

The standard 1982 CB650 has the round headlight. The honda shop manual shows the C and SC for 1979-1982 are also round.

Maybe it's just because I'm use to the round light but the rectangular light looks hideous to me.

[deftdrummer]

That bike is truly in awesome shape, especially for the money. I really likes those pipes too, I have the chrome on my bike, but really dig the matte finish. Also, the drilled rotors are replacements I would think too.

[JordanA]

I've gotta give you a bump... your bike was my original inspiration anyway!

[JWBrockman]

Wow, I haven't checked this thread in forever. I didn't realize there were questions for me in here. Most of them are answered in the build thread, but for the record, it's the factory paint, the pipes were painted (off the bike) with matte black Duplicolor high-temp exhaust paint, the windscreen is from a Buell Blast (order it at any H-D dealer), and the CBR600F2 rotors are a direct replacement for the stock rotors.

The next project is going to be another seat, this time I am using a Sargent cover with a textured vinyl, and incorporating some memory foam into the seat. I sold the seat in those pics to another forum member, hope he's happy with it.

[JordanA]

Funny. I just got a seat that looks just like yours off of ebay. Any reason you didn't like it? 

[JWBrockman]

I liked that seat cover fine, it went on pretty well. Yes, it was the one from eBay. But after I did it, I found out about the Sargent covers with the carbon fiber textured vinyl, and I wanted to try one of those. I already have an extra seat pan/ foam, so when somebody emailed me asking questions about my seat a couple weeks ago, I offered to sell it to him.

[vert]

Nice looking bike, JWB!

I have a question, i see that you removed the black sticker with silver lettering on the right side of the bike that used to be right under 'Nighthawk 650' logo.  I would like to remove mine and have tried everything (goofoff, googone etc) but it will not come off.  Trying to peel off at corners just gets tiny pieces coming off but they are microscopic.  Any suggestions?

[JordanA]

Just paint it black and be done with it.

[vert]

I would, but the sticker is all ripped up so the paint will look uneven and I would like to have a nice clean looking surface.

[fishmeister]

  If you are trying to take that sticker off and repaint, use a razor blade and solvent on the remaining glue, then the correct wet sandpaper after. Taking it off and trying to save the paint underneath is almost impossible.

[JWBrockman]

I scraped that sticker off with a blade, sanded and painted with Fusion paint. You won't be able to get rid of it any other way.

[vert]

Thanks for the idea.  I did exactly that and used the Fusion black paint from Walmart - came out great.

[mike884]

that is one mean looking NH, the cbr rotors are just bolt on and go huh?