Parts and servicing

Service schedule

Sensible 8000-mile intervals for the CB and CBR and there’s nothing complicated involved. Oil and filter are changed at every service, air filter and spark plugs every other one, as well as a valve-clearance check. Apart from that it’s mostly just sensible checks on all sub-systems, including suspension and head bearings (and we’d build re-greasing into the main service). Brake fluid’s changed every two years, coolant at three but no specified fork-oil change interval — again, we’d do that at every main service. The CB/CBR is pretty easy to work on — good access and not too tricky for home mechanics.

New and used parts prices

Genuine Honda bits aren’t that cheap, as you might expect. An oil and air filter will rush you £16 and £36.32 respectively, and a chain and sprocket kit is over £200. Front discs are £170-odd each, with pads at £47.47 a pair. A new headlight is £250 and a radiator, £514.49. The aftermarket’s on the case for service items though — Wemoto offers oil and air filters for £5.28 and £14.40 each, and chain and sprocket kits from £75. Front-wheel bearings are £9 the kit, and tapered head bearings £26. Pattern brake discs are £108 each and pads (EBC HH compound) £14.54 a pair. There’s a reasonable supply of used bits but usually from badly crashed bikes, so front parts are hard to find. A pair of forks will be over £200, for example.