Readers' Comments

>>Parts and Services<<

Today I bolted on my CBX carbs and the bike fired up instantly and ran perfect. After only a few seconds I was able to release the choke and the engine settled into a smooth idle. What a relief to finally hear that beautiful six cylinder exhaust note after so many disappointments! Thanks again for all your help.
Paul Wilcox

This morning, I balanced the carbs and took the bike out for about two hours. Cold ride, but exhilarating nonetheless. The engine was transformed with the new carbs. Started immediately, and the choke was very smooth and linear. The engine lost all the chain noises, and was as smooth as it could possibly be. I live in the mountains--going uphill before the rebuild, the engine was struggling at lower RPMs. Now it surges smoothly ahead with a slight flick of the wrist. Downhill, the engine used to pop and backfire. Now it burbles happily and smoothly. On the flats, the engine now has an almost turbine whine--like a huge electric motor making a very pleasant whirring sound, along with the exhaust note. I believe it's the best it can be--the outcome of following your advice, and utilizing your services. I'm very pleased. I do feel sorry for all those souls who never rode a properly running CBX. I was one of them until today.
Leon Summers, CA

After fitting and priming the carbs you rebuilt for Jeff Ellmore, his high-mileage 1047cc engine fired in less than a second and had no problems in 600 miles. The bike runs great except (as you predicted) for some richness when on the needle. I plan to fit better needles over the winter.
Dealer Comment

I received them [the carburetors] and everything looks great. I followed your advice and lubed the rubber manifolds (or cuffs) with a little Vaseline, heated them with the heat gun, and the carbs went in so smoothly I thought I had completely missed the mark. Shortcuts like that can only come from experience. I got a sealed AGM battery and fired it up. I used a small fuel tank, saved from a discarded lawn mover, with Sta-bil in the fuel to fire it up. It doesn't just idle beautifully, it absolutely purrs! Thanks for all your help!
Mike Owens, IL

After fitting and priming the carbs you rebuilt for Duane Williams, his new 1147cc engine fired in less than a second and had no problems in 700 miles. Mark Miller just performed the first engine service. He reported the carb sync was right on the money and the idle mixture was rich by approximately one-half turn.
Dealer Comment

Mike, the sync went well once I located the adjustor. The engine is running as smooth as any I have seen run; most of them were new at the time. When I did the valve adjustment your book was so well written it made it simple.
Alan Allman, TX

Thank you for wrapping the items so well & shipping them out so fast. They are beautifully made and I am still so happy that I managed to get hold of them! I have passed your contact details on to few members of the CBX forum, all of whom were looking for throttle boots [CBX linkage adjuster dust boots].
Arnon, Israel

Mike - Finally got everything put back together. It's a nice sunny day finally and although it's only 45 deg outside, took it for a test ride. The shock works great, just as it was before it started leaking air. My back loves it! Thanks again!
Jeff Kutner

The carbs arrived in perfect condition. Thanks for the beautiful work and I'll let you know how they mount up. Best regards.
Alan Joseph

Mike, The shock has been in for a while, but I finally got to put some real miles with real riding on it (went to the CB1100F.net Spring Ride in Vermont for a day). I started with about 30 psi in it, but it was bottoming out on me (I weigh 240 (without gear), and had the bags loaded). I then went big and put 50 psi in it (had 10 psi in the forks). With the 50, the bike feels super. It is much more compliant than before the rebuild, and there is NO bottoming. Of course I took your advice and used the Honda Moly 60 grease (gray) on the bushings after dismantling and cleaning them. With the new front braided brake lines added, I was really enjoying life. The rebuild was well worth it. I appreciate your efforts. Thanks!!!
Steve Grubers

Hi Mike you overhauled a carburetor for me back in the Spring it worked out great. Now I have a 1984 Honda Shadow VT 500 Model I need carburetor work on...
Randy Bunch

>>How-To Booklets<<

First let me say that I don't know how anyone could take on these carbs without your book. It has been a great guide. Thank you! I had read over your book s everal times before jumping into the job and have now found that the combination of the book and actually working on the carbs concurrently is making it a lot more straightforward, and, quite frankly, fun!
Rick Earle

I just bought your Honda DOHC carb cleaning book - it's awesome! It's comprehensive, well-written, and the numerous photos really help in making everything clear to the reader.
Tom Kerxhalli
Massachusetts

Superb book. Now I'm confident. This is how all manuals should be!
Graham Parker
United Kingdom

Mike, thanks for your Honda V4 Carb book, it's much better than the other manuals and explainations I've seen for these V4 models. The bike is now up and running nice after a carb sync.
Svein Tore Kabbe
www.honda-v4.com

I purchased your book, "Cleaning the CBX Carburetor" on eBay. Thanks for putting together a great book and instruction for doing all the work on the carbs, written in plain English with plenty of photos and illustrations so as to make it easy to follow. As such Iam quite confident in approaching this job.
Paul
New Zealand

Mike............your carb cleaning How To Manual and your advice just saved me over $750! The carbs are back on, the idle circuit is set and the CBX runs better than new! Thanks again Mike and I owe you one.
Mario

This is a great booklet. I like it very much! A very impressive piece.
Randall Washington, Proprietor
Randakk’s Cycle Shakk
North Carolina

Mike, feel free to quote me. It isn't often that one sees the kind of care and attention that went into producing this book. I wish all service manuals were as clean and concise as yours. I'll get the book and really do my carbs right this time!
Paul Wilcox
California

I am very happy with the Books. The photos are clear and sharp. The printing and paper quality is super! Thank you!
David Bailey

Your book is a great reference and I've told several folks to get a copy!
Dave McMunn

Mike, your carb cleaning how-to manual and your advice just saved me over $750! The carbs are back on, the idle circuit is set and the CBX runs better than new! Thanks again Mike and I owe you one.
Mario Rovira

Mike Nixon...has authored a series of books that have been getting wonderful reviews covering specialized areas of CBX maintenance and repair such as cleaning your carbs, adjusting your valves and servicing the charging system. Check it out!
www.cbxworld.com

I really liked the [book's] pictures, very good and plenty of them, which show me what I should do in each task.
John Paquette

Thanks for all of your information. The bike is running great after rebuilding the carbs with your "carb book."
Michael Karp

Hi Mike. Well, I finally got to adjusting the valves on the CBX today (my first motorcycle valve adjustment). I measured the clearances, and the shims, and wrote everything down in the chart, as outlined in your book. Your book was spot-on. Everything was clearly written, and easy to follow. Thanks again!
Leon, CA

Hi Mike. Here are some pictures of the CBX and I'm really pleased the way everything went back together [after getting his carbs back from me]. The bike starts and runs as smooth as ever and I've ridden it about 20 miles so far to make fine adjustments, check this and that, etc. Thanks very much for being a major part of this restoration process and I'm sure the CBX appreciates it, too. Honda really knocked themselves out designing that engine, because even at 30 years old it runs so smooth. Cold start cranking takes no more than 1 second tops, which surprises everyone standing aound watching.
Doug Hogue
Washington

Being a mechanical engineer and having done everything I could to get through the electrical engineering classes that I had to take, my guess would be it must have happened in the last 15 miles. Well thanks for the reply, and thanks for sharing your diagnostic procedure because the FSM leaves a lot to be desired in this area.
David Hurayt

Received your booklets today. Haven't had time to really dig into them, but boy'o'boy do they look good! First thing would be using your brilliant logical-coherent-sequential-problem-finder-scheme for the electrical system. That is about the best piece of anything in writing concerning anything motorcycle related that I have ever seen!
Lars

Hi Mike. I receive the booklet. IT IS VERY CLEAR, DETAILED and EXC QUALITY illustrations. Thank you!
Jorge
Uruguay

Mike, thank you for the fine troubleshooting instructions. My repair of an 82 CB750K probably would have taken me months, and many unneeded replacement parts without your help.
Scott Cooper

Mike, this booklet was amazing and filled all the gaping holes in the Honda service manual with the information needed to complete the job properly. The bike now runs beter than ever. Thanks so much for putting your expertise into a format the casual wrencher can understand and follow!
Bill

Mike, I received and studied your publication, "Replacing the SOHC 750 Head Gasket". It's one of the most comprehensive technical publications I've ever seen. It's great to see the RIGHT way of doing something! I must say, it's obviously the work of a MASTER MECHANIC! I really appreciate the time and effort it takes to achieve this level of work!
Edward A. Swearingen
www.SohcCBs.com

>>Website Articles<<

I really enjoy your site and the section For Your Information is particularly interesting.
Chris Robertson

I will be sending my whole local chapter of the VJMC your link. More people need to learn great information like yours. Thanks again.
Bill Powers

I work for a Nissan dealer in Akron, OH, but I also teach classes (automotive engineering) at Stark State College, in North Canton. As a teacher I am always looking for sources outside of textbooks to relay to my students. Performance areas are especially great because they pique the interest of the class. Your articles get them to think beyond just the nuts and bolts, and start them thinking about "why." I found your articles to be very well written, and the text easy reading for the majority of my class. Thanks!
Kevin Murphy
Fred Martin Nissan

I read your article “Three Secrets of High-Perf. Engine Building” which I enjoyed very much. While I’ll never be able to take advantage of the information, I find it very interesting to know what is going on as I push an engine sometimes a little enthusiastically. Thank you.
Gary L. Brooks

You probably don't remember me. But I was one of your students at MMI, and you made a impression on me that will last a lifetime. You imparted skills to me that I use almost daily, and try to pass on to my helpers. My shop hovers amid the weird and the odd every day, and that's just the bikes that find me! But I love it! Feel good that you helped me find the path that I lead.
Fred Cousins
Triple O Service

Hello, Mike. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I was for you to have put on the Web so much practical, useful information gleaned from your years of experience working on motorcycles. As an amateur Honda mechanic for my, ummm, six or seven Honda motorcycles, I'm sure I will find much to help me in the future.
JZH

Awesome info, thanks for your efforts and time. Any chance on completing the parts that aren't complete?
B. D. Ward

Thanks MIke, I really like the well written, never condescending tone of your articles and information. This is asopposed to much of the blogosphere where the least articulate seem to have the most to say.
Jack Terpstra

Excellent, Mike. I'm very impressed. That little tease on Carburetion was kind of cruel, though. It's a great, simple explanation of the elements, and much more readable than the Haynes version of the same. But the note says the rest of the chapters aren't available yet. So, just exactly when can we start ordering copies of that book? I need one for myself, and a couple more for some buddies, so they don't grease mine up like they did the Honda Common Service manual! Thanks, and congratulations on some great material.
Brent Evered
Canada

Thanks for your wonderful website. It's been a great help.
Kurt

I was two hours late for work today! I found your web site during my morning coffee/surf...I forwarded to four of my now very grateful friends. The info is GOLD! The wire color codes AWESOME. I build hotrod Hondas and use factory parts from different bikes and eras, your color guide has opened my eyes...an amazing site.
Bill Powers

Good article on porting I learned a lot. I am an aerospace engineer, so I completely understand the concept of boundary layer affect. I just wanted to note that skin friction is much less than pressure drag. In the case of engine heads it wouldn't matter. Wings aren't smooth any more because that wouldn't stay that way for long anyway do to contact. They use to be smooth. We worry more about separation "pressure drag" than the skin friction. For the particular case of engine heads you are right on though. Kick ass man.
James Browning
Washington

Hello Mr. Nixon. I am very impressed with your site, lots of great information.
René Zwart
Scotland

Dear Mr. Nixon: Thank you very much for publishing the outstanding information about automotive technology theory on your web site! I am reading some of your articles and have really learned a lot!
Sherrill E. Watkins

Mike, thanks for a great article. Usually performance articles are so vague that they have little value. Not yours. Thanks. It's too bad I can't get our sprint car drivers to read and understand this. It might save a small fortune in wasted effort with engine building.
Jim Martin

Man o man, way to go....don't think ive ever read anything so honest or helpfull....thanks!
Matt Catley

Mike, just a short note to say thank you for writing and making available your articles on engine building and design. I`ve been building motors for years for myself and have read many many books and articles. Yours was extremely well written and interesting to read. I hope to put it to use in helping me extract a bit more rpm and perhaps HP from my Moto Guzzi land speed racer.
Bill Ross

I've read your website, particularly the 'sacred cows - pipe jetting' section, and it's really interesting. I have one of the new Triumph Bonnevilles, and have been an active member of the Triumph RAT forum, where almost all the talk is of re-jetting, free flowing exhausts and modifying airboxes to acheive amazing power increases. Certain mods are now considered essential to make the bike run 'properly'. I've always wondered about the so called w isdom of this, and so your article hit a chord with me. Having tried Truimph's own aftermarket pipes and jets, I decided to go back to totally stock - which would save the hassle of changing back to stock pipes for the UK MoT test each year. At the same time I decided to install a DynoJet Stage 1 kit, and was surprised that the bike seemed better with just this than with the aftermarket exhuast. In fact changing back to these seemed to make no real difference other than an increase in noise! Your website has now explained why this is the right feeling. I'm glad I read it. Great site! :-) Cheers.
Dave Brown, UK

Hi Mike, been reading lots of your short articles on your web-site! Be glad you're not my next-door neighbour! I'd be bugging you non-stop! But I'd sure have a sweet runnin' CBX! Reading your stuff has really made me rediscover my passion for my bike!
Ian

Hello, Mike. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I was for you to have put on the Web so much practical, useful information gleaned from your years of experience working on motorcycles.
John Holtrichter