Welcome to my hobby page on HCS, led by me, NJ.
When I was a student, the world was in the midst of a motorcycle boom in Japan.This might give away my age, but after much struggle, I got my motorcycle license restrictions lifted and finally got to enjoy riding a big bike.I was able to ride the CB750F, a bike I had always dreamt of. Back then, the excitement for “Over 750cc” imported bikes was real. Among them, the CB1100R stood out. And then, there was the ambitious project from Honda at the time, the CX500TURBO, which completely captured my attention. Riding a GL400,I found myself fantasizing about how it would feel with a turbocharger attached.
During this period, an acquaintance of mine bought a CB1100RD. This narrowed down my choices to one. I decided to go all in and get the CX500TURBO. Back then, getting an imported bike was a different process from today, involving special distribution channels and a six-month wait from order to delivery. It was an expensive purchase for a student, but I thoroughly enjoyed the world of the CX500TURBO. I had a great time touring from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south.
However, the combination of motorcycles and turbochargers can not exactly be said to be a match made in heaven. In cars, installing a turbocharger on a small engine might make sense for space efficiency compared to fitting a large engine into a small car, but for motorcycles, the necessity of complicating the mechanics by intentionally reducing displacement to add a turbocharger seems less justifiable. Still, maybe it is like having a beauty spot – the unique acceleration and sound, so different from the linear engine performance typically desired in motorcycles, captivated my heart.
As time passed, the busyness of work traded off my connection with motorcycles. Yet, I resolved in my heart to ride again someday… And finally, in 2017, I hit the road again. My new partner is the CB1300SF. I was amazed by the evolution from those machines of the 80s. The overwhelming sense of balance, stiffness, and especially the stable braking performance moved me.
I feel an affinity for the Honda Project BIG1 series, which pays homage to the classic CB750F and CB1100R. However, while other new models are attractive, they did not keep my interest for long. Still, somewhere inside, I held a lingering affection for the CB1100R, and over time, I began to desire owning and riding one at least once. Nonetheless, having understood the level of modern motorcycles, the idea of seeking out and maintaining a vintage bike from that era feels burdensome & makes me hesitate.
When the CB1100 was released in 2010 in Japan, the more I learned about its specs and saw its appearance, the more I found myself comparing it to the CB1100R. It occurred to me that if the exterior of the CB1100 could be modified to resemble the CB1100R, it could become a replica machine. I began to dream about such a possibility. At one point, I even started to think about making one myself. Then, I was surprised to hear that Doremi Collection inc. had launched a replica kit – it felt like I had been beaten to the punch… but I also felt reassured that there were others who shared the same thoughts. Seeing the actual machine, I was impressed by the replica’s accuracy and high quality. It made me think, “Alright, I should buy the CB1100 and this kit and assemble it myself.” However, I couldn’t quite get excited about the idea. Call it a contrarian streak; it’s just in the way. Indeed, you can recreate the appearance of the CB1100RD from back in the day. The same air-cooled engine, the beautiful sculpting of the fins… Hmm, feels like something’s missing.
Questioning myself whether it is enough to claim the ‘R’ badge based solely on the appearance, I engage in a bout of introspection. When I freely interpret Honda’s CB series according to my understanding, the CB1100 seems to follow more in the lineage of the CB750FOUR. The BIG1 series appears to trace the lineage from CB750F to CB1100R (though Honda’s own conceptual position seems to waver at times in this area). This means, in a modern interpretation, the CB1100R could well be equipped with a liquid-cooled engine instead of an air-cooled one. Inspired by the concept of “an R that surpasses R,” I came up with a ridiculous idea to create an original motorcycle. It would involve assembling the Doremi Collection’s Type R kit onto the CB1100 (SC65) chassis frame, with the engine and undercarriage from the CB1300SF. So, I arbitrarily decided on a name for the bike. Following conventional logic, it would be the CB1300R. But that seems a bit lackluster. Aiming for an R that surpasses R, to embody the highest ambition of the CB series, I borrowed the name of that invincible fleet from the ’70s, calling it the RCB. Thus, the proclamation of ‘Project RCB’ began.
I decided to search for new and used genuine parts needed for the assembly and to design and procure any necessary new parts myself, aiming for a level of finish that would make it indistinguishable from a Honda factory product. Instead of looking like a typical custom bike, I envisioned it as if it had been assembled in a Honda factory in 2024? (though that’s impossible).
In the fall of 2020, I purchased a used frame with paperwork for the CB1100 (SC65). This marked the beginning of various considerations, part sourcing, and assembly. I had heard that the lower part of the engines for the SC54E (1300cc liquid-cooled) and SC65E (1000cc air-cooled) were the same, so I was hopeful that the CB1300’s engine could be installed in the CB1100 frame. However, it wasn’t straightforward due to differences in the engine head, particularly the shape and height of the water passages. The moment when the CB1300 engine, painted in Magna Red, was successfully mounted onto the CB1100 frame, I couldn’t help but smile. Yet, this was just the beginning of a thorny path.
It’s March 2024 as I write this. I started Project RCB back in 2020, and I want to share the journey so far and continue to report on our progress until completion.
