As you already know, most of my time the past few years is spent on building my V8 bike. Yet the CBX was never out of sight; this report proves that. And even my good ol' GSX-R occasionally requires some attention. It'll even get its own article in the Dutch motorcycle mag Moto73 in a few months, in the catagory 'marathon bike' as it has more than 120,000 km on the odometer. Sometimes I feel like the multi-armed mail sorter in the movie Men In Black II.

Anyway, back to the CBX then.

  
       
 
 

November 2009 Jan van Atteveld (l), Benno Krabbenborg (r) and me visited the Essen Motor Show in Germany. The CBX was present during that show; read my report here. The three of us were there to look at bikes and cars, and there was another reason: after seven years I decided the electronics of the bike deserved an update. A 'Stage III' as I call it. Stage I was the original wiring (by Simon Olyslager), Stage II added the magnet switches and camera electronics (by Jan). Stage III was led by Benno Krabbenborg, an experienced electronics expert.

  
       
   

There was no acute need in replacing the electronics: after all these years (and after all the rain...) it still worked like a charm. I just wanted to finetune it, like resetting all functions to a default whilst turning the key. And replacing all seven big car relais by small so called power transistors (see picture). These transistors could then be integrated in the electronics box whilst the car relais used to be outside the box, thus saving a lot of space and wiring.

Did the electronics-wheel had to be reinvented? No: Stage II was well documented and Benno used the concept of most of the existing print schemes for the new version.

  
       
   

Benno collected information on schmitt triggers and flip-flops ...

  
       
   

.... and built all the individual components in a dedicated computer program, simulating the bike's functions.

  
       
   

Jan and Benno discussed the improvements, the alternatives, the pitfalls and the challenges of the update ...

  
       
 
 

... after which I ordered online a sh*tload of components.

  
       
  Digital simulations are nice, setting up an experimental board is still essential.  
       
    Check, check, double check.  
       
 
 

A cardboard mockup from the electronics box defined the size of both prints.

  
       
 
  I drew the final prints in CorelDraw.  
       
    The etching and drilling was done by Technojunk. Good job.  
       
 
  I did the soldering of all the wires, resistors, transistors and diodes. Like everything else: time consuming but enjoyable.  
       
   

Okay, then it was time to dismantle the 'old' electronics. Here you see me point at the strip with five car relais, and a lot of connectors.

  
         
    And away they go.  
       
    The new prints were connected to check all functions: start, brakes, lights, horn, cameras, indicators, alarm.  
       
 
  Despite digital simulations and the test PCB, not all functions did their trick the first time. It took quite some evenings - and a few modifications - to fix them all. The secret recipe: analytical skills mixed with logical thinking.  
       
   

The power transistors were a lot smaller than the car relais but they had a downside: heat. I replaced the stainless steel lid from the electronics box by a copper one because copper transfers heat about twenty times better than stainless steel. And I milled two alloy heat sinks to get rid of the heat even better.

  
       
 
 

A final check-up. All systems go: the big relais are gone, after starting up the bike all functions reset nicely. The bike is now even more 'stealthy': car relais clicked as they were activated. This noise is gone now. Don't worry: you can still hear the exhaust ;-)

 

  
         
   

Last job: drawing a new wiring diagram. Click the picture to enlarge it.

Benno and Jan: thanks for the excellent work!

  
       
   

Talking about 'thanks': after more than 24,000 km the CBX needed a fresh set of chain and sprockets. Marco Kleijssen (Rolling Dutchmen) donated a one-off stainless steel rear sprocket for the CBX.

  
       
   

Because it was a so-called 'blank', I milled six holes for the bolts ...

  
       
 
  ... and a big center hole. Marco, thanks!