The Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird was a Honda motorcycle, part of the CBR series made from 1996 to 2007. The bike was developed to challenge the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 as the world's fastest production motorcycle, and Honda succeeded with a top speed of 178.5 mph Two years later the title passed to the Suzuki Hayabusa, which reached 194 mph The Blackbird is named after the Lockheed SR-71, also a speed record holder.

It has the largest-displacement engine in Honda's CBR range of motorcycles.In the mid 1990s, Honda was determined to produce the world's fastest production motorcycle and to take over the associated bragging rights and marketing impact, at the time held by Kawasaki's Ninja ZX11. This led to the creation of the CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. The Blackbird name is a nod to the Lockheed SR-71 aircraft, the world's fastest production aircraft.

In the February 1997 issue of Sport Rider magazine, the CBR1100XX was tested at a top speed of 178.5 mph compared with 175 mph for the ZX-11. Its supremacy over the ZX-11 was confirmed in April 2007 by Motorcycle Consumer News, although the speeds achieved were slightly lower and the margin was narrower.

In 1999, the Suzuki Hayabusa overtook the CBR1100XX. It was listed in the 2000 Millennium Edition of Guinness World Records as the world's fastest production bike with a top speed of 194 mph Hayabusa is the Japanese term for the Peregrine Falcon, a species of raptor which preys on blackbirds.

 

### Flywheel on a Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird (1997) - Detailed Repair Guide

#### Purpose of the Flywheel
The flywheel is a crucial component of the motorcycle’s engine. It stores rotational energy and helps maintain a consistent engine speed, smoothing out power delivery. It also houses the ignition timing mechanism and can affect starting and idle stability.

### Components of the Flywheel System
1. **Flywheel**: A heavy, circular metal disc bolted to the crankshaft.
2. **Stator**: An electromagnetic component that generates electrical energy.
3. **Ignition Timing Components**: Usually includes a sensor and trigger plate.
4. **Starter Clutch**: Engages the starter motor with the flywheel to crank the engine.
5. **Bolts and Washers**: Secure the flywheel to the crankshaft.

### Theory Behind Repair
The flywheel can wear out or become damaged from age, stress, or operational failures. A faulty flywheel can cause poor engine performance, difficulty starting, or irregular idling. It's like a bicycle wheel that’s bent; it makes for a bumpy ride and can lead to further issues if not fixed.

### Tools Required
- Socket set (metric)
- Torque wrench
- Flywheel puller
- Screwdrivers (flathead and Phillips)
- Clean rags
- Engine oil (for reassembly)
- Safety goggles and gloves

### Step-by-Step Repair Procedure

#### 1. Preparation
- **Safety First**: Ensure the motorcycle is on a stable stand.
- **Disconnect Battery**: Remove the negative terminal to prevent electrical shorts.

#### 2. Remove the Fairings
- Use the screwdriver to remove screws and clips securing the fairings. Keep them organized for reassembly.

#### 3. Access the Engine
- Remove the fuel tank by unscrewing the bolts and disconnecting the fuel line. Ensure the fuel is off or drained to avoid leaks.

#### 4. Remove the Stator Cover
- Locate and remove bolts securing the stator cover using the socket set. Gently pry off the cover, taking care not to damage the gasket.

#### 5. Inspect the Flywheel
- Once exposed, visually check for cracks or excessive wear. A flywheel should be smooth and free of significant damage.

#### 6. Remove the Flywheel
- **Using a Flywheel Puller**:
- Attach the puller to the flywheel's screw holes.
- Turn the center screw of the puller to apply pressure and loosen the flywheel from the crankshaft.
- **Note**: Be cautious as sudden release could damage components.

#### 7. Clean the Area
- Wipe down the crankshaft and surrounding areas with a clean rag to remove any debris or oil.

#### 8. Install New Flywheel (if necessary)
- **Position New Flywheel**: Align it with the crankshaft.
- **Torque Bolts**: Use the torque wrench to tighten bolts to the manufacturer’s specifications (check service manual for torque settings).

#### 9. Reassemble Components
- **Reinstall Stator Cover**: Replace the gasket and secure it with bolts.
- **Reattach Fuel Tank**: Secure it with bolts and reconnect the fuel line.
- **Reinstall Fairings**: Ensure all screws and clips are reattached properly.

#### 10. Reconnect Battery
- Reattach the negative terminal and ensure all connections are secure.

#### 11. Test
- Before taking the motorcycle out for a ride, start the engine and let it idle. Check for any abnormal noises or vibrations.

### Common Issues with Flywheels
- **Worn Teeth**: Can cause the starter clutch to slip.
- **Cracks or Breaks**: Can lead to engine instability or failure.
- **Improper Installation**: Can lead to misalignment and further mechanical issues.

### Conclusion
Replacing the flywheel on a Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird is a straightforward process if you follow each step carefully. Regular inspection and maintenance of this component can lead to improved engine performance and longevity. Always refer to the motorcycle's service manual for specific torque settings and procedural nuances.
rteeqp73

Straight, workshop-style walk-through for replacing wheel bearings on a 1997 Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird. Intended for a beginner mechanic — explains why, how the system works, every component you’ll touch, possible failure modes, and step-by-step procedures. Read fully before starting. Follow safety precautions and consult the OEM service manual for exact torque specs and part numbers.

Quick summary of why this is needed (theory)
- What a wheel bearing does: it lets the wheel spin freely while carrying radial (weight) and some axial (side) loads with minimal friction. Inside a bearing are inner and outer races, rolling elements (balls or rollers) and a cage. Modern motorcycle wheel bearings are usually sealed, pre-greased units pressed into the hub.
- What goes wrong: seals fail, grease washes out or contaminates with water/dirt, rollers wear or corrode, races get pitted. That leads to increased friction, heat, noise (rumbling/grinding), and play (side-to-side or up-and-down). Left unchecked this can cause poor stability, uneven tire wear, brake problems and catastrophic bearing collapse.
- Analogy: The bearing is like the axle’s skateboard wheel hub — worn bearings make the wheel wobble and rattle, and eventually stop rolling smoothly.

Safety first (non-negotiable)
- Work on a flat surface, stable motorcycle stand (preferably center stand or rear paddock/stand and front stand). Use additional jack/supports if needed.
- Chock/transmitively block the bike so it can’t fall.
- Wear eye protection and gloves. Use hearing protection when striking tools.
- Do not rely on calipers hanging by the brake hose — support them with wire or hangers to avoid stress on the brake line.
- If you don’t have the right tools (bearing driver/press), ask for help or take the hub to a shop. Hammering without proper drivers easily destroys bearings and hubs.

Parts and components you’ll see (detailed descriptions)
- Wheel hub: central casting that houses bearings and to which the brake rotor and sprocket mount.
- Wheel bearings (sealed units): pressed into the hub bores. They are assemblies of outer race, inner race, rolling elements and seal(s). OEM part specific to hub; sealed so no greasing required.
- Dust seals / oil seals: thin rubber seals that keep dirt and water out of the bearing bore and retain grease/seal assembly.
- Axle (front/rear): solid shaft passing through wheel and fork/swingarm. Keeps wheel aligned and carries driving/braking loads to bearings.
- Axle spacers / collars: tubular spacers between bearings that locate and space the wheel on the axle; important for correct preload and alignment.
- Axle nut & washers: secure the axle; often castellated or plain and torqued to spec.
- Fork lowers / pinch bolts (front): when tightened clamp the axle and forks together.
- Brake calipers & pads: clamp the rotor — you’ll usually remove or unbolt to take the wheel out. Support them off the axle.
- Rotor/disc: bolted to hub; can remain on wheel in many jobs but be mindful of bumpy removal.
- Sprocket carrier, cush rubbers (rear): mount to the wheel hub and transfer drive torque; may need removal to access bearings on some bikes.
- Rear swingarm & axle adjusters: hold axle and keep chain tension.
- ABS tone ring/sensor (if equipped): must not be damaged and must be reinstalled correctly.

Tools and supplies (minimum)
- Service manual for torque specs and diagrams (essential).
- Motorcycle stand(s) to remove wheel safely.
- Metric socket/ratchet set; combination wrenches.
- Torque wrench (capable of motorcycle torques).
- Hex/Allen bits for calipers/axle pinch bolts.
- Flat screwdriver, rubber mallet.
- Bearing drift set / bearing driver cups sized to your bearings OR hydraulic/bench press.
- Punch and slide hammer only if needed (use cautiously).
- Soft-faced hammer or dead-blow.
- Wheel and hub cleaning supplies: brake cleaner, rags.
- New bearings (OEM part numbers), new seals, fresh grease for seals/collar (sealed bearings don’t need packing).
- Light oil or rust penetrant for stubborn parts.
- Wire or bungee to support caliper.
- Circlip pliers (if circlips retain bearings).
- File and deburring tool for any burrs in bore if present.

Diagnosis (how to be sure bearings are bad)
- Lift wheel free of ground. Grab tire at top and bottom and try to rock it fore–aft and side–side. Any perceptible play is suspect.
- Spin wheel by hand: listen for roughness, grinding, or rumbling. Spin should be smooth and coast freely.
- Heat test after a short ride (careful!): safe touch test — hotter hub than expected can indicate friction.
- Visual: grease leakage, rusty or torn seals, wobbling tire, uneven tire wear.
- Road symptoms: growling noise that changes with speed, steering wander, instability braking/free-wheeling.

General approach (front vs rear)
- Procedure is similar: remove wheel, extract bearings/seals from hub, drive new bearings/seals in with correct orientation and supporting surfaces, reassemble with correct spacers and torque.
- The rear hub may need partial disassembly (sprocket carrier/cush rubbers) to access bearings.

Step-by-step: Front wheel bearing replacement (workshop style)
1. Preparation
- Get the front wheel off the bike: lift bike on a front stand or both front and rear supported so forks are off the ground and wheel can be removed. Take photos/notes of spacer orientation before removal.
- Remove front axle pinch bolts (on fork lowers) and loosen axle nut.
- Remove brake calipers: unbolt mounting bolts; hang calipers out of the way with wire so brake hoses aren’t stressed.
- Remove axle nut fully and slide axle out while supporting the wheel. You may need to knock it gently with a hammer and drift while supporting wheel.
- Remove the wheel assembly: slide out spacers and note orientation — there may be different left/right spacers and a speedometer collar or ABS tone ring.

2. Inspect wheel and parts
- Note any seal damage, grease leakage, or visible play in bearings by trying to move the bearing inner race.
- Clean the hub area with brake cleaner and rags.

3. Remove the old bearings and seals
- Remove wheel seals/dust covers first. These are usually thin rubber covers; pry carefully with a small flat screwdriver, protecting the hub face.
- If bearings are retained by a circlip, remove it with circlip pliers.
- Use a proper bearing driver or press: press or drive the bearing out from the hub by pushing the inner race out. When removing, support the outer race so the force goes through the inner race — this avoids damaging the bore. If using a punch/hammer, use a small drift and work around the inner race evenly; don’t hammer on outer race or on balls.
- Remove inner bearing and then the outer bearing the same way.
- Remove any spacer(s) and clean the inside of the hub thoroughly. Focus on removing corrosion, old grease, and burrs. Do not introduce grit into the hub bore.

4. Prepare for installation
- Inspect hub bore and spacer for scoring or damage. Light burrs may be filed; severe damage requires replacement of the hub.
- New bearings are sealed and usually don’t require internal greasing. Lightly grease the mating surface (hub bore) and the outside of spacers so they slide into place easily and seals seat well.
- Fit new seals loosely to ensure they’ll seat when bearing is in place. Apply a thin film of grease to the sealing lip.

5. Install new bearings and seals (critical technique)
- Bearings must be pressed in squarely. Use a driver that contacts only the outer race of the bearing when installing. If you press on the inner race or hit the balls, you’ll destroy the bearing.
- Using a press or a hand driver: seat the outer bearing until it’s fully home in the hub bore. If using a hammer and driver, strike evenly and keep driver perpendicular to the bore.
- Install the inner bearing the same way, ensuring it seats fully. Some hubs have a shoulder for each bearing; seat to that shoulder.
- Install any circlip if present, then press in the dust seal/oil seal. Drive the seal in evenly until flush with the hub face. The seal orientation is important: sealing lip toward the bearing (toward grease).
- Recheck that the inner bore where the spacer will go is clean and that spacers fit smoothly.

6. Reassembly of wheel and bike
- Reinstall wheel spacers in correct orientation (take care: left and right spacers usually differ). Reference your photos/notes.
- Slide wheel back into forks and realign rotor between calipers.
- Slide axle through, making sure it passes cleanly through spacer(s) and inner races.
- Tighten axle nut finger tight while aligning wheel; torque to service manual spec (don’t over-tighten!). Then tighten fork pinch bolts to spec. Note: some procedures advise torquing the axle nut to spec with the bike on the ground (to simulate accurate bearing preload); check OEM manual for sequence. If manual says “torque with weight on wheel,” follow it.
- Refit calipers, torque caliper bolts to spec, and check brake lever/pedal for proper function.
- Spin wheel by hand to check free rotation and absence of binding or play.
- Re-torque everything to specs after a short test ride if recommended.

Step-by-step: Rear wheel bearing replacement (workshop style)
1. Preparation and removal
- Put the bike on a stable rear stand that lifts the rear wheel clear. Loosen chain adjusters then remove chain tension and slide chain off sprocket if needed.
- Remove rear axle nut, withdraw axle while supporting the wheel.
- Remove brake caliper or swing it out of the way and unbolt the sprocket carrier if needed to access hub bearings. On the Blackbird the rear sprocket/sprocket carrier may be bolted to the hub — you may need to remove cush drive rubbers/sprocket carrier to access one of the bearings.
- Carefully extract spacers and note orientation.

2. Bearing removal
- Similar to front: remove seals, circlips if any, and press bearings out using a driver on the inner race. If the sprocket carrier is bolted on, remove it first; sometimes the carrier is used as the bearing pressing surface.
- Clean thoroughly and inspect hub/sprocket carrier for damage.

3. Bearing installation
- Press new bearings in by driving on the outer race only. Replace seals and cush rubbers as necessary.
- Reassemble sprocket carrier, cush rubbers, spacers, and axle; torque axle nut and adjust chain per manual.

How to press bearings properly (important details)
- Removal: push bearing out by driving on the inner race (or use dedicated pullers). That forces inner race through outer and avoids scoring bore.
- Installation: drive bearing in by pushing on the outer race only so inner race and rolling elements are not stressed. Wrong force path damages bearings.
- Use a press if available; a bearing driver kit with cups matching bearing outer diameter is acceptable. Avoid hammering directly on bearing faces without a driver.
- Seat bearings fully: partial seating causes misalignment, early failure and noise.

Reassembly checks and break-in
- After assembly, check wheel runs true (no side-to-side wobble) and spins freely.
- Check brake rotor centering inside calipers; spin and watch for rub. Adjust as needed.
- Torque sequence: follow OEM manual exactly. If manual calls for torque with bike on center stand vs wheel hanging, follow it. If unsure, torque axle and other hardware to manual values before first test ride.
- Short initial break-in ride: moderate speeds, avoid hard cornering/braking for first 50–100 miles, then recheck axle nut and pinch bolts torque and bearing condition.

What can go wrong (and how to avoid it)
- Driving new bearing in on inner race (wrong) — destroys bearing. Always drive on outer race for installation.
- Hammering directly on bearing without proper support — ruins bearing and/or hub.
- Incorrect spacer/orientation during reassembly — leads to preload issues, binding or play. Take photos/mark parts before disassembly.
- Reuse of corroded spacers or seals — causes premature failure. Replace seals and spacers if worn/corroded.
- Over-torquing axle or pinch bolts — can preload or crush bearings, damage threads. Under-torquing allows movement and wear.
- Not cleaning the hub bore — grit leads to premature wear.
- Damaging ABS tone ring or sensor — misalignment or damage causes ABS faults.

Troubleshooting after replacement
- New rumble/drag: check for tight pinch bolts or incorrectly installed spacers causing bearing preload or binding.
- Excessive play after installation: verify circlips present, bearings fully seated, axle torqued correctly, and spacers correct.
- Noisy after short time: contaminated new bearings (dust during install), or damaged bearing during install — remove and inspect.

Parts to buy / consumables
- Front and/or rear wheel bearings (OEM part numbers; buy OE or high-quality equivalent sealed bearings).
- Wheel seals / dust covers.
- Axle nut (replace if threads damaged), washers if needed.
- Clean grease for mating surfaces and for seal lips.
- Optional: cush rubbers, sprocket carrier bolts, new circlips if bent.

Final checks and test ride
- Torque all fasteners to the manual’s specifications.
- Ensure brakes work and calipers are correctly mounted.
- Test ride slowly, listen for noises, check steering stability, brake feel and wheel temperature. Recheck axle, pinch bolts and caliper bolts after a short ride.

Quick checklist before you ride home
- New bearings seated? Yes/No
- Seals installed with lip toward bearing? Yes/No
- Spacers in correct orientation? Yes/No
- Axle torqued to spec? Yes/No
- Fork pinch bolts torqued? Yes/No
- Brake calipers/rotor alignment ok? Yes/No
- Chain tension (rear) reset? Yes/No

Closing notes
- If you do not have a press or correct drivers, a shop or wheel specialist can press bearings in/out inexpensively and accurately. Many motorcycle shops will also supply OEM bearings and seals.
- Always compare new bearings and seals with removed ones to confirm the correct part size and orientation. Keep your service manual handy — it is the authoritative source for torque and sequence.

No yapping — that’s the procedure. Do it carefully, use the right tools, and consult the factory manual for torque numbers and any model-specific caveats before starting.
rteeqp73