Honda CBR900RR Rear Subframe Swap Guide | Fireblade Motorcycle Restoration | 011

Honda CBR900RR Rear Subframe Swap Guide | Fireblade Motorcycle Restoration | 011

In this CBR900RR Project Bike episode, I replaced the rear subframe on the Honda Fireblade. I sadly found a crack in the rear subframe of this bike, where it joins the main frame spar. As this bike is a daily usable modern classic superbike, I obviously do not want the subframe breaking when I am riding it.

ABBA stand: https://ebay.us/IMMmJW
Torque Wrench 5-25NM: https://ebay.us/z2oe9X

I hadn’t noticed the crack in the subframe when I first checked the bike over, so I can’t say how long it had been there, potentially a long while. It appeared that there has been a problem here in the past and a previous owner had done some welding to repair it, but the crack that's there now was at the point where the weld joined the original metal.

Obviously, if the subframe broke at this point there was a distinct danger that the seat would drop down and that the undertray would fall onto the rear tyre. This could be very dangerous wherever it happened, but imagine if it was during lively riding out in the country.

Removing the motorcycle rear subframe is quite easy. On this bike, it is only held on by four bolts. The main issue is all of the other things that are attached to it. But by working methodically and releasing one thing at a time it isn’t difficult.

In rough order of removal, here are the 15 steps I used to remove the rear subframe from my Honda CBR900RR Fireblade:
1. Grab rail
2. Seat
3. Rear Cowl Undoing the screws and bolts
4. Undertray screws
5. Subframe bolts
6. Rear footrests
7. Regulator and rectifier
8. Rear light connectors
9. Battery
10. Rear brake reservoir
11. Solenoid wiring
12. Suspension adjuster
13. ECU
14. Various wire connectors
15. Undertray

I had to do a couple of electrical repairs on my CBR900RR where some of the rear lighting wires had actually been replaced around part of the subframe by a previous owner. I also had to drill an additional hole to refit the replacement regulator and rectifier that somebody had fitted in the past. The original subframe had also been drilled for this previously.

Overall the job went very smoothly and didn’t take very long, 3 hours at the most. I can’t wait for some better weather now so that I can get out and test it :)

For more helpful how-to guides and restoration project logs, visit our blog: https://www.spannerrash.com/

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