About the Honda CB900
Three CB900 buying routes, with the engine and chassis differences that matter.
Honda developed the original CB900F alongside the CB750F, drawing on endurance-racing experience. The air-cooled Super Sport reached Europe as a 1979 model. The CB900C took the four-cylinder engine in a touring direction with shaft drive and a dual-range transmission.
Start with Custom, Super Sport or Hornet/919
The later Hornet/919 adds liquid cooling and fuel injection. Its fork seals, brake components and engine-cover gaskets need their own applications. The table below connects each generation to its useful parts route; the individual repair examples show the supported years.
Choose the model and repairWhich Honda CB900 collection should you use?
| Model | Mechanical identity | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| CB900C Custom | Air-cooled, carbureted four; shaft final drive and dual-range transmission. | CB900C Custom repair guide — featured applications 1980–1982. |
| Early CB900F Super Sport | Air-cooled, carbureted four; chain final drive. | CB900F generation and repair guide — gasket example 1979–1983; carb and fork examples 1981–1982. |
| CB900F Hornet / 919 | Liquid-cooled four with electronic fuel injection. | Hornet/919 repair choices — oil filter, cover gasket, fork seals and front-cylinder kit below list 2002–2007. |
Frame, VIN, engine and carburetor markingsHonda CB900 identification
Read the complete frame/VIN from the motorcycle. Check the engine and carburetor markings separately when an assembly may have been replaced.
Chart limits: The entries below are limited to the CB900C base-model identification page and the 1981 CB900F addendum. These are starting frame entries as printed—not complete VINs, production ranges or a model-year decoder.
CB900 starting frame entriesConfirmed entries only
| Model / entry | Starting frame number | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| CB900C · base-model entry | SC04-2000046 | Market not specified |
| CB900C · Canada model | SC04-2001669 | Separate Canadian entry |
| CB900F · 1981 | SC010-0000021 | Reproduced exactly as printed |
Where to find the numbersVerified identification locations
| Identification | Location |
|---|---|
| Frame serial stamping | Right side of the steering head |
| VIN label | Left side of the steering head |
| Engine serial stamping | Top of the right crankcase |
| Carburetor identification | Left side of the carburetor body |
Other years and markets: Use the complete frame/VIN and the correct market documentation. A matching prefix alone does not prove year or fitment.