A. ICBM™ (Inoue Boring Cylinder Bore Finishing Method) is a process that replaces a cast-iron sleeve with an aluminum-alloy sleeve pre-plated with nickel–silicon–carbide, then finishes the bore with plateau honing. This produces a surface that:

• Offers astonishing durability
• Dissipates heat efficiently
• Requires virtually no break-in—even on vintage engines

A.  ICBM™ achieves its performance through three key steps:

Aluminum Sleeve Conversion

• The original cast-iron sleeve is removed.
• A replacement sleeve made of aluminum alloy—machined to tight tolerances—is pressed or fitted into the engine block.
• Using an all-aluminum base eliminates the heavier, brittle cast iron and provides superior thermal conductivity.

Nickel-Silicon-Carbide Plating

• Once the aluminum sleeve is in place, the inner bore is electroplated with a nickel layer infused with silicon carbide particles.
• Silicon carbide raises the hardness to diamond-like levels, dramatically reducing wear.

Plateau Honing (Final Finish)

• After plating, the bore is plateau honed rather than using a conventional cross-hatch hone.
• Plateau honing smooths the raised plateaus while preserving micro-valleys in the surface that act as oil reservoirs.
• The result is an ultra-smooth yet oil-retaining surface that requires little to no break-in.
  
  

A. ICBM™ differs from conventional methods in four main areas:

Material Basis

• Traditional sleeves use cast iron or hard-chrome plating over steel.
• ICBM™ replaces cast-iron sleeves with aluminum sleeves first, taking advantage of aluminum’s high thermal conductivity (∼170 W/m·K vs. cast iron’s ∼33–38 W/m·K).
• The result is faster heat dissipation, fewer hotspots, and more consistent operating temperatures.

Plating Composition & Hardness

• Conventional hard-chrome plating achieves around 800 HV hardness but can micro-crack or spall under stress or high temperatures.
• ICBM™ uses a nickel-silicon-carbide deposit, often exceeding 1,000 HV. Uniformly distributed silicon carbide particles make the surface far more resistant to scoring, scuffing, and abrasive wear.

Final Surface Finish

• Traditional finishes rely on a simple cross-hatch pattern in unplated iron, which requires a break-in period and generates metal debris.
• ICBM™ uses plateau honing on a super-hard, ultra-smooth metal matrix to optimize oil retention and minimize friction immediately—eliminating or greatly reducing break-in.

Light Weight & Heat Dissipation

• By removing the heavy cast-iron sleeve and using aluminum, ICBM™ cylinders run lighter and cooler.
• Traditional iron sleeves trap more heat, which can lead to higher operating temperatures and potential seizure issues in older engines.
• ICBM™ cylinders run cooler, extend engine life, and maintain tighter tolerances under hard use—especially important for vintage and high-performance applications.
  
  

A. ICBM™ supports both 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines across a wide range of legacy and high-performance models. Examples include:

• Motorcycles: Kawasaki H1/H2 and Z1/Z2, Yamaha SR and RZ series, Honda CB series, Suzuki GSX series, and more.
• Cars: Select Mercedes-Benz and Porsche engines.

As long as the correct sleeve dimensions and mounting interface are available, virtually any 2-stroke or 4-stroke cylinder with a bore of 52 mm or larger can be converted. Please contact us to discuss your specific project.

A. EverSleeve™ is a pre-plated, ready-to-install aluminum cylinder sleeve designed to bring ICBM™ performance to local workshops without shipping the entire engine or block overseas. Instead of sending your cylinder to Inoue Boring for plating, you receive an EverSleeve™ that is already nickel–silicon-carbide plated and plateau honed to the correct bore size. A qualified local machine shop can then complete the ICBM™ conversion on-site.

A: You should paint or finish the cylinder after ICBM® processing. Machining applies heat and exposes the surface to chips and coolant. Many shops specialize in engine-part painting; having them handle it with proper masking and surface prep after processing will give the best result.

A: Remove whatever you can without force. We can remove the remaining studs for a fee. If they’re severely seized, we may need to use EDM; if so, we’ll provide a quote and lead time before proceeding.

A: Pistons have manufacturing tolerances. At Inoue Boring, we measure each piston to set clearance and number them. If you have your piston, please include it with the cylinder (rings not needed). We can also source pistons for you.

A: Just include the order sheet from the purchase process with each part you send. If the order sheet is included, there’s no need to contact us beforehand.

A: Inoue Boring specializes in precision machining of individual engine parts. We do not perform mechanical services such as disassembly, assembly, or tuning.

A. There is no special oil requirement for our machining services. Any quality engine oil from a reputable brand will work—just choose one that matches your engine’s specifications.

A. Yes. Please send your cylinder, and we will inspect it, measure it, and inform you of its condition. We will then recommend a machining approach and provide a quote.

A. Yes. We handle a wide range of pistons—TKRJ, WISECO, WOSSNER, DREAM TIMER, PMC, and more. If the piston you need is available, we can source it for you.

A: We’ll provide a quote quickly. Just tell us your engine model and desired work, and request a quote at any time.

A: We handle any engine—cars, boats, trucks, tractors, etc.—not just motorcycles. However, most mail-in work we receive is for motorcycles.