FLC OF AN ASTRA 1125 SPX OVERSHOOTS THEIR ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT DURING A PROGRAMMED CLB TO 8000 FT 5 NM SE OF LHM; CA.

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WE HAD JUST DEPARTED THE LINCOLN ARPT IN VMC CONDITIONS; AND MOMENTARILY LEVELED OFF AT 4500 FT MSL TO CLR SOME CLOUDS. I WAS THE PF; AND THE CAPT WAS THE PNF. THE CAPT CONTACTED ATC AND PICKED UP OUR IFR CLRNC TO THE SAN JOSE ARPT. THE CAPT WAS BUSY WRITING AND SAID TO ME; 'HEY; LET'S GET CLBING.' I RESELECTED THE ALT PRE-SELECT TO 8000 FT; AND BEGAN CLBING AT APPROX 5000 FPM. MOMENTS LATER THE CAPT LOOKED UP AND SAID; 'YOU JUST WENT THROUGH 7000 FT; AND ATC ONLY CLRED US TO 7000 FT.' BY THE TIME I COULD CORRECT; THE ACFT HAD BUSTED THE 7000 FT CLRNC BY 800 FT. FILING IFR; DEPARTING AN UNCTLED FIELD; AND PICKING UP THE CLRNC AFTER DEP POSES SOME EXTRA PROBS WHILE FLYING A HIGH PERFORMANCE JET. 1) THE SPD AT WHICH THE ACFT CAN ACHIEVE THE SET ALT. 2) THE POSSIBILITY THAT ATC COULD HAVE DELAYS. 3) UNEXPECTED ROUTING THAT CAUSES WAY TOO MUCH HEADS DOWN TIME REPROGRAMMING AN FMS; ETC. PRE-DEP; THE CAPT AND I HAD BRIEFED ON CLBING TO 8000 FT. AS IT TURNED OUT; ATC HAD SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED US TO 8000 FT AND THEN 9000 FT FOR THE SHORT FLT. I DID NOT HEAR ATC GIVE THE ALT; AND I DID NOT HEAR THE CAPT READ THE ALT BACK TO THE CTLR DURING THE LENGTHY ROUTING THAT WAS COMPRISED OF RADIALS OFF OF VOR'S (NOT THE EXPECTED RTE OR ALT). THE ALT BUST WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE IN DOING MY DUTIES AS THE PF BY HAVING THE PNF SET THE ALT PRE-SELECT AND THEN BRIEFING ME ON THE RTE. INSTEAD I TRIED TO DO PART OF HIS JOB THEREBY CAUSING A BREAK IN THE CRM LOOP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 528612: GOT EXTREMELY COMPLICATED AND LONG UNEXPECTED CLRNC FOR RTE (WHICH HAS BEEN FLOWN HUNDREDS OF TIMES BEFORE). ANXIOUS TO CLB; WE STARTED UP. PF (COPLT; RELATIVELY LOW JET TIME) DID NOT FOLLOW PROCS. HE SET THE ALT BUG HIMSELF; AGAINST PROC AND WITHOUT ADVICE TO PNF. HE SET IT TO 8000 FT BUT OUR CLRNC WAS TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. PF NEEDS TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AND FOLLOW SOP. PNF NEEDS TO KEEP CONSTANT WATCH OF PF. BAY APCH CTL NEEDS TO SIMPLIFY ROUTING OF JETS TO SJC.