1974 Honda CB 750 Project

[Bonez]

Hey all. Finally getting to work on my dads 1974 CB 750 that he purchased in upstate New York and has owned ever since (still have the original title and dealers spare key). Its the original beautiful blue paint scheme with plenty of chrome. Trucked cross country to Omaha and arrived with 36,000 original babied miles, all-beit with a gaudy aftermarket seat, apehangers, highway pegs, and a sissybar (cringe). Needless to say the aforementioned have all been removed. I will be looking for guidance as I attempt to re-trace and rebuild to whatever this bike will become. To say this bike has been well taken care of and babied is the understatement of the year. She is a few original parts away from belonging in a museum. Dad rode this bike a few K a year until he bought a V-max a few years ago. The motor, carbs, brakes, etc. have never been replaced nor touched. So needless to say she doesnt stop that well. I am in the process of rebuilding the front master cyclinder and replacing the vintage pads/shoes. Also replacing the sprockets/chain (sealing off the auto lube system and going to an O or X-ring app to clean up the messy rear-end). I am very interested in anyone who has modded their stock spoke wheels for tubeless skins. Cant exactly run Dunlop 209s but with tubes your kinda limited. The carbs will be rebuilt as well. Other than that I am trying to keep this bike relatively close to original, small dents in tank and all. The absolutely hipnotizing sound of the 4 into 4 exhaust (with packings completely burned out) is something I'll not readily part with, though I wouldnt mind shedding some weight from this pig. I have not ruled out a clean 4 into 1. For this year, just getting her what I would consider road worthy is the end goal. Ultimately I would like to repaint the frame and go through the top end. The end goal is to ride it back to upstate and surprise dad by handing the keys back to the old man. After all, I never transfered the title to my name. After that I am hoping it will go to my son, long after he's done with the Z50 I am restoring for him. This bike will never leave this family. I have already dropped dime on an OEM seat that is beautiful compared to the gaudy aftermarket piece. I have been looking for a new handlebar (clubman type need not reply> I love my sportbikes as much as the next guy, but the GSXR was not even a sketch in an engineers notepad when this bike was being mass produced). Not sure if I'm willing to go black as the chrome bar looked great, but I've got some grief about going back to the stocker. Any suggestions there? Also repairing or replacing one of the cracked side fairings. Well, I'll post some pics of what I'm dealing with here soon and feel free to bring the pain. This old crew dogs skin is thick enough to take it, if you can handle a jab right back! Open to suggestions and helpful tips along the way. Be safe out there. -T

[Re-run]

Welcome Bonez! Sounds like a good plan you have their. Nothing wrong with keeping it in the family.
Not much you can do about the rims. You CAN seal the spokes up so they do not leak but it is not always reliable but the main issue is that these rims do not have a bead inside to hold the sidewall.
You might be able to stick on some newer spoked wheels that have the bead( I think all newer rims do) and then seal the spokes and give that a try. But you can get pretty decent tires such as bridgestone battleax tires that stick pretty good.

cyclex also has some nice exhaust systems for relatively cheap.

[Bonez]

Great feedback. And HOLY MOSES!! I have been wrenching and riding since i was big enough to throw a leg over a tri-zinger. And I had not even thought about the bead on these rims. I saw a demo video (mighta been e-bay) for what was essentially a very tacky roll of adhesive that is pressed along the spoke retainers inside the rim (on a newer dirtbike/super moto rim, thought it might work on my CRF 450) then heated or pressed to seal. Sounded to good to be true, so was looking for someone who had tried it without suffering a flat. Believe you just saved me a couple hundred had I attempted it. Will check out the exhausts as well, thanks. Thanks for the post, and the voice of reason that comes from experience. I love being humbled, never gets old, haha.

[Re-run]

Well people have gotten newer spoked rims from boneyards and such and have fitted them on. I dont know what bikes though but most any would work but it depends on the amount of work you want to put in.

[Bonez]

Well, at the price of a performance aftermarket rim.....Its one of things you have to way the cost and the effort. I could buy a seat pan for $50 or so and clean it up and re-paint, and the liner and pad for $150+, but then I'm still left to do the labor and may never get it as straight/snugg as I'd like. So i found a deal on an aftermarket seat. Kills me the prices people are asking for some of this late model stuff. 10 years ago I coulda filled the garage with donor bikes and parts for a few grand. I suppose it was inevitable when you look at classic cars. But who decides that a restored Honda Z50 in mint condition is going to sell for 5 times what it cost new? I am running into this problem across the board as I also have a 1986 Honda Z50 I'm rebuilding for my son, and a '70 350 Scrambler (with 8K original miles!). Labors of love i suppose. I trust you've ordered from cycle exchange before? Are they legite to order through? Some tasty parts on there, and I think I already found an exhaust.  

[Re-run]

Cyclex is a good company. Been around a few years now and make all sorts of stuff for the 750.

[Bonez]

Update> Wife is deployed til October, between that and the heat wave I've seen allot more couch than garage so a little slow on the updates. Ordered some black daytona bars and grips, front pads and wheel bearings >instal next week. Looking at a 520 chain/sprocket conversion. This thing was a bear to slow down, so I'm trying to do anything I can to help that out. New rubber is next. Anyone replaced their stock fork springs with an aftermarket bit? Just curious if there was much of an improvement in front end dive. I'm having an internal conflict with keeping it looking stock and unleashing some of the power thats there. BTW, how do I upload some pics on here?

[TOOLS1]

For breaking I would suggest a duel front disc. i did it on the Toolmatic, and now I can squeal the front tire. There is an article in the manuals section on how to do it. However I did mine a little different. I modified my speedometer drive  to work, and used my stock master cylinder, and braided stainless steel lines.
To upload pictures just use the "insert image" button above the box, you type your reply in.
TOOLS    

[Bonez]

Yeeeehaw! Still makes me laugh seeing it set up like this. Looks more like a flat tracker in the garage now. Rider preference i suppose. Bars, highway pegs, sissy-bar/bag, and seat are all gone and thankfully never coming back. Got a set of daytona bars in, though I'm having second thoughts cuz them babys are short. I think it will look alright once the stock seat is back on and a strait bar is my style. Eventually I could see doing the dual cal conversion, for now just doing the pads and lines (they looked a little shabby after closer inspection, $100 for a set of stainless braided lines). I got a clutch that is screaming instead. Last time I rode it it was slipping, and with a few more horses on tap.... Ordeing a front tire, wheel bearings on the way, and the front end will be done till winter (new fork springs). Took apart the headlight bucket, what a rats nest of wiring, a wonder it never melted or caught fire!! It'll be a wonder if everything ever works again!! That'll be a long night. Still looking for 520 chain conversion, nothing ordered yet.