1982 cb750sc.... help me make it a sex magnet

[htedr]

hey all, newbie to the forums. I just sold my crotch rocket to get this old nighthawk... I wanted something to work on. I want to make it a cafe (after I get it running), just wondering if anyone has any input, ideas, specifics for the nighthawk? I don't know much about bikes, and figured dumping the ricerocket and learning as I build one is the best way..

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9976/062ao.jpg

I've got some clubman handlebars, so that's a start... I really need to change the gas tank out. Is it possible to somehow get a supersport tank on there? I really want something longer and more narrow... also as far as the seat goes I want to chop it a lot closer, but don't really want to blow 500 bucks on a custom seat... anyone have any ideas about that? Also anyone have any ideas on lowering it? I heard buying some shorter shocks might do the trick. Cosmetics like turn signals and mirrors I'll get to when I have the time, also been thinking about a 4 into 1 exhaust.

basically any input you guys want to throw my way would be appreciated

cheers

[Jreed615]

Welcome aboard. I recently bought a 1981 Cb750 custom and I am turning it into a cafe racer also, at least trying to.lol These old bike our a lot of fun but can be aggrevating at the same time. To lower the bike you can buy shorter shocks for the back and you could slide the fork tubes up to lower the front or buy shorter spring. However I have heard lowering a bike changes the way they handle and I believe a Cafe Racer should handle like it is on rails. I am leaving my stock heighth. I am having my seat recovered at a local upholstered at a local shop for about 150. I will be posting pic of new seat in my build thread. You might wanna check it out. you should be able to learn a lot by looking around on this forum and asking questions. Keep us posted with your progress.

[htedr]

ah cheers, thanks for the welcome. That's a good idea about the seat, I'll ask around. Any ideas on changing out the gas tank for the supersport one or something similar? it's winter now and I don't have a place to work on the bike really, but I'll start up a new thread when I start working on her, just gathering ideas.

[LukeM]

I might recommend putting that project posting in the Member's Bikes section.

Now the fun starts: finding out what fits where and so on.  Good luck, and let us know if we can help more.

Luke M

[Re-run]

A sex magnet huh? Not on a cafe you don't!
See you have a couple issues. First, with clubmans, you either have to sit further back or hunch over like a monkey humping a doorknob! Not a sexy look, picture a dog taking a dump
Part of the cafe look is the seat shape. Now you could get low rise bars instead of clubmans thus avoiding the hunched look.
Now you could maybe raise the forks in the tree a bit to lower the front and then if you get shorter shocks for the back, you wont throw off the dimensions so much.
I hate to say it but the 80s bikes do not lend themselves to the cafe look too much, they seem better suited to a "chopper" or bobber look.
For that look, your biggest obstacle it the front end. You cant just toss on longer forks as you screw up the geometry and it looks dumb. So you need to cut off the neck and reweld it to accommodate the longer forks. The get yourself some K wheels with the spokes as spokes are chopper really, same with cafe though.
Those wheels I think will still work with your calipers but I dont know.
While you do the front, take into account either slapping om struts to make a hard tail or shorty shocks.
Then I think your seat, if it is still stepped like stock, should be ok. Toss on a sissy bar and it should look good. I think your C tank should be good too.

[htedr]

haha hey Re-run, thanks for the input. I hadn't looked into low-rise bars much, that might avoid me banging the clubmans into the stock tank? Problem is I like that long narrow look of the supersport tank or something similar on a cafe. Thanks for the heads up on the forks, not sure what I'll do to lengthen them a bit... rewelding seems like an intimidating option so maybe I'll just leave the front till I get some other cosmetics done.

[Re-run]

Yeah rewelding the neck is not something to do yourself. You need to cut the welds and then cut back the top portion of the frame to whatever angle is needed and then reweld it back on. So something a good custom welder should do. Clubmans are known for smacking tanks unless you weld something to the bar stops.

[Shermdizzle]

I have an '82 CB750SC I am doing. I will be getting an awesome seat from http://birdmans.com/Custom_Seats.html This guy knows his stuff and I was surprised how affordable they are. I live in Michigan and he is in Carolina. Still....best value.

[shinyribs]

Re-run wrote

A sex magnet huh? Not on a cafe you don't!
See you have a couple issues. First, with clubmans, you either have to sit further back or hunch over like a monkey humping a doorknob! Not a sexy look, picture a dog taking a dump

That was a good on Rerun!...but i resemble that remark

Welcome to the forum bud! The DOHC's are tougher to pull off an old school looking Cafe than the earlier bikes,but that just makes me appreciate a nice looking DOHC Cafe that much more. Just build it what suits you,regardless what google images suggests it THE way it should look. As far as the lowering,I know some guys need to for reaching the ground reasons. If you are comfortable on the bike now I don't know if I would fool with it or not. Mine is stock height and the exhaust where it runs underneath has drug a few speed bumps I wish I could raise mine!

Good luck on your project. You just found the most helpful place you could have found. These guys can answer any question you can imagine.

[Lucky 1]

No photos?????

[Aaron]

I got a nice cb900f forsale needs little work Gerry nice shape not getting the gas and needs breaks and ignition [e-mail] 950obo take trades for 80's muscle car thank you

[Piute]

   1982 cb750sc.... help me make it a sex magnet

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