My bike…1974

[shinyribs]

You could always get a chrome cup to mount that volt meter in. They help hide the raw backs of them. Is that a 2 1/8'' gauge?

[MarkPBG]

The back will be painted black. The voltmeter is only 1 ½" because the other two gauges are already mini-gauges themselves, and have chrome backs. The voltmeter will hide between them and the triple tree, so black will be ok. The "big" gauges are 2.5", which was their smallest at the time, now they have 1.9" gauges available, but the speedo in that size isn't available with the warning lights so I can eliminate the ones on the bar clamp.

[Piute]

       HEY
   Did the bar mount lights just have the lights,have been trying to get on "E" but never get the bid,
 I'd like to change my gauges ,but limited to options due to having different looks N farings.

[MarkPBG]

My '74 has one like that, but in black, and in much better shape. The cafe I'm building will use the new gauges with lights and the bar clamp will be a smooth aftermarket piece painted black. I'd send you one if I had an extra, I'll keep an eye out down here. There's a few places that have salvage bikes that don't advertise. I plan on hitting a few this week while I'm on vacation.

[shinyribs]

Piute,you need one of those bud? I used to have one.Pretty sure I still do. I'm not sure what kind of shape it's in,but it's yours if you want it

[Piute]

shinyribs wrote

Piute,you need one of those bud? I used to have one.Pretty sure I still do. I'm not sure what kind of shape it's in,but it's yours if you want it

        SEE if you can find it no hurry,is part of a project for other faring,
      has to have smaller gauges,, also
      So smaller Blk.bars,Going to have to drop/lower also.
      But all can change if I plan on A winter trip,

[shinyribs]

On it bud. I'm very likely to forget.You might need to remind me.


And Mark,sorry about the

[MarkPBG]

So i finally found out why my bike idles at 4000 RPM after warming up. The carb bodies had some corrosion which the so called Honda expert missed, resulting in casting imperfections which allowed air into both the float bowl areas on two carbs, and allowed extra air to enter some of the metering areas of the carbs, resulting in a major leaning out condition after the bodies warmed up. I am now cleaning my second set of carbs I bought on ebay to use those bodies, and hopefully finally have it running great. If these bodies are shot too, there's a guy at a classic bike salvage shop nearby that has a near mint set for a '73, but he wants $250! for the set. They might be worth it, the slides look so new it looks like they've been polished and the top part under the rubber boots also looks shiny and brand new-like, so if I have to, it might just be worth it. That's still half the price of some Sudco's and a third the price of some CR's.

[MarkPBG]

So, my carb bodies were shot. So badly corroded/eroded inside that you could shine a light through parts of the casting that should be solid. Trying my $70 ebay set of spare carbs, if they don't work I'll get the mint ones from the salvage guy. Wouldn't mind getting some NEW Sudco carbs, but can't find the link, they're much cheaper than the CR carbs.

[shinyribs]

Eh,that's a bummer! Glad you got it figured out,though!

[MarkPBG]

So I was posting yesterday looking for the handlebar switches since mine are needed a complete rebuild and I don't have time before next week's show.....so someone on another forum gave this link....

http://www.z1parts.net/product/honda-cb750-cb550-switch-kit-main-35010-374-671-contol-switch

It's a new, looks almost like OEM, handlebar switch! They have both sides for my year....and for not much more than people selling junk on ebay and other places. Anyone ever use this company, Z1 Parts. net?
I took the chance and ordered both sides, they'll be here in 2-3 days. If no one has used them before, I guess I am the guinea pig!

[TOOLS1]

I get stuff from Z1 all the time. Never had a problem. Once they did short my order one tuneup kit, but when I called them they put one right in the mail to me. Also VintageCB750.com is selling the switches. I just installed on on a friends CB 550. Pretty nice product.
TOOLS

[MarkPBG]

Received the switches, dead ringers for the OEM units, and they look like at least OEM quality! The only bad thing is the mechanic says my bars may have been changed. The switches don't have any cutout for the wires to exit, mechanic said the factory bars were dimpled to allow wiring to pass out of the switch housing. Does that sound right? Anyway, I'm either going to replace the bars, or use a dremel to cut a small half moon dimple out of the housing to allow the wiring to pass out of it.

Bike is running awesome, rebuilt replacement carbs look awesome and brand new. The air boots on the old ones WERE bad with two of them having cracks, sorry TOOLS, I know I promised the set to you, but you may not want them now since only 2 are good. I can still send them if you want. The boots at the REAR of the carb where it enters the airbox are not in good shape and I should probably replace them.

The wiring in the headlight housing was a poorly done rats nest of  a wiring job by the PO and used the cheapest crimp connectors. All of that is getting rewired now.

Here are some very poor and very quickly taken phone photos....

[shinyribs]

You actually posted pics?!?!? Wooooow....lol.

I don't know about the dimples in the bars. Some of my switch gear had recess in them for the wires bundle to exit and run along the bars. Some of the other had no recess and the wire bundle just went directly inside the bar. But I have switches from all different years and I really have no clue what's what.

[TOOLS1]

Harley bars are the ones with dimples. However some aftermarket bars also have them. I would drill the bars for the wires before modifying the new switches. Also those male/female wire connectors I can see in the headlight bucket all look like the original Honda connectors to me.
Don't worry about the boots if they are in that bad of shape.
TOOLS  

[MarkPBG]

We're putting small notches in the switch housing for the wiring to pass in the same manner as the oem switch.

I was looking at new bars on Dime City Cycles, and they offer dimpled bars BOTH in the Harley 1" diameter, and the normal 7/8" diameter bars. But, we won't need that now. :)

[shinyribs]

You inspired me to drill my bars and route my wires through them. I just got in from getting it all sorted out. It looks so much better!

[MarkPBG]

So, the head is aluminum, and the header bolts are steel.....am i right...MUST use anti-sieze? SHop didn't put any on, so will do it myself. :(

[shinyribs]

I always use antiseize on anything related to aluminum or exhaust.

[MarkPBG]

Well, it's done, and ready to go, but I got called in to work on my day off, so I won't have it for the weekend! :(
What really sucks is there's a local car show I could ride it to with my camera to get some more good car shots. Maybe I should start selling more photos online to subsidize better camera equipment and more motorcycles! LOL (yeah, new CB1100!)
 
I miss riding this old bike, it got more attention than the fully chromed out and customized $12+k sport bikes at the local bars! :)

Found a frame for my cafe project for just $75, no title, but it's close by and titles aren't too hard to get here in FL. I pick it up next week. :)