My first "special" '81 CB750c Build

[Gena]

Hi Guys

As promised here starts my very fisrt build. Just to give you guys a bit of history. My grandfather bought the bike brand new in '81 and rode it for a good 9 years. My father took the bike over and used the bike for weekends only.

Long story short after a nsaty fall my old man parked the bike in the garage for 3 years. He rang me up about 4 months ago to ask if I am interested in taking it off his hands. Obviously I said yes.

When I got the bike it has in a bad shape. Broken mirros, bent bars, torn seat, torn grips etc etc...



After cleaning it up and and replacing the basic broken stuff with a decent carb service Ireplaced the airbox with cones.



Now this is what I am left with.




Please guys if you have any ideas, feedback good or bad it would really appreciate it.

[Gena]

I have a fewe ideas on what I want to do. Also a few inspirations.






What I like about this is the simplicity of the bike with a head turning look.

[seestheday]

Looking good so far. Fyi, those pods are notoriously difficult to tune on the cv carbs.

You may be leaving significant horsepower on the table if they aren't done perfectly.

My plan is to get my bike back to near perfect stock mechanical condition and then start doing things like tuning pods.

[seestheday]

Woo hoo 1000th post!

[Hoosier Daddy]

Hey Gena, great start on that CB... Congrats on being the 3rd generation!
Speaking from experiance, the cafe' look your after is not the easiest with our C models, but definatly do-able. I have searched high and low for motivational pics for mine and thought I had seen them all, but those two bike you posted are new to me. Seeing the "Winged Piston" on the bottom two I recognize from DimeCity. That is a great parts resource, Herm is one of the good guys.
 Keep us updated and let us know how it progresses.

[WVHonda]

big cafe fan myself. Cycle x has been a big help with performance parts and they do offer some stuff for DOHC, I am in the beginning of a 82 900c I picked up for 300 running with title and have a 74 750. It will be alot of fun.

[Gena]

Hi,

Thank you for the advice. I have to be honest to say that I have realised that there is a significant loss in HP on the bike. I was able to get 140kph @ 7500rpm.

To me personally that is very weak so that means I am going to have tune the carbs even more to get max power out. I honestly do not like the stock box. The cones look great but it needs be I will put the box back again.

[Gena]

Hi "Hoosier Daddy"

You are right with saying that it is going to be difficult to do the mods I want. If you look at the frame itself, the fact that the seat bit is not straight means that getting a kit will not work.

So what I have done is to draw basically what I want. Do achieve this I am going to have build the kit myself.

Please give me your honest opinion in the design.

[Gena]

Now I have changed the firing caps and plugs and the wires and the old lady is purring like a cat on steriods.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Like is said, difficult but do-able. There are some "kit" off the shelf like from Beji'shttp://www.benjiescaferacer.com/convkit-750-dohc.php but at near a GRAND they are WAY out of my budget.
 You got the look right, as you said the frame under the seat is not a straight line. My best suggestion is to pick up some styrofoam, white glue and start carving your own to fiberglass.

[Gena]

I have been to there website and there stuff gave me the final idea on what I want to do but I have to agree there are very expensive. Plus I have to account for export costs as well and that become a arm and a leg.

[WVHonda]

Legendary cycles has some nice cafe bodywork for a little less money, but Hoosier daddy is right, foam and fiberglass. I made a fiberglass tail and it was not that hard. Took me about half a day and looked pretty good, going to put it on my 78 cb550.

[shinyribs]

Hey Gena,I like the plans you have drawn up. Good luck on this project. I'll be looking forward to watching it.

[Gena]

Here are some more pictures of my build. Took much longer than thought initially but I am getting there slowly but surely.  &  &


Here is the cowl I built that will replace the rear seat completely.







So far she is looking as follows:

 

[Truck]

I have never thought of painting the turn signals to match. I'm loving that 2 tone paint job!

[rich]

Yeah the paint scheme is nice. That's a good look for the DOHC.

[Gena]

Thank you very much for that guys. It really was a trial and error situation as I was not aware at all that you cannot paint over chrome. So, I painted, it peeled, then I did research on why it is peeling and found out that the chrome had to be removed.

Since I obviously do not have the access to a acid bath, I grinded and smoothed the chrome of all the parts and repainted again and that was the final product.

Now for the next step. I found Original 2006 Honda VTR1000 SP2 twin cans in mint condition for a bargain, so I am replacing the 4-into-1 with a 4-into-2 with those cans. Super excited. They key for me is balance and symmetry. One side must look alike to the other and the feel must be balanced.

May I please ask for some opinions whether you guys believe it will spoil or enhance? Considering the cowl I made so the cans will protrude beyond the cowl slightly.

[Gena]

[TOOLS1]

I myself like symmetry on a bike. I have never cared for 4 into 1 exhausts, and much prefer 4 into 2. However when I saw the picture of those mufflers, my first thought was Diesel Truck.
TOOLS  

[Gena]

I have to agree with you on that TOOLS, there is a rather high level of resemblance with a diesel truck although, the VTR and I have some history together as I use to race them.

So I had and still have the urge of incorporating my racing history in the bike as it is a family bike and most aspects of the bike carries a bit of it's previous owners.