New member

[Al-X]

Hiya gear heads.  I'm kind of a newb to the Cafe scene (just as many are saying it's played out) but have been riding for a very long time.  Started out on dirt bikes and ended up on sport bikes - going on 20 years now.  It's a wonder I'm still alive and in one piece, save for a back injury.  Anyway, I am finishing up my '79 DOHC project that has been ongoing for like 5 years!  Right now, I am finishing up wiring the lights and will finish up the upholstery as soon as the weather breaks here in lovely southern Indiana.  These are before and current pics...

[TOOLS1]

I like Swiss Cheese! Very nice work! Did you replace the swingarm bushings with a bearing?
TOOLS

[Al-X]

Yes, I had my local machine shop do it because I hated the plastic bushings that were originally in it and have read about the dreaded "death wobble".  In hind sight, I probably should've tried brass bushings considering how expensive the machine work was to fit sealed bearings.  I've learned A LOT (mistakes, especially) from building this bike!

[Ericcb750]

Hey Al-x, My name is Eric and I'm new to these bikes as well. That is coming out AWESOME. I love the color of the frame and the seat. Did you make that seat your self ?? I'm looking to do a cafe style seat sometime soon too but i'm not sure if I would be able to build one myself. It would be nice so that I could make it exactly how I want though. Yours came out sweet. That's a cool project man,

[Al-X]

That seat was one of the first things I bought for the bike.  I found it on ebay and liked it immediately because it was shaped like no other cafe style seat I'd ever seen, conventional but slightly different.  The guy that made it called it a Roman Helmet because the peak or crest was like that of a helmet.  Whatever.  I thought it was really cool.  Since so much time has gone by, I don't know if I can find his name.  Now, the problem is how to install lights.  I thought about Frenching in some lights but thought I would end up butchering that thing, so I decided on recessed LED, which I did a not so great job.  You can see the patch job I did in the unpainted pics.  Like I said, I learned a lot from building this.  In the end, I ended up chopping most of it away except for the hump.  I guess having gone so slowly with this project due to moving, work, and then three kids, I had a lot of time to think about this cb.  Being a sport bike rider has a huge influence on the direction my cafe projects take.  I started it up last summer and man, that was so satisfying!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myQEL8DDMX8&list=PL5dGd0GgWzCQDBUefig6LmA&feature=mh_lolz

"Roman Helmet" seat cowl.  When I started this project, I drove a pick up with off road tires.  It was quite butch.  Now, I'm a Vandal.

Building one wheel out of three!

Rear wheel was fine (no pits or internal corrosion), but I tore it down to polish the hub, relaced it, and mounted new rubber.

Learning how to design rear sets!  First attempt.  Fail!

Trying to rebuild original master cylinder.  Fail!  Bought one.  Doh!

Didn't have the aluminum plate to make a tach/speedo bracket so I bought a $30.00 Carpy's bracket.  Fail!  I did use it to make a template for what became the final piece.  So, thanks Carpy.

Made one out of steel and powder coated it. Took me a few tries to make one look decent.  Yesssss!

eBay score - a NIB tach!


My son when he was 3.  He will be 6 in April.  I started on this bike when he was almost a year old!  Ha!

[TOOLS1]

I really enjoyed your last post.
I myself have not been too impressed with some parts from a certain aftermarket cafe parts supplier either. I do admire your persistence. I don't like to rush a build either. I have projects I started 15 years ago I'm still working on.
TOOLS

[Re-run]

Really cool looking, man! Looks like you stashed the battery in the seat hump?
Where did that airbox come from? Looks really cool.
Did you hide an oil tank or just remove it altogether? It is possible but the oil doesn't last long.

[LukeM]

Re-Run, it looks like a DOHC, so no oil tank.

Nice looking machine.  I like the fact that you learned a lot building this. With all the fabrication projects going on, your input is very much welcome here.

Luke M
(who needs to carve out some time to rebuild front forks, now that, God willing, the spring thaw is just around the corner)

[Re-run]

Oh yeah, that's right. So used to thinking in sohc terms.

[Al-X]

Ballistic 8 cell Lithium.  Tucks in tight places nicely, weighs almost nothing, ample cranking power.  I plan to use them in all my builds.  The air box is stock.  I loved the way the pods looked, but I decided I didn't want to do endless fiddling with jets.  Fortunately, I didn't throw away or hack up my stocker.  But now I have to find some boot clamps, because those have been lost or tossed at some point and I had to hunt down an air filter.  Found a K&N on fleabay!  Anyway, it was still pretty ugly.  I sprayed it with Plastidip and slapped on some decals.  Now, it doesn't offend my senses so much.  :-D

[Al-X]

I am really envious of the builders who have fabrication skills and garages with swell tools.  :-)  I have to make do with really basic tools.  One thing I am determined to have this year is a welder!  I'd love to have a plasma cutter too, but they're a little expensive for me right now.  I do have my eye on a 80 gal Husky air compressor.  I just hope the guy hasn't sold it by the time I have enough cash.  I am able to make small stuff out of sheet.

[sgtslag]

Not my style of bike, but it is gorgeous!  You do beautiful work.  It is a work of art, and I can truly appreciate that.  Looking forward to watching it progress.  Thanks for sharing.  Cheers!

[rich]

She looks great. Really enjoyed your build pics.  Keeping the airbox was a good choice. Dressing it up a bit with paint and decals does the job.

[Al-X]

Thanks everyone.  Plastidip was an inspiration.  I love that stuff.  I keep thinking of what I can paint with it!  With the air box, it toned down the plastic look as well as the gloss.  This summer, I'm gonna try it on our vehicle badges.  :-D  When I look at the before picture of this 750, I can't believe it's the same bike or that I even saw something lurking under the weird paint (the PO painted several coats of different colors over a gorgeous purple OEM!) and chrome bits.  Back then, most cafe guys didn't have much love for the DOHC's.  Guess I had to prove them wrong, eh?  I have another project in the wings that is similar in that it's a radical transformation, but unfortunately, it is not a cb750, but a Yamaha!  You'd have to see it at DoTheTon.