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Honda CB 750 -79 Cafe Racer -project from cold Finland

Macce88

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Honda CB 750 -79 New Age Cafe Racer -project from Finland

Hi everyone! Greeting from Finland! :thumbsup:

First, I'm sorry for my "not-so-perfect" english. Hope you guys can manage with it.

I've been working on my project for few months now, and I thought that maybe I should share it with you.
Hopefully I get some comments and help if I need it.

My building history begins at young age with mopeds, motocross-bikes and 125cc roadbikes.
Years later I got my driving license (18y old) and got involved with my own car projects. Latest project I had, was Japan imported Nissan Silvia S15, which was one of the first streetlegal Silvias in Finland. I also got my Silvia featured in finnish magazines and few internetsites in states.
Here is link to one of them, if you are intressed: http://www.stancenation.com/2011/08/30/the-japanese-masterpiece/

...but lets get back to present project.

I've been dreaming of motorcycle that should be for pleasure, not so much driving fast. Cafe Racer -style motorcycle would be perfect for this kind of use.
So this summer I got to the business... After looking for a bike, I thought that I should build it myself! That way I will get the bike I want. :bike:

This first project message is like introduction to my world and to my project.
Tomorrow I will update this thread, so everyone knows from where did I begin and what is the situation today. Also my goals and inspirations will be revealed.
 
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Welcome, First off beautiful car You have there And can not wait to see Your finished ( no pun ) intended motorcycle project. Good luck with all.
 
Project started in this summer

I was looking for Honda CB 750, because there is lots of information and build-threads of this bike. Also parts are easy to find.
Unfortunately I did'n find any good CB's on sale in few weeks.

In August I found one on sale and the owner had put it online just 30 minutes ago. Quick call and I was heading to pick it up.

It was -79 CB750 imported from Germany. Bike was in good shape, although it has been standing in the barn from the year 2000.

Bike loaded and heading back to garage.
This is how it looked like when we unload it.

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Few mods and repairs to get it registeration inspection. Everything in inspection was done in 15 minutes and now I had fully registered CB750! :thumbsup:

At the same night bike was already teared up.

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My visio is to build a bike, that is old but with a modern twist.
Inspirationbikes are these.

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Plans for this build are:
- Everything as clean as possible
- USD-front end from a modern sport bike
- Monoshock rear end from a modern sport bike
- Full engine restoration
- "Race"-style short exhaust
- New tank and new rear/side fairings
- All new wirings and electricity
- Electricity and battery under the seat and rear fairing
- Carb restoration
- New speedometer, light etc.

I have few ideas of the color scheme, but I haven't decided yet. Everything comes clear to my mind, after bike is build.
Something neutral, big NO for flakes and patterns.
Engine and frame will be black.

Project continued with tearing everything apart.
Next thing I did, was sandplasting the frame.

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Frame came out really good!

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Also got myself a motorcycletable for better working enviroment.
 
Removed everything from the frame,
- Steeringlock
- Suspension holders and middle-stand holders from the rear
- Hose and wire holders
- Saddlelock
- etc.

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I will also open up the engine and replace crucial parts.
I want to build daily driver and it will need durable engine.

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Engine almost in one piece

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One pic from my garage, which is just few steps from my homedoor.
You can also see my fathers Harley Davidson project :)

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Engine looks good. Only minor machining need to be done.

- Cylinders will be honed (I don't know if that is the correct word?)
- New piston rings and piston cleaning.
- Cylender head grinding, valves and channels cleaning
- All gaskets and bearings will be bought new

I don't look for more power, but engine should be working perfectly.

This is the situation right now.
All images and writing to this point has been done from memory and with pics I have taken.
After this point I will document my project better and more specifically.

Parts are arriving every day, so I will post pictures of them later...

Please feel free to comment my project and ideas! :wink2:
 
Looks as if Your getting things done in an orderly fashion, I personally like the the first picture of possibilitys on which way Your headed, Anyway Take care.
 
Update!

New parts are arriving everyday, so here is a little summary of the arrived parts..

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From Finland I found 2005 GSX-R 1000 complete rear end with swingarm, rim, tire, brakes, shock and links, and foot rests.

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From eBay came Kawasaki Zephyr 1100 tank.

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Also from UK eBay I bought 2007 GSX-R 1000 full front end with telescopes, triple trees, switches, bars, brakes, rim and tire.
I got what I was looking... ...in gold color :thumbsup:

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Led-stringlight to the back

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Frontlight with signals. I like to build this bike clean as I can.

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From states I bought conversion stem for the front end. Cognitomoto has great stuff on sale, but little bit too expensive, cause I have pay customs and shippings.

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Rear loop

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Gauge/dashboard that will be fitted to the bike
 
Parts for the biggest changes are now in my garage, so I couldn't resist to fit them and see how everything will looks...

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Tank is more massive and roundish. I like it a lot!

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Testing the rear end

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Headlight will find its right place after everything is done...

So this is where things are now.

Bike has been asked to be show'n at national motorcycle exhibition on first weekend of february. Also bike should be in American Car & Bike Show in March, and at Hot Rod & rock Show in April...

My goal is to finish and reveal bike in national motorcycle exhibition in february. I have to boost thing up, so I will manage that :doh:


Next on my to-do-list is get the engine done and fit swingarm correctly.

To get swingarm properly to the bike, I need to drill axlehole bigger and get it "piped" for durability.
Here is image that will clarify my thoughts:

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Hole has to be drilled aprox. 5-8mm wider, so I can fit pipe and axle will fit correctly
 
Project is moving on...

For fitting the swingarm, I got advice from another builder.
I'm not going to drill holes in the frame bigger. Local shop is going to make new collets/barrels for the swingarm, that I can fit orginal CB axle. Also it will center the swingarm to the frame.

Engine is in the local machineryshop, so I will get it later next week.
Everything for engine rebuild has been bought, so all I have to do next is assemble it.

Next week my friend who knows how to weld properly will come and we start weldings.
Cutting the rear frame and weld new hoop in place. Fitting the tank and weld all unnecessary holes. Slightly modifications to the frame and box for wires and battery.

I had to took some photos just to see how the bike will look when its ready. I really like the lenght, wideness and hight of the bike.

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Long time, no see... :eek:

Project is going strong, but updates to this forum has not been so often than it should. Sorry for that :)
First things first... My timeschedule was pretty hard and as you can see, we can now forget it. Project deadline WAS tomorrow.

But lets not think about that...

I took the engineparts to the local machineryshop and everything was done in a week.

I don't know right words for the work they did, but all cylinders are hooned (?), surfaces are straigtened (?), pistons cleaned, all valves done and every enginepart is machinewashed to remove remaining soda dust.

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Engine is under rebuild and should be in great condition after this :thumbsup:


Kawasaki Zephyr tankcap was not my cup of tea, so I bought Honda CBR 1000RR tank.

To replace original cap was so difficult that I let the professional machinery do to work.
It came perfect!

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Kawasaki's and Honda's tanks side by side

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Another job was also done by professional.
Removing ignition swith holder from the triple tree.

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Original

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Shaved

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Rear swingarm installation plans by drilling bigger hole to frame was abandoned. Turnery made custom made "blocks"/"barrels" to fit swingarm.
It does to job perfectly and I can use original axle.

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Finally we got to do weldings...

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Rear end of the frame was cut out...

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Once I thought that I should change my plans and build brat-style bike...

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...but when the rear loop was welded, I think it is really nice! We also fabricated sides from sheet metal to finish the look.

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"Triangle" on sides are way too big for my taste...

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...so we cut one tube of the frame and made the "triangle" smaller. I have seen lots of these kind of modifications in States.


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Frontstopper, so barend will not hit the tank

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For the tank we use original places, so i can fit ignition coils to their original place.

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Tanks frontend brackets. Rubber padding will be fitted to end, so it will suppress vibration.

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Rear end was done like this. Tanks original brackets will fit to these straight. Rubber padding will be fitted to these also.


I bought very cheap ultrasonic cleanermachine. Suprise, it worked pretty well...

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Dirty carb...

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...after ultrasonic cleaning. Rebuilded with new parts. :D


Overall look at this point is almost same as earlier, but lots of things have been done.
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Next thing to do is to fit rear suspension and it will be tricky...

All the parts are almost here. Few electronic components and small parts are still coming.
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I try to update this project as often I can, so there will not be anymore months silence. :)

Please feel free to comment, give me some advice or just say hello, like Adele :laugh: :laugh:
 
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Like this look back end is awesome will start my one soon is there more updates?

Thanks!

Not much has happened after last post.

Few parts arrived. Bolts for petroltank cap and new levers...
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Finally I figured out how I will install the rear shock. Have to weld new brackets to the swingarm and so on...

Updates coming after I get everything sorted out :wink2:
 

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By the way...

Can anyone tell me, is there a huge diffenrence between bolt sizes of DOHC and SOHC engines?
Basicly only bolts that are outside of the engine, like fastening of clutchcover...

I can found gold engine boltkit for SOHC motor, but not to DOHC...
 
Slowly but surely... I've been so busy at work and this project is not going well. I have to sort timeproblem somehow... :banghead:

Parts keep coming, although I thought everything has already been delivered to me. I always find something new to buy :D

osia.jpg

Handlebar grips, volt-meter, powerswitch, petroltankcapbolts, horn, fuelhose and LED-headlightbulb.
I bought LED-bulb just for try and have to say, light is incrediable! Bulb is not road-legal but who will find that out?!

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Mainbearings and rodbearings. Also new pistonrings.


Rear shock has now been almost installed completely. Angle is mild, but should work because shock is very stiff. Its almost like solid rear.
Lower mount was made from aluminium that welds straight to the swing. Upper mount will be welded to the frame and will have support metal on the sides.

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Engine is now rebuilding and will be done in few days. Hopefully it will run as it should :thumbsup:

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Seat is designed and will be ready soon. Sheets are unfinished.

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Seat will be covered in leather and will be same color as handlebar grips. Here's few examples for the design.

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Overall I feel okay. Timeproblem is bothering me, but I think I can made this ready during this summer.
There has not been any major ups and downs.

Next we are compliting engine rebuild and start to work with rear fairing and elec.box under the seat.

Here is overall photo from the garage:

yleist_1.jpg



I will keep updates coming!
Please feel free to say anything... Goods and bad thoughts :)
 
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Any more updates? :)

It's been a while...

Actually progress of this project has been very little past six months.
I have been around the world and lots of other things to do :mad:

Latest work what I have done is that we have finish rebuilding the engine. Test run is not yet made because there is few issues with carburators, but after december we are putting all focus to this project.


Here you can see engine without camshafts and valvecover.

We also made first step to fabricating rear fairing.

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In January we will be focusing to get engine running.
Also lots of welding, fabricating fairings and electricalbox under the seat.

I will keep posting after some more has been done :)
 
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Finally some progress to this project... Front fender and under tray.

Also we made fuel tranferpipes to carbs as they were lost :doh:

Front fender was cutted from 2007 GSX-R original front fender
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Goal was to made race-look-a-like front fender as tiny as possible. From my taste, the results is really good.
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Some finishing touches still to be done and some grinding


Next thing to do was under tray.

My idea was to place battery and some electrics under the seat. Box has to be small as possible, so the rear spring is still visible.
Side covers will be tiny as well.

First thing was cutting cardboard samples. I as remember, third or fourth time we get it right :D
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Next taping samples to the bike.
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It fitted well and we also made whole undersheet.
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Next week we will cut samples from sheetmetal and weld it.
 
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