Let me see what you guys think

[spaz815]

OK I got to talking in another thread about what I should do with my bike. Since I didn't start the other thread I figure I'd start one and see what you guys have to say. What would you do? First let me start by saying this will be the first time I've ever worked on a bike. I'm not a mechanic. I purchased this bike 4 or 5 weeks ago. Its my first cb750. Its a 1975. The kid I purchased it from said everything is original except for the flat black paint job its got. After I bought it I was talking about the paint job to a guy at work and he said or thinks that the bike was probably a rust bucket and that's why it was painted. To hide all of the rust. I started to take some of the paint off the side covers and the front fender. After taking the black off there was white under it. Well when I got through the white I was able to get to some chrome on the fender. The little bit of paint I did take off the chrome doesn't seem all that bad. Anyway I'd like to do a small cafe make over, nothing out of hand. Small meaning do as little as possible to get a cafe look but also sort of keep the original look. The bike runs decent. Sometimes when I'm riding I get on it a little and it sputters a little. From what I have read here I think that might be the points. If you look at the pics the top of the motor there seems to be a little oil coming out. Would that just be a gasket?

 

[grepper]

All depends on what you want to do with it? If you want to make it stock. Then take off all those flat black parts and try some paint remover from your local hardware store. You might find the chrome just needs a good polishing. Polishing aluminum isn't hard or expensive, it just takes time. A little elbow grease and it could be really nice.
As for the oil leak, it looks like it's coming from the tappet cover. You might be able to just take it off, clean it up and put it back on.
New points isn't that hard, but they can be a pain to get just right. For a $100-$200 you could put a Pamco electronic ignition system in it and be done with points.
Nice find

 

[spaz815]

Its hard to decide what to do with it. LOL I love the stock look. But also love the cafe look. My girl says she likes the way it is. Old and ruff. LOL I do kinda like it too. Is putting the Pamco electronic ignition hard?

 

[dirtdigger]

Can you get a close up picture of the oil leak? It looks like it is coming out from inside the fins, in which case it is the little rubber "nickles" that seal some bolt holes. To change them you have to take the camshaft out and the camshaft/rocker arm supports out. It is a common place for the 750 to leak from. Look to see if the oil is coming out from further inside the fins.

 

[dirtdigger]

The engine from Honda was actually painted an aluminum color less the valve cover and the side covers. I would maybe take some cleaner and clean off the dirty/oily part of the engine and run it to see where it is coming from. Hard to say what the previous owner was thinking but I have seen it before where they just hate shiny chrome so out comes the brillo pad and the flat black paint.

 

[spaz815]

I'll get some better pics this weekend. From what I can see it seems like its coming out from the top of the head. My brother is pretty good at working on motor cycles. But I don't want to bother him (again) with a bike. LOL Plus I'd like this to be my project. Its been raining here in PA for the past week from that storm also cold. I'm going to ride it to his house this weekend.

 

[cyclebuster]

you do know you cannot remove even the valve cover in the bike right? Dont take it apart and find this out. everything that leaks on a CB750 is an engine pull, basically

 

[spaz815]

No I didn't know this. So if I want to do a top rebuild I have to pull the motor?

 

[Wolfie]

To remove even the valve cover, you have to pull the engine.
It's not hard to do, just takes time.
Do you need/want some shop manuals for it?

 

[dirtdigger]

I have a book that in all honesty is better than the honda service manual. The book is "My CB750 book" by Mark Paris. He is a well known contributor on the SOHC4 forum as was a honda tech when these bikes were around. It really is a first hand build of a bike from start to finish. It has very helpfull tips and tricks and things to look for on everything cb750 related. Great pictures and written in first person perspective. It is a tad expensive but in all honesty it is worth every penny and will save you money in the long run. But at the very least you should look for a Honda manual. I do like the actual Honda manual better than the aftermarket ones because I have found some inaccuracies in some of the wording. The best ones in my opinion are the original green manuals but they can be hard to find. Also there are aftermarket kits that you cut the two bars above the engine and have some pieces welded in. Then the bars are remove able and you can do top end work in frame. You should do it with the motor removed but have seen it done with the motor still in but covered up because there is welding involved. But if you are only planning on removing one or two times it may not be worth it for you.

 

[spaz815]

Yeah that would be great. Where do I find them?

To remove even the valve cover, you have to pull the engine.
It's not hard to do, just takes time.
Do you need/want some shop manuals for it?

 

[Wolfie]

PM sent...

 

[spaz815]

Got it sent you my email. Thanks for your help.

 

[Bohnzye]

It's murdered>>>)))) Finish it..I like it.....

 

[spaz815]

What do you mean murdered? Finish it how What do you think? Cafe or original?

It's murdered>>>)))) Finish it..I like it.....

 

[dirtdigger]

All the parts are there to make it original. If it was mine thats what I would do, its getting harder and harder to find a bike that is that complete and not just torn apart. Plus everybody is doing the cafe thing. If I had a bike with that many original parts I would redo it close to stock and ride it. Then find something that is already missing a lot of parts and do the cafe on that bike. But thats just me.

 

[spaz815]

I think you might be right. I'll do the cafe thing on another bike. I think the only thing I'll do is change the handle bars to super bike bars. Just for comfort of riding.