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

[Guzzi82]

Dear,
I have followed you in the shadow along your path.
I understand that a "Panigale" can put any othe project at the angle but your build was really good. Good ideas, good, project, good execution... it has its right to survive and to come to an end.
I hope this orrible covid period has at least given you the time to go along with it (most of all I hope you are safe and sound!)
Please update this post. A lot of people is at the window.
All the best
Riccardo

 

[Jsama23]

Bike is currently in a workshop for a custom exhaustsystem. Work will be done in mid-March.
Workshop will also fabricate plug for stopping oil spreading all over the engine from tachometercable hole (idk what it is called )

Before we took it there, we finished shorting the sidestand.

Shortened sidestand. Bike is way more lower than original, so it had to be done.

Welded little pin to the frame, which will stop sidestand hitting the frame. Have to buy a little rubberpiece end of it, so it will not scratch the paint

It came perfect


Friend of mine finished welding the offset front sprocket.

Looks amazing and works perfectly

Have to do minor work for the chainline. It is almost straight, but not enough yet


My seat came from the upholstery.

I'm digging it

Could your friend make me a sprocket like that?

 

[0tist]

any update on the project?
I love your posts and story so far, I'm complete beginner and trying to gather some courage to commit to project.
looking forward to hearing from you

 

[dirtdigger]

Original poster hasnt been on site for 3 years.

 

[Macce88]

Dear,
I have followed you in the shadow along your path.
I understand that a "Panigale" can put any othe project at the angle but your build was really good. Good ideas, good, project, good execution... it has its right to survive and to come to an end.
I hope this orrible covid period has at least given you the time to go along with it (most of all I hope you are safe and sound!)
Please update this post. A lot of people is at the window.
All the best
Riccardo

Thanks for your encouraging words.

any update on the project?
I love your posts and story so far, I'm complete beginner and trying to gather some courage to commit to project.
looking forward to hearing from you

To be honest, I have worked a lot with cars, motorbikes and bicycles but only like "minor" simple bolt-on modifications. This project is my first true real project with lot of hand made parts and own design.
I have none education of working with these things, so I can say that best way to do these kind of projects is by just starting it and prepared to do lot of mistakes and then do again until you success.

Original poster hasnt been on site for 3 years.

I'm back


Well it not worth to say any excuses that I didn't have time or I was too busy.
Fact is that my motivation was gone and I didn't have time.

Panigale has been sold now and all my friends says that I should really finish this build.
New Year, New Me

I have scheduled time for every week now onwards, so I'm trying to finish this build.
I'm going to garage this week to sort out what has to be done.

This project will be updated now more frequently and hopefully you guys are still keen on following.
Your comments and praises will boost me, thanks for those!


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024!

 

[loxley007]

Thanks for your encouraging words.


To be honest, I have worked a lot with cars, motorbikes and bicycles but only like "minor" simple bolt-on modifications. This project is my first true real project with lot of hand made parts and own design.
I have none education of working with these things, so I can say that best way to do these kind of projects is by just starting it and prepared to do lot of mistakes and then do again until you success.


I'm back


Well it not worth to say any excuses that I didn't have time or I was too busy.
Fact is that my motivation was gone and I didn't have time.

Panigale has been sold now and all my friends says that I should really finish this build.
New Year, New Me

I have scheduled time for every week now onwards, so I'm trying to finish this build.
I'm going to garage this week to sort out what has to be done.

This project will be updated now more frequently and hopefully you guys are still keen on following.
Your comments and praises will boost me, thanks for those!


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024!

I’m a year into my 79 cafe racer build. 2024 is the year to get it finished!!

 

[Old_Crow]

I’m a year into my 79 cafe racer build. 2024 is the year to get it finished!!

I had an old Harley Shovelhead that I took apart "just to paint the tins and change the swing arm bushings". Once I got into it, it took so long that I ended up buying another bike so I'd have something to ride. After that the project turned into a nut and bolt restoration which took a total of 2 years and around $5k. All this on a bike that was running and riding when I took it apart.

 

[Macce88]

New Year and couple weeks has gone by but the project has seen more progress than in last three years.
Motivation is high and I again see clearly the vision in my head. Let's keep it that way.

Basically in last two weeks me and my father has been assembling the bike as far we can. This way we can find out what has to be done, what is missing, what is not finished and what needs to be bought.

I also sort out every single bolt and parts to see what we have and in which condition.

--------------------------------

This was the status or situation after standing almost three years in the corner of the garage.

After couple nights and weekends this is how it stands right now.

Engine has been ready for few years now and is basically ready for paint. Carburetors and fuel lines were finished.

Controlling components (is that the right word? I'm pretty sure it's not. ) was fitted. M-switch, throttle-body, front brake parts and mirror/indicator-combo.

Rear brake and pegs fitted. Still need switch for brake light.

Rear cowl fabrication or design was suddenly in my mind. I started to make my vision come true and ideas how it will be made and mounted just rushed to my eyes. More to come.

--------------------------------

Situation right now

SHOPPING LIST (approx. 25-30 items)

• Bolts, washers, nuts
• Battery mounting belt
• Fasteners
• Rubber washers
• Front fender
• Brake fluid and fuel hoses
• New brake fluid reservoirs
• Throttle cable
• Clutch cable
• Replace parts for gold-colored parts
• Bulbs
• Licence plate lights
• Engine start button
• Switch for rear brake light
• Rear fender / tire hugger
• VRod headlight fairing
• Possible changing some parts to bend in to my vision.

WELDING LIST

• Place for the CDI-parts
• More wire holders
• M-unit bracket
• M-lock bracket
• Few ground bolts
• Noise killer
• Speed sensor bracket
• Regulator bracket
• Start relay bracket
• Rear cowl and brackets
• Horn bracket

OTHER THINGS TO DO

• Mounting the battery
• Controlling components (wires, brackets)
• Front fender
• Lower saddle 2mm
• Install new brake pads
• Install new wheel bearings
• Install new steering bearings
• Carburetors clean-up
• Chain line check
• Frame tinning (tin)
• Build and install new cables
• Install M-Button, M-Switch, M-Lock, M-Unit
• Do all the electrics / wires
• New tires
• Turning wheel edges
• Rear cowl
• Decide paint theme, colors and everything else

PAINT

• Engine
• Frame and other parts (powder coating)
• Exhaust (plating)
• Fuel tank, front fender, headlight fairing and rear cowl
• Deciding details

This was very very very harsh and non-detailed list of things that has to be done or bought...
Going forward step by step

 

[Chudman1]

I find comfort seeing this
I bought my project about 5 years ago and still haven’t finished it
Definitely not the calibre of this build

 

[Macce88]

I need comment on this one.

Strongly differing opinions were found and encountered in different projects/forums regarding the placement of the regulator and cdi parts.

Some strongly believe that the parts in question (circled in blue) should be placed in the undercarriage in terms of cooling, but on the other hand, some experiences say that there has been no problem even if the parts are placed under the seat/back cover in an almost closed box.

Please help...

 

[Macce88]

BIG UPDATE!

A lot of more parts have been ordered
- Front fender
- Motogadget new buttons for the handlebar
- Motogadget wiring harness
- Front headlight "cap"
- Nuts, bolts, washers
- Automatic fuse
- Rear brake banjo bolt with brake light switch
- Rear fender
- Leather straps for attaching the battery
- Chain tensioning bolt
- Rear light
- New brake fluid reservoirs
- etc. etc

Ignition lock
The bike will have Motogadget keyless ignition lock, which means that by showing the "tag" the power goes on and off.
For this, a hole was made to the side of the bike and it will come at the level of the side.

Dimensioning

A hole in the side

A bracket for the reader that is welded to the frame

Ready

Electric box
The electricity comes under the rear cowl, as already mentioned.
The positioning of the components was changed and the new places have been dimensioned.

The bolts must be welded

At the same time, a few more cable loops are made, where the cables stay neat and do not hang

Rear fender
I bought a GSXR rear fender which I think fits the style of the bike well and is bolt-on.
At the same time, it also protects a little from the rain, even I don't want to drive it in the rain, unless I really have to

BEFORE

AFTER

Rear brake light switch
I bought a new banjo bolt for the rear brake with a rear brake light switch.
The problem was that the new banjo is much longer than the original, so it caught the swingarm.

The foot pegs are moved slightly outwards, so there is enough room for the banjo bolt

Axle protection pieces
I bought axle protection pieces for the front and back. I don't think these have anything to do with protection, but it looks nice and more finished.

Speedometer sensor
A place was found for the sensor in the attachment point of the front fender and the magnet can be attached to the brake disc brackets.

Front fender
The cutting and grinding of the fender has been done for the last few days in the garage. The shape is starting to take shape.
The brackets are also almost ready and they are being cleaned up a bit more gracefully, but it seems like a functional package.

STARTING POINT

PROGRESSING

BRACKETS

What next?
The front fender and its brackets are finished, after which the bike is disassembled.
After this, hopefully the last welding will be done during April.

When the welding are done, we will assemble the bike one more time almost completely and make sure that everything has been taken into account and if any modifications need to be made.
Once this is confirmed, we get to the painting stage, so we are moving towards the end at a fast pace!