Starting Honda cafe bike build today

Don you are a glutton for punishment. Ever think of installing a late model sport bike caliper?

 

Yeah I thought about that.
But then I said no.
It would not be period correct? LOL
I would have to change the disk because the thickness has to work with the caliper requirements.
I also might have to make a custom mount plate for the new caliper.


No.....I will just make the original caliper like new. Then it just bolts on and there are NO fitment issues.

It is not punishment.
You will see. It will all come together and look real fine.

 

Judging from your previous build, I have no doubt.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence Drewl.
While I wait for those front brake parts, I am taking apart the rear
hub to clean it and make sure the bearing is good.
I discovered something you all may be interested to know if you have a similar
part.
My 4 or 4-1/2 inch DeWalt hand grinder comes with a tool for removing the different grinding and sanding discs. Guess what this also fits?


CB750 rear hub. Hand grinder tool.

The tool was laying next to my vice and when I saw it,the little light bulb lit up.
Know what I mean?

At first I thought it would not reach across but it did fit this way and it worked just fine!

 

Excellent thread!

Yamatoya is my local shop...Everyone over there is great and they finally are getting their internet presence situated. Please keep sending them your business and keep up with the great work the 750!

/subscribe

 

Don - I went through the same front brake caliper nightmare you just did on a '76 CB550K. At least the pads in mine weren't rusted in! Took a solid 2 days of soaking in PB Blaster before I got the piston out (same compressed air technique).

 

Getting the frame ready for seat mount brackets.

 

Waiting for parts now.
Put the tire on the front wheel.
Medium exciting.

Avon Roadrider tire. 100/90-19
The wheel is from a CB750 Automatic and has a aluminum rim.
Weight difference is quite noticeable from the stock steel rim.

BTW to get Outside tire diameter just multiply 2 X .90=1.8 x 100mm =180
devided by 25.4 =7.0+19"(rim)=26 inches O.D. of tire.

 

Today I made a big mistake. Mistake O'Grande!

One of the front fork legs (the aluminum slider) had a broken off bolt in one of the holes
for the fender bolts. Then I remembered that the front fender,(stock) was attached with radiator
clamps. So I decided I would try to get the broken off bolt out.

It would not come out. (Three hours work), so finally I re drilled and tapped the hole to the next larger size which
was SAE 5/16. Then while I was putting the cleaned up parts together I heard a noise
when pushing the fork leg into the slider.

The newly threaded bolt hole had penetrated the inner wall of the fork slider and was making a noise as air
rushed through the hole.

That meant the end of the slider.
No longer repairable . BUMMER!

I do not make mistakes often but this was a big mistake.
I should have just Sh$#$t canned that fork slider from the get- go.
A real waste of time.

 

While I am waiting for parts i moved onto mounting the oil tank.

It is a 1985 H-D oil tank 3-1/2 quarts.
I have mounted it inside of the frame of this Honda CB750.

Close up of bottom of oil tank mount.
Below is another photo of the oil tank and you can see the hoop I made to fit the bottom of the seat and will add onto the frame.

 

Love the documentation Donald!

 

Thanks VFR rider. I thought some members may be interested even though it is not a VFR it is a Honda sport bike. The original sport bike that started it all.

 

I was able to take a 1970 CB750 out that came in a crate off an Ebay auction. Surprisingly, I went up to 100mph ok and stopped decent albeit with a little wooden action regarding the brake lever. But all in all it was still a good mount, this was about ten years ago. It did have a rock hard seat though/Keep those pictures coming. In my twisted mind they are better than porn.

 

Motorcycle porn. Thats all.

 

Motorcycle porn it is.

 

Today I modified the frame to accommodate the seat but I needed the gas tank and it finally arrived.

First i had to remove part of the frame to modify the length of the frame.

First i had to cut out a section and then add the frame hoop that I bent.

This is the part I removed.
After fully welding the frame hoop to the correct angle to support the seat
I added the gussets like the original frame had.

The gas tank will not stay that color.
Now the frame is more like the 1981 CB750 DOHC than the 1978 CB750 SOHC frame.

This is a photo of the bottom looking up of the frame hoop echoing the shape of the seat.

I liked this seat because it was not flat to fit a flat frame top rail.
It was curved and took this extra work to make it fit, but I think it will look good with the ass end kicked up like all the young guys like. LOL Hahaahh


Curves show confidence.

The almighty frame and seat.

 

After the Honda CB350's (60's-70's) came the Honda CB360's they were basically the same.
Lots of them and plenty of parts.

Cafe CB360 Honda (example)
No computer junk, just simple mechanical parts.

 

Stilil wont go straight as fast, corner or stop like that EX500 will :smile:

I remember pounding the cross-bone of a CB450 for an stretched out Air-Tech fibre glass gas tank. Satisfying hammering on customers crap. When it was finished, the bike was bored along with Falicon crank and knife rods, etc, etc. It raced in Vintage and was a force. Bike looked like an Old Hailwood replica in silver, red and green.

 

Today was a bit of a set back.
I was going to use the H-D FXR oil tank but there was just no room to put the battery.
I did not want to b put the heavy battery way up high in the back of the seat.
If I put the oil tank inside the cafe seat, the oil lines would get in the way of the rear wheel and other things. I would have tom make a new oil tank from scratch.

I had bought special fittings for the engine that allow use of oil hoses to use with any oil tank. So now I will be using the stock oil tank lines as well.

So I had to go back to the stock oil tank and make all new mounts because I had cut them off of the frame.

Small brackets for the seat mounting to be finished and then it is time for the frame to get powder coated. Photos tomorrow.