Author Topic: '78 CB750K Project #1 - Cafe-like Racer-ish Bike (Read 38168 times)

chris mcshifty · « **Reply #50 on:** March 07, 2013, 11:00:03 PM »

Thanks. Defiantly like the pic of the front tire . I'm going with the avons on my bike when I get to that stage in the game

kerryb · « **Reply #51 on:** March 10, 2013, 08:30:49 AM »

...WOW... you do really nice work. Thanks for sharing. You've convinced me to put knee dents in my k8 tank because now I know how it will look with the new tailcone

Stoli · « **Reply #52 on:** March 10, 2013, 09:09:18 AM »

That is pretty cool. The obvious questions are, will you put ass dents in your tail section and will it be used as a reserve tank for long rides?

snowman · « **Reply #53 on:** March 10, 2013, 01:02:21 PM »

Quote from: kerryb on March 10, 2013, 08:30:49 AM

...WOW... you do really nice work. Thanks for sharing. You've convinced me to put knee dents in my k8 tank because now I know how it will look with the new tailcone

Have agree, that's a cool tail. Did you use an old K7 tank?

Spike · « **Reply #54 on:** March 10, 2013, 07:09:49 PM »

Outstanding! I wish that I had thought of that.

kerryb · « **Reply #55 on:** March 10, 2013, 09:09:54 PM »

Yes, there will be ass-dents, but they'll be covered by the foam cushion. I got the idea from someone on here some time back, I used a spare k8 tank so the lines would match. My skills aren't good enough yet to weld up a gas tank so its a glovebox. I had to move the door panel back to get the whole thing short enough. It sits on a shortened stock seat pan so it retains the stock hinges and key latch.

Stoli · « **Reply #56 on:** March 30, 2013, 12:29:52 PM »

I don't think I'm ready to hang a "Custom Motorcycle Seats" shingle on the side of my house just yet, but overall I am pretty happy with the way my first attempt came out. I think it will look okay after I add the rear fender. I found an interesting "reptile" vinyl that I used for the top. I don't think the pics do it justice, but it has an interesting texture to it. I put the embroidery machine that I bought for my wife 5 years ago to use, so that was a plus.

Stoli · « **Reply #57 on:** March 30, 2013, 02:04:47 PM »

Starting to get warm outside. Lots of snow melt today. So many things left to do. Feeling the pressure...

kerryb · « **Reply #58 on:** March 31, 2013, 12:09:26 PM »

Another wow!... you have some nice sewing skills too! After admiring how well the lines flow on your new seat I see the very classy insignia on the back too. Keep up the great work, I'm looking forward to the finished tank/seat/fender reveal.

Stoli · « **Reply #59 on:** April 06, 2013, 05:00:02 PM »

Time to buy paint for the tank, fenders and side covers. When I started this project, I had a vision of gloss black all around for a simple combination of black and silver on the entire bike. Now I'm floundering a bit. I still don't want any loud colors, but not sure if straight black will cut it. I think the gray primer that is currently on the tank is skewing my judgment. $:-\$

I've also been doing a lot of reading since I primed the tank and suspect that I will be sanding off all the duplicolor primer (lacquer based) and laying some epoxy primer on before I put on the urethane base and clear coats. Most guys say that it is OK to put epoxy then urethane over the lacquer but it has a greater tendency to weaken over time due to the different expansion rates of the urethane and lacquer. Might as well do it right I suppose.

Stoli · « **Reply #60 on:** April 08, 2013, 07:14:27 PM »

Quote from: kerryb on March 31, 2013, 12:09:26 PM

After admiring how well the lines flow on your new seat I see the very classy insignia on the back too.

Thanks. I did that with a Brother sewing machine that has some simple embroidering capability. I designed the graphic for the speedo and tach faces using a computer graphics program. Then, when I was making the seat, I thought it might be cool to put the same graphic across the back, so I figured out how to import it into the machine that sewed it into the vinyl using some silver thread. Maybe a little egotistical but I figure we spend so much time and effort on these projects, why not put a small brand on them? A real man would have welded it on I suppose, but my welding skills are not so good yet.

Here is a closeup of the insignia sewn into the vinyl:

Stoli · « **Reply #61 on:** May 17, 2013, 08:16:09 PM »

Quick update. Finally finished the fiberglass rear fender. Not sure what I think. It was such a pain to make, I am predisposed to like it. It's different anyways.

Here are some pics with the first coat of epoxy primer on the tank, fender and side covers. Got a bit of an orange peel finish on it so I have some sanding to do before I lay on the base coat.

At this point, all I have left is to fabricate some mounts for my DCC rearsets, bolt on the exhaust and then get this thing out of the basement and see if it runs. I plan on riding it for a few weeks before I spray on the finish paint.

Stoli · « **Reply #62 on:** May 19, 2013, 05:31:40 PM »

So, I put the front fender on and did a little sanding and primer recoat and although there is still a slight amount of orange peel, it really changed the appearance of the bike. I was planning on gloss black but I kind of like the matte finish. The front fender sort of ties in the rear as well. I'm pretty happy with it at this point.

SF · « **Reply #63 on:** May 21, 2013, 01:49:33 PM »

matte looks cool dude, nice bike i like it.

onetruepunk87 · « **Reply #64 on:** May 22, 2013, 02:18:29 PM »

Wow, that looks great! I'm working on a '77 myself.

Stoli · « **Reply #65 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:08:30 PM »

Basement Extraction:

Finished the rearsets and now it's time to get her out of the basement and into the sunlight. Built a "sled", strapped the bike down and pulled the contraption up the basement stairs on up a couple of 2x4 rails using a come-along. Would have made a nice redneck video for YouTube:

Stoli · « **Reply #66 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:16:35 PM »

I was pleasantly surprised when she fired right up! Sounds great and I haven't even adjusted the timing or balanced the carbs yet. I did do a fairly thorough manual adjustment to the points and carb during the rebuild but didn't expect it to run so smoothly before I did it with the engine idling. Took her for a spin around the block and she shifts well and runs like a top. Still grinning.

deafcaferacer · « **Reply #67 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:27:41 PM »

she looks beautiful!

flybox1 · « **Reply #68 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:34:01 PM »

like a kid being born into the world. clever way to bring her up from the basement.

great looking scoot!

Stoli · « **Reply #69 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:53:41 PM »

Quote from: flybox1 on May 28, 2013, 02:34:01 PM

like a kid being born into the world. clever way to bring her up from the basement.
great looking scoot!

Perfect analogy.

Stoli · « **Reply #70 on:** May 28, 2013, 02:58:08 PM »

I have decided to go with the matte black finish instead of the gloss, so when I have a chance later in the summer, I'll go ahead an put the finish coats on. For the time being, she needs to be ridden hard and often.

Stoli · « **Reply #71 on:** May 28, 2013, 03:06:36 PM »

What's next -

After the 100 mile break in, I plan on putting the pods back on and going down the slippery slope of rejetting and needle shimming. I know that there are many who would advise me not to, but I gotta at least try.

Also, I'm not too crazy about the muffler so will probably switch it out with one like this at Dime City:

Blitzburgh207 · « **Reply #72 on:** May 28, 2013, 06:02:44 PM »

That looks great man, good work! ps you'll love that muffler

Stoli · « **Reply #73 on:** May 29, 2013, 08:05:22 AM »

Rearset mounts on on a budget. I'll eventually clean them up and get them powdercoated. Just a couple of 1" strips of 1/4" steel sandwiched around the passenger peg bracket.

iron_worker · « **Reply #74 on:** May 29, 2013, 03:12:00 PM »

I love your method for getting her up the stairs! Way to work smart and not hard.

IW

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Author Topic: '78 CB750K Project #1 - Cafe-like Racer-ish Bike (Read 38168 times)