Author Topic: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.  (Read 56290 times)

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Offline racinchase

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #25 on: April 17, 2013, 11:02:41 am »
Man super cool!! Love it!
“The right bike, the right day, the right road, I just pretty much feel at one with the universe. When I feel like I don’t fit anywhere or I’m lonely or I’m all screwed up in the head, I get on my bike and go for a ride and it’s like all of the sudden, I’m fixed.” – Indian Larry

1975 CB750 K
2009 R1

Offline greenjeans

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #26 on: April 17, 2013, 11:32:27 am »
Yep I dig it.   Nice find.
Yep, I'm the kid that figured out how to put things back together...eventually.

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #27 on: April 22, 2013, 07:35:41 pm »
Thanks very much for the kind words.
Really excited to have this bike.

Started work on the wiring....
And boy did it need it.
Millions of but connectors and the super crazy thin wire powering the coils.
I spent most of the day making my own harness, luck this bike doesnt really need that many wires.

Bike is weeping oil, not sure from where.
Does look like at some point the bike will need a head gasket, but hopping not till next winter.

Need to order new chain and sprockets.
The rear on the bike now is tiny and robs the low end it needs.
Also starting to think about running an exhaust that is more then just headers.
Right now it just has real dunstal headers, I have the mid pipe but it doesnt fit. 
Thinking side mounted fish tails.


Here is a better picture of the front.
Still dont know if its correct or not.
But did find that the neck bearings were shot, so those will need to be replaced.
Zero idea if they are honda, amen, or harley parts.  Will need to find out.


Ordered some grips and a better rear brake light trigger.
The bike had mini clubmans on it before I got it, and I am thinking I want to go with them now.
They will push the controls just a bit forward and that would really make the bike more comfortable.


And the number one part that every bike should have!



Offline Stev-o

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #28 on: April 22, 2013, 07:40:31 pm »
Had mini club mans? Can't picture that.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'71 Honda 750K project.....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline edhaeuser

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #29 on: April 22, 2013, 07:49:03 pm »
Cool ride!  Aren't old choppers supposed to leak oil?

Ed

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #30 on: April 22, 2013, 07:52:33 pm »
Had mini club mans? Can't picture that.

It sounds funny to say.
But they were a cross between clubmans and Z bars.
Didnt lower the controls, just moved them a little forward.


Yeah I figure it should leak, and since its "custom" it should have some strange wiring too....

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #31 on: May 05, 2013, 06:19:26 pm »
Got some work in this weekend.

Replaced these


With new shoes

Nothing like some 50cc Honda brakes to make you feel safe..

Wheel still needs a cleaning











Neck bearings where shot.
Ordered new ones.


Think these are going to be to small...lame


Offline Stev-o

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Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #33 on: May 05, 2013, 06:58:09 pm »
Might look into those too.

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #34 on: May 05, 2013, 09:56:04 pm »
A long long time ago i had some Z bars, they were surprisingly comfortable.... 8)
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750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
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Offline SOHC Digger

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #35 on: May 06, 2013, 04:41:45 am »
If you haven't flipped that lower link, I'd be doing that real soon.  If you look at the geometry, especially when braking, you pretty much have no give. Just for safety and handling, especially if the springer's off right now.

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #36 on: May 06, 2013, 07:06:48 am »
If you haven't flipped that lower link, I'd be doing that real soon.  If you look at the geometry, especially when braking, you pretty much have no give. Just for safety and handling, especially if the springer's off right now.

I keep getting conflicting advice on the lower link.
Would really love to learn how these front ends work and know how they should be set up.
I will say that when I sit on the bike the front isn't "uncompressed" like it is in the pictures.

What negative is happening by having the lower link like that now?

Offline Goofaroo

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #37 on: May 07, 2013, 05:12:27 pm »
Quote
What negative is happening by having the lower link like that now?

I think you have already hit the nail on the head.

Quote
BUT, the bike really only wants to go straight or flop to one side.  I have never really ridden a bike like this, so didnt know if that was part of the whole death trap chopper thing or not.

I'm not a chopper guy but looking at how it's assembled, I would think it would prefer flopping to one side over going straight.

Diggin' the bike!

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #38 on: May 07, 2013, 05:17:57 pm »
With the front end, if those linkages are the wrong way round it could create negative trail which will make the bike very unstable and unsafe to ride. I would be putting it back to the way it is intended....It shouldn't "flop" at all, it should be very stable in a straight line if its set up correctly....
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Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #39 on: May 07, 2013, 07:14:02 pm »
Everything is how I got the bike, have been told about the lower links and plan to swap them this weekend.  Real.y hope it doesn't lower the bike much.
I know that this is the original front end from when the bike was built in 74, so I assume it will not lower the bike that much.  Not sure why they were ever flipped.

Also told that the brake hub should be on the opposite side.

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #40 on: May 08, 2013, 12:58:18 pm »
New taillight.


Ill get one "compressed"
I'm told now this is correct as the front end is a jammer


Not sure exactly where to mount the brake stay


Everything else look right?




Offline 754

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #41 on: May 08, 2013, 03:06:53 pm »

The tapped hole is there to mount a brake and or fender.
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Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #42 on: May 08, 2013, 03:26:26 pm »
All the way up there?
Anyone make a fork brace or something that would bolt where the fender would go?

Offline Goofaroo

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #43 on: May 08, 2013, 04:39:26 pm »
Quote
All the way up there?
Anyone make a fork brace or something that would bolt where the fender would go?

I am guessing that the mounts are "all the way up there" because your forks are assembled incorrectly. The pics below are a typical vintage chopper springer fork and if you would assemble yours to match this everything will probably line up and make sense. Again, I am no expert on chopper forks but just looking at yours it looks like it would try to flop to one side.  It needs to be oriented so that the axle is higher and "leads" more.  this will also give you proper leverage on your springs to make the suspension more functional.

Surely someone more knowledgeable than me can chime in and help but I am pretty confident that you are pissing in the wind trying to make it work like it is.

By the way,  the bike is sick!  I can't wait to see how it progresses.



 

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #44 on: May 08, 2013, 04:55:00 pm »
I think it's just because this springer is just different.
Here is an add for them.


Offline Goofaroo

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #45 on: May 08, 2013, 05:05:26 pm »
Nice find.  There is your answer.  Hopefully the bike will straighten out for you with the new stem bearings.  Sorry if I caused any confusion.

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #46 on: May 08, 2013, 05:09:20 pm »
No wrong at all.
I for one am still learning "chopper speak"

Bearings should be here this week.
I'm an aero space engineering student and finals are coming up, so not a lot of time right now

Offline SOHC Digger

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #47 on: May 08, 2013, 09:57:11 pm »
Well I stand corrected.  I have never seen a springer with that kind of geometry before now.

Offline MJL

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #48 on: May 11, 2013, 09:00:28 pm »
I wonder if he put some softer springs in there if it would ride better? smaller motor=less weight=less compression?
No matter how fast or how far I rode, I couldn't leave her memory behind.

Offline jaguar

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Re: My new chopper. A real "back in the day" survivor.
« Reply #49 on: June 02, 2013, 10:51:56 am »
Got through finals so now back to bikes!

New levers are in.
Got the emgo "Amal" clones, nice and clean.

All balls bearings are in too.
Will install tomorrow.

Was messing around with bars.

Buddy had some left over apes...he likes apes on everything...me not so much.




I kinda prefer the lower bar look.
They give me just enough room to be comfortable.




Whatcha think?


Honey do list for tomorrow.
-neck bearings
-finish wiring
-install bars
-mock up tail light
-seak out oil leak

I would like an oil cooler for this bike.
Will a cb750 one work?  How about a nighthawk one?

Saw the cycle X roadster drag pipes and think I'm going to see if they will make them in a cb550 sized pipe.
Would like to mount a tach to the valve cover but unsure if I will or how to do that.
Wireless bycicle speedo will also be installed.