Topic: CB750K2 cafe racer kit recommendations?

[gary]

Sorry for the stupid questions, but this is my first CB750K2.
Don't ask why, but I have recently purchased a 1972 CB750K2, well frame, non running engine, clocks, wheels and brakes. I'm considering building a cafe racer style bike from it.
Can anyone recommend any purpose built kits for this bike?
Or does anyone have a kit there not going to be using now?
There must be company's in the states or China selling these kits that can be shipped to the UK?
What are the common upgrades on suspension, brakes etc that people modifying their bikes retro fit?
Any advice or tips more than welcome.
Cheers
Gary

[calj737]

that's a loaded question! It all depends upon your budget, tastes, skills and goals. There is an unlimited level of upgrades and modifications available and undertaken by bike owners. If you can think it up, it's probably documented somewhere on this forum.

Suspension upgrades range from new springs or cartridges in stock forks, to swapping to GL forks, to swapping to modern sport bike front ends.

There are numerous cafe seat and tank builders, either in fiberglass, carbon fiber, aluminum or metal. Exhausts are other changes that owners make, and rear shocks. Modern clocks and gauges are also available.

The best place to start is the internet. Google CB750 cafe racers (if you're determined on that direction) and browse pics and build threads. Gather you're ideas, then decide upon "build it or buy it". There's a ton of gorgeous builds on this forum by some embers here for the 750. Tweakin's latest build comes to mind immediately. There's numerous 550 builds from: FunJimmy, Bru-Tom, Hannibal, and CB750's recently completed 750. It's all there for your viewing pleasure. Most of these guys documented fully their process or vendor choices.

You just gotta read and choose. Or go your own way and start a thread. Many will pipe in with great advice and caveats. First and formost, get a copy of Hondaman's book, it's an exceptionally written documented guide on the Do's and Dont's on these bikes.

Hope this helps a little...

[cheftuskey121]

There are no full "kits" for cafe racers, at least for a 750 that I know of. If you're looking for a kit to put together, but a model airplane. That's a harsh reality but it's true. If getting dirt under your fingernails, losing blood, sweating, and swearing at your tools, parts, or whole bike don't seem like a fun Friday night....then you bought te wrong bike. Like cal said there are thousands of project threads between this site and dotheton forum. There is no "easy" way. I find that lookin at completed projects gets the creative juices flowing. I like to picture a final result in my head and then chip away and making it happen. The search bar will be your best friend. I'm not saying each aftermarket part has to be fabricated custom just to work. Plenty of parts bolt right on, but then again it all depends on what kind of look you want.

If you have metal work experience and/or access to a welder then you've got a great head start! Ask questions but make sure to search them first because they probably have been asked before. Almost all of my questions have been answered. Good luck!

[saltcitycafe]

I think that as soon as there is a cafe home hobby kit....I quit

[gary]

OK, kit may of been the wrong choice of word, perhaps I should of said tank and seat unit.
I'm more than used to dirty hands and swearing at the bike and myself, I have owned and worked on Triumph triples from the 1970's for the last 25 years.
I do have a set of standard forks, not K2 as they are twin disc forks/calipers etc, so hope to use these for the period look, if not perhaps USD forks, is there a popular make/model builders use in the K2?
I have no wiring loom, are these available still or is it build your own?
Cheers
Gary

[calj737]

The most popular conversion to USD forks is either with a Harley front hub, or a more plug-and-play solution is Cognito Moto's front hub. Configured for GSXR front ends from 2006-2011 and spokes. Devin is also a member on this forum or DTT and his website offers parts or sets, even adapter stems for best fit.

Seat/tank sets are also available from many, including Benjie's Cafe Racer, Ian Holcott, Legendary Motorcycles, and many others. Depends on the look and budget you have.

Factory harnesses can be found, David Silver Spares in the UK has abundant NOS parts. If you want modern, MotoGadget offers some very modern units with simplified wiring, especially if you plan to adapt USD to a factory loom.

Check out the "Projects" section of the forum and you'll see dozens of examples with many of these very vendors parts in use.