Hey guys -
I've been learning a tremendous amount from reading these forums over the past couple years as I built my first bikes - a 1975 CB360T, which is long gone, and the bike I'm working on currently, a 1979 CB650. It felt unfair to take from everything you guys had learned in your time with these bikes without contributing, and also, it's just me out here, with no one I know to appreciate the classics the way that I do, or who spends their free time building, so I wanted to be a part of the community. Although I bartend for a living, I'm not so much a social guy in my free time, and I work alone with the garage door closed. I have one other buddy that assembles motorcycles as a living, but he's more into the '06+ GSX-R's and such. I appreciate the performance aspect, but there isn't much room for improvement on those beyond the factory.
So here I am, finally reaching out. I'm 29, 30 in May. The first bike was more cosmetic than anything, but I did fully disassemble it. The CB650 has been much more of an overhaul, and almost everything has been a first for me. Rebuilt the top end, laced new Excel rims, made an entirely new wiring harness - a meticulous and time-consuming task, I might add, plus some goodies like DYNA coils, new tail section, tank, and seat cowl from Benjie, nice overhauled carbs from Rick West at Oldskoolcarbs, 14.25" Progressive shocks and new springs up front, and a couple custom mounting items coming in the mail from my buddy Torian Starnes at Monolithic Cycles in VA, including a stock swingarm streched one inch.
I just changed the slow jets to 42's from the stock 35's the other day and was able to achieve a steady idle for the first time, which was super exciting. Especially since I never had a complete bike to start with, or had ever heard a CB650 running before, and built this thing from the ground up piecemeal. I actually bought much of it from a member on the forum, minus wheels and the engine.
Thanks for having me. It's good to be here! Sorry for replying. I couldn't yet figure out how to post an independent posting. Here's where I'm at currently:
