Topic: 1975 CB750 Build! "Kona" - Sold and gone.

[Operator]

My 2 cents is to stay away from Duro tyres if you plan on riding in any cooler/cold weather. I had a set of Duro's on my '79 XS400. They were great when the weather was hot but as soon as the temps started to dip, they seemed to harden up and slip a little in the corners.

My "go to" tyre is Bridgestone Spitfires if you want the performance, but i usually run Bridgestone Accolades. A little bit harder in the center for better wear and a little softer on the sides for good cornering. My favourites by far!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

My 2 cents is to stay away from Duro tyres if you plan on riding in any cooler/cold weather. I had a set of Duro's on my '79 XS400. They were great when the weather was hot but as soon as the temps started to dip, they seemed to harden up and slip a little in the corners.

My "go to" tyre is Bridgestone Spitfires if you want the performance, but i usually run Bridgestone Accolades. A little bit harder in the center for better wear and a little softer on the sides for good cornering. My favourites by far!

I have Bridgestone Spitfires on my 750.  I like them but IF you want performance, I would recommend Avon Roadriders or Bridgestone BT45s.  Spitfires are great if you want to maintain a classic, period look, but the others I mentioned have much better edge grip.

[Ravie]

I had planned on using vintage sized Dunlop K70's but I like the fatter rear tire I get with a 16" rim. The Duro was the only vintage sized tire I could find for that. What is the modern equivalent to a 5.10/16? A 130/70?

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[calj737]

5.10 = 130mm

[Ravie]

Right, but is 70% the right height ratio?

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[calj737]

I'm running a 130/90-16 on my 550 rear wheel

[Ravie]

Ok, cool. The 5.10 is actually a bit short. I bet yours is closer.

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[Operator]

My wife is running the Dunlops on her '76 400F and they are really quite nice. And they look cool too.

[Ravie]

I wish this was more exciting..haha

Sold a piece of ham radio gear to pay for my pistons... haha bought the cruisinimage 836 kit and had it sent to where my jugs are (hello Cal!).

Got my wiring harness cleaned up. Most of my parts are painted. Carbs are nearly done, just need bowl gaskets.

I gave my brother in law pictures and measurements of the frame rails and he is making me a custom metal seat/cowl. I'll be using a late model Corvair tail light on it and am planning under seat storage with a car charger port for on he road cell charging, etc..

It absolutely won't be done this season which is ok with me. I think I'm going to take the MSF course. Their bike, etc... I need the instruction anyway. Last time I was on a motorcycle was 10 years ago now.

My garage is a mess!

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[calj737]

Rest assured, when your jugs come back you'll be changing your avatar!

[Ravie]

Hahahaha yes!

I've since cleaned my heads and lapped the valves. It looks much better now...

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[Ravie]

I thought maybe I should start a new thread for this but thought I'd post it in my thread:

I am a big fan of the Comstars and I wish that I could get a set for this build. I had read about maybe having to use different forks and things...I just wanted a bit more info on that if someone might lend me some thoughts on it.. If it's a whole bunch of trouble then I understand maybe it won't be for me but...

To be honest, I'm actually terrified at the idea of lacing my spoked rims (which are going to need new spokes) and yet I don't want to pay someone else to do it either..

DEAAAAN.  Dean will probably never read this thread but man...I just spent the last two days doing nothing but watching his V45 Sabre build. I envy his resourcefulness (and his shop) That bike turned out so amazing.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

There are some issues in using Comstars on a K bike like yours.  First, the comstars were produced for F bikes, so the rear disc will either need to be converted to drum, or you will need to replace the existing K brake linkage and adapt it to disc.  Second, you will likely need to swap the entire front end or at least the forks and brakes if you go with a F2/F3 Comstar front.  The Comstars are fitted with different DUAL rotors with different spacing from the single left side disk of your K5 bike.  The brake calipers mount behind the fork and use different mounting hardware than the K models.  Going with this dual set up will improve your braking performance somewhat.

[Ravie]

So essentially if I could get a complete rear brake and wheel and a complete front end I could do it. Hmm. Seems like a lot of extra buying for a guy with limited means. Maybe someday. Thanks for the info.

[Operator]

Here is what we did with my 73 750K with the Comstars and braking system from a 77 750F

-Replaced the fork lowers to keep the front brake mounts.
-added a tab to hold the rear brake reservoir.
-luckily the frames are pretty much the same, so the piece that houses the rear brake master cylinder and the rear footpeg bolted right on. (the circled silver piece in the picture, sorry don't know the proper name)

I've ridden 750's with the original brake system but I really do prefer this setup...not only can I go really well...I can also stop in a much more reasonable time and space.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

So essentially if I could get a complete rear brake and wheel and a complete front end I could do it. Hmm. Seems like a lot of extra buying for a guy with limited means. Maybe someday. Thanks for the info.

Priorities!  If the aesthetic of Comstars is your goal, it will require some doing.  If you want to improve brake and handling performance (and don't mind spoked wheels), I would recommend doing a 75-77 GL1000 front end swap (forks, triples, complete brakes, rotors, axle, speedo drive etc.)  You will end up with 37mm forks (up from 35mm) providing a better handling front, MUCH better brakes over stock (larger pistons, lighter discs, turnkey dual disc system).

[Ravie]

Yeah, better braking is the issue, but also...I have no idea how to lace and true wheels and my rear rim especially really needs a new set of spokes. Also, my front fork tubes are done for. Cursory search online shows around 160 for a new set of fork tubes? I like the Comstars out of my love for simplicity. No truing, better brake setup.

We shall see. Life is absolutely upside down and crazy right now. I'm not buying anything anytime soon. Months.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Yeah, better braking is the issue, but also...I have no idea how to lace and true wheels and my rear rim especially really needs a new set of spokes. Also, my front fork tubes are done for. Cursory search online shows around 160 for a new set of fork tubes? I like the Comstars out of my love for simplicity. No truing, better brake setup.

We shall see. Life is absolutely upside down and crazy right now. I'm not buying anything anytime soon. Months.

Looks like a F2 or F3 front is in your future some day. Comstars and better brakes (not as good as the GL) but better than what you have.

[Ravie]

Looked closer at my fork tubes today. The part that hits the seal isn't rusty...just the tops where the headlight mounts went. So I wire wheeled them and sanded them and hit the tops with some spray bomb black. The bottom part will work just fine. And that's how a poor guy builds a bike. No less safe, just less "pretty" and I'm not going for pretty. I'm going for beasty. Haha




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[Ravie]

Every time I go out to the garage it brings me back down to earth a little. Just an update on my headspace for those of you who care.

As much as I would love to do a Gl1000 front end and dual discs and all of that, I have to remember that at this point, I'm still without a job and behind on everything. (I'm trying really hard, trust me!). So with that in mind:

I'm going to use the stock wheels. I'm still going back and forth on using the 16" harley rim or the stock 18" rim. I have two complete wheels. I really like the look of the 16 versus the skinny little tire that would end up on the 18, but from what I've seen and read, the tires selection just isn't as good. Fortunately I'm nowhere near purchasing tires, so that decision is still down the road.

I need to visit my local metal guy but I'm looking at doing my own frame "kit" mod for installing/removing the engine. The OD of the frame is exactly 1" and I'm sure I can get some good tube steel locally and make sleeves. Should cost me less than 25 dollars and be plenty strong. Some of the other popular frame kits look awesome but are priced way too high for my wallet and over-engineered in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that, I just like to keep it simple when possible.

I would REALLY like to do the M-unit. I know that's a huge expense but man is it ever an awesome piece of electronics.

Ummmm, there's probably more but that's all I can think of right now. I posted a few posts ago that I did order the 836 kit from Cruisinimage on eBay and had them sent to Cal (he has my jugs right now and is going to have them done for me at a shop there since apparently none of the shops in Topeka are worth a crap)

That's the only parts I've been able to purchase for far. Everything else has been cleaning and painting. I de-laced the front rim today and steel wooled the spokes. I plan to paint the other rim and hub black. Not sure on the spokes yet. I'm thinking maybe brown to match the seat and tank.

I'm just enjoying reading others' threads.

Took apart a 1960 ShopSmith I bought earlier this year. The speed control was messed up...turned out the control sheave bearing was in pieces. The sheave itself is cracked in the bearing area which is pretty common too...so I'm gonna have to order a kit. (more money I don't have so there's a project going nowhere for a while)

Crazy times.

[calj737]

I run a 16" rear on my 550. Shod with Conti-Go's and very pleased with them. Running a 130/90-16 and matching 19" front in a 100/90-19. Reasonably priced and quite a decent tire for my riding.

[Ravie]

Yeah I'll look some more. I like the 16" better. The 18" just always looks a bit anemic to me.

Here's a pic of what my brother in law came up with... I told him I liked it except the first radius...I told him to slope the first radius, but I like the back. I don't think he is working on it right now...he's been busy with other junk...




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[calj737]

Looks similar to tsunamis seat in his thread.

[Ravie]

Why that came up upside down is beyond me. Yay technology.

[Tews19]

Yeah I'll look some more. I like the 16" better. The 18" just always looks a bit anemic to me.

Here's a pic of what my brother in law came up with... I told him I liked it except the first radius...I told him to slope the first radius, but I like the back. I don't think he is working on it right now...he's been busy with other junk...




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RAvie what is that? Hard to tell upside down.