Topic: Senior project for high school - 78 CB750K

[madmtnmotors]

Ron, damn that was fun!!!!!! You are right I wish I was more tech inclined to document the progress over the years.  I can't thank you and Bill enough without you all's help I'm sure i wouldn't have ever gotten to this point. FYI, here it is Tues morning and I still have a s*&t eaten grin on my face.

Mark

Now let's go racing!     

[Restoration Fan]

Now let's go racing!     

Oh yeah.  I meant to say congrats, Wilbur.  I heard about your successful racing debut.

Good job proving what we have been saying all along....the 78's are the fastest.

[Restoration Fan]

Anyone remember this bike that Bill wanted to sell me:



OK...well.  Hi, my name is Ron and I have a problem (they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have an issue).

[evanphi]

HOORAY FOR PROBLEMS!

[seanbarney41]

sweet...f2/3's are the best performing cb750's, hands down.

[Restoration Fan]

Well, to be completely honest, I don't intend to keep this one.  The guy who bought the bike from Bill intended to finish getting the bike rideable but just never got around to it.  And when he called to ask if I was interested, I told him that I really wasn't since I still have 3 bikes and I'm about to buy another (BMW R1200 GS)...that if I bought it, I could only offer him like $800 for it and that wouldn't be fair to him since he could get more for it by selling it on CraigsList.
He was willing to take that for the bike so I went and picked it up.

And I normally wouldn't have been interested had I not already worked on the bike to get it running with Bill and knew that the engine on the bike is tight.  The big flaw on it is the cosmetics (paint peeling on the engine and tank...side covers missing...surface rust in a few places).  So I'll do the things needed to get it rideable (put the chain actually ON the sprockets instead of leaving it hanging like it currently is...plus installing the rear brake master cylinder and connecting it to the brake pedal and brake line).  Plus, I'll probably also hit the paint on the engine with the angle grinder sanding disc and then rattle can spray it. 

The tank is lined but it needs a gas cap and needs the paint stripped and to be re-sprayed.  It also had K&N pods on it but they apparently weren't on very well because they blew off on the ride home so I will replace those.  And I'll order some side covers and put those on.  When all that's done...I WILL ride it for a while to enjoy it.  And the tires are brand new so that won't be an issue. 

Once all that is done, I'll put it up for sale.

[madmtnmotors]

When all that's done...I WILL ride it for a while to enjoy it.

Once all that is done, I'll put it up for sale like it so much I won't be able to part with it.

FTFY   

[seanbarney41]

Once all that is done, I'll put it up for sale.

I wouldn't be so sure about that!  I bought mine with similar intentions..."Hell, these things are ugly, right?"  Mine was cheaper but further from running/riding.
 DSCN0837 by Sean Barney, on Flickr
3 years and 10,000 miles later, this ones a keeper that out accelerates, out brakes by far, and out handles any other sohc4 (I think I am up to 13 or 14 now?) I have ever owned.

Valve guide concerns are real.  Mine are shot at 28,000 miles.  Still, does not keep me from riding, ignore the smoke and add a quart every 500 miles or so.  It will be "worth it" to go through the cylinder head when fixing 'em.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Nice F'er, Ron!  I like your plan.  See if you can part with it when you're done.  Now back to those CB5XXs!!

[Restoration Fan]

Nice F'er, Ron!  I like your plan.  See if you can part with it when you're done.  Now back to those CB5XXs!!

Thanks, Don.
Yeah, I've been making small, incremental progress on them but the 500 will get almost all of my attention in 2 weeks.  I'm supposed to be done with these apps by May 23, so I plan to spend the weekend afterwards 'wrenching and riding'.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Sweet!

[TomsK8resto]

Ron,

Congrats on the new bike!  I would have bought that in a heartbeat!  Wish I was closer to you to take it off your hands.   It seems these SOHC toys are like tater chips......

Tom

[Stev-o]

Congrats Ron, good deal.

BTW - what has been going on with Stella?  Has your son started riding her??

[Restoration Fan]

No, Stella is mine and I do ride her as often as possible.  As a matter of fact, I intend to ride her into the office tomorrow.

Logan has been busy with college but is now scheduled to take the MSF class in 3 weeks, since he's out of school for the summer.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

No, Stella is mine and I do ride her as often as possible.  As a matter of fact, I intend to ride her into the office tomorrow.

Logan has been busy with college but is now scheduled to take the MSF class in 3 weeks, since he's out of school for the summer.

Ron,

I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but with the less extravagant CB500 build, you might want to source some small crash bars since Logan might do the inevitable tip over on his first bike.

[evanphi]

No, Stella is mine and I do ride her as often as possible.  As a matter of fact, I intend to ride her into the office tomorrow.

Logan has been busy with college but is now scheduled to take the MSF class in 3 weeks, since he's out of school for the summer.

Ron,

I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but with the less extravagant CB500 build, you might want to source some small crash bars since Logan might do the inevitable tip over on his first bike.

Oh man I wish I had those for my 750...



+1 on crash bars.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

No, Stella is mine and I do ride her as often as possible.  As a matter of fact, I intend to ride her into the office tomorrow.

Logan has been busy with college but is now scheduled to take the MSF class in 3 weeks, since he's out of school for the summer.

Ron,

I can't remember if I mentioned this before, but with the less extravagant CB500 build, you might want to source some small crash bars since Logan might do the inevitable tip over on his first bike.

Oh man I wish I had those for my 750...



+1 on crash bars.

OUCH!

The likelihood of a tip over (even a garage tip over) for a newbie's first bike is high.  Almost when and not if.  It even happens to more seasoned riders every blue moon.

[evanphi]

This was 2 years ago now... fixed it with JB Weld high temp stick. Looks great now.

[Restoration Fan]

Last night, I had the chance to apply the first coat of paint stripper to the tank and found something interesting.  It appears that someone, at some point, hand-painted the stripes and red area onto this tank...probably in an attempt to emulate the original decals on the tank.  It's almost a shame to paint back over it.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Last night, I had the chance to apply the first coat of paint stripper to the tank and found something interesting.  It appears that someone, at some point, hand-painted the stripes and red area onto this tank...probably in an attempt to emulate the original decals on the tank.  It's almost a shame to paint back over it.

Looks like that tank has had a few lives.  I wonder why people don't strip a tank down to metal, and just paint over it.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Good point.

I was reacting more to people who pile on layers of paint and bondo (instead of repairing metal).

[Restoration Fan]

So now I'm heading back to the 500 to finish it up because I've sold the 750 Super Sport.  Wait for it...I sold it back to Bill Benton. 

I took Stella for a 50 mile round trip ride to Bill's house and back today to pick up a few items I needed for the 500 & 550.  While I was there, we got to talking about the 750 and I found out that he had actually wanted to buy it back from his buddy.  And I had assumed that Bill had passed on the bike before it was offered to me but that was not the case.  So I sold it back to Bill for just what I have in it.  He's going to finish fixing it up and give it to his buddy who's been helping Bill get everything straightened up & organized around his house.

But I did get a free, sweet new BentOn Racing t-shirt out of the deal, too. And above all, the bike will be going back to a good home that will put it out on the road where it belongs.

[Restoration Fan]

LOL, yeah I could have made some money off of it.  But Bill really should have had the first opportunity to buy it anyway. 
To my way of thinking, doing something to help a friend is worth way more than money.