Topic: 76 CB500T Cafe build... my first time :-)

[travgusmc]

Well, 10 years since I returned from Iraq and bought my Yamaha R6, then sold it 3months later, I'm a bike owner again. I've loved and followed cafe bikes and builders for a while now so I'm elated to finally have my own project to post here. Found it for sale at a local bike shop. The owner does all types of car/bike restorations and builds but focuses on cafes of all types. Even got to see a nice Confederate and some sweet moto guzzis. So I'm pretty confident what has already been done is nice work.
Although I can build or fix anything on a house or building, I've never worked on a bike before so it was important for me to find a bike where most of the hard stuff was done. But its at just the right point to where i can finish the small things and put my own personal touch on her (hopefully with help from various members here at the forum :-)  )

I worked out a deal with the shop owner to finish the wiring and battery install and basically get it to a point where I can mount the seat and tail light and ride.
It only has 10,700 miles and he rode it before he dug into it. Other than a bad seal causing an oil leak and a couple other small things it ran great. Those problems have been fixed.
I have some ideas on where I want to go with the design of this bike but need helpful opinions and comments from you all please.

Anyways on with the pics... Thanks!

[calj737]

Glad you've found a project to stir your soul 

That battery will cause you more problems than you will believe. It does not have the necessary amp hours to support running that bike with the headlight on, unless you ride well above 3500 RPMs sustained. Sure, no electric start help alleviate the toll on the battery, but these bikes have very anemic charging systems and that battery won't survive a 30 minute night time ride in town.

You want at least 12Ah, preferably 14Ah and a healthy charging system. You can swap the headlight bulb for a new LED type to reduce the draw, and use an LED tail light/brake light also. But if you proceed with that battery, take some dimes along when you ride to call your mates for a lift home.

You'd be well advised to install some type of heat shield over that muffler. You sound pretty dang tough (having been in Iraq) but I'll bet that your legs can't take 300* without giving up some flesh 

Coming from an R1 to this relic, you will quickly discover that the front end is a great deal more spindly and having only a single piston caliper and cast iron rotor, the brakes are vastly different. With those tires and the small forks, I'd encourage you to install a steering damper ASAP lest you wind up on the asphalt from a tank slapper.

Keep the pics coming and open a thread in the Projects section. Not too many folks tinker with the 500 Twin, but there is www.hondatwins.net for more options if you get stuck.

Cheers

[Steve_K]

The first thing that I noticed was your exhaust.  I love the way it looks.  Nice start on the bike.
Steve

[travgusmc]

2in1 custom exhaust(needs welded at 2in1 fitting)
Cleaned carbs(dont want pods) i like velocity stacks
Tank down to bare metal. Rust free inside and out
Lithium battery weighs nothing. My e-cig battery is heavier haha!
New lightened foot controls
Fenders and air box delete
Newer bars
Hoop tail (needs welded)
Battery/fuse tray seat pan needs painted or rust sealed and welded
Battery meeds mounted
Needs caliper kit, has a dry seal that cracked
New tires
Removed electric start (needs plug where it mounted) Kick Only Baby!
All i can think of for now lmk what you think or what you would do. Any ideas or comments welcome

[travgusmc]

Glad you've found a project to stir your soul 

That battery will cause you more problems than you will believe. It does not have the necessary amp hours to support running that bike with the headlight on, unless you ride well above 3500 RPMs sustained. Sure, no electric start help alleviate the toll on the battery, but these bikes have very anemic charging systems and that battery won't survive a 30 minute night time ride in town.

You want at least 12Ah, preferably 14Ah and a healthy charging system. You can swap the headlight bulb for a new LED type to reduce the draw, and use an LED tail light/brake light also. But if you proceed with that battery, take some dimes along when you ride to call your mates for a lift home.

You'd be well advised to install some type of heat shield over that muffler. You sound pretty dang tough (having been in Iraq) but I'll bet that your legs can't take 300* without giving up some flesh 

Coming from an R1 to this relic, you will quickly discover that the front end is a great deal more spindly and having only a single piston caliper and cast iron rotor, the brakes are vastly different. With those tires and the small forks, I'd encourage you to install a steering damper ASAP lest you wind up on the asphalt from a tank slapper.

Keep the pics coming and open a thread in the Projects section. Not too many folks tinker with the 500 Twin, but there is www.hondatwins.net for more options if you get stuck.

Cheers

Yeah my 2 concerns with the work thats already been done are the rear suspension and the exhaust placement. I absolutely love the look of the exhaust but know that I'll have to make a nice heat shield for it. I want something small that only covers where my leg travels. Dont want to cover more of the pipes than i have to.
And im 5'10" 155-165lbs so I'm hoping to get away with how low the seat is before i do any more cutting or bending. But while it looks good low, I will definitely put function over form if need be and come up with a solution if i drag on bumps.
I dont k ow much about the battery so I'll have to ask the guy if he has used them before. He pumps out quire a few cafes a year out of his shop so if hes had problems with it he'll hopefully have a solution. I do like your led idea. I am a fan of the high tech led headlights and angel eye look but im on a budget at the time. So that'll have to wait, cant ride for another month or so in Indiana so I've got time and plan on doing A LOT in the next couple months .
Thanks for the comments and ideas! This is exactly why I read these forums ! :-)

[travgusmc]

The first thing that I noticed was your exhaust.  I love the way it looks.  Nice start on the bike.
Steve

Thanks Steve, i love the look and sound of the 2in1. I think the placement being mid way up and horizontal really emphasizes the look/line of the bike i
I want to make it.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I think it would be wise to get a battery with increased amps, as recommended by Cal. The weight and size difference for a more robust lithium ion batter is negligible. 

A heat shield is also a must for that shotgun exhaust.  It looks great but it will otherwise sear your leg.

The stock front is very spindly and the brake is wooden compared to a R6.  A fork brace and a damper would be a good idea IF you plan to do some spirited riding.  Drilling the rotor will reduce unsprung weight and improve the braking slightly too.

[travgusmc]

BTW this is what im thinking for a tail light. Should fit the tail curve nicely and has a nice bezel and sweet lens shape. I can convert the bulb to led. 63-67 vette tail light. Used 25 bucks on ebay.

[travgusmc]

I think it would be wise to get a battery with increased amps, as recommended by Cal. The weight and size difference for a more robust lithium ion batter is negligible. 

A heat shield is also a must for that shotgun exhaust.  It looks great but it will otherwise sear your leg.

The stock front is very spindly and the brake is wooden compared to a R6.  A fork brace and a damper would be a good idea IF you plan to do some spirited riding.  Drilling the rotor will reduce unsprung weight and improve the braking slightly too.

Yeah im thinking just rolled and Swiss cheese sheet metal for the heat shield?
Also, is the fron suspension really that bad? Is a damper a must on 450/500s that are riden hard? I believe you its just i dont see one on a lot of builds. Maybe those bike just arent flogged like i plan on doing haha
Thanks a TON for the input! Anyone have any styling suggestions? I'm not a huge fan of the seat where it meets the tank. Maybe i can make it narrower so it flows with the tank better because i like the rest of the seat for now.
What do you guys think of just polishing covers and such then matching the tail to the tank with some steel color/finish paint for now until i come up with a paint scheme? I think it would give it a nice raw no bs look.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

You don't need to take our word for it.  Go ahead and chance it if you want.

I have ridden my 550 hard in various forms: stock front, rebuilt with Racetech springs/valve emulators, fork brace, etc.

If you have ridden a modern supersport bike, you will notice the quantum leap difference in stability and feel when you ride your vintage bike.  A steering damper is a great idea if you plan to ride harder, but nowhere near a necessity for casual putt-putt riding. 

Your 500 will never equal the handling of your R6, but you can take many steps to make it better.  I say why the heck wouldn't you want every advantage IF you are going to flog the bike, right? 

[travgusmc]

Ok thank you. Yeah i definitely dont want to chance it, just didn't realize the front end was that bad stock. What brands/type of damper and fork brace have you used? Im looking for bang for my buck obviously (its not a vintage ducati show bike so funds are limited on this one.) I'll do some research here on the forums but you seem to have oodles more experience than I do with these bikes so any help/advice is valued.
 Also any ideas on the carbs? Ive heard nothing but bad things about pod filters and i dont care for the look anyways but i love the look of the vintage velocity stacks. I know Hondas airbox worked well but so is there any performance incentives to the 3" v stacks over my other 2 options?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It's all relative. But for someone coming from a R6 an expecting to "flog" the bike, the front will shoe you its limitations quickly. Stock, it will not handle or stop in the same realm as a modern sport bike.

[travgusmc]

Yeah I realize its not going to be handling like an r6, I'm not expecting it too and am not using my r6 as a benchmark. Sorry for the misunderstanding.  I just want to improve on stock. I didnt like how the r6 felt like it had no soul. And it was capable beyond my limits which didnt make it a joy to ride. Ive ridden a few bikes since then and cafes are the bees knees to ride so thats what im trying to learn how to build. Thanks for the comments and info guys!

[calj737]

When you replace the tires, skip the "looks department" and use only quality sport riding tires. Trust us, you will look a LOT cooler on top of the bike than on top of the asphalt.... BT45s, Pirelli Sport Demons and Avons are recommended very frequently. Short of a helmet, they are the very best safety component own your arsenal 

Regarding the hoop/tire clearance, it does look like under full compression the tire will contact the underside. A common issue with full length hoops and flat pans. Some have used slightly longer shocks, and solved the handling changes other ways, some use smaller diameter wheels, some pray, some deal.

As CB750 mentioned, there are many very good LiFe batteries out there more than capable and still incredibly small/lightweight. But them based upon Amp Hour ratings, not size or weight. All Lithium style batteries can be mounted where you have yours and in any orientation.

By the way, where in the US are you?

[travgusmc]

Thanks calj737 the PO picked the tires (had them in the shop). I'm not a fan of the look and definitely needs sportier tread pattern. I was planning on swapping them out and have heard a lot of good things also about Avons. Imo they look good too. I'll know more and have a picture update next weekend when work cools off.
Oh and im outside West Lafayette IN

Edit: I do like the look of the tires, just not for this bike. Would look good on a tracker build.