Author Topic: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750  (Read 4406 times)

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Offline slikwilli420

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DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« on: February 04, 2015, 06:20:09 PM »
This project is in its infancy, but I wanted to start documenting so there was a place for conversation/questions/etc.

My inspiration for this comes from the race bike campaigned by DHolda Racing that features a deformable parallelogram rear suspension, heavily triangulated throughout but without backbone. I don't have any experience building motorcycle frames but plan to take this nice and slow and be well armed with information before I start cutting/welding/fabricating.

The plan is to complete the kit with a set of Seeley bodywork made from aluminum. I will probably go with a CR-style oil tank as well.

My manifesto, so to speak, is based purely on pictures that I was fortunate to have come across on the DHolda website as well as ones posted on the Honda-Legends site that details the process of building one of these unique frames. Some of the pictures are posted below.

The details as they stand now are:
Frame/bodywork - Dholda/Seeley blend
Wheels - vintage PVM 5-spoke aluminum from Suzuki GS-series
Forks - 37-41mm variety from FZR or GL1000
Trees - custom top/bottom with new stem
Brakes - Brembo P108 (mimic the Lockheed/Grimeca styling)
Engine - swapped out from my '76 project that is being replaced by one detailed in other build. This engine will eventually get replaced with the stripped mockup engine I will be using when jigging up the frame

I sourced some plans for a tubing bender and frame jig from the Chopper Handbook website. Anyone following my other build has seen the waterjet parts I have been making and this is the approach for these parts as well. I have the jig completed (less leveling feet) and finished my tubing bender last week which features a JD2 Model 3 bender die for 1.125" tubing.
All you gotta do is do what you gotta do.

Vintage Speed Parts Mashup: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133638.0
Rickman CR Parts Kit Refresh: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,154837.0.html
AHRMA CB750 Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158461.0.html
AHRMA Superbike Heavyweight Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173120.0.html
'76F CB750 Patina Redemption: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,174871.0.html

Offline slikwilli420

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2015, 06:25:28 PM »
More inspiration pics.
All you gotta do is do what you gotta do.

Vintage Speed Parts Mashup: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133638.0
Rickman CR Parts Kit Refresh: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,154837.0.html
AHRMA CB750 Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158461.0.html
AHRMA Superbike Heavyweight Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173120.0.html
'76F CB750 Patina Redemption: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,174871.0.html

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2015, 07:19:25 PM »
Subscribed, thats an interesting swingarm arrangement...
750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline Riceman

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2015, 07:53:03 PM »
It's like a wishbone suspension on a vehicle,the axle travels
straight up and down,no arc.

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2015, 09:10:22 PM »
The frame and swingarm are incredible. How close do you think you can replicate it?
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline slikwilli420

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2015, 03:46:21 AM »
Without being too cocky,  I think I can get very close. The number one goal is safe geometry for thehead angle, wheel base and rake/trail. If I can map all of that out the design can vary a bit. I don't have measurements so I will have to extrapolate based on distances I can get from things I know like wheel/disc diameters and from motor parts. I don't have any illusions about how difficultthis will be . Step one will be defining the geometry.
All you gotta do is do what you gotta do.

Vintage Speed Parts Mashup: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133638.0
Rickman CR Parts Kit Refresh: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,154837.0.html
AHRMA CB750 Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158461.0.html
AHRMA Superbike Heavyweight Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173120.0.html
'76F CB750 Patina Redemption: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,174871.0.html

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2015, 07:55:34 AM »
It would be great if you could model your frame from s physical sample. This will be a real challenge but I'm looking forward to what you develop.

A less daunting option would be to have a race frame maker like Denis Curtis of CMR make you a variant of his Drixton Honda frame to suit this application. His frame idesign s quite similar.
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline slikwilli420

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2015, 08:18:42 AM »
That would be the best course of action, but I think that this frame is much rarer that most other specials built around the CB750 as there seems to be one that DHolda built and one that was copied by the Honda-Legends group, both of which are in Europe.

I would also agree that the easier way would be to have one built but the cost is prohibitive as I would think that this frame made by a shop would be $1500-2000. I may not get miles under that number but I can also spend the money over time on things like building tools/jigs, as well as gathering the raw materials like tubing, steering neck and other pieces to complete the frame.

The real end goal is to build something for myself from the ground up and with as few parts farmed out as possible. Again, as with my other build, there will be a long list of unique parts from aftermarket sources as well as my brain that will come together to make a very unique machine.

The largest hurdle besides the frame will be to get acceptable bodywork (Seeley seat and modified tank without backbone tunnel). My first choice is aluminum but it presents a decent price barrier for me but also isn't made by my hands. I would like to experiment with making a buck from wood/foam that I can vacuum form fiberglass over and make my own. Of course fiberglass comes with its own set of issues when ethanol gas comes into the picture.
All you gotta do is do what you gotta do.

Vintage Speed Parts Mashup: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133638.0
Rickman CR Parts Kit Refresh: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,154837.0.html
AHRMA CB750 Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158461.0.html
AHRMA Superbike Heavyweight Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173120.0.html
'76F CB750 Patina Redemption: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,174871.0.html

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2015, 03:00:18 PM »
I just read about the Honda legends bike and they were given assistance from Mike DHollander amongst others, I would be shooting off a few emails to the Honda legends group or Dholda and seeing if they can help with a detailed plan for the frame, They can only say no... ;D ;)  I've sent you a PM...
750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline slikwilli420

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2015, 03:26:38 PM »
I couldn't agree more on reaching out to either to see what I can get. Funny thing is that Mike D'Hollander posted a letter on the dholda website that those guys from Honda-Legends were a-holes and that they borrowed the original bike to replicate and apparently that didn't end well.
All you gotta do is do what you gotta do.

Vintage Speed Parts Mashup: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133638.0
Rickman CR Parts Kit Refresh: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,154837.0.html
AHRMA CB750 Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158461.0.html
AHRMA Superbike Heavyweight Racer: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173120.0.html
'76F CB750 Patina Redemption: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,174871.0.html

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: DHolda/Seeley Mashup - CB750
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2015, 03:33:05 PM »
I couldn't agree more on reaching out to either to see what I can get. Funny thing is that Mike D'Hollander posted a letter on the dholda website that those guys from Honda-Legends were a-holes and that they borrowed the original bike to replicate and apparently that didn't end well.

Interesting, Maybe start by talking to the guys at Honda legends, It may save a call to Mike Dhollander... ;D ;)
750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.