Topic: "High Horse" 1977 CB750A 70's Style Chopper

[stikman]

I figure it's about time I shared my bike.  I call it "High Horse".  It's a '77 CB750A inspired by the 70's mild custom chopper style.  It's my first real bike build.  The only thing I didn't do myself was bore the jugs.  Took about a year and a half to build and got it on the road a couple months ago.  I just couldn't bring myself to write a build thread at the time.  This will have to do.




This is how it looked a couple years ago when I bought it.




Here's a list of some of the things I did:

-  836cc ebay pistons (about 9:1 compression)
-  Rebuilt '75K roundtop carbs with 128 mains
-  Ported the head and cleaned up the chambers
-  Custom cam I had reground on the stock core
-  Cam tower and rockers oil mods as per Hondaman
-  Aluminum velocity stacks from Steel Dragon Performance
-  Stock pipes with all baffles and mufflers removed
-  Polished and painted the motor

-  +10 over fork tubes made by Emgo (actually measure 10 7/8" over stock)
-  built a custom dual headlight bracket
-  ebay headlights
-  refurbished an old ebay tweek bar
-  6-bend handlebars, also off ebay
-  refurbished aluminum 6" dogbone risers, ebay again
-  Lava Orange Galaxy Grips from Seven Sins Choppers
-  Throttle is from Cycle One
-  Molded the frame (that's an understatement)
-  Relocated ignition between seat and tank
-  Paint is a silver metallic base, House of Kolor Tangerine Candy, and clear coat
-  Prism tank from Lowbrow Customs, same paint as the frame but with ghost lace panels
-  Old 70's king queen seat for an XS650
-  Sissy bar is a NOS 70's piece from ebay
-  Coffin tailight with a custom aluminum license plate bracket
-  Speedo is off an older CB750K
-  Tach is off a '78 K
-  Front tire is a 3.50-19 Firestone
-  Rear tire is a 5.25/5.50-17 Firestone vintage car tire
-  RK 630 O-ring chain
-  15/48 sprockets
-  Hurst Indy jockey shifter

I'm sure I'm missing stuff, but that's most of it.  Loads of little bits and pieces, as you can imagine.  Anyway, here's a few more pics.

Intake port before and after.


Chambers cleaned up.


Masking the panels.


Molded the tank tabs into the frame.

[Desert-SOHC]

kinda cool....

How does it ride?

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Very clean! Great work.

[stikman]

Thanks alot guys! 

It rides great.  The positive trail makes the steering a little floppy under say 5mph, so you do have to muscle it a bit.  Otherwise it's smooth, straight, and loads of fun.  I'll be doing some highway trips with it in the next month.  Really looking forward to that.

[hondamad]

Absolutely beautiful

[stikman]

So I did a 1000 mile round trip to Vancouver on the High Horse in 2 days last month.  Longest ride I've done on a bike, and furthest the bike's gone since the build.  Ran like a top, no issues other than a couple tank bolts coming loose and losing a headlight lens and bracket to the wind.  Had it up to about 110 mph. That was pushing it with my current gearing, but other than the hefty turbulence it was smooth as butter.  I hit up the Spit-N-Shine in Van with my brother while I was down there... it was a fantastic event!





High Horse along side my bro's Bluebird at the 2015 Vancouver Spit-N-Shine.


Snugging down a couple tank bolts.  I had a chase vehicle for the ride home, so didn't bother strapping my packs to the bike.

[chewbacca5000]

That is one gorgeous bike!  You did an excellent job and should be proud of your work.  I'd like a chopper, but don't have the room for one.  Really like the exhaust too!  Amazing ground clearance all around.

[stikman]

Thanks bud

[Desert-SOHC]

Nice.....

[dusterdude]

Cool

[stikman]

I received my new 16" Harley rim and spoke kit from Cycle One this week and got to work on it today.  Pulled the wheel, removed the massive 5.25/5.50-17 Firestone car tire and tube, and removed the spokes.  The stock 17" aluminum Hondamatic rim and spokes are in very good shape and came apart with ease.  I'll be cleaning them up and putting them for sale soon.  Now I'm starting to work on lacing the hub to the new rim.  I'm really excited to see the change in stance.

I also received the transistorized ignition that I ordered from Hondaman.  I have to say, what a professional looking piece!  I'm really looking forward to installing it, gaining some spark juice, and being done with the resetting of points (for the most part).  Even despite the huge difference in our Canadian dollar compared with the US dollar, the cost for one of these units is very reasonable and much lower than that of the electronic ignitions on the market.  I haven't used one yet, but from everything I've read about them I'm already a believer that this is the route to take when looking to upgrade from the stock system.  I'll post up when I've had some personal experience with it.

At any rate, here are some pics of the wheel conversion so far.







Slight difference in height.


The stock 17" rear rim is 2.50" wide and the new 16" rim is 3.50" wide.

[stikman]

There was a mixup with the spokes but it's all worked out now.  I got the rear 16 laced up and the tire mounted and on the bike.  Here's a little before and after:





I can now put my feet flat on the ground while seated instead of tip toeing.   And the stance is much better.  Still more modifications planned.

[kac3177]

Very nice! good job man. What did you do with the stock leftovers?




76 cb750a
3 77' cb750a's
78 cb750a

[stikman]

Very nice! good job man. What did you do with the stock leftovers?

Cheers bud!  I saved all the stock bits.

[seanbarney41]

Wow, I have been missing this one!...very cool

[stikman]

Wow, I have been missing this one!...very cool

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

That's some serious clearance. Where do you store that 4X4?

Really clean looking. Great work.

[stikman]

Cheers.  Yeah it was jacked with the old rear tire (525/550-17).  Sits better with the MT90-16.

[grcamna2]

Very nice paint work 

[BPellerine]

must be trickey doing big miles with the small tank,nice bike.bill

[stikman]

Thanks for the kind words, fellahs. 

Yeah, I only get 53 miles on a tank so it slows things down a bit on highway trips, and have to haul a gas can for that.   But that certainly doesn't take away from the fun this bike is!

[BPellerine]

+1!bill

[andy750]

Great looking bike and amazing attention to detail. Really liking those grips and the tank is amazing - the orange metal flake really works. Not a huge fan of the sidecovers. Really like the overall look. Great job! Love the ride pics!

cheers
Andy

[754]

Cool chopper what part of BC? Call ahead if you are coming thru Ktown..

[stikman]

Thanks guys!

754, I'm up in PG.  Should definitely hook up next time I pass through.

Andy, I hear you on the side covers.  Originally I bit off a bit more than I could chew with the frame molding.  I just modified them a bit to go around my molding, but their stock design isn't all that flattering.  Maybe I'll do something with them in the future.