Topic: 1976 CB750F - first bike, first build - mild cafe

[seanbarney41]

the Rust-Oleum appliance epoxy is the best frame paint I have found...works great with NO primer

[turkey4me]

Looking good.  Can you tell us what Wolf is hiding under that car cover in your second photo? 

[riffman12]

the Rust-Oleum appliance epoxy is the best frame paint I have found...works great with NO primer

Just what I wanted to hear 

Looking good.  Can you tell us what Wolf is hiding under that car cover in your second photo?

I can...but I'd have to kill you

It's a vintage Porsche 934.5 race car - not my car, but it's a monster.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It's a vintage Porsche 934.5 race car - not my car, but it's a monster.

Pics??   

[riffman12]

It's a vintage Porsche 934.5 race car - not my car, but it's a monster.

Pics??   

and a quick dyno video:

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It's a vintage Porsche 934.5 race car - not my car, but it's a monster.

Pics??   

and a quick dyno video:

Hot damn!! 

[turkey4me]

Sweet Jesus, that's a Hound from Hell!
Keep us updated with your project...

[70CB750]

That was my wet dream when I was a teenager 

It's a vintage Porsche 934.5 race car - not my car, but it's a monster.

Pics??   

and a quick dyno video:

[riffman12]

Yes the thing is insane. Lot's of fun to watch it race at the Monterey Historic races at Laguna Seca with all the period cars.

As for the bike, my new brake splitter arrived so the plans for this weekend are:

- paint the rear frame where the new hoop was put in
- figure out how to mount the new splitter. I suppose make some sort of bracket. Not quite sure how I'm going to do that yet.
- figure out how short of a front brake line I need
- maaaybe bob the front fender a bit

[riffman12]

I'm curious to see what ideas you guys have for mounting a tail light / license plate on this bike. I'm a little stumped. Here's a couple of pictures to show the back of the bike:




 (ignore the different bike here. same seat:




I don't think I have enough tire clearance to do anything under the seat cowl, so I either need to mount something on top of the back of the seat, or hanging way off the back. Sucks because I feel like either way it will mess with the lines of the bike.

I suppose there's a SLIGHT chance I could fit something like this, but unlikely:



Another option is one of these "hooded" lights like what dime city sells:

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-electronic-lighting-parts-hooded-chrome-lucas-taillight-light-20-1081.html

I'm tempted to mount the plate vertically down the side of the bike, but it's not technically legal in CA. Not sure how much I'll get pulled over for it.


Any ideas? I'd love to see other people's solutions.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I think you should consider 2 options:

The extreme oval light you posted is a good option and should tuck under the curve of the rear of the tail.

Alternatively, you could mount an LED strip, which can double as turn signals to follow the rear curve of the edge of the tail. 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

What are the state rules/laws for a mounted license plate? I've seen many sport bikes with a plate mounted much more closer to horizontal tucked up under than vertical. Saw one the other day that was actually folded. Not sure if it was intentional or the tire hit it. It can be part of your splash guard/fender.

Does that air tech have built in turn signals too? I only see 2 wires.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

What are the state rules/laws for a mounted license plate? I've seen many sport bikes with a plate mounted much more closer to horizontal tucked up under than vertical. Saw one the other day that was actually folded. Not sure if it was intentional or the tire hit it. It can be part of your splash guard/fender.

Does that air tech have built in turn signals too? I only see 2 wires.

The AirTech light is simply a LED taillight -- not set up to signal turns.

[riffman12]

I think you should consider 2 options:

The extreme oval light you posted is a good option and should tuck under the curve of the rear of the tail.

Alternatively, you could mount an LED strip, which can double as turn signals to follow the rear curve of the edge of the tail.

Yes the oval could be cool, but I'm still worried it will hit the tire. I'll take a pic this evening when I get home to show what I mean.

LED strip is an interesting option. Is the wiring simple with that? I hate wiring haha

What are the state rules/laws for a mounted license plate? I've seen many sport bikes with a plate mounted much more closer to horizontal tucked up under than vertical. Saw one the other day that was actually folded. Not sure if it was intentional or the tire hit it. It can be part of your splash guard/fender.

Does that air tech have built in turn signals too? I only see 2 wires.

I believe the California law states the plate has to be at least 12" off the ground and mounted right side up. Not sure what it states in term of how flat the plate can be, I'm sure it's ok if it's within reason.

I don't need to worry about turn signals as I have some little shock mount brackets to mount them.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'm curious to see what ideas you guys have for mounting a tail light / license plate on this bike. I'm a little stumped. Here's a couple of pictures to show the back of the bike:




 (ignore the different bike here. same seat:




I don't think I have enough tire clearance to do anything under the seat cowl, so I either need to mount something on top of the back of the seat, or hanging way off the back. Sucks because I feel like either way it will mess with the lines of the bike.

I suppose there's a SLIGHT chance I could fit something like this, but unlikely:



Another option is one of these "hooded" lights like what dime city sells:

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-electronic-lighting-parts-hooded-chrome-lucas-taillight-light-20-1081.html

I'm tempted to mount the plate vertically down the side of the bike, but it's not technically legal in CA. Not sure how much I'll get pulled over for it.


Any ideas? I'd love to see other people's solutions.

Another stupid idea.  Have you asked Ian what kind of light he recommends for that seat and how to mount it?  He has sold quite a number of them, so he might have some suggestions.  Just sayin'.

AS FOR THE LED STRIP, several members have done it here, most of them mounting them into a frame hoop or tail edge.  Devin at Cognito sells them:
https://cognitomoto.com/collections/lighting/products/led-turns-and-brake-z-flex-array

[calj737]

LED strip is an interesting option. Is the wiring simple with that? I hate wiring haha

Depends entirely upon upon whether you use the integrated turn signals within the LED strip. Otherwise, its a 3-wire light fixture (TAIL, BRAKE, GROUND). If you want the indicators integrated, it gets a wee bit trickier but still doable by someone at home, with a tad of care and patience.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

LED strip is an interesting option. Is the wiring simple with that? I hate wiring haha

Depends entirely upon upon whether you use the integrated turn signals within the LED strip. Otherwise, its a 3-wire light fixture (TAIL, BRAKE, GROUND). If you want the indicators integrated, it gets a wee bit trickier but still doable by someone at home, with a tad of care and patience.

Cal,
Isn't Devin's kit pretty much turnkey?

[riffman12]

I already have turn signals so I won't be using the integrated ones - sounds like it should be pretty plug and play otherwise? My biggest concern with the LED strip is that it will look too modern/chopper for the bike. I suppose it's worth a shot.

As for Ian's suggestion, I've seen him use the cat eye tail light under the seat, but the issue is that i cut my seat quite a lot shorter than what he shipped me, so the end of the seat is almost right over the top of the tire - less clearance.

[calj737]

Uh, not so much. You have 2 options, Tail/Brake or with Integrated indicators. Both configurations require "patching" the wiring into the stock harness. The trick with the integrated indicators is you tie both sides of the LED strip to an inline resistor and back into your stock harness. But the inline resistor is a single wire grabbing 2 wires from the fixture, and what not. Oh, and to make it just a little bit harder, the L/R side wiring on the LED is the same color. Makes it really fun. Takes some patience and care, but again, very doable.

If the OP hates wiring, this ought to have overcome with joy by the end of it 

PS - when I did the Fox350 for Devin, I had all this to deal with, plus... And to make matters worse, I had to stuff all the wiring into his recessed loop, then up into the front rails to keep as clean an install as possible. Try jamming 35# of wire into a cocktail straw, then you'll know what it took. 

[riffman12]

OK so I think I'm going to try the LED tail light route. I'll post pics once I get it on.

My next issue is mounting the brake splitter. The triple clamp I have is from a '76F so there is nowhere to mount a splitter. It looks like this:



This is the splitter I have:




Any ideas on the best way to mount the splitter centered? I've been trying to think of a bracket to make, but I'm scratching my head with the offset bolt.

[Roach Carver]

Why don't you get the splitter that fits that tree. If you do stainless lines I believe you can stack the two exiting lines with a longer bolt.

[riffman12]

Why don't you get the splitter that fits that tree. If you do stainless lines I believe you can stack the two exiting lines with a longer bolt.

There isn't a splitter that fits the tree. That tree is from a '76F which had a single front brake. All it had was a brake switch junction that was not centered in the tree. It didn't need to be as the brake line just went down one side.

With that splitter I have, I will be using a long banjo bolt on one side. Like this (but with SS lines):

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Perhaps he is thinking of a double output banjo bolt using the stock splitter?

[riffman12]

Perhaps he is thinking of a double output banjo bolt using the stock splitter?

the problem isn't the splitter, it's that the factory location for it is offset so the brake lines wouldn't be centered. I mocked it up and it looks weird.

Trying to think of a bracket I can use that will center the splitter. Maybe even attaching to the upper fork tubes.

[przjohn]

Do you have the 76 single disc fitting that mounts on the tree? I see what is being said about a longer bolt and doubling up on the lines to make your own splitter. If I am remembering right the OEM 76 single disc line to the caliper exits the bottom of the fitting and has a stop to tighten against. It may be slightly off center but if you doubled up on the lines at the bottom and used a back up wrench to tighten you could point your lines where you wanted. Did I make that clear? It sounds confusing to me even reading it back. I have my 76 loosened up right now to replace the brake light switch on that fitting and will take a look tomorrow to see if what I am talking about would work.