Topic: 1974 CB/CL450 TRACKER/CAFE/STRIPCLUB RACER BUILD - * UPDATED 9/11/14 *

[ProTeal55]

Quick update of things I accomplished today while I was home "sick"...

1. Kill switch mounted in headlight bucket and wired.
2. Mini LED mounted in H.Lite bucket and wired for Neutral light
3. H.Lite bucket itself mounted to ears, Headlight installed and wired.
4. Took a trip and got some rod for the building of the rearset linkage

Actually started the bike with the open scrambler pipes on it. It was only running on 1 cylinder (for some reason) but
let me tell ya how rip roaring loud this little bike is ! The thing shook my garage, and def. put a smile on my face. I might just leave the pipes the way they are and wrap them, go thru with the out the other side idea, or maybe just dump them out the left in some creative way. How ever they turn out they are gonna sound badass (very happy with how they worked out)..

So the list of little small BS things is going away, and I now need to turn to the other pending issues, such as the battery/starting issue, get the rearsets done, figure out why it is running on one cylinder, etc..

[chrisf]

Sounds like you made good progress. But before you get rid of the battery, give it a deep charge. Trickles will only give it a surface charged.

That's good that the bike sounded, well, good. I'm going to run the same setup. So it pretty socially uncool?

--Chris

[73cb450]

Hi ProTeal! 
Nice job with the bike.  I've got one question to ask you, actually two.  Where did you get your SMOOTH TOP TRIPLE TREE?  And where can I get it?  Been looking everywhere.  I got my first bike ever last month and love the way your triple tree looks with the clip-ons, except I want to keep the speedometer, tachometer stock.  The triple tree and clip-ons will fit along with the stock speedo. and tach. with no problems right? 
Thanks for your time!

[ProTeal55]

That's good that the bike sounded, well, good. I'm going to run the same setup. So it pretty socially uncool?

It def. sounds badass, I can say that with confidence ! As I said above the bike was only running on one cylinder, but I could def. "get a feel" for how it will sound when running 100%. It has a very raspy/almost 2-stroke dirtbike kinda sound to it. I feel for the average rider it would be way too loud, but I like my bikes loud (keeps me alive in the city)..Plans still call for the exhaust to route under the carbs and out the right side...

Nice job with the bike. I've got one question to ask you, actually two. Where did you get your SMOOTH TOP TRIPLE TREE? And where can I get it? Been looking everywhere. I got my first bike ever last month and love the way your triple tree looks with the clip-ons, except I want to keep the speedometer, tachometer stock. The triple tree and clip-ons will fit along with the stock speedo. and tach. with no problems right?

I made the smooth top tree outta a stock triple-tree I bought offa Ebay. All I did was grind down the stock handlebar mounts (metal is soft so take your time), and then fill in the holes that were left with some alum. slag. Alittle more grinding and filing with some files and I was done. Def. better than spending $250 + for the ones you see online. As far as running one of these with a speedo and tach I am sure it can be done. just all depends on what tabs and such you leave on the tree, and which ones you grind/hack off (I don't like tabs ).

The smoother/cleaner the better...

[chrisf]

What do you mean aluminum slag? like pipe solder?

[Jeff]

It's coming together really well! Glad to hear you're keeping the stock paint on the tank.

Jeff

[ProTeal55]

What do you mean aluminum slag? like pipe solder?

Anyone who can weld alum. has sticks of it they use for welding..
So basically all they are doing is melting alum. in to fill in the holes.
Alittle sanding/grinding and u are done...Here's how my CB750 top tree looked before
I had it powdercoated...

It's coming together really well! Glad to hear you're keeping the stock paint on the tank.

Ya, the stock paint is staying atleast for now.
I need to do a full court press to get this bike up and running before the April 28th Rockers Reunion
bike show in the city.

I do like how the green is a good contrast to the flat black, and if I end up keeping the bike I will prob. do a repaint in the same color...

[Roach Carver]

Proteal, when you got that battery those terminals were my main concern. I am in a similar boat in that I need a small battery that will still crank my bike. this is the one I found http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=820. I t is somewhat smaller

[ProTeal55]

Proteal, when you got that battery those terminals were my main concern. I am in a similar boat in that I need a small battery that will still crank my bike. this is the one I found http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=820. I t is somewhat smaller

Is everyone 100% SURE that this battery will crank over that little CB450 with no effort ?
I just want to make sure before I go and spend another $70 on a battery for this project.
I am getting down to the wire, so I need to start ordering up the last pieces I need, such as a battery, front brake like (from HEL-USA), and some other little things..

I got the bike running on both cylinders yesterday. One of the coils had become unplugged, and a simple re-install was in order and the bike roared to life on both cylinders. I am really diggin the open scrambler pipes, and am looking forward to hearing it once I figure out how I am gonna route it.

At the moment the biggest "project" is to get the rearsets finished, then everything else is little BS stuff..

[kuyarico]

It's looking awesome.

X2 on the battery question?

[chrisf]

I used to run my car off that battery and the motor is a 919cc (surprising, huh?). It started the car fine, but I went with a slightly bigger battery in the end. Sadly, I just threw that battery out a few weeks ago...

--Chris

[ProTeal55]

I used to run my car off that battery and the motor is a 919cc (surprising, huh?). It started the car fine, but I went with a slightly bigger battery in the end. Sadly, I just threw that battery out a few weeks ago...

Well I am guessing if that battery started a injected 919 that it will spin my little 450 
I guess I need to order it eh, because mine ain't gonna work...

The CB450 is taking a trip into the city tonight (in the back of my truck) to my buddies storage space to get finished. Him along with 5 or 6 other guys rented out a old Chicago post office to have as their bike building haven. Some serious bikes (and parties) are gonna go down their  They have more tools & space their then I do, plus he can do/get done in a day which will take me a week to get done. Rearsets and some other little odds and ends are first on the attack, then see what the deal is with the wiring. Get a front brake line and some new tires and I should be good to go..

While the CB450 is in the city I am gonna bring my CB750 back to my house and start tearing into that for it's 2007 makeover/redo...

[ProTeal55]

Proteal, when you got that battery those terminals were my main concern. I am in a similar boat in that I need a small battery that will still crank my bike. this is the one I found http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=820. I t is somewhat smaller

Ordered 3/30/07..
I have no time to waste to get this bike finished and back on the road...

[chrisf]

You'll be happy with that battery. It is very light--maybe 3-4 lbs. Those batteries need a bit more maintainence that the regular ones, so make sure there is no constant draw and it is always trickled. My car was hard on that battery because of all the lights and extra gauges, but for a bike, it will work fine.

I'm still baffled as to why the other one did not work. I personally think there is something wrong with the battery.

--Chris

[ProTeal55]

I'm still baffled as to why the other one did not work. I personally think there is something wrong with the battery.

Well,
I know for a fact my solenoid on the 450 is crap, and have a new one on order.
Once that gets put on the bike I am gonna see if the old/current battery will spin the bike over.
If not, then on to the new battery. After kicking that damn bike about 50 times last night I am looking
forward to getting the electric starter back up and running..

[lokai]

I am going to have to post my pic's of my cb450 when it is done. Teals is really nice. One thing though, are you using a cafe racer front fairing in the end? I am hunting for one that is very minimnal but need more options before I buy.

[CBGBs]

I think the best fairings for a good price are at
http://caferacingparts.com
I want to put a small flyscreen on mine.

[ProTeal55]

I for one can't stand fairings on these bikes. I think it covers/takes away from the overall look (but thats just my opinion). I am a huge fan of less is more, especially on something as small as a little CB racer...

[lokai]

I hear on the anti 1/4 fairing look-I think only the most minimal ones will work but i waffle on it myself often. Looking for a nice headlamp bucket atm if anyone has one. Thanks for the nice link on the fairings too! Some of those are nice and two of them kinda caught my eye.

[KB02]

I think the best fairings for a good price are at
http://caferacingparts.com
I want to put a small flyscreen on mine.

That looks like good source for seats and tanks, too.

[ProTeal55]

* 1974 Cb/Cl 450 Cafe Racer/Tracker/Terror Inflicter Project Update *

1. The rearsets are coming along nicely. A small plate was welded onto the brake pivot the other day, and the linkage for the shifter side needs to be stretched about 3'' in order to work. Instead of making a new one we just bought a used stock linkage offa GSXR (Same bike the rearsets came from) and will have it lengthened. Should be done soon...

2. The exhaust is all planned out and will be attacked once the rearsets are completed.
The original plan/vision for the exhaust to route the pipes where the sidecovers used to be is gonna happen.  It is actually gonna be allot easier then I first thought. My buddy Danny (Triumph Bobber) actually scored me a set of Triumph TT pipes for $10 which we are gonna use due to their nice flowing bends. Why make a project harder then it has to be right ? So the way it is gonna go down is the stock scrambler pipes off the head, then the Triumph pipes will be welded on to make the turn into the bike (below the carbs), and then the 2nd bend in the TT pipes will make the exit out the right side of the bike under my leg. I still want to makeup some sorta copper end caps for the exhaust, but that will come once all is said and done..Once all the welding is done the entire exhaust is gonna get the black headerwrap treatment, with extra layers of wrap in the areas that are gonna be close to the carbs and the rider..

3. Slowly allocating new electrical pieces to get the starter system back up and running. Got a new starter solenoid the other day, and my new bigger & badder battery should be arriving soon. Once all the "building" is done on the bike we will focus on the electrical and get that sorted out and tight..

The Rockers Reunion vintage bike show/run is right around the corner, and I need to start busting my ass to get this bike done...

[xtalon]

Can't wait to see how the pipes turn out.

HURRY THE %#$ UP!!!   

--xTalon

[chrisf]

I now understand why you want to route the exhaust the way you do. It will be interesting to see what you end up with...

--Chris

[ProTeal55]

I now understand why you want to route the exhaust the way you do. It will be interesting to see what you end up with...

Ya, I am really looking forward to getting the exhaust done, and hearing how it sounds. The bike sounds wicked with the open scrambler pipes allready, and I am guessing the extra pipe will give it a nice crackle (can't wait to downshift the thing  )

Pics will be posted as progress gets made...

[chrisf]

Will the inner part of your left leg not constantly touch the pipes?