Author Topic: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update  (Read 4746 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update
« on: February 18, 2018, 10:08:49 AM »
This is a post that is long overdue.  Sorry for all the text, but hopefully someone finds some of this interesting or useful.

Last May (2017) I picked up my first motorcycle - a 1977 CB750F - for $250. Having never touched a bike before I was excited, yet intimidated, by the prospect of making this bike my own.  When I bought it, I was told the bike had a title, but that I would have to pay backtaxes to get it. Turned out that wasn't the case, but according to Kentucky, I should be able to obtain a rebuild title for the bike when it's finished.. or so I hope.

Anyway, here is what I took home that day for $250:



On the surface, she looked great. As I expected though, there was a lot of work to be done. I wanted to go the often-travelled route of doing a cafe build.  I wanted to modernize the braking an suspension to improve handling, tidy it up, and most importantly make it look bad-ass. To do this, I decided to swap out the front assembly and rear wheel to something off a sport bike, so I proceeded to dismantle her, and sold off the parts to help fund the project.



You probably noticed that there’s a different gas tank in the second picture. The original tank had a Kreme-liner-gone-horribly-wrong. I initially tried to salvage it, pulling out a load of dried-up, detached sealant, but some was persistent on clinging to hard-to-reach areas. There was also about chunk that had run to the bottom that was about 1” thick. I had to stab it with a long screwdriver, manage to  pull it to the fill cap, chip some away, drop it, and repeat. I tried soaking in Acetone, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, cleaning vinegar… nothing would touch it.





After I got out as much as I could, the inside was completely rusted – but not rusted through. I filled it with cleaning vinegar, threw in some screws and proceeded to shake. And shake. And shake… After dumping out the rusty mess – apart from the small bit of still-clinging tank liner – it actually looked pretty good, but would immediately rust back.





However, I found the black tank for $60 on craigslist. It was great inside, but the exterior is rough.. crappy bondo job and paint job.. but it’s okay for now.





Little-by-little I've acquired most of the big stuff.. Front forks, new rear wheel, carb kits (which were backordered for about 6 months), reg/rect, etc. (Complete parts list at the end).

Originally I was going to use the front assembly and rear wheel from a 2003 Yamaha R6. The front was easy. I got a CB750-to-R6 conversion stem from CognitoMoto and had them press it in to the lower triple, swapped out the bearing races, and put them right on. Using the rear wheel, however, proved to be slightly more difficult than I expected.



The R6 had a 17"x5.5" rear wheel - much bigger than stock. However, I was hopeful that using an offset front sprocket and possibly machining the hub of the wheel, I could bring the chain in line while still clearning the frame. While I could get the chain lined up well, the 180mm tire would rub on the swingarm, and I was recommended to not go with a thinner tire on the 5.5" wheel. On top of that, I was going to have to have a custom axle machined to go from the larger R6 axle diameter to the 20mm stock swingarm slots.

Eventually, I decided to go with a rear wheel from a '95 CBR600 I picked up on CL, which has the same 20mm diameter axle and can fit a 160mm tire, which would solve my allignment/tire rubbing issues. I picked it up for $100, stuck a 160mm Shinko R005 tire on it, stuck it in the swingarm, and everything looked much better!



The CBR wheel doesn't quite fill the entire space between the swingarm, so it needs spacers to keep it in line. I measured, modelled, and 3D printed some mock up ones, which seem to do the trick. I need to have them machined from aluminum, blast and paint the swingarm, replace the swingarm bushings, and weld on a brace for the caliper. After that - the rear end should be close to finished.

In the mean time, I did some work with the electrical system. First I picked up a 7" matte black headlight from Dime City Cycles, but needed spacers to fill the gap between the light and my new speedmotoco headlight brackets. Luckily, my friend is a pretty savvy machinist, so I took some measurements, he turned some out on the lathe.




Now, I'm waiting to get a kit from Vintage Connectors to replace some of the 3.5mm bullet connections, so that I can put in my new Regulator/Rectifier, wire up the headlight, and replace some of the deteriorated square plastic connectors.

It's come a long way, and still a long way to go, but I'm very happy with how it has turned out thus far. Here she is in her current state:




=======================================================


Major parts bought so far:
- Front assembly (forks, wheel, brakes, handlebars) and rear sets from a 2003 Yamaha R6
- Rear wheel from a 1995 CBR600 and new Shinko 005 160mm tire
- Front fork conversion stem, steering head bearings, and  3/8” 530 offset sprocket from CognitoMoto
- Stainless steel engine bolts
- Second Supersport tank
- Speedmotoco headlight brackets
- DCC British Style headlight
- Rick’s Motorsport Regulator/Rectifier



« Last Edit: September 19, 2021, 09:12:14 AM by DHuffman »

Offline PGF550F

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2018, 10:27:41 AM »
Awesome start for a guys first bike. You are clearly no stranger to pulling wrenches. Solid work, Keep at it.

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

  • Speak up, Whipper-Snapper! I'm a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 15,731
  • SOHC/4 Member #1235
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2018, 07:45:49 PM »
The R6 front is a great selection for a restored. Lighter than many USD forks, stiffer than stock with actual valving and much better brakes.
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 mscuiletti

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 157
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2018, 05:11:18 AM »
I need to follow this. I started my first on a $150 rusty and spider-ridden 550. Great start and I look forward to your progress.

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2018, 06:52:53 AM »
Thanks guys. It's definitely not going to be a show bike when I'm done. I'm going to leave it pretty rough - gives it character. Would actually like to leave the tank with the paint chipping off, but the glossy maroon paint and bondo underneath is awful - so I'll probably repaint it matte black.

Offline Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er

  • This MuthaF'er is getting to be a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 14,902
  • Bought her new 4/75
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2018, 11:24:56 AM »
Naw, paint it BLUE.  ;) Looks too red now.
As of today 3/13/2012 my original owner 75 CB750F has made it through 3 wives, er EX-wives. Free at last.  ;-)

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2018, 10:52:31 AM »
Since it's been about 6 months, I figured I'd give an update on progress.

First, I picked up a brat style seat and a frame hoop from ebay.



I moved her to my buddy's garage, got out the angle grinder and got to work.



As an oversight by me, the hoop was too long after the upsweep, so it extended past the seat back - the angle grinder and welder took care of that though. Also added in a couple stainless cross bars for the seats mounting bolts. (Kudos to Excellrec for running the tig welder!) Also had to do some grinding on the inside of the swingarm for the sprocket nuts to clear, and machined a custom keeper for the CBR caliper to be bolted to the swingarm.





I was very happy with the end result:



You can really tell a difference in stance next to his '77 with the stock front end.



Next, I needed to have the swingarm blasted and painted, so I went ahead and painted the frame modifications while I waited for it to get done.





Then, with fresh paint and a needle bearing kit installed, I put the swingarm and read wheel back together.










Now, I'm trying to mock up a battery box, and splashguard to add to the frame. Also will be buying a new set of carbs in the next week or so to get them back on the bike. After sitting, the clutch seems to be stuck and I can't get it to free up, so I'm planning on pulling it soon. Apart from that, most of what is left is rebuilding the rear master cylinder, wiring up some relays, adding turn signals and brake lights, and figure out the cabling for the lowered handlebars... and probably 100 other things I'm forgetting.




« Last Edit: August 29, 2018, 11:44:08 AM by DHuffman »

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - August '18 Update
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2019, 07:36:59 AM »
Well, after quite the hiatus, I've finally been making some progress on the build again.

Over the last couple months, I've sorted out most of the wiring and electronics. For the most part, all that's left there is adding the rear signals and tail light. I lowered the headlight a little to make room for my instrument cluster:


Drilled and tapped a couple holes to mount my speedo unit (Trail Tech Vapor):



I got the "Vapor Dashboard" indicators, and found an aftermarket aluminum housing for $70. However, the housing wanted to hit the master cylinder reservoir mount on the top triple, so I had to 3D print a riser to elevate it by 10mm



Once that was done, I got to start wiring (yay....). Turned out the way I'd wired it (single indicator light on the dash), the current would leak and illuminate both turn signals when I engaged either, so I had to add a couple diodes:



Then, I got my dad to make me a battery box. All he had laying around was 1/8" steel, so uber heavy duty  ::)



I wanted to mount all my electrnics (fuse, starter solenoid, reg/rect) on the box, so I had to 3D print a mount for the solenoid:




Then to cover up that mess of wire, I made what might be my favorite addition to the bike so far - a custom side cover.
I measured the triangle, and got to designing in illustrator.

I cut it from 1/8" matte black acrylic, and added a stainless steel mesh backing. I love the way it turned out:





I still havent finished the carbs. I did do some work on them the other day and got the old o-rings, gaskets, etc off of them. I hope to put them back together over the next few weeks, pull the clutch plates to get them unseized, and then think about starting the darn thing.

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

  • Speak up, Whipper-Snapper! I'm a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 15,731
  • SOHC/4 Member #1235
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2019, 08:23:23 AM »
I like the conventional (right-side-up) R6 conversion.  Aesthetically, the headlight seems a little too conspicuous.  Maybe you could enlist your 3d printing skills to create new headlight mounts that pull the light closer to the fork tubes.
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 DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2019, 10:05:22 AM »
I like the conventional (right-side-up) R6 conversion.  Aesthetically, the headlight seems a little too conspicuous.  Maybe you could enlist your 3d printing skills to create new headlight mounts that pull the light closer to the fork tubes.

Yeah, I wasn't crazy about how wide it looked either. I could print some, but PLA prints can be kind of fragile, so idk if I want to trust it to hold the light permanently. Might be fine but idk. Also thought about flipping the fork ears around but then the "pretty side" is facing inward. I might end up changing it up later.


Offline mkoski

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 226
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2019, 01:23:06 PM »
Hey, digging the build! Always nice to see the 77/78's brought back from the dead.

What did you end up doing with the tank that you decided not to use? I'm interested in purchasing it from you, if you still have it!

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2019, 11:10:54 AM »
Hey, digging the build! Always nice to see the 77/78's brought back from the dead.

What did you end up doing with the tank that you decided not to use? I'm interested in purchasing it from you, if you still have it!

Thanks! I do still have the other tank. I've considered selling it but have thought about keeping it because its ding/bondo free. The (not orginial) paint job on it got ruined in the process of trying to remove the tank liner and she's pretty rust inside atm. I filled it with vinegar once and it cleaned up pretty well, but rusted back fast without gas in it.

Always open to offers though.

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2019, 12:23:46 PM »
Well over the last couple weeks, I made a lot of progress on the bike!
- Wiring finished (except rear signals/tail light)
- Carbs rebuilt and installed
- Airbox installed

AND I STARTED AND RODE THE DAMN THING

She's loud as hell though - so I should probably get a muffler. Sounds mean as hell right now though (see my Instagram). Scarce options for the 2.125" header diameter though.



Also noticed the chain was lightly rubbing the frame. I don't want a cracked engine case, so that needs to be addressed. Once I get some signals and a tail light I guess I'll take my library of documentation to the courthouse to get a title.


Offline Bankerdanny

  • Eventually I will be old enough in reality to be
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,625
  • Endeavor to persevere
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - April '19 Update
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2019, 07:35:26 AM »
Hey, digging the build! Always nice to see the 77/78's brought back from the dead.

What did you end up doing with the tank that you decided not to use? I'm interested in purchasing it from you, if you still have it!

Thanks! I do still have the other tank. I've considered selling it but have thought about keeping it because its ding/bondo free. The (not orginial) paint job on it got ruined in the process of trying to remove the tank liner and she's pretty rust inside atm. I filled it with vinegar once and it cleaned up pretty well, but rusted back fast without gas in it.

Always open to offers though.

Clean it out again, rinse it with water and baking soda to neutralize any acid from cleaning, rinse again with acetone to get rid of any water, then dump in some Marvel Mystery Oil or 2 stroke oil and swish it around to coat the metal and dump out any excess. That will keep it from rusting again while empty and doesn't need to be rinsed out before adding gas.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - May '19 Update
« Reply #14 on: July 10, 2019, 08:21:41 PM »
Made some more progress over the last few weeks:

Exhaust -
Turns out a 2 1/8" ID to 2" OD adapter from advance auto parts slips over the header and allows for the muffler to go on pretty perfectly. However, I think Im going to cut off the smaller diameter section (as it slides into the header tightly), weld it on to the header, and clamp the exhaust over that for a neater look. I got a $85 13" big mouth muffler from Niche Cycle supply on ebay. I actually ordered stainless and they sent me black by mistake, but I actually kind of like it. They're sending me a stainless out so I will decide when that gets here.


Electronics -
I got the rear turn signals (same as the fronts) and some Motone shock mount brackets to attach them. The silver threads kind of stick out like a sore thumb, but I'll wait and see how noticeable they are with the plate on and everything when I get there. Also got a cheap $4 LED strip tail light that I zip tied to the frame hoop as a temporary tail light solution to get me through the inspection when I apply for the rebuild title.




Also mounted the accessories for the Trail tech (speedo, tach) and got those working. Overall, she's probably 95% done. All that is really left now is to get a slightly longer rear brake line (the current one is stretched taut), get some mirrors to pass inspection, figure and figure out a solution for a choke cable. I tried to utilize the choke lever that is integrated into the R6 controls, but there is not enough travel to achieve full choke - which is apparently necessary to start.

Eventually I will also need to probably weld in a mounting tab under the hoop to attach a tail light and license plate.

I plan on hauling her to the county clerk next week with an encyclopedias worth of receipts and documents (wish me luck).

Here she is in her current state:





Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - July '19 Update (ALMOST DONE!)
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2019, 05:59:35 PM »
July-August was big. I got the title! Decided to enter it in the Kentucky Kickdown in September to motivate me to finish some stuff up. First order of business was to work on the tank.

I was nervous as to what I would find underneath, but ended up being pleasantly surprised to find beutiful bondo-free metal uner the 4 layers of paint




I laid down some rusty metal primer and hit it with semi-gloss black (via rattle cans). I'd used that on the frame before and it had the amount of sheen I wanted. I guess I prepped the tank too well though, so it came out siginicantly glossier, and  I wasn't happy with it.




I decided to order some 2K matte clear coat to redo it, but in the mean time I decided to work on the tank emblems. I always liked the silver HONDA logos, so I decided to see if I could sand through the gold finish, which you can. Then I hit them with semigloss, and used a sanding block to reexpose the aluminum.





When the clear coat came in, I sanded the entire tank down with 1000 grit, reapplied some rustoleum satin black, and then hit it with the clear



Then I stupidly decided to see how the logo would look, and promptly gouged the paint  :-X


The end result was exactly what I wanted though




Since I finally got my plate, I needed to come up with a way to mount it. I originally wanted an axle mount fender that would hug the tire, but I don't have the time or resources to get that done before the end of next month, so back to 3D printing!

I came up with a 2 piece design that would mount inside the frame hoop that would have mounting points for the plate, as well as a small LED strip to illuminate it


I'm still in the process of printing it, but initial tests look promising! Just need to tweak the plate angle to avoid it hitting the tire under compression of the rear shocks.







Once I get the bracket lined out, I'll probably print it out of ABS. Apart from that, all thats really left now is to swap the rear brake line for a slightly longer one, modify the sprocket cover to accomodate the offset sprocket, and address the chain master slightly rubbing the frame.





« Last Edit: August 23, 2019, 06:04:10 PM by DHuffman »

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - August '19 Update (ALMOST DONE!)
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2019, 06:02:35 PM »
More 3D printing! I wasn't happy with the open space between the headlight and the Vapor dash, so I 3D printed a shroud.




Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

  • Speak up, Whipper-Snapper! I'm a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 15,731
  • SOHC/4 Member #1235
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - August '19 Update (ALMOST DONE!)
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2019, 07:33:09 PM »
Pretty slick. Did you add some rubber dampers for the vibration?
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 DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - August '19 Update (ALMOST DONE!)
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2019, 07:35:55 AM »
Pretty slick. Did you add some rubber dampers for the vibration?

For the 3D printed shroud you mean? No, I didn't. It's prety flexible. If it cracks or something I'll revise the design to incorporate that. Only costs like $4 to print a new one.

Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - August '19 Update (ALMOST DONE!)
« Reply #19 on: September 24, 2019, 03:44:04 PM »
So I entered the bike in the Kentucky Kickdown in Louisville KY to motivate me to finish it. It was a hectic couple of weeks - but I got her road worthy.
- Rebult the front forks
- Had the top triple powder coated
- Bled the front/rear brakes
- Painted the Gas cap cover
- Modified the sprocket cover to accommodate the offset sprocket
- Torqued bolts, torqued bolts, and torqued more bolts
- Welded an exhaust reducer for the slip on muffler to the header

Rode her around 200 miles so far, and she does great. I was afraid the sound wasn't how I wanted it, but man when you shift through the gear - shew. It does things to me.

I'll try to get some good photos and video of it running soon. In the mean time - here she is!




Offline DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Spring is finally here! Last fall, my temporary throttle cable solution (Venhill Cable Kit w/ screw clamp barrel ends) finally failed, so she'd been out of commission since October. I ordered some cables from motion pro, but with the current COVID-19 crisis, they aren't making cables currently and aren't sure when they'll open back up.

So I decided to attempt soldering on barrel ends again. Picked up some silver solder, melted it in a copper pipe cap, dipped the cable ends in and voila! Worked like a charm.

Plan to use these until Motion Pro opens back up and can get me my bona fide cables.

Also gave the old girl a bath with some S100 cleaner and engine brightener. The brightener really brought the black finish back on the motor. Looks pretty good if you ask me  ;D Also replaced my leaky, old front tire with a  Shinko 005 to match the back.







Overall, the bike handles great with the R6 forks and wider tire. Feels very nimble and responsive to steering input. The header did drag in a corner once, but i think that was partly due to my old leaked-out rear struts because it hasnt done it since I maxed out the adjuster - so those probably need replaced at some point...

But for now Im just going to enjoy the nice weather and fix it when it breaks.  :D
« Last Edit: April 09, 2020, 09:46:30 AM by DHuffman »

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

  • Speak up, Whipper-Snapper! I'm a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 15,731
  • SOHC/4 Member #1235
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update
« Reply #21 on: April 09, 2020, 02:05:04 PM »
That R6 end looks great, and the brakes must be night and day different.
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 DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update
« Reply #22 on: April 09, 2020, 02:14:00 PM »
That R6 end looks great, and the brakes must be night and day different.

I actually never got to ride the stock setup - but I can say these do quite well.

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

  • Speak up, Whipper-Snapper! I'm a
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 15,731
  • SOHC/4 Member #1235
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update
« Reply #23 on: April 10, 2020, 03:39:04 PM »
That R6 end looks great, and the brakes must be night and day different.

I actually never got to ride the stock setup - but I can say these do quite well.

DaveBarbier and several other member have done a conventional (not upside-down) R6 fork swap and remarked on the improvement, so I'd think it would be safe to say you made a great choice.
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 DHuffman

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 206
  • '77 CB750F
    • Follow me on instagram!
Re: My First Bike - 1977 Honda CB750F - Apr '20 Update
« Reply #24 on: April 11, 2020, 09:03:26 PM »
Got some footage of riding the old girl today!