Topic: Everything's Gone Green - CB750 K1

[Rookster]

I spent a very long time collecting parts and building my Dunstall CB750.  The problem is it was uncomfortable to ride.  I went from fork mounted clip-ons to the Dunstall tree mounted clip-ons to Jota bars looking for a more comfortable ride.  The issues are the fairing limited the angle and height of the bars and the seat is too far back.  I contemplated selling the bike but I don't want to do that.  So, I have decided to turn the bike back to a stock configuration, kind of.  I will be keeping Dunstall exhaust and rearsets as well as the rear disk brake but all the bodywork will be coming off.  I'm keeping the Henry Abe wheels as well.  Here is where I started:



So far I have removed the fairing and sorted the front end (for now).  I had removed the rhino horn early in the build because I originally planned to build the bike as a CR750 replica.  I have been using mini gauges mounted to the handlebar clamp.  So in order to get some mounting points for the gauges and raise the bars a little bit I modified a pair of setbacks.  I plan to go back to the Honda gauges in the future with the correct K1 top tree.  I went with the cheap Emgo fork ears just for now. 







I always liked the look of the UK CB750 with the black tail light bracket and oval tail light.  I found the correct bracket and cobbled the tail light together from a reproduction base and a Stanley lens.  I guessed that the bracket would mount up to a K2 rear fender so I took a chance.  It fit perfectly.







I needed seat pan to build a K1 seat.  I found a king and queen seat with a K0 pan so I grabbed it.  It came with the stock hinges, seat hook and trim.  I stripped the pan, treated the rust and gave it a coat of paint.  I bought a seat cover and just need the foam to finish it up.







Thats all for now.  The bike will be gloss black with the stock K1 tank stripes.  I will eventually get the correct fork ears and gators for the front end also.

Scott

[PeWe]

That yellow bike is a real beauty!
A monument over how nice a CB750 modification could become.  It compete with Rickmans.

Keep it as it is and find one more bike to use as a comfortable bike.

[Stev-o]

Hey Rookster....I can relate to this, my "Park Racer" is a joy to look at, wonderful to listen to, but not comfortable for more that a ride around the block.  And I just dont ride it for that reason.

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PS. I may have a very nice spare triple top
 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hey Rookster....I can relate to this, my "Park Racer" is a joy to look at, wonderful to listen to, but not comfortable for more that a ride around the block.  And I just dont ride it for that reason.

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PS. I may have a very nice spare triple top

That's a crying shame.  I love that bike.

[MauiK3]

That yellow one is a beauty but if you can't ride it...........

[PeWe]

Maybe a few adjustments can improve?
Tire pressure:
Honda recommended pressures according to the label fits me better. (Ass&handling)

Handlebar:
I had a narrow clubman bar that felt totally wrong, angled too much inwards. An adjustable Laverda bar should have been better.
Changed to drag bar, bike felt as I remembered from the 80's.
Later to a wider Euro bar to let bar raise above the fork top plugs.

Rear shocks:
Too hard damping not nice. Too low setting, too cramped body angles, more pain in hips and knees, especially during heavy acceleration.
I'll restore my old Marzocchi AG Strada to feel the difference compared to Ikon my bikes have today.

I did not suffer much riding all day long with the Strada's back in the 80's.  Longest ride without sleep was 1850km Austria-home, max 3 hours  paus on a ferry.

[Rookster]

The Park Racer is a great looking bike.

I have been thinking about this change for some time.  It's not just a matter of different bars.  The seat needs to come forward too.  I've tried clip-ons and drag bars.  The drag bars are really cramped on a CB750.  The master cylinder is right up against the handlebar mounts and the fork tubes have to be shifted down because the cap hits the underside of the master cylinder.  I have the Jota bars in a good spot above the forks and will be getting superbike bars.  I had it out yesterday and it felt much better without the fairing and the higher bars.  I think once the seat comes forward it will get even better.   

The other issue is the fiberglass tank.  It has already had one liner fail.  It has been holding up really well for about 6 years with the current liner but I'm sure it will fail again at some point. 

It's just time to make the bike more user friendly for me.  Here's a pic from yesterday's ride.


Scott

[PeWe]

Still look very nice!
I'm sure people will comment it talking about the old days when you stop at a cafe or refueling.

If the distance between seat and foot pegs are relatively short, not comfortable.

[MauiK3]

Great looking
I agree a shorter tank would make things a bit more comfortable.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Everyone has an opinion -- so here's another one.  Unless you are in love with the Dunstall seat, its proportions work better with the fairing.  You may consider swapping out all of the Dunstall kit pieces, since ergonomically (rearsets, seat, tank, fairing) they have a riding position that is less comfortable and more aggressive.

[Rookster]

I mounted the fender and built the seat from an original K0 seat pan with new foam and a new cover and strap.  The seat trim, hinges and hook are original.  Next up is to get a gas tank.











Scott

[Stev-o]

Seat looks excellent, Scott.  What tank do you have in mind?

[BenelliSEI]

Rookster ...... I am following closely. Working on my Rickman CR, dropping the pegs, raising the bars. Just like you, the fairing may not go back on, but I need it to be more comfortable. No health issues, but, I’d like to stay on it a bit longer......

QUESTION: what tank liner did you use that held up well? Using an alloy tank for now, but want to get the original ‘glass tank back on........ thanks!

[Rookster]

Thanks Stev-O.  I'm going with a stock tank painted black with the K1 gold stripes.  Kind of the reverse of the candy gold bikes.  The riding position is much better with the stock seat, Dunstall rearsets and lower bars.  I won't know for sure until I've ridden it but this is the best it's felt so far. 

I love that Rickman with the alloy tank.  I tried the KBS gold sealer originally in the Dunstall tank but it failed after the first winter and damaged the paint in one spot.  I then used the Bill Hirsch sealer because I wanted the ability to recoat it if needed.  The Hirsch sealer has held up really well.  I did recoat it about 6 years ago.  There wasn't any issues but I figured it couldn't hurt. 

Scott

[scottly]

The Park Racer is a great looking bike.

Your screaming yellow zonker Dunstall is one of the best looking bikes ever posted here, IMHO. Sorry to see it go, but I understand about the ergonomics; someone once asked what I would change about the Seeley, and my response was a shorter gas tank.  

[BenelliSEI]

Scott...... thanks for the info! My son used the Black/ Gold strip combo on his K4. Turned out well.

[754]

What no ducktail ? That is illegal on that Seat ...up here..

[lash]

I mounted the fender and built the seat from an original K0 seat pan with new foam and a new cover and strap.  The seat trim, hinges and hook are original.  Next up is to get a gas tank.











Scott

Where did you get the foam for the seat ?

[Rookster]

Thanks Scottly.  That black and gold looks great.  I got the foam from Top Quality.Covers on ebay.  I had to trim the foam at the front for the cover to fit.  It has the dished top that the 72-76 seat foams don't have.  I am happy with how it turned out.  I really like a ducktail seat too but I wanted to take the bike into more of a stock direction.  The K0 and K1 seat pans are almost identical so it worked out to make it into a K1 seat. 

Scott

[Just John]

A few years ago, I bought just the foam from Top Quality for a mongrel CB750K4-K7.  The quality was excellent and they shipped pretty fast.  My wife covered the seat with a faux leather marine vinyl in tuck and roll.  It was the second seat she had done and very likely the last she will do! LOL!

[Rookster]

I got my new tank.  I decided to try one of the reproduction tanks from David Silver Spares.  I've had original tanks in the past and each one has had issues from dents and filler to pinholes and rust so I wanted to start with a known solid tank.  It fits great and the OEM Honda cap and latch went on with no issues.  Same for the petcock.  So far I'm happy with it.  I am going to leave it in primer for a few rides and then it will be time to paint it black.



Scott

[andy750]

Great update on the DSS tank _ looks good! Looking forward to seeing it painted

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I got my new tank.  I decided to try one of the reproduction tanks from David Silver Spares.  I've had original tanks in the past and each one has had issues from dents and filler to pinholes and rust so I wanted to start with a known solid tank.  It fits great and the OEM Honda cap and latch went on with no issues.  Same for the petcock.  So far I'm happy with it.  I am going to leave it in primer for a few rides and then it will be time to paint it black.



Scott

Glad to hear that the reproduction has no issues with the cap and petcock.  Leaves some new options for people.

[754]

Going to look like this I think..

[Stev-o]

Hurry before Sean gets there!