Topic: 1974 cb750

[Schnell]

I feel like the setting of the seal in the stanchion is important and it can be set perfectly without the fork tube. The fork tube has a chamfered end which makes it easy to insert through the seal. Am I wrong?

I am highly motivated to complete this bike to road licensed. If the newly ordered parts arrive by Wednesday, this bike could be on the road for the weekend and a Sunday morning meetup with a vintage motorcycle group. I'd love to ride it and show it off this weekend.

[grcamna2]

I feel like the setting of the seal in the stanchion is important and it can be set perfectly without the fork tube. The fork tube has a chamfered end which makes it easy to insert through the seal. Am I wrong?

I am highly motivated to complete this bike to road licensed. If the newly ordered parts arrive by Wednesday, this bike could be on the road for the weekend and a Sunday morning meetup with a vintage motorcycle group. I'd love to ride it and show it off this weekend.

I personally have always installed the fork seals after installing the tube in the stanchion/lower using a fork seal driver;this way gave me confidence that the seals are installed evenly around their circumference.

I imagine you can install them first,taking care to get the seal placed evenly all the way around rather than slightly cocked out of position,which can cause a leak.

[BenelliSEI]

“I feel like the setting of the seal in the stanchion is important and it can be set perfectly without the fork tube. The fork tube has a chamfered end which makes it easy to insert through the seal.”

My preferred method. Make sure both parts are lightly lubricated with fork oil.

[Schnell]

Parts arrived today and I have a free day tomorrow!

[Schnell]

All sorted and buttoned up! Now all I need is insurance, safety recheck, and a plate.

[BenelliSEI]

Looking good for the weekend!

[Schnell]

Getting the 2nd swing at a safety certificate today. Contacted my insurance company yesterday to switch from one bike to another, and they had issues with the early vin of this cb750. Their computer system would not recognize the number as a valid one. But they're working on it. Hopefully in time for me to get to Service ON to get a license plate. It may not happen. Fingers crossed.

[BenelliSEI]

Go for it! We’re off to Algonquin Park tomorrow morning and then Barry’s Bay for “Ride the Highlands - Pick Axe Loop”. Back Sunday. Will look for your good news.

[Schnell]

Safety done and home by 2pm. On the phone with insurance co. again. The early short vin gave them problems. Had to send pics of bike, vin plate, and safety cert. Then they sent it to their underwriter for approval.

The insurance email came through at 4:45. Off I rushed to the Service Ont. office. Ran in. The worker said sorry, closed. But after a bit of pleading, she let me through. All legit now! Went for a toot. This engine seems much more eager to run than my BMW airhead. Just a more fun bike, this cb750. All set for the weekend! Build project closed, I guess. Thank you to those who contributed their thoughts and help!

[Schnell]

Finally got the 1974 Honda cb750 fixed up, safetied, insured, and plated!  My insurance company had a hard time for a while because of its early, short V.I.N. Their computer system would not accept it.

What I want to post about is my safety certification experience. When I took the bike in last week to a local bike/snowmobile shop, it failed because of 2 missing cotter pins and leaky fork seals. I was charged $150. I took the bike home, ordered necessary parts (seals and fork tubes), installed them and the 2 cotter pins I had forgotten.

I was hoping to just bring the bike by that shop and have the mechanic who did the first inspection see and confirm that the new seals did not leak and that the cotter pins were installed. But no, I had to make an appointment and leave the bike.
Okay so I did that and got the call today that the bike is now certified safe and I could come get it. What threw me is that I was billed $150 again for another complete safety inspection.

 It was explained to me that it had to be so because the bike left their shop. But I was only fixing those 2 deficiencies that made the bike unsafe, I would not alter any other aspects of the bike that were judged safe the first time and make them unsafe.

This just didn't seem right to me.

Turns out that different shops have different policies. I know that I will not be returning to that shop. I wouldn't have in the first place but my favourite mechanic at another shop just started a 3 week long vacation and I was anxious to get this bike on the road due to the short season remaining.

[BenelliSEI]

That is the worst bit of scamming I’ve ever heard. If you’ve got time, find the right place to make a legitimate complaint against that shop. Outrageous bit of opportunism.

[70CB750]

Congratulations, sir!

Is safety always that expensive in Canada?  I pay $20 for car and $12 for a motorcycle in Virginia.  If it fails, reinspection is $1 if you bring it to the same shop.

[grcamna2]

That is the worst bit of scamming I’ve ever heard. If you’ve got time, find the right place to make a legitimate complaint against that shop. Outrageous bit of opportunism.

+1

[Schnell]

Darn! Wife took the keychain with my bike keys on it and won't be home till 9pm. No riding today.
Silly thing is, I have a spare ig.switch with key that I could switch out, but need to get the tank off to access it, and don't have the key for the seat lock.

[Schnell]

Went for a >100 mile ride today. Consistent 50 -70mph and the bike ran great. Did not drop an idle jet again.

[Kaze]

Awesome! Bet it was the best looking thing on the road!

BTW, in the small city where I live, the big fancy motorcycle shop won't give my bike ANY sort of mechanical service. "We don't take anything over 15 years old here. Best we could do is wash it." They will put a tire on a wheel and balance it IF I bring in just the wheel, but they won't true wheels.

[Kelly E]

Awesome! Bet it was the best looking thing on the road!

BTW, in the small city where I live, the big fancy motorcycle shop won't give my bike ANY sort of mechanical service. "We don't take anything over 15 years old here. Best we could do is wash it." They will put a tire on a wheel and balance it IF I bring in just the wheel, but they won't true wheels.

That's because just the thought of a carburetor terrifies them. Most bike shops are that way. My buddy just had his 04' FJR turned away by Mount Baker Motorsports for being too old and it's fuel injected. They worked on it this spring and on the first trip his radiator fan never came on. It worked before the oil change, ABS brake flush, replace the right mirror internal support and mirror. When we got back they refused to even take the bike back in to figure out what they did to the fan. They told him to take it elsewhere. So he is and if it's something Mt Baker Motorsports did like not plugging it back in they'll regret it. He's a retired federal agent and will make them pay the bill for fixing it.

[grcamna2]

Awesome! Bet it was the best looking thing on the road!

BTW, in the small city where I live, the big fancy motorcycle shop won't give my bike ANY sort of mechanical service. "We don't take anything over 15 years old here. Best we could do is wash it." They will put a tire on a wheel and balance it IF I bring in just the wheel, but they won't true wheels.

That's because just the thought of a carburetor terrifies them. Most bike shops are that way. My buddy just had his 04' FJR turned away by Mount Baker Motorsports for being too old and it's fuel injected. They worked on it this spring and on the first trip his radiator fan never came on. It worked before the oil change, ABS brake flush, replace the right mirror internal support and mirror. When we got back they refused to even take the bike back in to figure out what they did to the fan. They told him to take it elsewhere. So he is and if it's something Mt Baker Motorsports did like not plugging it back in they'll regret it. He's a retired federal agent and will make them pay the bill for fixing it.

I hear that.

[tctreppin]

Awesome! Bet it was the best looking thing on the road!

BTW, in the small city where I live, the big fancy motorcycle shop won't give my bike ANY sort of mechanical service. "We don't take anything over 15 years old here. Best we could do is wash it." They will put a tire on a wheel and balance it IF I bring in just the wheel, but they won't true wheels.

Can’t true the wheel or DONT KNOW HOW to true the wheel


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[BenelliSEI]

Frank…… Did you fit the ST2 brake light control? How is it working? Got my second one today, but have not fitted it yet…….

[Schnell]

I fitted it with the front end a little tilt up in the front. Went on a group ride and was told the brake light was constantly flashing. I repositioned it with even more tilt. (see pic) Went on another group ride and was told the same thing - constantly flashing, so I disconnected it. Luckily that was easy with this install. I guess I'll try one more time with even more tilt.

The good news is that the bike runs fantastic. The last group ride with the vintage club (CVMG GPR chapter) was to Minden for lunch. I've also done solo rides from Uxbridge to Peterborough and from Uxbridge to Coburg. Constant 50-70mph. I can trust this bike now.

Still looking for a rear rack.

[BenelliSEI]

Good for you! My second one is acting the same way. I think these things are cursed!

[Schnell]

My bike is pretty bumpy. My front wheel may be out of round. I tried deflating it and loosening the beads on both sides, then reinflating. It seemed to help a bit but not totally. At slower speeds up to 45mph it feels like the pavement is bumpy. I lowered the rear springs preload even though i've got some weight as a rider. Next I may try squishing out some of the 10w30 oil in the forks and replace with 5w to make the front end less stiff. I know in my bmw airhead, I mixed 5w and 10w fork oil to approximate 7.5w.

[newday777]

My bike is pretty bumpy. My front wheel may be out of round. I tried deflating it and loosening the beads on both sides, then reinflating. It seemed to help a bit but not totally. At slower speeds up to 45mph it feels like the pavement is bumpy. I lowered the rear springs preload even though i've got some weight as a rider. Next I may try squishing out some of the 10w30 oil in the forks and replace with 5w to make the front end less stiff. I know in my bmw airhead, I mixed 5w and 10w fork oil to approximate 7.5w.

If you have uneven fork oil levels or uneven fork spring preload spacers and springs it will behave as a bouncer.

[Schnell]

Today was getting the bikes ready for winter storage day. I filled up the tanks, added stabilizer, ran the Honda cl350 and bmw R100, and removed the batteries. The '74 cb450 I also removed the carbs to rebuild.

I bought a '74 cb750 parts bike mainly for the exhaust, but have used some other parts as well. (throttle cables, master cylinder, caliper, some tappet covers, hand grips) The bike came with a title and I registered it to me. Today I separated the motor from the frame, in order to keep the motor and sell the titled frame, which a previous owner painted red.