Author Topic: Project (Read 1296 times)

Bodain · « **on:** February 18, 2025, 05:07:53 PM »

It's been a very long while since I've hung out here. Just haven't come across any old Honda's until very recently, but thats another story. Awhile back I was browsing the web and came across this.......... Needless to say I was very interested. It's about the perfect thing to cruise around neighborhood with a beer in hand. Anyway I came across a fellow who was selling the complete plans to build one of these including a BOM with a list of all items one needs. I've always wanted to build something from scratch and as it turns out this is it.

Bodain · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2025, 05:11:29 PM »

So I start by finding a source for the metal...... Untimately I will be using 1 diameter pipe with walls that are .100 thick. And the project begins.

HondaMan · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2025, 05:28:00 PM »

Which SOHC4 engine are you going to substitute for that pull-starter?

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2025, 05:31:38 PM »

Crazy….. I like it! What power source?

What happened to that cb750K4 you were working on?

Bodain · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2025, 05:50:42 PM »

The engine on this will the be the Harbor Freight 212 cc racing Ghost engine.

Getting all the pipe ends to fit just perfect was a real choir, but I got there. That frame is all welded up...I'm kinda a self taught welder. It appears the welding technology has changed a great deal recently. I've had a cheap Harbor Freight gasless mig welder for years. It was find for little welds here and there... But now I'm actually welding a frame together.... I bought another Welder on Ebay awhile back for $180.00 It's marvelous..... My welds are much prettier now.....

Bodain · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2025, 05:59:39 PM »

"What happened to that cb750K4 you were working on?"

I've had many SOHC CB750's in my lifetime. I've had a great love hate realationship with them. I bought my first brand new in 1974. Traded it in 2 years later to pursue the Kawasaki' KZ900... But since I started to restore bikes I've had countless CB 750's. Will never pass an opportunity to pick one up cheap, but don't currently own any.... When riding a stock CB750 I always felt like I was riding a brick. These days at my age.... I really don't want big heavy bikes anymore.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2025, 05:55:15 AM »

Looks very cool. A SOHC cb400 engine would look good I there too!

Are those go-cart rain tires? A local kid built something similar and just couldn’t stay on it at speed. He had the tires set at 20 psi. Dumped them down to 5-6 psi for a much nicer ride…..

Stev-o · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2025, 07:38:56 AM »

That thing is cool! You may want to incorporate a drink holder, you may need both hands to hold on!!

Bodain · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2025, 09:33:00 AM »

Good idea.....on that drink holder. I've heard these don't turn very well. I should have everything in place for the first ride next week. After that first ride. I'll tear it all down and paint the frame.

HondaMan · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2025, 07:37:46 PM »

You have to lean toward the OUTSIDE of the turn so the inside tire loses grip. The first Japanese Trikes were like that, too, with the solid axle.

Bodain · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2025, 11:21:36 AM »

Everything is complete now except for the seat. I should get the seat Saturday and I'll take this for it's first road trip.

newday777 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2025, 12:43:07 PM »

Quote from: Bodain on February 18, 2025, 05:07:53 PM

It's about the perfect thing to cruise around neighborhood with a beer in hand.

Just a bit of a story.
I went to a hot air balloon festival some years ago, it was also a motorcycle festival. I went to a friend's motel to watch the parade. There was a guy at the motel with one of those motorized coolers, while he was out riding it on the sidewalk he got pulled over by the local yokel, he got busted for DUI and an open container.

Bodain · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2025, 01:07:01 PM »

I'm not really concerned about that. I live in a rather unique neighborhood... It's a housing addition in far Northwest Fort Worth where every house has 1 or 2 acres. I don't live in any city limits so my rules come from the county. So yea I kinda live in the sticks. Anyway in this neighborhood we have it all. Golf carts being driven by 7 year olds. Kids ride these very cool electric gocarts that fly. Kids on dirt bikes and gocarts are alway roaming the streets. Anyone over 30 riding any toy generally has a drink in hand on a warm summer evening. There are 3 police officers that live in my neighborhood. One is right next door to me.

My favorite ride these days is any motorcyle that is not registered and has no insurance. It costs me zero dollars per year to own it. Of course I only ride them around this area.

I have 6 grandkids....They love to come out and ride all the toys. But your right....I wouldn't try to ride this thing anywhere else.

newday777 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2025, 02:34:17 PM »

Quote from: Bodain on February 20, 2025, 01:07:01 PM

I'm not really concerned about that. I live in a rather unique neighborhood... It's a housing addition in far Northwest Fort Worth where every house has 1 or 2 acres. I don't live in any city limits so my rules come from the county. So yea I kinda live in the sticks. Anyway in this neighborhood we have it all. Golf carts being driven by 7 year olds. Kids ride these very cool electric gocarts that fly. Kids on dirt bikes and gocarts are alway roaming the streets. Anyone over 30 riding any toy generally has a drink in hand on a warm summer evening. There are 3 police officers that live in my neighborhood. One is right next door to me.

My favorite ride these days is any motorcyle that is not registered and has no insurance. It costs me zero dollars per year to own it. Of course I only ride them around this area.

I have 6 grandkids....They love to come out and ride all the toys. But your right....I wouldn't try to ride this thing anywhere else.

👍
Sounds like a great place to live then

MauiK3 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2025, 06:44:23 AM »

Great craftsmanship!
Maybe try to find a little Honda V-4 to put in there!

Bodain · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2025, 10:39:30 AM »

This little thing appears to designed for a very peticular engine. The Harbor Freight 212cc Ghost racing cart engine. Which is a very low profile engine. Given this engine costs $330.00. There of plenty of small engines at a cheapter price, but they are all too tall for this frame. This is also a plug and play engine which means there is no wiring harness and no electrical components that you would need to deal with a Honda engine.

Bodain · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2025, 10:57:07 AM »

So I got the seat and as one might guess.... It's not a perfect fit, so had to do more creative hacking to make it work right. So with the seat on it's time to take this thing for the first ride. Now before I comment on how it rides and turns. It's interesting to note that all rider weight is directly above the rear axle. There is almost no weight on the front wheel. Thus the front end is in the air the minute I take off.
I was thinking about not even putting on the wheelie bar. That would have been a mistake. It needs it or I could potentially be on the ground on my back with the trike on top of me. Not a good look for an old guy like myself.

Turning and trying to go from a dead stop is almost impossible. You can turn the wheel but when you turn throttle it goes straight. Just gotta get accustomed to it. In a straight line. It's fine. I know already it probably goes way faster than I want to go on it. Turning while moving is fine.

I also know I'm NOT going to let any of my grandkids ride it. I think it would be dangerous for them. I had told my wife she could ride it since there is no shifting. I'm gonna back up on that.

So it's a very unique ride and I've never seen one of these in the wild. I got alot of looks while riding it yesterday....

No it's back to the workshop for disassembly and paint.....

Bodain · « **Reply #17 on:** February 24, 2025, 05:21:18 PM »

Ok. It's basically done..... I think it's probably more fun wanting one of these than actually having one. The very first ride I took prior to painting the frame was interesting... I only had two bolts torqued up to hold the engine on the frame.... and the engine moved backward a bit in the frame and the chain came off.

So after paint I bolted up the 4 bolts that hold the engine in the frame it shouldn't be moving around now. That also introduced a new problem. IF you every rode a 60's , 70's Honda 450 you know the vibration in the handle bars will make you crazy.. The vibration in these bars is now at at whole new level.

So I'm looking for a mean to isolate that engine a bit with some rubber.... Other than that. Good to go. It's been fun, but I wouldn't do it again.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #18 on:** February 25, 2025, 09:42:03 AM »

Looks great! Fill the front fork tubes with lead? What tire pressures did you use?

Bodain · « **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2025, 06:00:29 PM »

Lead... Hmmmm.... I started out with about 30 PSI.... Today I dropped that down to 20 PSI. I don't really feel a difference... May try it a little lower. The handlebars that I put on this was made of aluminum... Bad choice.... The vibration was just terrible. Not fun to ride.

So today I tried to put some rubber between engine bottom and frame... It didn't help much. Home Depot has some 4x4 isolation 1/2 in thick pads... I may pick up a few of those and give it a shot.

I changed the handle bars today... I think these bars where from 77 Goldwing I was working on awhile back... Bottom line.... This is much better.... Far less vibration and now it's fun to ride. The taller wider bars just make it better handling..... Now I will let wife ride it.

BenelliSEI · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2025, 07:48:12 PM »

Try 10-12 psi. The lower the better.

Stev-o · « **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2025, 08:00:07 AM »

Looks cool! I have a '67 CB450, I get the vibration issue. Maybe try some "Gran Turismo" grips?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324672519628?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=324672519628&targetid=2512152189032&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9028253&poi=&campaignid=21214286338&mkgroupid=161030074701&rlsatarget=aud-2316480875016:pla-2512152189032&abcId=9407521&merchantid=6566204&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAlPu9BhAjEiwA5NDSAzGCEmHpi1_II03fxE-mbdZpOYLhS0Zg2ME5-w6aJSEwlL2ryEUvphoCn_gQAvD_BwE

Bodain · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2025, 08:10:35 PM »

I'm going to lower air pressure again and see it if makes a difference. Just ordered some different handle bar grips with lots of foam to help with vibes.... Also ordered some isolation rubbers I'm gonna put between engine and frame. Right now with the different handlebars it's useable.... Just trying to tweek it abit.....

Now that this project is pretty much done. I'm looking at the the 1971 Honda Cb500 (first year CB500) I recently aquired more closely....I've worked many CB 550's and many CB 750's over the years. This 1971 Honda CB500 is truly and odd duck. It's the first year Honda made the CB500 four and everything is different than say a CB550 four.... Forks internals are unlike anything I've seen. The mechanics to engage the clutch are unlike anything I've seen. Cam chain adjustment procedure involves the points and valves. There is only two fuses, and I think someone added the second one. I get constant suprises with it.

newday777 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2025, 08:56:31 PM »

Yes the CB500 K0 came with only 1 fuse, in a plastic tube case, #7.

https://www.southsoundhonda.com/--xpartsstream#/Honda_Powersports/CB500A_MOTORCYCLE%2c_JPN%2c_VIN%23_CB500-1000001/BATTERY_%2b_ELECTRIC_PLATE/5e74128b-4d61-4861-b38e-5a7c5a3bdfa9/554667e2-5ee9-4d88-883a-6ea36d5a9cdc/y

News:

Author Topic: Project (Read 1296 times)