Topic: Phaedrus: CB750 RestoMod - Update: 09/23/21 w/ new video

[MCRider]

I just want to say that this kind of level of attention to detail is how I think ALL personalized bikes should be treated to. Excellent work!

Thanks! But I'll just say it depends on where one is in life. Not everyone can or should obssess the details I'm doing. I have other things to ride, don't ride as much as I used to, and I've been working on this in my head for years. Its a major life event.   

[Really?]

Hey Ron, I gotta question for ya.  I pop in once in a while to see your progress, 'specially when it says "New Pics" in the subject line.  So, if I missed the answer to my question in your thread, I apologize.

Here it is.  Have you resolved the speedo gearing issue with regards to the 17" front wheel you will be mounting?

[MCRider]

Hey Ron, I gotta question for ya.  I pop in once in a while to see your progress, 'specially when it says "New Pics" in the subject line.  So, if I missed the answer to my question in your thread, I apologize.

Here it is.  Have you resolved the speedo gearing issue with regards to the 17" front wheel you will be mounting?

No I have not. Several people (you?) offered suggestions and links to converters so I figured I'd cross that bridge when i came to it. In the past i ran for along time with a broken speedo and didn't miss it. I was thinking I need new faces anyway. I'd mount the old speedo, mark my speed with a GPS or run beside a good bike, then have a recalibrated fdace made. Won't help the odometer though, and I would like for that to be accurate.

If I weren't particular about using original gauges I could use a new digital clusters that would be perfect for a cafe racer or such. I might still break down and do that, but that violates my theme...

Suggestions?

[HavocTurbo]

Find a Honda 17 rim speedo unit and either use that or see if the internals transfer over.

You're using excel rims yes?

[MCRider]

Hey Ron, I gotta question for ya.  I pop in once in a while to see your progress, 'specially when it says "New Pics" in the subject line.  So, if I missed the answer to my question in your thread, I apologize.

Here it is.  Have you resolved the speedo gearing issue with regards to the 17" front wheel you will be mounting?

Ooh too much work Havoc   .  Some things I just have to farm out.

I just called a place that rebuilt my 1968 Superhawk Speedo/Tach assembly and ran it by them. They can recalibrate the CB750 speedo only, but not the odometer. So that's one option.

Or they can put an inline ratio converter in the speedo cable. That will fix both the Speedo and Odo. So there's my second and most likely option. He recited to me over the phone essentially what this link refers to and that they would build it for me.

http://www.speedometershop.com/ratio.html

Since I'm hoping to do an occasional rally style event I need an accurate Odo. But for money sake, I could just have the Speedo recalibrated and use a handlebar mounted GPS for the Odo. Would be good for the rally anyway.

All my FJR and sport touring buddies use handlebar, pod mounted GPS units. They are transferrable from bike to bike, so that's a high likelyhood option for the Odo part.
"Foreign Speedo" in San Diego.  [1] 619-298-5278

[HavocTurbo]

Chicken 

Does it really matter for the odo? I mean you have done a motor rebuild right? And as it looks I don't think you are going to sell it anytime soon.

The inline ratio converter seems pretty sweet. We used to do wheel swaps all the time between brands and used the stock speedo for that particular wheel. Then it was a question of making sure the cables were the same. Sometimes a relative quick wit would be required to get it right.

[MCRider]

Chicken  

Does it really matter for the odo? I mean you have done a motor rebuild right? And as it looks I don't think you are going to sell it anytime soon.

The inline ratio converter seems pretty sweet.

snip

For the Odo, these "rally" type events give a sheet where it say go 4 miles turn right, go 11.4 miles turn left and so on. So that's what i want the odo for. Other than that i don't care.

And that's why the GPS may be the way to go. Its more accurate than an Odo could ever be, for both speed and miles.

The inline converter would be really neat, seamless. A little pricey, but would leave the handlebars free of clutter.  I could have the Odo reset to 0. Tha'd be cool.

In Indiana BMV doesn't care on old vehicles as long as you swear you know its inaccurate. They tag the title too re: the mileage reading is NG.

I have options that's the main thing, I'll decide later. The old nasty Speedo head will be going on first to fill the space.

[MCRider]

Update on the inner fender crack. THe MEK seems to mend the edges of the crack to each other. So that's good, and likely useable.

But I shaved off some bits of the IF into a container of MEK and it simply didn't touch them, at least in an hour, they are still hard chips. So that makes me suspicious of the mend.

Autozone has a "plastic weld" kit I am tempted to buy. My mend with MEK seems to be good enough to use, but not the "8" on the 1 to 10 scale I'm looking for.

Positive points to share follow. The crack was old and hardened, the edges were no longer on the same plane. I used a hair dryer for about an hour and that really softened it up. So that's something to keep in mind. But as the heat was withdrawn, within a few hours the "memory" effect of the material would return the crack to near, but not complete, pre-heat condition.  So heat should be on the list to help soften hardened rubber, within limits.

In a thread about carb intake manifolds, the use of diesel fuel to soften the boots was considered. Parts cleaner is close to diesel, so I doused the inner fender in the parts cleaner several times over a few days. It really softened up. The edges of the crack came into alignment and have not drifted back. Likely it may return to pre-soak condition if allowed to dry out, but I think that's a much more long term thing than the heat was.

Just for the forum's info.

[MCRider]

Well, I put a little twist to the inner fender repair and it separated easily. After seeing that the MEK didn't touch the shavings I put out in a dish covered with MEK, it became suspicious that the repair wouldn't hold and sho nuff...

That inner fender is tough stuff. Must not be ABS. I bot the Goop cement mentioned once by someone else in these discussions, and the Plastic Weld kit, both from AutoZone. They both say not good for polypropylene. Hmmm.

Hope to take a stab at it tomorrow. The foreigner of unknown ethnicity at Autozone told me to "mis it up real good, its a permanent bond" though I could hardly make out what he said. He was real intent on making me understand. I guess he liked the stuff.

I'm soaking it a little in parts solvent to soften it up even more.

[Really?]

I have used the permatex stuff at AutoZone (pink/purplish packing) for ABS on my other bike.  That with some fiberglass sheet is some tough stuff.  That never breaks for me, is is just the rest of the weather beaten plastic that does.  Then I get to do it again and again and...

[MCRider]

I have used the permatex stuff at AutoZone (pink/purplish packing) for ABS on my other bike.  That with some fiberglass sheet is some tough stuff.  That never breaks for me, is is just the rest of the weather beaten plastic that does.  Then I get to do it again and again and...

That would probably be good and all.

I'm hung up on the "welding" idea. A merger of the existing material into a stronger mend than the material itself.

[MCRider]

Thank goodness I'm not crazy after all. The reason I haven't been able to repair the inner fender is that...ta da!  it's not repairable!

after much reading I began to realize it is made out of something really tough, like polypropylene, which apparently does not lend itself to repair, chemical or heat type welding.

I got hold of a pro, Owen Ford at   http://expertplasticwelding.com  and he confirmed it, polypropylene. unfixable. He described my part to me as though he had one in his hand. Hard, black, glossy finish, etc. Best I can determine Honda and others use it for inner fenders as it is so close to the battery acid. And road debris. Virtually indestructible, except when its destructed. Then its unfixable.

He actually said he could "weld" it, but it wouldn't hold, it would be ugly, and I woldn't like the result. Nice he was honest about it.

He did say that on some dirt bikes, he would drill a series of small holes on either side of the wound and stitch it up with stainless safety wire.

So now i get to decide to leave it, stitch it, or look for a new one. There is an OEM on eBay for $75.

So the MEK, even the PVC and ABS glue type mends would likely work on anything except an inner fender. Maybe even the airplane glue.

So those of you with good ones, take care of them. Soak them in your favorite conditioner to keep them soft and pliable. Parts solvent (diesel) is doing wonders for mine. Though it still has a crack.

[MCRider]

This is likely my last post till 7-9-09. Going to sunny San Fran by way of Charlotte NC. I guess the airlines realized they can't get there from here and we have to go east first.  

Actually, it was our choice, cheaper tickets.

Blew all my time budget on the inner fender, but we all learned something today, didn't we class?

[mystic_1]

Have a good time in SF Ron, and hope you have a fun and safe holiday.

cheers
mystic_1

[HavocTurbo]

Hope you enjoy SF.

If you are looking at the same inner that I was it seems in pretty good condition.

We used to use black zip ties to repair some mud guard cracks until we could get a replacement. But wire seems easier to hide with some black paint.

[MCRider]

Hope you enjoy SF.

If you are looking at the same inner that I was it seems in pretty good condition.

We used to use black zip ties to repair some mud guard cracks until we could get a replacement. But wire seems easier to hide with some black paint.

Thanks, HT and Mystic, should be a good time. Wine in Sonoma and Napa!

If you're looking at the same one I am, it has a crack. Virtually all used have something wrong.  I emailed the seller.  I may have a line on a NOS for $40. Fingers crossed.

A nice wire stitch would be cool as a DIY repair. Draw it tight with heat and safety wire pliars. Hadn't thought of painting it.  The problem with this crack is it lays right under the 3 tabs on the frame that hold it in place. The wires would be into the tabs and powdercoating.

[HavocTurbo]

Buy a can of that rubberized undercoating. To avoid the scratches.

[Ecosse]

have a good time in frisco mc. 

[Really?]

$40 for NOS Beats Carpy's in price.

http://www.cb750cafe.com/parts.php?id=15

[MCRider]

$40 for NOS Beats Carpy's in price.

http://www.cb750cafe.com/parts.php?id=15

Wow, that's actually not too bad of a deal. Carpy always gets me, great showman. "5 times stronger"? That's hard to believe the stock piece is pretty tough. And the real toughness is resistance to battery acid and road debris.

nevertheless that wouldn't keep me from buying Carpy's if i was so inclined.

The NOS I'm onto is from dealer close out stock, as they are not available from Honda, according to Bike Bandit fiche.

[HavocTurbo]

Did you actually call Honda?

It's a long shot but if you have a close relationship with your local dealer they can call corporate for you to see if there are any lying around.

Total long shot though. It's worked for me about once every million tries.

[MCRider]

I'll try that if it gets that far. Thanks.

[Ecosse]

aren't you gonna be late for your flight? 

[MCRider]

aren't you gonna be late for your flight? 

Tee Hee.

Its leaves at 2:30 in the freakin morning!  I just wanted to get my goodbyes out of the way.

Then I could go back to business as usual.   

[Ecosse]

aren't you gonna be late for your flight? 

Tee Hee.

Its leaves at 2:30 in the freakin morning!  I just wanted to get my goodbyes out of the way.

Then I could go back to business as usual.   

judging by this build you'd think i'd figure out you like to plan ahead.