Topic: CB750K7 Nine Lives Cafe Racer - au revoir

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Billet bling has arrived.  My new GL1000 upper triple clamp from Dime City Cycles:





Good looking quality part.  Now I just have to wait for the clip-ons.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

More new bling.  My new Tarozzi high-rise clip-ons:

[Tsunami]

Hi Don, I finally got caught up on your post.  Seems we often think alike!  I got some new ideas from some of your finds in suppliers.  I still feel for you on some of the flakes out there doing motorcycle work and/or manufacturing. When my head came back from the machinist the work appears very good.  However on reassembly I found the 4 cam bearing studs they pulled to do the work were not returned.  No worries, I know their busy, just buy new ones.  Some weeks later I have found only 2 studs and not for love or money could I find the other two, even tried getting a similar stud from Kawi but theirs were discontinued as well.  Finally called Machinist back asking for my studs back, they called today and have found two for me for $10! oh well, so it goes.  Your project is looking fantastic, much further ahead than mine but I'm only in it for 7 months. LOL  I hope you are giving lots of thought to security systems so someone wont walk off with another cover, (the P***k) or the whole bike!  We will have to touch base on that one as I will be needing it as well.  You probably  came across them already but I was impressed with the quality and diversity of their products esp. their electrical stuff.  Just Google motogadget. What really gets me are some of the sites the show parts for sale that they don't have or cant get and let you know 3-4 or more days later! Arrrh.  Anyway keep up the good work the bike is fantastic! Greg

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hi Greg,

I've been following your build.  It's coming along great, especially for 7 months in.  I'm hoping to make some progress with the tank and front end in the next week.

[754]

How is your length on the forks, the flat tree..shortens the fork an inch or a bit more.. Got your note,  will try to fix you up..

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

From what I've heard from others who have done the GL1000 swap, the length of the GL forks is approximately 1.5 inches longer than the CB750 forks, so it should work out okay.

Thanks, Frank!!

[azuredesign]

Sorry, not a great photo, but the DCC tree works fine. My only concern is that I may have to relocate my oil cooler due to fork travel interference.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Sorry, not a great photo, but the DCC tree works fine. My only concern is that I may have to relocate my oil cooler due to fork travel interference.

Curious.  Why did you mount your Tarozzi clip-ons above the upper triple clamp? Since you used the riser clip-ons, I would think you could get away with mounting them under the clamp without putting that much weight on your wrist.  Of course, if you are able to normal bars, then mounting above would give you the same position.

[azuredesign]

I do not want to change my seating position on my bike too much. With a flat seat and no rear sets, I do not want too low a hand position. I did want a wide bar as I am using an 18 inch front wheel with a 110mm wide tire.
On the stock GL tree, I found the  handlebar risers too tall, and did not like the esthetic of the tubes protruding through the upper tree. I chose the Tarozzis over other clip-ons because of their adjustability. While I am not sure about the stability of the single bolt design, I figured I would have a chance to fool around with a bunch of configurations and find which was most comfortable. If I do decide to change my seat and pegs, I will probably mount the clips below the upper tree.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I've decided to go with a shorter than stock fork tube from Forking by Frank, since the GL fork tubes will otherwise stick out about 2".  Their price is decent, too. Since I am using the thicker DCC upper triple clamp, I decided on -1.5" tubes.

[azuredesign]

It is going to be interesting to see how and if handling is affected by a potentially shorter front end. You should be not too far from stock cb trail with the -1.5 inch length, especially if you are using a 19 inch front wheel and 90 or 100mm wide 90 aspect tire. However the extra width of the GL front end may increase turning effort.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I was trying to stick to stock geometry.  I am running a 19" front.  Now you got me thinking that I might just do a 1" under so I have a little room to play with.

[RustyOlive]

Intersting build.
Subscribed.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Intersting build.
Subscribed.

Thanks, Cam.  This is my more conventional build -- that's been taking FOREVER.  The one I have on tap (after) will graft an 07 CBR600RR front onto a CB750K2 frame.  I'm hoping that I am actually approaching the finish line with the K7 Nine Lives project.

My replacement tank is getting prepped for paint.  It had to undergo some patch repairs for rust and get knee dents pounded in.  It's now in the process of body fill, sealing, primer, masking, etc. before spraying color. 

I have ordered new GL1000 fork tubes from Forking by Frank, and my fork lowers are out for powdercoat.  I'm then rebuilding the forks with Race Tech progressive springs and emulators.  The front brakes are also awaiting parts to rebuild the GL1000 brakes.  By then, hopefully, the tank should be ready and the bike may be ready to be fired. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Yes!  My fork tubes just arrived from Forking by Frank.  Now, the forks can be reassembled. 

I had a set back with the paint again.  My painter was clearing the tank, when his compressor crapped out.  His back-up compressor had water in the line and f'd up the clear.  Now, he has to gently sand the clear (without screwing up the paint underneath) and re-shoot the clear coat.  Yet, another delay!   

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Good news.  All of the powder coating is complete, except for the ceramic coating for the exhaust, and it all looks great.  The front end is about to be assembled (awaiting Racetech parts) this week!

[Roach Carver]

Subscribed.

[blparker]

I am curious where you found your headers? I am on the hunt for this style and color combo

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

My bike was used to develop a Yoshimura replica 4-1 exhaust header.  The original version incorporated cross-over pipes to improve low and mid-range power.  It was a ceramic-coated stainless pipe.


My bike was used by the then builder to market his shop and exhaust pipes.  He still uses my bike to promote his business.  The builder attempted a 4-4 race style exhaust pipe and then developed a new generation 4-1 Yoshimura replica pipe.  The new gen pipe does not have cross-overs, is a two-piece pipe (with the break after the collector) and incorporates a spring-loaded mounting system.  It is NOT ceramic-coated.


No, the guy who developed these two pipes is not Carpy but they share the same fabricator who produces pipes for both.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Two steps forward, one step back:

The botched clear on the tank could not be salvaged without screwing up the paint underneath, so it got another shot of epoxy primer.  Paint is going on today and tomorrow, and it SHOULD be done Saturday.  For now, the knee dents look killer:

[Retro Rocket]

Yoshimura developed those pipes in the 70's, Chris Redpath was the guy that had them made for Carpy {originally}, Lossa engineering also have the same pipe. Chris just had an old design copied as it was a popular design, he also  makes better pipes for the 750's {and others} of his own design......

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Yoshimura developed those pipes in the 70's, Chris Redpath was the guy that had them made for Carpy {originally}, Lossa engineering also have the same pipe. Chris just had an old design copied as it was a popular design, he also  makes better pipes for the 750's {and others} of his own design......

The original Yoshimura pipes were hand bent and have a gentle curve, versus the newer replicas with sharper corners.  Yes, the "replica" was based on the original Yoshimura pipes developed in the 70's. 

Don at The Power Pros actually fabricates the replica exhaust pipes sold by all three vendors, and he fabricated the prototype of the replica pipe seen earlier in this thread, as well as the newer gen pipe.

[Retro Rocket]

Yoshimura developed those pipes in the 70's, Chris Redpath was the guy that had them made for Carpy {originally}, Lossa engineering also have the same pipe. Chris just had an old design copied as it was a popular design, he also  makes better pipes for the 750's {and others} of his own design......

The original Yoshimura pipes were hand bent and have a gentle curve, versus the newer replicas with sharper corners.  Yes, the "replica" was based on the original Yoshimura pipes developed in the 70's. 

Don at The Power Pros actually fabricates the replica exhaust pipes sold by all three vendors, and he fabricated the prototype of the replica pipe seen earlier in this thread, as well as the newer gen pipe.

There are more than one type of early Yoshi pipes, thats where you are getting confused, I have seen at least 4 incarnations of early Yoshi pipes and only one is the hand bent ones {race pipe}, that pipe we are discussing is a 1970's Yoshi designed pipe, I have one and its exactly the same as one i had from Yoshimura in the early 80's. Terry in Australia has a completely different Yoshi and someone here on this site has another..... So it's really not a prototype at all, its a replica or copy of another yoshi designed pipe....   Chris's latest pipe is a far better pipe....

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Yoshimura developed those pipes in the 70's, Chris Redpath was the guy that had them made for Carpy {originally}, Lossa engineering also have the same pipe. Chris just had an old design copied as it was a popular design, he also  makes better pipes for the 750's {and others} of his own design......

The original Yoshimura pipes were hand bent and have a gentle curve, versus the newer replicas with sharper corners.  Yes, the "replica" was based on the original Yoshimura pipes developed in the 70's. 

Don at The Power Pros actually fabricates the replica exhaust pipes sold by all three vendors, and he fabricated the prototype of the replica pipe seen earlier in this thread, as well as the newer gen pipe.

There are more than one type of early Yoshi pipes, thats where you are getting confused, I have seen at least 4 incarnations of early Yoshi pipes and only one is the hand bent ones {race pipe}, that pipe we are discussing is a 1970's Yoshi designed pipe, I have one and its exactly the same as one i had from Yoshimura in the early 80's. Terry in Australia has a completely different Yoshi and someone here on this site has another..... So it's really not a prototype at all, its a replica or copy of another yoshi designed pipe....   Chris's latest pipe is a far better pipe....

Both of my pipes (the initial pipe with cross-overs and the latter two-piece pipe) were designed by CR.  Of course, if you want to split hairs, you could also say Yoshimura "developed" the pipe, and everyone else has knocked it off.  I called the first one a "prototype" of a replica Yoshimura 4-1, because it was the first CB750 pipe CR had made to replicate the vintage design developed by Pops Yoshimura.  I like certain design elements of both of the pipes my bike has worn. 

[Retro Rocket]

Yeah, I have spoken to Chris a few times about pipes, through a forum member, on this forum  and recently by email. What i was saying though was, the headers, even though they aren't the hand bent design, still copy another Yoshi design, I've owned that style of pipe a long time ago. Sometimes i find it hard to get a point across typing, its still quite foreign to me and can be very frustrating..... Maybe i should have taken typing at school....   The pipe could still be i,proved in my opinion, where the headers go under the engine don't sit as tight as the original pipes from Yoshimura...