Author Topic: Cafe 836 - first build... first bike... (Read 27262 times)

mrosso · « **Reply #25 on:** June 09, 2009, 09:46:42 PM »

NOS top tree from eBay

.
Girthy lower Al tree and stem from ttr400 in South Africa.

Swingarm needle bearing kit from ebay (lots of pro/con debates on this one). Also added a grease zerk in the middle of the swingarm pivot and tapped both ends of the swingarm bolt and added new zerks there too.

Beans · « **Reply #26 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:02:59 AM »

Looks good might just have to do a cafe build after my bobber build.

sangyo soichiro · « **Reply #27 on:** June 10, 2009, 03:20:54 PM »

Quote from: mrosso on June 09, 2009, 07:39:19 PM

Quote from: soichiro on June 09, 2009, 11:15:41 AM
You and I have the same seat.

Hey there, Soichiro-san,
Did you have any problems fitting the seat on your bike? I'm having a #$%* of a time. The seat is a good 1/2 to 1" too narrow to fit correctly with the stock seat latch and hinges. Check this out...

Yes. I have the same problem. I'm not very happy with Airtech. And it looks like they don't care to fix the problem.

I force mine down, and surprisingly it hasn't cracked. But you and I both have a rear fender. This makes the problem worse because the seat rubs the paint off one side of the fender. It does this because it is forced toward the left side in order to latch. You'll also need some kind of support for under the front left of the seat, between the seat and the frame. I used a rubber stopper I got from a hardware store.

I just recently took off my rear fender. Just toying with the idea of lightening the bike up. With the fender gone, I don't have to worry about rubbing off paint.

I have a gripe with the way Airtech does business. But the only gripe I have with the seat itself is that it doesn't fit. (That, and the 'upholstery pan' is worthless.) Other than that, it's not a bad seat... just wish they'd make one that actually fit.

If you have the original seat (and especially if it's in bad shape (don't want to ruin a good seat...)), maybe try to make your own out of it. Carpy (cb750cafe.com) has a bike that looks really sharp and uses the original seat pan. He calls it the "Tornado." I normally don't like cafe seats made from the original seat, but that one looks really good.

Whatever you decide, whether it's keeping the Airtech seat, making one out of the original pan, or going with a different seat, just hold off on mounting the tail light until you've made up your mind.

Good luck.

mrosso · « **Reply #28 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:32:33 PM »

Thanks, Soichiro.
Great suggestions. I'm pretty bent about the poor fit of the Airtech seat too. I was going to try some of nippon's suggestions of drilling larger holes or bending the brackets, but the both the brackets and the latch are flush against the seat sides - there would be no room regardless of how big the holes are, and I can't bend the latches because the edge of the pan interferes. I was thinking about cutting holes in the sides of the seat where the latches are and then pushing them out farther beyond the seat edge. This causes a bunch of other problems though. Keep me posted on how yours turns out.

mrosso · « **Reply #29 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:36:05 PM »

New Progressive Suspension 12 series shocks.
.

mrosso · « **Reply #30 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:47:04 PM »

Picked up front forks at APF Motorcycle Salvage in Fresno. They said '74 CB750, but I think they are F series forks. The internals seem to match up with the 'F' parts fische and not any 'K' models. BTW - how are CB750F forks compared to the K's?

Installed new Progressive Suspension progressive fork springs and fresh ATF fluid (I think it was 270cc's).

Mocking up with a set of clubman bars

cafe2be · « **Reply #31 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:53:32 PM »

great build so far, looking forward to seeing the rest.

Re: Airtech. CRAP!!! all around crap. they forgot about my order and finally got the seat 8 weeks later, rather than the 2 they told me. The seat pan on my is crap as well. I just hacked the hell out of it and changing the look of the seat pan. Good luck!

mrosso · « **Reply #32 on:** June 11, 2009, 02:20:49 PM »

Powder coated battery box with Electrex regulator/rectifier combo, cyclex starter solenoid, and automotive fuse box.

Now I need to find a way to mount my Dyna 2000 ignition "brain" module. Anyone have any ideas?

sangyo soichiro · « **Reply #33 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:08:48 PM »

Lookin' good.

Looks like you're keeping the side covers. By chance did you get Meier side covers? I'm guessing Meier brand because they use the screw in grommet thingys, and I see them in your grommets. If so, you may have to do some cutting and filing on the side covers. With my cafe build, the only products that I wasn't completely happy with were the Airtech seat and the Meier side covers. In the end, they turned out all right, but I just wish these two manufacturers payed more attention to detail.

I can't wait to see this bike when it's done. I'm going to be especially interested in your engine, because I plan to go to 836cc myself over the winter.

mrosso · « **Reply #34 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:19:30 PM »

Quote from: soichiro on June 11, 2009, 06:08:48 PM

Lookin' good.

Looks like you're keeping the side covers. By chance did you get Meier side covers? I'm guessing Meier brand because they use the screw in grommet thingys, and I see them in your grommets. If so, you may have to do some cutting and filing on the side covers. With my cafe build, the only products that I wasn't completely happy with were the Airtech seat and the Meier side covers. In the end, they turned out all right, but I just wish these two manufacturers payed more attention to detail.

I can't wait to see this bike when it's done. I'm going to be especially interested in your engine, because I plan to go to 836cc myself over the winter.

Thanks Soichiro,
Yes, those are the same side covers. Cheap, but the originals were pretty banged up. I'll post some engine pics next. I'm moving into the 2009 part of the project now...

MCRider · « **Reply #35 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:32:34 PM »

Really like that lower tree. What is "ttr400"? link? Grabbing those skinny tubes with more authority is almost as good, maybe as good as using thicker tubes, like a GL. Put a fork brace on the lower legs and that will be a very stiff combo. Nice look.

mrosso · « **Reply #36 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:42:42 PM »

Kevin's site is http://www.ttr400.com/index.html. There is a US distributor, but I don't think they have CB750 stuff. I contacted them directly and had the bottom tree made to order. Good folks.

voxonda · « **Reply #37 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:44:41 PM »

Kevin at www.ttr400.com makes some very nice pieces. I use the bottom tree of a CB900FZ which used also 35 mm legs but with a handsome aluminium tree.

Rob

mrosso · « **Reply #38 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:54:09 PM »

The next stage of the build starts in Spring 2009. With 2+ years since original donor bike purchase, most of these months have been spent reading everything I could find on building/restoring the Honda CB750 - most of the info from this forum. I've also been accumulating parts over the past couple years.

Here is some first pics of the crankcase halves. These came from ebay. They're supposed to be from a '76, but I need to remember to write down the serial number to find out exactly.

Stripped, cleaned, and painted with VHT silver.

Major f-up #2: Tried to cure the case paint in the BBQ (girlfriend wasn't too keen on curing paint in the oven).

Doh! The case halves came out a nice golden hue. It actually was very even and looked ok, but not the color I was going for. The pic above is before curing.

nippon · « **Reply #39 on:** June 12, 2009, 01:03:16 AM »

If the VHT pain fade to gold, you cured it too hot.
If you do not like the color, spray a new layer of the paint.
An alternative way to cure the paint on the case is during the first ride with your bike.
It will smell a little bit for a few hours.
But until you did not cure the paint, it will not be gas and oil resistant.
So, if you do it this way, be careful with dropping gas on the case during installation and first engine start.
I put a piece of cloth under the carbs before the first engine start in order to avoid this.
Paint holds up perfectly.

nippon

mrosso · « **Reply #40 on:** June 12, 2009, 07:05:06 AM »

Thanks nippon, great idea. I should have consulted you before I went through all the steps. What I did end up doing was:

1.) Tried to strip cases again, but after a few passes with aircraft stripper and brushes gave up. I didn't want to go through the same laborious processes again to clean the cases up.

2.) Bit the bullet and took the case halves back to Capp's Powder Coating in Fresno (highly recommended, btw) and had them bead-blasted. I say "back" because I had them soda blast the stripped case halves before I BBQ'd the engine.

3.) Righteous cleaning including multiple trips through the dishwasher.

4.) Re-painted with VHT silver.

5.) Cured paint in girlfrend's oven (she felt bad after the engine came out of the BBQ golden brown and delicious).

Here's the result:

sangyo soichiro · « **Reply #41 on:** June 12, 2009, 11:40:13 AM »

Regarding curing paint:

I'm not sure how this compares to other ways, but here's what I did.
I have an old car sitting outside in the sun. On a hot summer day, the temperature in that car gets pretty darn high.

I tried to paint my parts early in the day, and then let them cook in that car for the rest of the day. Seemed to work out pretty good. Out of curiosity, I put a thermometer in the car and kept an eye on it. The temperature went up to about 125º F. That's pretty hot.

How long did you leave the parts in the oven? Just curious, in case I ever try it.

Beans · « **Reply #42 on:** June 12, 2009, 02:11:59 PM »

Quote from: mrosso on June 11, 2009, 10:42:42 PM

Kevin's site is http://www.ttr400.com/index.html. There is a US distributor, but I don't think they have CB750 stuff. I contacted them directly and had the bottom tree made to order. Good folks.

their stuff looks awesome might have to order some stuff from them.

mrosso · « **Reply #43 on:** June 12, 2009, 03:00:25 PM »

Quote from: soichiro on June 12, 2009, 11:40:13 AM

Regarding curing paint:

I'm not sure how this compares to other ways, but here's what I did.
I have an old car sitting outside in the sun. On a hot summer day, the temperature in that car gets pretty darn high.

I tried to paint my parts early in the day, and then let them cook in that car for the rest of the day. Seemed to work out pretty good. Out of curiosity, I put a thermometer in the car and kept an eye on it. The temperature went up to about 125º F. That's pretty hot.

How long did you leave the parts in the oven? Just curious, in case I ever try it.

I let it cure for about an hour at 200F.

mystic_1 · « **Reply #44 on:** June 12, 2009, 05:20:47 PM »

Quote from: mrosso on June 12, 2009, 07:05:06 AM

Here's the result:

Dayum, that looks so nice, the pictures deserve to be posted twice

mystic_1

mrosso · « **Reply #45 on:** June 12, 2009, 05:44:20 PM »

Replaced all bearings in the bottom-end, including the needle bearings inside the primary drive sprocket.

Here was the first tranny part to go into the case: drive shaft and bearing.

mystic_1 · « **Reply #46 on:** June 12, 2009, 05:52:30 PM »

Quote from: mrosso on June 12, 2009, 05:44:20 PM

Replaced all bearings in the bottom-end, including the needle bearings inside the primary drive sprocket.

Where'd you get the needle bearings? Honda have them?

mystic_1

mrosso · « **Reply #47 on:** June 13, 2009, 02:48:27 PM »

Quote from: mystic_1 on June 12, 2009, 05:52:30 PM

Quote from: mrosso on June 12, 2009, 05:44:20 PM
Replaced all bearings in the bottom-end, including the needle bearings inside the primary drive sprocket.

Where'd you get the needle bearings? Honda have them?

mystic_1

Yes, mystic_1, I ordered them from Honda. Went through my local dealer (Clawson Motorsports). I almost screwed that one up good. I thought I'd save a couple bucks and order some Ina bearings from McMaster Carr. The bearing numbers were he same except for a couple characters in the suffix. Thank God I double-checked everything. I found out that the bearings I purchased were actually "clutches" - needle bearings that only alow movent in one direction, or something like that. I bought about 1/2 the bearings from Honda or the Japanese Yamiya site (I think you turned me onto that one). The rest are standard ball bearings like SKA and Ina.

mrosso · « **Reply #48 on:** June 13, 2009, 02:53:40 PM »

More transmission build pics.

mrosso · « **Reply #49 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:25:07 PM »

More transmission build pics - Memorial Day Weekend 2009.

New primary chain tensioner

News:

Author Topic: Cafe 836 - first build... first bike... (Read 27262 times)