Hi all. I have built up my very first custom cafe. A 1977 CB750K into a Cafe Racer. Next I will be doing a Board Track Racer replica. Contact me if you have $6-7K to burn & would like me to build you one. All mechanical work done by one of the best in the nation - Kurt form Valley Cycles. Write me if you have any questions about the services or parts I used. I can help you avoid certain pitfalls. Drop me a line if you are in Los Angeles.
BEFORE:
The strip begins...
Mocking up tank & tins pinstripe after paint:
Now the rebuild...
Reference image for the custom panel decal I had made. You can have this done by a graphic designer or sign maker for 1/2 the price that some custom shops will charge you for their flimsy, cheap-ass decals:
Finished look:
Get these from ebay or from Ace Cafe directly. No need to pay a fortune from some of the local custom speed shops:
Finished tank, seat & panels:
Almost there:
And the final product...
Custom tank decals were cheaper & better quality than buying stock:
$600 on your exhaust? Ouch! This sounded awesome for a fraction of the price:
Get your lights on ebay. You will pay less & look original:
Got all the alloy polishing done through ebay for 100's less than what a machine shop would cost:
Nice touch, not ridiculously pricey:
It is all about the details:
I paid 1/2 of what a speed shop would have charged for this custom seat cover by going straight to an Upholstery Shop. Se habla espanol:
I kept the old helmet:
This is a custom build 1977 Honda CB750K cafe racer with parts from Carpy & Benjie's Cafes, as well as engine work & tune-up & brake service by Kurt @ Valley Cycles. Carpy custom made the Dunstall tank & Rocket seat especially for this 1977 frame.
90% of this motorcycle was rebuilt, refinished, repainted or polished. I tore this whole bike apart bolt by bolt except for opening the engine. It ran very well before I started the rebuild and was advised by mechanics not to open the engine if it did not need it. Has over 30K miles prebuild. Has no performance enhancements to engine.
Here is a SHORT PARTIAL list of what was done or replaced to the bike:
- NEW ITALIAN RACE GRIPS
- NEW Cafe Norton Manx style mini Flyscreen in black
- NEW CAFE CHROME MIRRORS
- NEW BLACK CAFE BARS FROM CARPY
- PRO POLISHED brake CYLINDER & LEVERS & control switches.
- ALL NEW STAINLESS BRAIDED LINES & HOUSINGS OR BRAIDED COVERED
- POLISHED TRIPLE TREE TOP
- REPAINTED BLACK TREE BOTTOM
- REPLACED FORK TUBES, NEW OIL
- POLISHED FORK BOTTOMS
- NEW CHROME HEADLIGHT BRACKET,
- REPLACED & PROFESSIONALLY PAINTED BLACK HEADLIGHT BUCKET WITH DOUBLE SILVER PINSTRIPPING
-NEW NEEDLE BEARING HEADSET
- NEW CHROME GAUGE COVERS
- NEW CHROME HEADLIGHT VISOR
- ALL NEW STAINLESS BRAIDED BRAKELINE
- REPAINTED RED FRONT BRAKE CALIPER & BLACK BRACKET
- REPLACED & POWDERCOATED BLACK WHEELS WITH RED PINSTRIPPING & RED RIGHTSIDE HUB COVER
- REPLACED FRONT CHROME FENDER & ADDED BLACK FRONT PEDESTRIAN SLICER EURO LICENSE PLATE
- PRO DRILLED & RESURFACED FRONT BRAKE ROTOR
- NEW KENDA TIRES
- NEW FUEL PETCOCK
- NEW CUSTOM CARPY DUNSTAL TANK WITH CARPY CHECKERED DECALS, CUSTOM HONDA SILVER DECALS & PRO BLACK PAINT WITH DOUBLE SILVER PINSTRIPPING, ALUMINUM CARPY RACING GAS CAP
- NEW CUSTOM CARPY ROCKET SEAT WITH DOUBLE SILVER PINSTRIPPING, PRO BLACK PAINT, ACE CAFE DECAL AND NEW HOT ROD TAILLIGHT WITH PLATE LIGHT
- CUSTOM MADE LICENSE PLATE BRACKET
- CUSTOM UPHOLSTERED DIAMOND PLEATED SEAT WITH PERFORATED SEATING AREA AND RED PIPING
- PRO POLISHED REAR HUB/BRAKE COVER, RED ALLOY VALVE COVERS
- NEW BLACK SHOCKS & rubber bushings
- BLACK POWDERCOATED FRAME AFTER GRINDING OFF EXCESS TABS & POWDERCOATED SIDESTAND, REAR BRAKEPEDAL & KICKSHIFT & BRAKARM
- CHROME-LOOK SILVER POWDERCOATED SWINGARM & CENTERSTAND, NEW BRASS BUSHINGS & GREASEPORT.
- ALL NEW STAINLESS ALLEN BOLTS ON ENGINE
- Fairly NEW RECTIFIER & BATTERY
- NEW ELECTRICAL HARNESS
- ADDED FRAME MOUNT IGNITION BRACKET & NEW IGNITION LOCK
- NEW 630 0 RING CHAIN & NEW FRONT & REAR SPROCKETS, NEW REAR SPROCKET NUTS
- BLACK POWDERCOATED REAR SPROCKET GUARD
- BLACK POWDERCOATED CHAINGUARD
- NEW REAR ORIGINAL PASSENGER PEG RUBBERS
- NEW GEARSHIFT RUBBER
- NEW KICK STARTER RUBBER
- NEW REAR BRAKE SWITCH
- NEW BRAKE ROD NUTS & SPRING, REPAINTED BLACK BRAKE ROD
- NEW REAR AXLENUT & WASHERS
- USED CHROME FINNED POINTS & CLUTCH COVERS WITH GROOVES PAINTED BLACK
- ENGINE CLEANED & REPAINTED HIGH-TEMP SILVER
- ENGINE TOP END CLEANED & REPAINTED HIGH-TEMP FLAT BLACK
- USED CHROME VALVE COVER & NEW GASKET
- NEW GASKETS ON ALL ENGINE SIDE COVERS (POINTS, CLUTCH, ALTERNATOR, STARTER COVER)
- REPAINTED BLACK & SILVER PINSTRIPED STARTER COVER
- REPAIRED & REPAINTED ORIGINAL BLACK AIRBOX
- NEW AIRFILTER
- NEW OIL FILTER & ORINGS
- NEW OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ON SIDE OF ENGINE
- NEW BLACK PRO PAINTED SIDE COVERS WITH SILVER DOUBLE PINSTRIPING & CUSTOM MADE RED & SILVER CB750 LOGO DECALS
- CARBS WERE PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED & REBUILT BY KURT @ VALLEY CYCLES.
- NEW STAINLESS BRAIDED OIL LINES BY CARPY
- NEW RED FUEL LINES & RED ALLOY FUEL FILTER
- NEW BLACK MINI CAFE TURNING SIGNALS WITH CUSTOM MADE REAR BLACK BRACKETS
- REPAINTED 4 TO 1 Kerker EXHAUST & HEADERS IN HIGH-TEMP FLAT BLACK WITH USED CHROME EXHAUST TIP & BRAND NEW BLACK KERKER STREET BAFFLE.
- NEW FRONT & REAR BRAKE SHOES
