Author Topic: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)  (Read 3376 times)

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Yak

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dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« on: October 29, 2009, 10:55:57 AM »
Well, as some of you know sheik yerbouti and i have started a cafe project on a '78 CB750. We have been working out of my garage which is slowly being transformed into a shop (which is fine by me ;D). My love of anything with an engine caused me to fall pretty hard for the Cb's, and i knew i had to start a project for myself. I started looking about two months ago, trolling craigslist for local sellers of sohc cb 750's. There were several bikes, most of which deserved a resto project, not a cafe teardown. (not to mention the asking price was a bit high), so i had to pass.

Last week i found another bike for sale in the area, low and behold, a running '78 cb750, for $600. I went up and took a look at the bike on monday with my buddy (sheik), and met the seller (The guy is pretty damn genuine if you ask me, and we got to talking about all the bikes he has owned, nice guy). He flipped the starter, cold first try, fired up. The kickstart also works like a dream. The bike as it stands is a bit of an eyesore, but its brilliant for what i want to do, so i bit. I'm going to pick it up in a few hours (yeah, i'm posting from work) and bring it home. I guess the beauty of working on two '78's is that any problem we come across, we can apply the solution to the other bike if necessary.

In either case, this is the first post in my build, which will coincide with Sheik's thread. I plan on taking plenty of pictures and staying well documented, let's hope that lasts and i don't get ahead of myself. I've been pretty quiet with posting until now, i just read and soak up the information and process it before i blurt something out and make myself look like an idiot. But i know the majority of you guys on here are pretty dang helpful and cool.

If all goes as planned i should have some pictures posted later tonight.

Offline moham

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2009, 05:27:47 PM »
Is this a k8, like sheik, or an f?
78 750K-The Ocho
74 550-The Cherry Picker
70 750K0 motor-Dick in a Box

Offline Sheik Yerbouti

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2009, 06:28:32 PM »
It's a K8. The guy Yak's buying it from was a great guy, a true gearhead. The mechanical upkeep on the bike is leaps better than what I started with.

Offline KB02

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2009, 04:52:12 AM »
Need pics!!!   ;D ;D  ;D
1978 CB750K Project
2000 Ducati ST2
...and a pedal bike

Join the AMA today!!

My project thread Part I: K8 Project "Parts Bike"
My project thread Part II: Finishing (yeah, right) touches on Project "Parts Bike"

Yak

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2009, 05:40:00 AM »
Something came up and i was unable to pick it up last night, Saturday morning is the new day, which will give me all day to start cleaning and tinkering  ;D

Yak

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2009, 06:18:18 PM »
Alright, picked up the bike this afternoon and immediately grabbed the camera and took pictures.

























A few other shots as well as these: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yakinvasion/

I also have some extra parts in a bucket. the turn signals and instrument cluster and some other odds and ends.

It has a small oil leek but i'm pretty sure it is just a gasket that needs to be replaced. I'm probably going to spend the rest of my evening in the garage starting to tinker.

I'm satisfied for $600.

Offline andy750

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2009, 06:25:40 PM »
Wow great deal and looks like a very good bike! Looking forward to see what you come up with.

good luck
Andy
Current bikes
1. CB750K4: Long distance bike, 17 countries and counting...2001 - Trans-USA-Mexico, 2003 - European Tour, 2004 - SOHC Easy Rider Trip , 2008 - Adirondack Tour 2-up , 2013 - Tail of the Dragon Tour , 2017: 836 kit install and bottom end rebuild. And rebirth: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173213.msg2029836.html#msg2029836
2. CB750/810cc K2  - road racer with JMR worked head 71 hp
3. Yamaha Tenere T700 2022

Where did you go on your bike today? - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=45183.2350

Offline Sheik Yerbouti

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2009, 07:00:12 PM »
It was awesome to sit on the bike with it actually running. Blew my mind. My bike...doesn't do that yet.

Offline bucky katt

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2009, 07:20:01 AM »
sweet looking k8! is that an RC header on it?
Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.
Mark Twain - Notebook, 1894

Yak

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Re: dueling '78's (CB 750 cafe build)
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2009, 03:14:04 PM »
Its been too long since i posted. Work began to get busy and the garage was put on the back burner. I will post pictures once the garage is cleaned up a bit more and organized, and i shall load the pictures from the tear down.

As it stands, i have a rolling frame, the engine is out and still intact. The carbs have been dipped and cleaned, most of the parts have been buffed and polished, my goal is to get the as close to a mirror shine as possible, so we'll see how that goes, 3 of the four carb bodies are near a mirror finish, but not perfect. Once i finish planning out what i want to do with the front a rear suspension, i will sandblast and re powder the frame.

My engine is unfortunately poorly painted black, which will all need to be stripped, polished and coated.

First line of work is to finish polishing the carbs, rebuild them and set aside, then i'll crack into the engine.

unfortunately i lost my build partner, sheik, for the next six months or so,  who had to return to his hometown for personal reasons.

Expect a picture update within the next 24 hours. Its vacation time, which means its bike time. i want to try as hard as i can to have it finished by the next riding season.