Author Topic: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!  (Read 109589 times)

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Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #100 on: May 26, 2010, 08:06:00 am »
Alrighty, I feel like I owe you guys some wrap up pics.  I'll get a vid soon, too, in case anyone is interseted.


No recent build updates . . .  because I've been riding!  Finally.




Still tweaking things here and there.  I'll be building oil tank version 3.0 before long -- still not totally happy with it.  I need access to a better welder, though.




Longer rear shocks means she leans over a lot more when on the sidestand.




Good stuff.

Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline Zaipai

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #101 on: May 26, 2010, 11:56:06 am »
Very nice.. I can see why you would be busy riding it around..

Nice work.. Great colors..

.: Scott :.
Its my Avatar..

75 CB550F  | 


Offline Little_Horse

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #102 on: May 26, 2010, 03:59:41 pm »
looks great I like the shot at the back.
"Little Horse Cycles" facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Horse-Cycles/185809474769493

LHC is my start up cafe racer shop specializing in custom parts, bikes, restoration and recreation

The 500 builds http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=64250.0

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #103 on: May 27, 2010, 12:30:47 pm »
Thanks and thanks!

This forum is like my support group.  After taking so long with this build and all the work that went into it, some of my friends look at me like I'm insane when they see how amp'd up I am about doing another build already.  But in this little corner of the internet, this personal oasis of petrol-burning, two-wheeled, grease-smeared, dirt-under-the-fingernails bliss . . . you, my brothers, understand perfectly.

Cheers!

--chris
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline Industrial Cafe

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #104 on: May 28, 2010, 12:20:49 pm »
love it.
   hows the clearance in the back?
does it hit?
everything I say is pure speculation and
I have no idea what I'm talking about  ._.


                                    Marla              .:71CB750:.CAFE

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #105 on: May 29, 2010, 12:22:42 pm »
love it.
   hows the clearance in the back?
does it hit?

Hey man, thanks for the tips a while back!  I really dig the tread on those boardtracker tires.

I ended up with shocks that ~1" longer.  I don't have any clearance issues, but the shocks I sourced are sprung almost too stiff.  I'm still thinking of how I might fix this with a low-buck solution - trying not to blow too much more money  ;D

Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline tgtint

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #106 on: May 29, 2010, 01:12:21 pm »
Really clean build, I dig the seat a lot more than I thought I would.. the pattern is killer too
1973 CB750

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #107 on: June 01, 2010, 10:50:49 am »
Really clean build, I dig the seat a lot more than I thought I would.. the pattern is killer too

Thanks, man!

It's funny.  I saw the seat in my mind, I sketched it up, procured the materials, got to an understanding with the upholstery shop . . . .  but when I finally saw the finished product in person, I wasn't sure what to think.  It was what I'd asked for, but it was so crazy seeing it in front of me.  At the end of the day, I love it.  The next one I'll do a little differently (there's always room to improve a design, right?  ;D ), but this one works.
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline greasy j

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #108 on: June 06, 2010, 12:44:48 pm »
hey, can you explain a little how you made your seat pan? I'm thinkin about doing one similair, a lil shorter with a bit of a duck bill in the back maybe. but I would like to see how yours bolts on, what material you used, etc. I also like how yours sits right on the frame rails. thanks.

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #109 on: June 07, 2010, 07:59:25 am »
hey, can you explain a little how you made your seat pan? I'm thinkin about doing one similair, a lil shorter with a bit of a duck bill in the back maybe. but I would like to see how yours bolts on, what material you used, etc. I also like how yours sits right on the frame rails. thanks.

I don't have any great pictures explicitly showing this, but here goes  ;D . . . .

I was set on keeping my CB750 2-up.  This is what I came up with:









My seat pan is 1/2" water-resistant hardwood plywood.  The foam is a medium-firm density, closed cell.  The seat pan slips beneath the gas tank, on each side of the gas tank rubber.  The pan has (4) permanantly mounted studs that then slide down into tube-shaped bosses (you can see two of them in the last photo, on the frame ahead of the tire).  From there, (4) knurled brass thumb screws (nuts) hold it in place.

Cheers!  There's a million ways to skin this cat - just figure out your top (3) priorities and move forward from there.
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline greasy j

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #110 on: June 07, 2010, 11:28:13 am »
thanks for the help. I think I'm keeping the rear fender, a bit of it at least. so I'm wondering how I should do this. it's going to go up in the back, not lay flat like yours, I'm thinking fiberglass is the obvious choice for the seat pan, but I need to figure out how to mount, whether to use the hinges, brackets. whether it should go over the frame rails or right on them like yours.

and whether or not I should cut the frame. might weld on a loop. but it would need to slant up for mounting the fender.

thanks for your input. also, is your seat cover removable? it might be too late, but...

I am a painter- bikes, houses, etc.. there is a product that I use for restoring wood with rot issues or preserving new wood. it is a couple epoxy type of products, one is a penetrant to kind of petrify the wood, the other a filler. both are 2 part. the penetrant soaks into wood, the wood will suck it up until it's full of it, then you let it dry. after this it is as durable as plastic. it will never rot and never absorb any moisture. I thought it would work well on your seat pan.

the filler is awesome. it can be used to fix fiberglass, wood, concrete. you could build a seat pan out of it. I actually thought about it. but it's around $200 for 2- 1/2 gal buckets(part a&b) of the filler. the penetrant is only $30, though. and it would make your seat pan last a lot longer. if you have a good paint store by your house they might carry it. mine does but the mark up is a lot.

it's called restor-it, here's a link:
http://www.restor-it.com/

this place sells it, I just bought some from them for a job I'm doing:
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/google/custom.htm?vp=91164
this one would prob be enough-
2-Pt Kit Restor-It Clear Penet Epxy (Mfg No. CPES-8COLD)
IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT      SO-132539         $28.34 US    

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #111 on: June 09, 2010, 08:01:46 am »
Greasy!  Thanks for all the tips and info.

I think you're on the right track with the angled-up frame hoop.  I was planning to angle mine.  After some mocking up, I thought I figured out how to make it work witout angling.  Only to find that the rear tire would rub when I hit decent sized bumps or even small bumps with a passenger -- too bad I didn't find this before the frame was powdercoated  :-\  Longer shocks fixed me up, but still not ideal.

When designing mine, I went back and forth about whether to sit it directly on the top frame rails or to allow it to wrap over the sides of the frame.  I collected tons of pics of bikes that inspired me and started noticing a pattern -- I like the above-frame look  ;D

Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline greasy j

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #112 on: June 09, 2010, 01:16:54 pm »
well, I think it looks great.

Offline HedNut

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #113 on: June 14, 2010, 11:50:15 am »
Wow man!  Architect!  Excellent build...great job!! I wish I was following this for a while...just came upon it now.
There's so much I love about it!!  You have excellent tastes!
Cheers!   Good to hear you're riding it!!!

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #114 on: June 14, 2010, 03:16:34 pm »
Wow man!  Architect!  Excellent build...great job!! I wish I was following this for a while...just came upon it now.
There's so much I love about it!!  You have excellent tastes!
Cheers!   Good to hear you're riding it!!!

Thanks, friend!  I've been keeping tabs on your progress -- great stuff, and you're such a great contributor to the forum.  I love this place  ;D
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline HedNut

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #115 on: June 25, 2010, 04:42:16 am »
Thank YOU!  documenting your build lends many lessons and great inspiration for people on the forums! Including myself!...and the random visitors. YOU are a great contributor to the forum.  This place is awesome!! I learn something new everyday from all the great folks here.
A toast to the forums!!  CHEERS!
...and keep the rubber down!  (at least the back wheel... :D)
« Last Edit: June 25, 2010, 04:44:18 am by HedNut »

Offline Spikeybike

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #116 on: July 15, 2010, 12:25:02 pm »
whoa!!! how did i miss this little gem ... love it , great thread

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #117 on: July 15, 2010, 01:24:32 pm »
whoa!!! how did i miss this little gem ... love it , great thread

I fly under the radar  8)

 ;D
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline Aladinsane07

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #118 on: July 16, 2010, 12:34:43 pm »
Seriously fantastic build.  I really enjoyed reading through every page.  It was a good feeling getting to the last page and seeing that it was actually completed and riding.

Did I somehow miss what you did with the front fender?  It appears (while viewing on a phone with strained eyes) that it's chopped a couple inches.  Any info regarding your method would be appreciated.

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #119 on: July 19, 2010, 07:02:12 am »
Seriously fantastic build.  I really enjoyed reading through every page.  It was a good feeling getting to the last page and seeing that it was actually completed and riding.

Did I somehow miss what you did with the front fender?  It appears (while viewing on a phone with strained eyes) that it's chopped a couple inches.  Any info regarding your method would be appreciated.

Thanks for the words of encouragement  ;D  ;D

I guess I did miss documenting that little mod.  The previous owner (one of them) chopped the front of the fender, so basically, I chopped the back portion to match.  The chrome on it is pretty bad, so I didn't mind going after it caveman-style   :o   I taped off the area of my cut with blue tape and then I used a sharpie to mark my line.  Once I was happy with the shape, I set to work with my air cut-off tool.  Presto - 10 minutes later my fender was in 2 pieces.
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline BIKE

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #120 on: July 19, 2010, 09:19:29 am »
I love your bike, especially the seat.  Great job.   :)
1975 CB750 K5
1977 CB750A

Offline the architect

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #121 on: July 19, 2010, 12:59:57 pm »
I love your bike, especially the seat.  Great job.   :)

Thanks!  ;D

And I still owe my build thread a video.  It'll have to wait at least a few more days, though.  We're getting rain for the next couple  :-\
Rider no. 83 on the 2013 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 228 on the 2012 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour
Rider no. 70 on the 2011 SOHC/4 Honda World Tour

my '75 CB750 cafe build photo documentary:  looking for the Lone Stars is like playing Where's Waldo -- enjoy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157615892537535/

CB350 twin, rigid meat grinder:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34828040@N05/sets/72157627005176764/

Blip Workshop
http://www.blipworkshop.com
http://www.facebook.com/blipworkshop

Offline zizu58

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #122 on: August 07, 2010, 08:46:31 am »
Really clean build, I dig the seat a lot more than I thought I would.. the pattern is killer too
hi
a very nice bike from a professinal,well done
Thanks, man!

It's funny.  I saw the seat in my mind, I sketched it up, procured the materials, got to an understanding with the upholstery shop . . . .  but when I finally saw the finished product in person, I wasn't sure what to think.  It was what I'd asked for, but it was so crazy seeing it in front of me.  At the end of the day, I love it.  The next one I'll do a little differently (there's always room to improve a design, right?  ;D ), but this one works.

trebek59

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #123 on: August 20, 2010, 12:51:42 pm »
Hey awesome bike! I have 2 questions.

1 - When you were hanging your engine to paint, it looked like there was some serious bending of the bolts there. Have you noticed any issues/problems with that?

2 - Any way to get a completed shot of your battery/wiring box?

Thanks man, I'm jealous!

Offline bluesmoke69

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Re: 1975 CB750 K5 cafe build - first bike, first build - almost there!
« Reply #124 on: August 26, 2010, 10:49:41 pm »
Very nice work impressive wiring job. Hoping to get mine on the road for a little while before complete tear down this winter. Thanks for posting your work!!