Topic: Vote for Bike Of The Month - October 2010

[Really?]

It's Votin' Time!

Nomination Thread - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=76325.0   

Now it is time for your pics and stories.  Spread them out.  It makes this half of the month more interesting.


myhondas


jessezm

[Really?]

A pair of really shiny bikes

[jessezm]

I'm not sure how my apple stacks up against Ray's orange....  Guess that's for you all to decide!!!

Pics of the finished product first....

[jessezm]

Here's a link to the extended documentation of the build: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=70938.msg855571#msg855571

But to sum it up, here we go in a nutshell....

Back in November or December I picked up this '77 CB400F in barely-running condition.  The front brakes were seized, the carbs were gummed up, the electrics were a mess, spokes and tires gone, tank dented badly and side covers cracked, etc, etc...  But I was able to hear it run and it revved pretty smoothly, actually, and didn't smoke at all.  Also, the clock read just 5200 miles.  I was skeptical, but after tearing into the motor, I definitely believe that to be the actual mileage.  This was a two-owner bike; first owned by the guy's brother, and then by the guy I bought it from.  According to him, the bike had never been redlined or revved past 8k rpm and had always been babied.

So the bike was too far gone cosmetically for me to worry too much about putting her back to original, so I went the opposite route...   Full cafe!  

I took the bike down to the frame when I brought it home that night and it came inside to my guest room, where she's been for the last 9 months--gestating I guess you could say--until last week.

While inside, here's what I did to her:

Engine
--466cc big bore
--Webcam (mild)
--new cam chain, tensioner, and slipper
--new stainless hardware
--engine painted and polished

Chassis
--Frame and swingarm powdercoated black
--Hondaman rebuilt swingarm
--tapered head bearings
--custom made frame loop bent and welded on
--rebuilt front forks
--redwing shocks
--AWESOME TTR rearsets
--Body work custom built by Sean at Roccity Cafe Racers (highly recommended!)
--all cables and controls replaced (accept for the tach cable--it might be the only untouched part of the bike!)

Wheels, etc
--powdercoated black
--new bearings
--new spokes
--new tires
--trued and balanced
--new drive chain
--new sprockets
--brushed and polished hubs
--New brakes
--polished caliper
--stainless single brake line

Electrical
--almost completely rewired using vintage connections
--electrics relocated
--Excel A123 battery (the small version)
--solid state reg/rect.
--aftermarket tach, speedo, and switches
--Dyna ignition and 5 ohm coils
--mini turn signals and LED brake/running light

Exhuast
--Hot tanked and ceramic coated headers
--Mac muffler with Kerker 2" baffle installed

I'm sure I'll be adding more soon, just wanted to put a little description up real quick

[JBMorse]

jessezm: Good call on resurrecting the stock headers.  I don't think any aftermarket system is as pretty. Hmm, can't help but thinking your points cover looks out of place on that bronze engine, though.  Maybe I'd have to see it in person!
 Nice looking bike. 

[andy750]

jessezm amazing build and one of the best cafe bikes Ive seen on here. What most impressive is you upgraded the engine as well as the cosmetics so that it not only looks great but also actually performs great as well.

Enjoy the ride!
cheers
Andy

[jessezm]

Thanks for the amazing complements!  JB:  As for the pipes, it's the whole reason I wanted one of these bikes--I've actually never had a bike as small as this before, but something tells me it will perform just fine ;-)  And I actually really dig the silvery look of the ceramic coating.

As for the points cover, I didn't really see it in that light until you mentioned it, and now I can't stop noticing!  I actually think that it, and the clutch adjustment cover, may look better in black.  I might hunt for a cheap rusty one on ebay to paint so I can see how it looks.

Andy:  I can never leave well enough alone!  I wanted to do the heads and have the carbs bored as well, but I was convinced that the payoff wouldn't be there without opening up the headers more.  I do have an extra set of heads, though, that I was thinking about experimenting with this winter...

Where I think the bike will be most lacking, however, is in the suspension.  I'm not sure yet how my redwing shocks and stock forks will hold up.  That remains one of those things I'll tackle down the road if I really have to.

[The_Crippler]

jessezm - I gotta say, I'm a sucker for that exhaust setup.  They make me drool for any bike I see 'em on.

[myhondas]

jessezm, very nice work on your cafe. I really like the tank and seat matching. You have done a marvelous job.

I don't have pictures of the restoration of "marmalade". Wasn't into that at that time. Bike was in fair to good condition and at 13,760 miles, was taken down to the bare frame. Frame was painted and engine top end done. All aluminum was polished and new factory paint applied where needed. Everything that could be used (salvaged) from original bike was cleaned, painted, or re-chromed. Anything that was unusable was replaced with NOS parts. At one time, the bike was showroom plus condition. I say plus because a factory bike would not have had the aluminum in this condition. But, since I ride it on a regular basis, things keep getting damaged and it is a ongoing project to keep it up in this shape. The sunrise flake orange paint is the original color, but we added a little extra flake to the paint, which really makes it jump out at you in the sunlight. I was pleased to be able to show it at the 2009 VMD CB750 SandCastOnly Tent along with some really gorgeous sandcast 750's. I was also able to get Bob Hansen and Bob Jameson to sign my fuel tank. There is only one other bike in the country that has that and it is a beautiful sandcast#232. Here are a few more pictures of the bike.

[jessezm]

Beautiful!  It seems unfair to have to go up against such a fine example with my oddball creation!

***UPDATE:   By the way, if it matters, I went home for lunch today to find a new coil in my mailbox.  Quick install and a few deep breaths, and she RUNS!  Boy, does she run!  I am going to have to find someone with a digital recorder to get some footage with sound, because this is one MEAN sounding bike!  Super snappy throttle response and a nice consistent idle.  Now time to break 'er in!

[Really?]

Hey Jessezm, you might like this http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg449163#msg449163 and http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg427619#msg427619

[jessezm]

Hey Jessezm, you might like this http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg449163#msg449163 and http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg427619#msg427619

Love them!!!  Especially the red one--I wish I could find someone who sold a fork brace for this bike--I wonder, is he using a set of 550 forks on that?

I actually was surprised, though, by how stable the bike felt at speed

[Stev-o]

Ray - your bike is truly beautiful.

I find the signatures on the tank rather odd, why take a showroom plus bike and do that?
I don't know who the "Bobs" are and I would think you get that question a lot.

[Really?]

Hey Jessezm, you might like this http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg449163#msg449163 and http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15381.msg427619#msg427619

Love them!!!  Especially the red one--I wish I could find someone who sold a fork brace for this bike--I wonder, is he using a set of 550 forks on that?

I actually was surprised, though, by how stable the bike felt at speed

I don't know that they have for that.  My first bike was a 400-4.  Got it at 14 1/2 and drove t until i was 15 1/2.  Loved that bike and it handled very well stock.  I rode it on Mulholland drive and Hwy as well as Angeles Crest.  When I was 15 1/2, my dad traded it in for an XS1100 Standard.  Yes, my dad musta been nuts, I don't know if I want any of my kids to have a bike before 18, lol.

[myhondas]

Ray - your bike is truly beautiful.

I find the signatures on the tank rather odd, why take a showroom plus bike and do that?
I don't know who the "Bobs" are and I would think you get that question a lot.

Thanks, appreciate the nice comments......Bob Hansen is the man who is responsible for the 750 being built. Mr. Honda was going to release his "super bike" and at a dinner in japan, Bob told him that he hoped it wasn't going to be a large cc twin (which it was) and that it shouldn't be triple cause the brits had already done that so it should be a four cyl. bike...the birth of the large cc four cyl bike....Thanks Bob......Now Bob Jameson worked for Bob Hansen and he is responsible for the 4-4 exhaust and the entire manual for the bike along with some other things.....  Those guys and if it would have been possible, Soichiro Honda's signature would have really made it worth a lot.... But since he passed away before I did this bike, I'll just be happy with those two..... by the way, here is the only other bike that has them..... and it is a beautiful sandcast serial # 1000232 or in other words....the 232nd production bike made. Certainly worth a LOT more than my bike !

[The_Crippler]

Well.

I guess meriggi just got put in his place...

 

[Stev-o]

Well.

I guess meriggi just got put in his place...

 

I don't feel that way. Still think it's odd, but it's Ray's bike, not mine.

[Ecosse]

October: another damned tough call.

[mcuozzo]

Wow, this is a tough call.  Usually one of the bikes jumps out at me, and I vote quickly.  This one should end in a tie.

Matt

[Ecosse]

just notice my post count is four 750. awesome.

just pulled the trigger on my vote. really, i could go either way on this and i'm in agony... a-go-neeeeeee!!!!!!!!!  





it's come to this...

[Really?]

Yea, I could go either way on this one as well.  I pulled the trigger a few days ago.

[Stev-o]

Yea, I could go either way on this one as well.  I pulled the trigger a few days ago.

I think what makes it tough is that they are such differant bikes.

A showroom plus stocker and a custom cafe, normally these two bikes would not be head to head.

[cb550fcafe]

A showroom plus stocker and a custom cafe, normally these two bikes would not be head to head.

Exactly! Although I voted, I feel the same way. I like cafe bikes.....obviously, but if I had to choose a stocker from a group of stockers, this would be an easy choice. As the pool of talented builders here grows, is there going to be a time when we pick apples from apples in the same BOTM?

[jessezm]

A showroom plus stocker and a custom cafe, normally these two bikes would not be head to head.

Exactly! Although I voted, I feel the same way. I like cafe bikes.....obviously, but if I had to choose a stocker from a group of stockers, this would be an easy choice. As the pool of talented builders here grows, is there going to be a time when we pick apples from apples in the same BOTM?

Amen to that!  With only three nominations and two acceptances this month, we both would have won in our respective categories!!!

[Ecosse]

A showroom plus stocker and a custom cafe, normally these two bikes would not be head to head.

Exactly! Although I voted, I feel the same way. I like cafe bikes.....obviously, but if I had to choose a stocker from a group of stockers, this would be an easy choice. As the pool of talented builders here grows, is there going to be a time when we pick apples from apples in the same BOTM?

Amen to that!  With only three nominations and two acceptances this month, we both would have won in our respective categories!!!

i think ppl are missing the point (as i see it) about this contest. it's more about  what generally happens to catch the favor of the sohc/4 populace at the moment; someone has said we are a fickle crowd. if a 'cafe' loses to a 'stocker', suggesting the cafe would have won over some undefined group of cafe racers, simply has no basis in fact. plus, at best would only determine the 'best' of the cafe racers that month and not the best sohc/4. remember this is a contest in the subjective and the headache (for a non-paying job) of judging what goes in what category ignores that it's already a losing battle trying to please all disagreements here.

this debate has been addressed once or twice before btw.  

edit: i accidentally had part of my comments within someone else's quotes. sorry.