Author Topic: 1972 CB500 Mild Cafe Project (Read 5162 times)

MotorFist · « **on:** October 03, 2010, 01:32:50 PM »

I have been a lurker on this forum for quite some time. I have referred to these awesome pages of info so many times it amazes me. I must admit I am posting this thread a little bit backwards. My build is 99% done so I will mostly just post some pictures of the process. While my project was an easy one, I did learn some things on the way. My wife loves my bike so much, she insists I build her one too.
Pretty great!

So I started with a 500K1 that I purchased from a close friend for $800. He is a Scottish transplant that is an avid motorcycle rider, racer and also Freelance Journalist. He bought this bike on ebay about a year and a half ago so he could have a vintage bike to race at the Bonneville GP at Larry Miller in Tooele, UT. The ebay seller informed him that the bike would need fork seals, brake pads and new tires but otherwise was road worthy. He received the bike 2 days before the race and enlisted the help of a couple unique and crusty buddies that race a vintage Indian and a hand shift Harley. He wrote an article on these guys for Motorcycle Classics. I will see if I can get permission to post a pdf of the article. It's great!

Anyway, the bike was hastily worked over the night before the race at the track under an ez-up awning and some work lights. He raced it the next day and podiumed with either a 2nd or 3rd place finish. I can't recall. He road the bike a few times around town after the race until one day it stopped starting. He garaged it and carried on with his life until he sold it to me.

The bike was originally sold from 4 Season Motorsports in Denver, CO as the inspection tag is still stuck to the underneath of the seat pan. The ebay seller was also from Denver but not the original owner. So there is the history. Boring to most but fun to me as I love this bike like a member of the family. It is my first street motorcycle ever and first bike project ever. I am already designing plans for a custom coffin so I can be buried with it.

Here is what she looked like the day I picked it up:

Can anyone identify this exhaust?:

MotorFist · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:01:30 PM »

The bike was easy to tear down. As it has spent all of it's time in the dry rocky mountain climate of Colorado and Idaho, rust wasn't an issue.

I have tons of pictures that I took of pretty much everything as I tore it down. I was worried about not remembering how to put it back together since most of my garage nights involve copious amounts of beer. Much to my surprise, I rarely had to refer back to my photo-journal when I reassembled the bike. Either these are easy bikes to tear apart and put back together, or all the business about alcohol destroying brain cells in nonsense!

If anyone is working on a 500 and has questions on where certain bits and pieces go, feel free to click the link in my signature and see if I have a photo of it! It is my wish to somehow help out another forum user if at all possible. I learned so much from this site, i really want to try and pay it forward.

As you can see in this picture, not much rust to speak of! Sure it is there, but just light surface rust.

Here she is just a rolling chassis:

MotorFist · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:21:07 PM »

I knew that since this was my first project, I was bound to make mistakes along the. But my goal was to do it once and do it right if possible. I grew up in a world of two-stroke dirt bikes and snowmobiles but know virtually nothing of 4 stroke mechanics beyond the theory of it. The speedo said the bike has just over 10K miles on it. I realize that it is likely that somewhere in it's life, the speedo cable was "accidentally" unscrewed from the gauge.

The bike was in great shape but had a leaky head gasket (common from what I read on this forum). I decided to just take the power plant to a local Honda shop called Bill's Cycle Shop for gaskets and a look over. Bill's has been around for decades (as have a few of the mechanics working there) so I knew they would know what to do. I was a little leery of taking a nearly 40 year old motor to a shop without getting laughed at, but when the service manager took a look at it he grinned. This was a relief to me and as we unloaded the heavy thing into the shop he spouted off some fond memories and history of our beloved SOHC-4's. I knew I had made a good decision.

With the motor at Bill's, I stripped and taped the frame, swing arm and misc. other bits and pieces and delivered the lot to one of our local powder coaters. Silver Metallic with clear coat was my color of choice, and I am VERY happy with the end result.

Notice the cooler filled with premium adult beverages in the background. Let the work begin!

MotorFist · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:30:03 PM »

When I sent off the motor and frame, I set to work polishing the fork lowers and anything else aluminum and also steel wooled the spokes and rims. Eventually, when I am rich and famous, I want to powder coat my hubs and rims and re-lace the wheels. Maybe next summer. I also had some Avon AM26's installed front and rear. Starting to shape up nicely!

I had the center stand powder coated for #$%*s and giggles, although I only plan to have it installed while doing lengthy repairs/mods.

MotorFist · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:41:06 PM »

I have a good buddy that is a body man by trade so it was a no-brainer to have him rework my tin (and plastic

).
I originally wanted to have Carpy do a tank mod with knee inserts but after a phone call, I was quickly dissuaded. $500 and a month wait were not in my budget so I just dropped them off to my buddy at Ermal's Auto Body here in Idaho Falls.

Although the bike was virtually rust free, the tank did have a little so I Kreemed it before taking in for paint. I know people here have mixed feelings about the stuff but I have used it in the past on old enduro's with success.

The bike had been dropped on its left side before I took ownership of it and had a crappy little dent right were the left tank emblem resides. I wanted the emblems shaved anyway so no biggy!

I also had him take 4 inches out of the rear fender. He did a fantastic job I might add! The funky hole was created by yours truly, as I had a special plan for a rear tail light.

MotorFist · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:48:40 PM »

I am not a guy with a lot of cash but I do have a lot of friends and connections from all the crazy stuff I have been into during my life. This bike is a good example of this. I bought it for cheap and did a build that I am proud of on the cheap as well.

I got the paint back from my buddy and couldn't have been more excited!

I also have a graphic designer buddy that made some new gauge face decals for me. I took apart the gauges and gave him the faces so he could scan them in and redraw them in Adobe Illustrator. Once again, fantastic job!

MotorFist · « **Reply #6 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:55:04 PM »

Now I had all the pieces of the puzzle. I was so excited to get her up and running that I stayed up until 2-3 AM friday through sunday and got it all back together, save a few minor details.
These were taken in the middle of the night as I neared completion:

All of you that have stripped a bike to nothing and then put it back together, know the feeling of elation as you reach the end. Quite satisfying to say the least!

750K8 Kev · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2010, 02:59:23 PM »

That things is sick man! love the paint

MotorFist · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2010, 03:13:56 PM »

I picked up the bike in May of this spring and got it running right away and rode it for a couple weeks. The build consumed all of June, July, and most of August. I wish I would have had more time to devote to getting it done faster but I am happy with it now. And I get to get a few weeks of riding in before breaking the snowmobiles out again!

I have hours and hours into polishing aluminum and chrome on the bike and it still isn't perfect. Good thing winter is a 6 month affair in Idaho! Plenty of time for that. Otherwise the bike is pretty much where I want it.

I need to take it back down to Bill's to get the carb's correctly sync'ed.
I also need to get a new timing cover. The one on it is nice and shiny but a little dinged up.
This winter I want to polish the magneto cover and put a new exhaust on it. The exhaust on the bike now doesn't fit very well as you can see if hangs below the motor quite a bit. I have no idea what the brand is or anything. Any info on that would be appreciated if anyone recognizes it.

Here are a few day time pics.

If you made it all the way through my rambling posts I appreciate it. I know bikes are like children. No body loves them quite like the father/mother. But like a good parent, a bike person can take pleasure in other peoples creations. I know I have sure seen some wonderful stuff on this site. As I mentioned, my wife likes my bike so much, she wants her own. She was into VW bugs as a teen so is no stranger to wrenching. She has already started tearing her "new" ride down. But that is for another thread...
Thanks all!
-josh

MotorFist · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2010, 03:15:24 PM »

Quote from: 750K8 Kev on October 03, 2010, 02:59:23 PM

That things is sick man! love the paint

Thanks! The white pin stripes on the outside of the silver are hand painted too. I told him he could use pin striping decal stuff but he insisted on paint. Gives the paint some added personality for sure.

KB02 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2010, 03:45:27 AM »

That is a great looking bike, man. Well done.

MotorFist · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2010, 06:55:25 PM »

Thanks KB02! I dig your avatar pic haha!

Tintop · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2010, 07:35:43 PM »

great build, really nice and clean lines. Can't wait to see what your wife comes up with.

tweakin · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2010, 04:49:32 AM »

Turned out great! I love the silver flake frame, I did the same on my 400twin I built.

Speed King · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2010, 10:50:58 AM »

Congrats- you're the best thing that ever happened to that bike. Nice job.

brandEn · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2010, 11:43:10 AM »

Bike looks great! What did they find with the engine? Did you have to replace anything?

theofam · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:37:16 PM »

Josh, what a great looking bike! I really like the frame color and the paint stripes' complementing it.

Any chance your buddy could print out another pair of gauge readouts? I love the "TON" at 100!

MotorFist · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:38:44 PM »

Thanks BWJ,
When they opened it up they were quite happy with it all. The service manager figured the mileage was probably pretty accurate on the speedo judging by the internals. The did a top end gasket kit and new points. That was it! I was really stoked.

MotorFist · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:42:09 PM »

Thanks the ofam, PM sent!

FunJimmy · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:44:47 PM »

Quote from: theofam on October 05, 2010, 12:37:16 PM

I love the "TON" at 100!

+1

Josh. Great looking build.
Love the fact that your wife wants one too.

Cheers
FJ

MotorFist · « **Reply #20 on:** October 06, 2010, 07:02:15 PM »

Thank you FJ.

Still no guesses on the exhaust fella's?
I suppose it doesn't really matter much other than just being curious...

Old75_ratafe · « **Reply #21 on:** October 06, 2010, 10:50:47 PM »

Just found this one great job like it a lot.

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Author Topic: 1972 CB500 Mild Cafe Project (Read 5162 times)