Author Topic: 1st cafe build - cb400f. (Read 5653 times)

kiwi · « **on:** December 29, 2010, 06:00:05 PM »

Hi guys and gals - 'nother newbie here .
Discovered this forum by accident and totally jazzed to have done so !!. It has galvanized me into building something i have wanted to do for years - build a cafe bike.
16 years in the UK , 17 in NZ and 19 in the USA brings me to the present . RNZAF engines/airframe tech was my background but motorcycles for the last 40 years. I opened my own little independant motorcycle repair shop in Bellflower , CA 3 years ago , catering to the older japanese bike crowd that the dealers wont touch but
i grew up with and love . All the old jap 2 strokes , 4 stroke twins , cripples and fours - i love 'em .
Anyhow - on to the project .
I have aquired 2 basket case 400f's and am going to make 1 nice one - i hope !. Mileage and history unknown on both but both have titles . Both were incomplete nonrunners .
I have stripped the first one completely for parts and partially stripped the second . So far the hardest thing has been sourcing a good set of rearsets . I have seen some for $500 and tho they are nice i think that is a little pricey . I emailed Raask in Sweden about theirs as i had a set on an old GPZ900R that worked great but have not heard back .
Chris over at Motogpwerx makes a nice Yoshi copy so that will be the pipe . I have a large ultrasonic cleaner for carbs and calipers and i will probably use the stock carbs - 'tho some CR26's would be nice .
The engine is getting a complete crank up rebuild - i am dropping the block and 450cc big bore kit at the machinist on the way home tonight. I will keep you posted .

MoMo · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2010, 06:17:32 PM »

Welcome, opening a shop that caters to the vintage Japanese bikes is a great idea. How is that going ? I am in a very beginning exploratory stage of attempting the same thing. Good luck with your shop and cafe endeavor-the 400f is a great bike and easy to work on...Larry

Little_Horse · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2010, 06:19:38 PM »

welcome and have fun!

fasturd · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2010, 08:02:45 PM »

I love the 400s! I have yet to find a decent set of rearsets for less than $400. I like raasks too but their build quality is a little rough at times.

Make sure you post lots of pics, I for one would like to see the pipe you are planning on using. I have a vintage youshima pipe but it needs a little love before I can use it.

Good luck.

Tim2005 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:26:50 AM »

Good luck with the build. Be a little careful with Raask rearsets, the 400F ones result in the pegs ending up in a very leg-cramping position. Might be ok if you're 5' tall tho.

tango911 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:51:12 AM »

keep us posted with pics.

fasturd · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2010, 06:28:02 PM »

That is interesting about the raasks being leg cramping. I have the stock honda set up on my 400 and I never dragged a peg even at a very aggressive track day. However I have some pretty stiff Koni shocks that seem to keep the ride height up and the pegs off the pavement.

kiwi · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2010, 07:06:17 PM »

Hey Photolar - just do it mate!. I have worked for someone else all my life and was often heard to threaten to open my own shop if only this or that - well a chain of events occured which finally galvanized me to just "sack up" and take the plunge and i am real happy i did !. Straight up - it has been a tough 3 years - I - ME- am now responsiblke for all the things we take for granted when we work for someone else - taxes ,all the bills , phone , power , taxes , licences for city state and federal , BAR , fire dept , police , waste oil and tyres , taxes , wages , workers comp , taxes , thousands of $$ opening distributor accounts , advertising , marketing , taxes , plus all the small time consuming minutae etc etc and did i mention the taxes !. The pay of is the satisfaction and sense of achievement and thanks from a happy satisfied customer from a job well done because you CARE. I am really not making any more money now than i was working for someone else , more stress and worry - but i am doing it , making the effort , for me and my family and i love it . I will never go back . Plus - if i need a day off for a track day my boss usually says yes !!.

kiwi · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2010, 10:20:45 PM »

I am having a very difficult time trying to post pics - i keep "timing out" - maybe too many pixels . I will retake the pics and try again tomorrow . I am not particularly computer savvy which does not help also !!.

fastbroshi · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2010, 11:10:28 PM »

Create a photobucket account and just link them in here, much easier and we can see larger pics

kiwi · « **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2010, 11:01:23 AM »

Ok , so hopefully this will work this time . Photobucket seems to be the way to go so good call - thanks .
I stripped the motor down to the crank and it was a good news/bad news kinda deal .The good is that all the mains and rod bearings are like new , as are the ancilliary shaft bearings . They will all be re-used . The bad is there were a couple of rivet heads in the oil pan - these came from the clutch basket and will have to replaced .Also there is a cam chain tensioner gizmo in the lower case which has been chewed up pretty heavily by the cam chain . Do not know why this would happen but replacement of that and a new cam chain and slippers is a must . New crank seals also ordered . Clutch is like new but the clutch nut is boogered up so i think a previous owner replaced the plates but did'nt have the correct 4 fingered nut tool .
Washed , beadblasted , ultrasoniced , pressure washed and then dried everything . Should get the block and pistons back next week so i can start re-assembling the engine then .
I have an electrician coming to wire the shop for the tig welder and lathe i bought myself for xmas then i can start modifying the frame to adapt some later model rearsets. More to come .

jaguar · « **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2011, 11:07:31 AM »

are those valves blasted?
and the seats/gasket area of the head?

kiwi · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2011, 10:00:30 AM »

Yes - seats and valves and gasket area blasted . I am putting in new guides . I have had success in the past with this approach although it requires cutting the seats and valves rather than just a lap job . It also enhances the gasket seal as it gives the gasket a textured finish to key to .

immortal · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2011, 11:02:18 AM »

looking good!

kyre · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2011, 08:58:32 PM »

Quote

Motogpwerx makes a nice Yoshi copy

Do you have anymore info on this pipe you speak of? photos? cost? When you say Yoshi, do you mean yoshimura or yoshima?

kiwi · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2011, 09:37:13 AM »

It is a subtly modified yoshimura copy . I am supposedly picking it up on wednesday and will post pics of it when i do . If it goes into production it will retail for somewhere between $350-$400 . I would like to find a Yoshima pipe to copy and then offer for sale thru my shop if possible . This will have to wait tho' as i seriously overspent over Xmas !.

kyre · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2011, 05:15:38 PM »

well keep us 400/4 owners in the loop about that pipe if it goes into production. Ideally I want a swarbrick 4 into 4 but they are way too much $$ and I heard can be a #$%* to set up.

kiwi · « **Reply #17 on:** March 11, 2011, 05:44:26 PM »

OK - it's been a while but i had to earn a living for a while . I have the motor almost together now - just polishing some of the cases . Got the frame and other pieces back from the powder coater . I use blue a lot - some like it and some do not .
Will start assembly next week .
I have to say - looking at some of the other projects on this site is a humbling experience !!!. There are some absolutely AWSOME builds out there !!. I decided against black powdercoat to be a little different - time will tell if that was a wise decision .
The exhaust i was going to use is still a probability - it's just that the guy building them wants me to take the bike over to his shop to fit it before he will sell it to me !?!. $:-\$

.
Here are some pics of the frame etc.

MoMo · « **Reply #18 on:** March 11, 2011, 07:25:24 PM »

All those parts really look great. What color are you planning for the tank and side covers? Yellow could contrast very well with the blue, which is a risky choice but should work...Larry

kiwi · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2011, 01:54:44 PM »

Yellow !?. Now that sounds interesting !. I think it would be a little 'loud' tho . I was thinking more like silver with a stripe down the middle . I have no sidecovers just a tank and solo seat unit which will house the electrics and small battery .
Anyway we'll see .

kyre · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2011, 06:28:05 PM »

nice! that's going to be interesting when built up. I'd go against the yellow idea but it sounds like you know that already. Silver or charcoal gray would look great. looking forward to the build.

fishobos · « **Reply #21 on:** March 14, 2011, 08:48:24 AM »

That blue is soo nice. I love the sound of the 400. I am starting my first 400 as well but I only go for stock. Maybe I'm afraid I'll mess up and have a piece of junk. I amd also located in So Cal and would like to know where is you shop in Bellflower, and what type of stuff do you sell there or just mainly work on bikes?

kiwi · « **Reply #22 on:** March 14, 2011, 09:14:30 AM »

My shop is called Prospeed Motorcycles - 9250 artesia blvd , bellflower , ca90706 , 562-804-5017 . I'm open 9-6 tues thru sat . Drop in anytime . I do not sell many accessories other than the usual tune up stuff plus turn signals , mirrors , windscreens etc . The main part of the business is service and repair ,i do have accounts with the big suppliers and dealers so if there is something you need i will try and give you a good deal .
I try and stay away from stock myself as unless it is totally original there is always somebody who will point out your errors . I have to take my hat off to the people that do do "original" tho' - that takes lots of patience and tremendous attention to detail .

fishobos · « **Reply #23 on:** March 17, 2011, 08:46:47 AM »

Hey thanks I'll take down the address and stop by while I'm out someday, Thanks, Paul

kiwi · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2011, 10:02:09 AM »

;DQuick update as it starts to come together . Took me a couple of hours to remember how to lace up wheels . Starting to think i used too much blue , but with the engine silver it should offset it . Going to try and get the engine today and then see about that pipe !.

I do not like the clubman bars but the clipons i bought on ebay fo $60 suck pretty badly !! - little tip - do'nt drink and ebay !!.

Ouch · « **Reply #25 on:** March 18, 2011, 10:11:46 AM »

AH...This is sweet!!....i was waiting to see all the blue put together...love all the thought and work that is gong into this!

kiwi · « **Reply #26 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:49:25 PM »

Alright - got the engine in this morning and i'm pumped up and jazzed because now i can go and get that pipe !!. Except that now , after having them in stock all week , today he has none !!**#!!.

. This is the problem when you rely on others .
Anybody out there want to work something out where i can borrow a pipe to copy and make a jig . I could make a batch of pipes at a discount for forum members . Looking for a Yoshima or similar - NO MACS .
Anyway - guess i'll have to console myself by polishing all the engine covers and stuff in the mean time .

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Author Topic: 1st cafe build - cb400f. (Read 5653 times)