Topic: New CB500 cafe gearhead from St. Louis

[RippinSVT]

Hey fellas, new guy here from STL.  Just bought a 1971 CB500 Four last week, starting the cafe-racer transformation.  It's got bars, solo-cowl seat, I've rewired the lighting, new tires-carbs-brakes-clutch-guages-etc, and I am currently prepping for paint.  Cool little bike, never owned a CB although I restored an old Kawi KZ1000 last year.  My mechanical experience is vast, but my motorcycle experience is fairly limited.  I own/built a '96 Cobra with a big single-turbo and a hell of a lot more, as well as a modded '99 Wrangler, a modded '69 Bronco, 2 '69 Mach 1's, a '64 Falcon dragcar, '89 mustang dragcar, '84 SVO turbo, and a speedboat. Still have the boat, Cobra, Bronco, and Jeep.  I've got a lot of experience with fuel-injection tuning and forced-induction setups, primarily turbo applications.


It's great to be here, can't wait to learn some valuable tech and maybe recipricate some as well.

[Gearheadgreg]

Welcome Rippin, got a 2006 5th generation GT rag top, that Turbo Cobra sounds fun, My daughter has my old jeep just restored it, 6cyl, motor Clifford intake headers Rancho lift ect ect..let my 19ft (LS -7) V drive Eliminator boat go years ago sure miss that bad boy,got any pics let them fly..

[RippinSVT]

Current cafe project, '71 CB500



Here's the last bike I did, factory restoration.  It's an '80 Kawi KZ1000.



This is my modded '99 Wrangler, nothing too fancy, just some tasteful offroad treats.


This is my turbo Cobra, been in a few magazines, been building it since 2003.  Fast enough to outrun most motorcycles besides the faster streetfighters. You can kinda see my '79 Glastron speedboat with a 383sbc in the background, I was working on it at the time.

[RippinSVT]

And this is me, doing one of my favorite things, bass fishing.

[Gearheadgreg]

Sweeeet.....gave this to my daughter 17 years ago for HS grad,,it was Black she drive's this everyday in Tampa FL just put 7 grand into it last year we call it the Barbie Jeep LOL,,duel flowmasters RV cam 4 barrel Holley carb,,it is louder than my Blown Valk.. btw that CB 500 looks nice,, Have you had the Cobra down the track yet for ET ?

[RippinSVT]

That CJ is awesome. If I had more time/room/money I'd build one myself with a nice V8.  Instead my space is consumed by that '55 T-bird in the background with a 427 FBB in it, it's the next restomod project.


The Cobra has been down the track many times, but mostly when it was an N/A or nitrous motor.  Currently at the lowest boost, 5psi, on pumpgas it traps around 116-120, but the ET's were REALLY suffering because I blew the front struts enroute to the track, so it'd yank the tires and then slam the front end down just as the boost came on, causing it to spin 150ft out.  It ran low 12's like that, instead of the more proper 11's it should have.  The track closed soon after.  With 110octane and 15lbs of boost and suspension tweaks, it should go mid-10's at 135, but we'll see.

[Gearheadgreg]

Boost that bad boy up a few lb's it should get into the 10's easy, well...Got to post the New factory Cobra 2010 Mustang,,,hard to believe you can buy this right from Ford,,,9 second potential factory car, Roll cage and all!!

[cafe550]

Boost that bad boy up a few lb's it should get into the 10's easy, well...Got to post the New factory Cobra 2010 Mustang,,,hard to believe you can buy this right from Ford,,,9 second potential factory car, Roll cage and all!!

thats #$%*in sweet

[Stev-o]

Welcome SVT! Your Honda looks good as well as your other toys. I always liked the Glastrons, they were made in Texas near me for awhile.
I also had a Kaw 1000, great bike!

Good Luck.

[MOtub]

Rip, nice toys...but what's an STL guy doing with a Red Sox cap?  Go Cards!

(I too like to drown a few worms once in a while)

don't mind me, just tryin' to get my post count up.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yes, definite sacrilege there, welcome to the forums. You might want to read the FAQ section first and perform some searches on items you want to ask before posting the questions.

A lot of times you can find the information you are wanting an answer to with the search function.

[GRock]

Wow! Looks like you have a ton of "know how"! Wish I had that knowledge base, maybe I'd actually get my Monte off the dollies. What part of St. Louis are you in? I'm in Ballwin.

Welcome to the forum,
Greg