Topic: New guy, not even on the block

[cdegroot]

Hi,

Just a quick introduction - my name is Cees de Groot, I live in a nook of the world called "The Netherlands", and somehow I got bored just riding a Beemer ('99 R1100RT) so I wanted something I could exercise my mediocre wrenching skills on. My previous bike, a '88 R80RT, was what I liked - simple electrics, accessible engine, and fun to ride - but them Beemers are just too expensive for a toy project.

Then I stumbled over a guy who trades in old CB's, and he had this marvelous '78 CB750F2 for sale, in old-school race look (original Honda colors, a full faring, a mono seat that looks very uncomfortable, etcetera). He even threw in an extra engine so I can just q&d get the engine that's in the bike up and running while I take the second one apart and rebuild it properly (I heard rumours of a Big Bore kit - sounds good to me :-)).

You guess it - I'm here to plunder your knowledge. I'm really looking forward to work on this bike, and with a bit of luck I'll manage to find time to report on progress here or on my website (www.cdegroot.com).

If you're half as helpful as the Airhead Beemer Club guys, restoration will be a breeze (wink, wink, nudge, nudge ;-)).

[ProTeal55]

Welcome to the site.

[SteveD CB500F]

Hiya Cees, we've a few dutch on here...

I'd be interested to see a picture of the faired bike or of the fairing on its own. When i first read your post, I assumed you'd bought a Phil Read Replica which was an F2 - but the picture on your website suggests not.

[eldar]

looks like it is an f3. As I understand it f2 was in 77 and f3 is 78

[SteveD CB500F]

We didn't get F3s (or K8s) over here.  The F2 was sold up until the DOHC 750KZ came along in 1979.

[cdegroot]

Pictures are here at the moment: http://www.blauweplaat.nl/images/castrol1.htm - this is on the site of the guy who sold it to me, so they might disappear any moment... I just got the bike (he delivered it) and I'm going to wrench first, shoot pictures later :-)

I'm curious about the origin of the paint scheme - I found some '70s Honda race bike pictures, and the paint scheme on them varies but looks roughly the same as on my fairing (which needs a lot of work before I dare to put it on the bike...).

[SteveD CB500F]

The colours are the 1970's HRC (Honda factory racing team) colours and adorned the endurance racers of the day.  They were also used on the PR Rep (as previously noted)

I don't recognise the fairing though.

The bike below belongs (ed?) to James Turner in UK and was for sale on eBay a little while ago.
www.honda-sohc.co.uk/index.php?set_albumName=album05&id=phil_read&option=com_gallery&Itemid=&include=view_photo.php

[eldar]

ahh so europe was left out of the fold. it was because of the french you know.

[cdegroot]

I don't recognise the fairing though.

Well, it'll be some time before I get to even looking at it... as you can see on the seller's site, I paid a little over 400 euros for it, and that's visible. Apart from the engine condition, I'll need to apply a lot of elbow grease to make this bike as presentable as the bike shown above.

(but first, put the RT back together - I'm installing new Ohlins. Off-topic, but BMW factory shocks suck)

[SteveD CB500F]

The bike looks good as it is.  Put on some ace (drag) bars and you've got the makings of a nice "Cafe racer" (see Gallery)

Does that front mudguard have a built-in brace (like the factory ones)?  If not, you may be looking at one evil-handling bike!

[cdegroot]

Don't let the picture mislead you - the resolution isn't enough to show all the little rusty spots...

Will look at the mudgard later. After Brainiac.

Cafe racers are usually black, aren't they? The idea with this bike is more "old school" racer. But that's a minor definition issue. The most important thing is that heads must turn when I pass by :-)

[Bob Wessner]

the resolution isn't enough to show all the little rusty spots...

I call those "character marks." 

Welcome, it's still looks pretty good.

[dusterdude]

ahh so europe was left out of the fold. it was because of the french you know.

yea,but honda made up for it in the 80`s and 90`s by giving europe all the cool bikes and all we had was the freakin nighthawk.

[cdegroot]

Brainiac was an old episode, so I went down to my garage and made some detailed pics: http://gallery.cdegroot.com/view_album.php?&set_albumName=album16

Actually the first time I did a close inspection - it looks okay optically, not a museum piece but nothing out of the ordinary. I don't think any of the 'racey' bits are original - the mono seat has a fibre glass base (I would expect metal for that time?), the front fender... well look at the pics :-), and the fairing, well... it came without anything to mount it, so that's going to be a lot of work - iff I go ahead with it.