Topic: CR750 replica for the street

[Vincent]

The case is back together and all the bolts are torqued - and, a day later, torqued again. When I put it together last time, I left off the oil pump because I thought it would be easier to get the engine back in the frame without it. It definitely was easy to install the engine, but if I had installed the pump I would have seen that its gear didn't engage with anything. Would've saved me time and grief. So now as I'm about to put the engine in again, I have to ask: should I install the pump before I install the engine? Should I install the oil pan before I install the engine? It certainly would be easier to get the engine in without these pieces, but is it a real pain to install them after the engine is in the frame? I'd appreciate any advice.

Vincent

[Terry in Australia]

Why not install the pump and just tape a piece of thick cardboard over the hole, and install the sump plate once it's in mate?

The cardboard will stop the ingress of any dirt (not that there'll be any, by the look of your work) and will provide a little "padding" to the underneath of your engine while you install it, without the bulk of the sump plate getting in the way. Cheers, Terry.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Why not install the pump and just tape a piece of thick cardboard over the hole, and install the sump plate once it's in mate?

The cardboard will stop the ingress of any dirt (not that there'll be any, by the look of your work) and will provide a little "padding" to the underneath of your engine while you install it, without the bulk of the sump plate getting in the way. Cheers, Terry.

Great idea.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Vincent,

Some inspiration:

http://deuscustoms.com/bikes/model/dick-mann-cb750/

[Vincent]

Can’t believe it’s been six months. Any slower, and I’d be going backwards. Maybe I’ll start a bike business and call it Molasses in January Customs. Bring us your bike, and it’ll be ready when your two-year-old gets his driver’s license. At this point, I’m hoping I finish before I’m too old to ride the damn thing. I blame it on work. This full-time job thing is rough. It’s good when you need to pay the electric bill or buy groceries, but it leaves so little time to devote to the things you actually want to do. A few hours here and there, but nothing like the time that I need. Well, that and the fact that I’m a slow worker and I agonize over every step of the process. OK, enough complaining.

Leaving soon for a ride up to Carpinteria, but first, here are a couple of recent pics.


I've always thought the CB750 engine was a beautiful thing.




GL1000 brake splitter. Couldn't get the lower triple clamp bolts in metric stainless, so I got chrome. At least they'll be pretty much hidden by the fairing.


New faces from David Rottger at Catiawheels, painted needle, cadmium-plated base.


The gauges are from a CB400F. They fit better inside the fairing, and my bike has an 18 inch front wheel (like the 400), so the speedometer will be geared correctly. The CB400F redlines at 10,000, but I asked David to change it to 9,000 and make the faces black to match the Smiths oil pressure gauge that I found.


Had the gauge cases powder coated semi gloss black. Now I have to put the speedometer back together.


More pics soon.

[FunJimmy]

It takes you so long because you do amazing work.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Wow, Vincent.  So much thought into the details.  The motor looks VERY tidy.  The oil cooler mount is simple and clean -- no fuss, no muss.  The tach is a thing of beauty.  It seriously looks better than a NOS tach.  It will match nicely to your Smiths oil pressure gauge.  Wow!!  Bike porn.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The extended lower triple tree is something I saw on the CR750 that Yoshi (of Garage Company) owned. Here's a picture I took of it during the restoration that Kiyo performed.



When I bought the donor bike, the owner threw in another front end, so that lower triple was cut up and welded to the other one.

Vincent,

I was thinking about your triple tree mod again.  It looks like Kiyo took a spare lower tree, removed the steering stem and inverted the second tree and somehow welded it to the bottom of the tree with the steering stem.  Is that right?  Do you know where and how he welded the two pieces together?

The reason for my question is that I am trying to stiffen up the front end of my mostly-stock CB550.  I do not want to swap to another front end, and I cannot install a fork brace and retain the stock fender.  That said, if I was to incorporate your modification to the triple, it might improve the front end. 

Don

[Retro Rocket]

Don, the spindly early Honda forks need bracing at the top of the fork lowers to help with the inherent flex mate, while the double clamp is definitely stronger than the stock set up it won't help much with fork twist...

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don, the spindly early Honda forks need bracing at the top of the fork lowers to help with the inherent flex mate, while the double clamp is definitely stronger than the stock set up it won't help much with fork twist...

RR,

I agree that the best solution performance-wise, would be to add a fork brace, as it would create another brace point (in addition to the upper and lower trees) to reduce twist.  I could simply add the fork brace and delete the fender, but I want to keep the fender or something very close to it to keep road-debris off the engine and me, and maintain a stock look.  I just cannot think of a good fender option.  Maybe I should just go fenderless.

Vincent:  SORRY for the thread-jack!!

Don

[Godffery]

You could a fender mount ON the Fork brace like I did here:
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/album03/Godfferys-Garage-123/Linas-s+CB550+Cafe/?g2_page=6

Look about 3 rows down on that page.

[Vincent]

I had to do this in black and white. It looks like a shot depicting mid-20th century American industry, but the Blanchard grinder and the man operating it are finishing up the second of my front discs. Jack Drees Grinding in North Hollywood is full of amazing old machines.


I have to replace the aluminum Ls that connect the carbs with something better-looking. The stacks are from Steel Dragon Performance.


Having the seat and tanks on makes it look like the bike is closer to being ridden than it actually is, but it makes me feel better to see it this way.




I found a terrific source for wiring products, and I'll put up a couple of pics in a few days.

Thanks for looking.

Vincent

[Vincent]

Oops. Forgot. Don, I have to agree with Retro about the value of my altered lower triple. I think its most important function is to further the theme of early-seventies performance mods. If memory serves, I think the setup on Yoshi's CR was there before Kiyo started the restoration. I'll have to look through my pictures to make sure. I told Kiyo that I thought it looked cool, and brought him an extra lower triple that the previous owner had given me. I'll take some pictures of  mine, and if I can find some close-up pictures of Yoshi's, I'll post them.

Vincent

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Stunning, Vincent.  Stunning. 

[Retro Rocket]

Very nice Vincent.....

[Gman]

Stunning, Vincent.  Stunning. 

He took the words right outta my mouth, but they bear repeating. 
Stunning, simply stunning.

[sanxa_]

Having the seat and tanks on makes it look like the bike is closer to being ridden than it actually is, but it makes me feel better to see it this way.




Thanks for looking.

Vincent

Wow, wow. This thread is making it real hard for me to focus on work today!

[greenjeans]

Amen.  There's something about that CR tank and tail section...    Looks amazing as-is - even without paint.
I alwasy have a hard time painting tanks that look that good.  Did I miss where that oil tank came from ?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Amen.  There's something about that CR tank and tail section...    Looks amazing as-is - even without paint.
I alwasy have a hard time painting tanks that look that good.  Did I miss where that oil tank came from ?

Page 1 -- Gas tank and oil tank from Meadspeed.  Sexy as hell!!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Vincent,

Are you going to run those shocks or something else?

[Retro Rocket]

Vincent,

Are you going to run those shocks or something else?

They look like old Koni's Don, nothing wrong with them....

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Vincent,

Are you going to run those shocks or something else?

They look like old Koni's Don, nothing wrong with them....

No, definitely not.  I have the IKONS on my 750 and they work great.  Affordable and rebuildable, too.

[Vincent]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. It helps to keep spirits up during the long slow times.

Calj, thank you for the tip about boltdepot.com
I could look at hardware catalogs for hours. That's not a sign of mental problems, is it?

Don, the shocks are cast aluminum-body Konis with really nice raised Koni insignia on them. I want to have them rebuilt and have new springs powder coated semi-gloss black. If for some reason that doesn't work out, I'll get Ikons like yours. They're good shocks, and they have the period look that appeals to me.

Greenjeans, I agree about the tank and seat. Excellent shapes. There are two CR seats, but the other one has a droopy-butt look that just doesn't do it for me. And Don is right about the tanks coming from Meadspeed in England. Nice folks, fast shipping, and secure packaging.

Oh yeah, and I made a mistake the other night about the lower triple tree. (I always end up on the computer just before bed, and sometimes I think my brain is already asleep.) Kiyo fitted the oil tank, pipes, and seat, and made the frame gussets. But the majority of the fabrication was done by Takashi Iwamoto, and he was the one who welded up the extra clamps on the lower triple.

That's it for now.

Vincent

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind words. It helps to keep spirits up during the long slow times.

Calj, thank you for the tip about boltdepot.com
I could look at hardware catalogs for hours. That's not a sign of mental problems, is it?

Don, the shocks are cast aluminum-body Konis with really nice raised Koni insignia on them. I want to have them rebuilt and have new springs powder coated semi-gloss black. If for some reason that doesn't work out, I'll get Ikons like yours. They're good shocks, and they have the period look that appeals to me.

Greenjeans, I agree about the tank and seat. Excellent shapes. There are two CR seats, but the other one has a droopy-butt look that just doesn't do it for me. And Don is right about the tanks coming from Meadspeed in England. Nice folks, fast shipping, and secure packaging.

Oh yeah, and I made a mistake the other night about the lower triple tree. (I always end up on the computer just before bed, and sometimes I think my brain is already asleep.) Kiyo fitted the oil tank, pipes, and seat, and made the frame gussets. But the majority of the fabrication was done by Takashi Iwamoto, and he was the one who welded up the extra clamps on the lower triple.

That's it for now.

Vincent

I'm pretty certain that when rebuilding your KONIs, that IKON can provide compatible replacement parts if you need any, such as new springs.

[Terry in Australia]

Those old Koni's look odd, I don't think those particular ones were meant for a CB750, the bodies look too long and the springs too short. I've got a pair of CB750 Koni's hanging up in my garage, I'll have to go out and take a look.

The aluminium bodies Koni's are a baastard to pull apart (which is why mine are still hanging on my wall) as they weld themselves together with electrolysis over the years, but if you can get them apart they're great, and while Ikon don't list rebuild kits for them, they're not dissimilar to the 7610 series Koni/Ikon shocks, and I've used 7610 rebuild kits to rebuild old Koni's in the past.

The Ikon factory is just 200 miles up the road from my place, which pisses me off when I see Ikon shocks for sale cheaper in the US than here in Oz............