Topic: My 74 350F Cafe (RE) Build Begins*On the Road the build Nears its End*

[Bob3050]

Regarding that center bolt in your caliper, I wonder if someone drilled and tapped it to run a bolt in to push out a stuck piston at some time in it's past?
Bob

[veloracermike]

That seems logical. 

[heffay]

Painted the pipes black..thinking of wrapping to the megaphones..whatcha think?

Probably shouldn't have painted them first then.  If you don't care what they end up looking like after you take the wrap back off then go for it.  I think that paint will melt inside the wrap.  I know I'm melting my factory high heat black finish off of my BBQ and the pipes will probably get that hot inside the wrap.

[veloracermike]

Painted the pipes black..thinking of wrapping to the megaphones..whatcha think?

Probably shouldn't have painted them first then.  If you don't care what they end up looking like after you take the wrap back off then go for it.  I think that paint will melt inside the wrap.  I know I'm melting my factory high heat black finish off of my BBQ and the pipes will probably get that hot inside the wrap.

I'm not concerned about the paint melting under the wrap...if I wrap them they'll stay wrapped.  As with all first projects this is a learning process for me. 

[veloracermike]

Stuff has arrived crappy pic but there is new seat, mini gauges, new master cylinder, 7" headlight bucket, headlight brackets, and bar end mirrors.


Quick and dirty fit

[strtlegal]

That thing is going to look killer

[veloracermike]

So I got my fork gaitors from MikesXS last night and started to put those on.  Really really tight, I was about to give up and send them back as they were obviously not going to fit over the sliders. But I thought I'd give it one last college try....and...rip. Right up the seam.

[heffay]

check your order and if all looks right, contact mikes... i'd work with you if something like that happened and i had the stock.

[veloracermike]

So when I was negotiating the sale of this bike I had planned on changing the tank and seat and riding it.  This was based on the pics and what the seller had told me about the bike over the phone.  When I picked up the bike I knew it would take more to get it done but man today put me over the top.  Things are progressing, all the parts arrived the seat is fitted and at the upholsterer's getting a saddle made.  While all the body work is off I decided to tidy up the the electrical.  Well the eff'n harness is just a mess wires are missing, they change color several times with very crappy connectors.  I decided to just junk it and buy a new harness and start over. 

On a positive note, the Roc City Roadster seat is really a high quality piece.  The fiberglass work it top notch and worth every penny!

[mikbeanz]

have you sold the tank and seat yet? pm me!

[veloracermike]

New rearsets

[maduncle]

Subscribed - with interest.

[Stev-o]

Wow - trade a Rolex for this?! [I have one in the safe that never gets worn].

Great build!

[veloracermike]

Wow - trade a Rolex for this?! [I have one in the safe that never gets worn].

Great build!

Yeah it seemed like a good deal at the time...but dear god this guy really let this bike go. The idea when I bought this bike was that all I'd really have to do is swap out the tank and seat, and that would have waited till summer when it's too hot to ride.  Unfortunately the OP (who bought the bike from the builder) had not really taken very good care of it.  So I decided to dive in and go over it for safety and cosmetic reasons. 

I'm enjoying working on it, after selling my last Formula Continental in 04 I've basically just been building bicycles (I race bikes).  They are pretty easy and not much of a challenge.  This has been a lot more fun and I'm really excited about getting it back on the road. 

I plan on really breaking it down this summer and going through the motor and powder coating the frame.

[Bluegreen]

Subscribed!!

So are you going with an alloy CR tank or the 400? I'm confused now.

[veloracermike]

Subscribed!!

So are you going with an alloy CR tank or the 400? I'm confused now.

LOL Me too!  After much consternation I've decided to go with the 400 tank.  The decision came down to what I had in mind when I bought the bike which was more traditional street style cafe and decided to follow that dream.  Maybe the next bike will be a more track oriented bike. 

[tortelvis]

New rearsets

What kind of rearsets are those?

[veloracermike]

I got them here:

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=29844.0

[veloracermike]

Got my seat back from the upholsterers, wasn't cheap but it looks great. Mocked up the bike with the headlight bucket and seat, goes to the shop tomorrow to get the hoop and plate to mount my electrics under the seat.

[Kanticoy]

Seat looks great Mike!  I like how clean it is.  Is the plan to stay with the 400f red?  That tank looks immaculate in the pics.  I think the seat would look killer painted to match. 

[Stev-o]

Seat looks great Mike!   I think the seat would look killer painted to match. 

+1

[Cheffish]

Looks good man. Good call keeping the 400 tank. It looks nice. What are you doing for a tail light?

[veloracermike]

Seat looks great Mike!  I like how clean it is.  Is the plan to stay with the 400f red?  That tank looks immaculate in the pics.  I think the seat would look killer painted to match.

Thanks!  Well I have a paint scheme in mind...I've done a good mock up in Photoshop, but I'm going to let that be a surprise to you all .   The tank has a about quarter sized dent on the left side right on the "H" on the Honda otherwise it's damn near perfect so I'd be painting it anyway.

Looks good man. Good call keeping the 400 tank. It looks nice. What are you doing for a tail light?

Funny you should ask about the tail light.  I have three of them sitting in my garage right now.  I can't decide. One is out it's a Lucas style I was thinking about mounting under the tail but after mocking it up I hate it.  The other is a cateye style LED light.  Its small and tucks up nice in the back.  The third one is 2" round light that would mount on the tail itself.    I think in the end it's going to be the the round one.  Funny how this has been one of the most difficult things for me to decide on.

I also ordered the DCC fork boots.  Fit perfectly look just right on the bike. 

[veloracermike]

I've got my new paint scheme laid out, however I'm stuck on one thing. The Honda emblem.  Three choices:

Use the stock style Honda Super Sport style that is on the tank now

Use a more 'modern' Honda Wings

Use the 60's Honda Wings tank logo

Thoughts?

[heffay]

I've got the old wing on mine and when I repaint, that's what I'll use again.