Topic: Project underway; advice, comments, and insults appreciated

[samglover]

You can follow along on flickr, if you like:
http://flickr.com/photos/samglover/sets/72157605344628158/

For starters, I am going to strip the bike down to the frame. I want to eliminate everything I can, tidy up what remains, make sure everything is tip top, replacing parts as necessary, and make a few customizations. This is not a restoration project.

I am considering swapping in a sportbike front end. I like the look, and I'll bet it improves the ride. Not sure, though.

I have always felt like the rear end sticks out way too far, especially with the taillight. Going to chop the rear end a bit. Not necessarily cafe style, but something stubbier, for sure. I would like to fit a larger rear wheel and tire, but I am not sure I want to replace these wheels, which I would have to do.

I stripped the turn signals two years ago, and I am going to strip off all the non-essential electrics. No need for anything but starter, headlight, tail/brakelight, and engine. The most ambitious part of the project for me will be custom-rewiring the bike and relocating the electrics.

Not sure whether to modify the gas tank, yet, but I think I will swap in a cooler oil tank/battery holder combo.

Happy to hear thoughts and ideas. The plan is evolving as I get to know the bike from the inside out.

[samglover]

5.30.08
-------
Pulled off the tank, seat, trunk/fender, grab bar, taillight assembly, tool tray, and battery tray tonight.

The frame stops over the rear tire about where I would like the tail to stop. Not sure what to do with the tail, yet, but I will get to work with GIMP and try a few designs.

I think I will probably need to have a new inner fender fabricated. Add to the list of things to powder coat.

Not sure what to do about the exhaust, either, for that matter. I would like to go to a "stubby" 4-into-1, but not sure where to find what I want. The headers are rusted through pretty well, so these are going to recycling.

I will need to relocate the oil tank and battery. This gives me ideas. Nice and clean. This is a great oil tank, but does not solve the battery problem. And I have to find a place for the electrics, as well. there will be some.

[754]

My God, what were you thinking..

Do you have a plan in mind..or....??   

[samglover]

My God, what were you thinking..

Do you have a plan in mind..or....??   

My thoughts exactly.

[1080]

 Can you do a sketch & post the bike your after?  A good mock up before you put the grinder to it will give you more vision. Some chopper style parts may not always give you a clean look. A lowered, cleaned up stock may be a better way to go.  Boy cleaning up the stock gas tank is a big challenge. Make sure you do not get over your head or your abilities. Good luck.  1080.

[754]

Actually I did not view the pics.

 Just responding to the  INSULTS bit..

 The first few insults are free... , good luck with your bike..

[750goes]

Seems like it would not take too much to bring that back to a good looking bike with a bit of TLC... buy another roller if you are looking to modify, butcher...
Sorry if that's an insult, but I've seen a lot worse on here that have responded to TLC, and the opposite also....

Your bike   your project...

crappy 2c worth....

[bzr]

Looks pretty ambitious, I wish you the best of luck.

And if you're planning to ditch that Kerker muffler, I'll take it off your hands.

[samglover]

Can you do a sketch & post the bike your after?  A good mock up before you put the grinder to it will give you more vision. Some chopper style parts may not always give you a clean look. A lowered, cleaned up stock may be a better way to go.  Boy cleaning up the stock gas tank is a big challenge. Make sure you do not get over your head or your abilities. Good luck.  1080.

I think "cleaned-up stock" is about what I am going for. I don't really want to dig around for the parts it would take to restore this bike, and there are a few things about the stock look I don't really like, anyway.

The part I am most worried about is re-wiring the bike. I am going to try to put together a "draft" wiring harness before I strip the frame, so I know where things will need to go when I put it back together..

[samglover]

And if you're planning to ditch that Kerker muffler, I'll take it off your hands.

If anything goes, I'll definitely post parts here, first. I would love to restore the muffler, but I am not really sure how to go about it. I think the Kerker part is just a slip-on, but it is pretty beat up and showing rust.

[samglover]

Actually I did not view the pics.

 Just responding to the  INSULTS bit..

 The first few insults are free... , good luck with your bike..

Luck and a few insults to keep it real are what I need!

[samglover]

Opinions welcome, as well!

As you can see, this project is still very much in the conceptual phase. At this point, I am just taking things off so I can see what is possible--mounting points, frame space, etc., while I decide what I want to do.

I have the same thoughts about the wheels. I would like something wider on the back--lacing a wider Harley rim to a CB hub would be nice. But that involves going to spokes. Not sure if you can do that with disk brakes on the rear.

[Chad]

If you're removing electrics to clean it up, why not remove the starter.  I mainly kickstart these days. Go with a center-stand only as well.   

[bzr]

I think Russian Military when I think of that type of bike.

Russian Military...paint it olive green, stencil in MILITARY POLICE C1291191 on the tank, and throw on a sidecar. That would rock. 

[samglover]

Russian Military...paint it olive green, stencil in MILITARY POLICE C1291191 on the tank, and throw on a sidecar. That would rock. 

I am so considering an olive green frame now.

[hopterfixer]

I love the wire nuts!

[samglover]

Yeah, the wiring on this bike is a real hack job. I got so frustrated trying to get the turn signals to work that I finally just pulled them all off. The brake light has never worked quite right, either. I am dreading re-wiring this thing, but it will be nice to have a wiring system that makes sense (to me, at least).

[DarkRider]

As for going with a spoke rear wheel why not try locating a rear hub from an earlier CB750F? they had disk brake rear spoke wheels.