Topic: Phaedrus: CB750 RestoMod - Update: 09/23/21 w/ new video

[Tintop]

this is ridiculous...

I notice by your profile you're 26 years old. You weren't even born when I bought this bike. Let me tell you a little story.

When I was 26, I was riding this same motorcycle at breakneck speeds taking terrible risks. I put nearly 100,000 miles on it, roadraced it, crashed it 13 times, some on the track, some off. Twice were insurance company totals. Met my wife of 26 years on a blind date to the Covered Bridge Festival, we spent 13 hours on and off the bike, the day got better and better as it went on.  I've had every bolt and nut off of it more than once, the only thing original at this point is the frame and the crankcases.Well, you get the idea? So I agree and admit, this is truly ridiculous.     An old man's toy.  Ain't life grand?

So that would make it a 'numbers matching', but not quite original survivor.

[MCRider]

"So that would make it a 'numbers matching', but not quite original survivor."

Well they are both K2, but like all CB750s the numbers don't match. There are a few other original parts, I think the triple trees, and a few others. Seat base, I'd have to think...

Kinda like that antique hammer I inherited. It's at least 100 years old. The head's been replaced once and the handle and wedge twice.   

[Panotaker]

The Mityvac from Autozone is the one I got too, works great. I should have got one a long time ago. On my Goldwing, the rear break is also linked up to the left front caliper. You are supposed to bleed the front caliper first, then bleed the back. I did that for two days and never did get the air out the old fashion way. It had an air bubble in there somewhere. The Mityvac sucked the air out in 30 seconds.

[MCRider]

Great news, thanks. Looking forward to it.

[Tintop]

"So that would make it a 'numbers matching', but not quite original survivor."

Well they are both K2, but like all CB750s the numbers don't match. There are a few other original parts, I think the triple trees, and a few others. Seat base, I'd have to think...

Kinda like that antique hammer I inherited. It's at least 100 years old. The head's been replaced once and the handle and wedge twice.   

Mines my greatgrandfather's.  Lucky for me it came with a spare handle, and wedges...from Home Depot.

[MCRider]

yay! We got the brakes bled! Details later, just had to post. I was getting paranoid that it wouldn't happen. Don't remember it being a hard thing to do in the past, so was concerned when we weren't having any success. Didn't need the MiteyVac either. But still glad I got one.

Rebuilt calipers with Chrome and fancy pistons, rebuilt MC (first one I'd ever done) and it was/is of unknown origin, in very bad shape, different hose rigging, lots of variables, but it all came together (or so it seems). Hope I'm not jinxing it.

[MCRider]

Starting with the last thing first...So the Miteyvac couldn'r pull the air bubble out of my system. Spent some time messing around with that. Towards the end of the session, we pulled the rt side caliper. I had a board, 1/4 in plywood about 30 in long, that fit nicely betwen the pads and propped the caliper up. After a few moments, i began bleeding. Heard nothing at first, but I think air was coming out. Then when it got close and some fluid was there, it burbed nicely and ta da we had brakes!


Earlier this week a friend of mine who is a rider for LSR Project 212, Rick Dorfmeyer, came by. (He set a new record in a class that had been 180mph for 24 years, at 194 MPH average, 198 max.)
Project 212 Bonneville 2010 Overview MJH
He was telling me for this year they fabbed a new exhaust. The builder was sure he had allowed enough room for the suspension pieces. But with an 18" extended swingarm the travel of the shock was more than expected and it hits the pipe. The point being when you start changing things its hard to foresee whats going to fit and whats going to hit.
So we mocked up the dyno cover with case guard on the lft and the finned point cover on the rt. Looks like they'll fit OK.

Can't decide to go au natural or finned on the lft.

The rt side fits, but the grd has to come off, probably, for the cover to come off.
We did some other things, repaired some wiring, I'm still polishing on the cam cover. I think its done then see another scratch I can't live with.  We did some hand polishing on the Henry Abe tappet covers. Cutting them out of their blisterpak, first time they've felt fresh air in at least 30+ years.


I've got to get some hours in this week. We'll be gone to Freeport Maine for 10 days as of 6/24.

[scunny]

hey MC, are those tell tales on your mates fairing ?

[MCRider]

hey MC, are those tell tales on your mates fairing ?

Not sure what you mean by "tell tales".   

[scunny]

tell tales are used for setting a sail in yachting, they tell you if you have smooth airflow over your sail. they are basically little strips of nylon. I suppose you could use them on a fairing and with the use of a camera you have the poor mans wind tunnel. sorry for the hijack.

[Tintop]

tell tales are used for setting a sail in yachting, they tell you if you have smooth airflow over your sail. they are basically little strips of nylon. I suppose you could use them on a fairing and with the use of a camera you have the poor mans wind tunnel. sorry for the hijack.

Actually scunny they were the original wind tunnel.  That other shot were they dabbed something on the tail was for the same purpose.  The air flow will streak the oil(?) across the surface.  Always though a 'tell tail' in sailing was the thing at the top of the mast, and the 'strings' on the sails were to help shape it to achieve maximum lift / efficiency.

Apologies for the hijack MCRider, bike is looking great.  Any more NOS packages about to give up their contents?

[MCRider]

tell tales are used for setting a sail in yachting, they tell you if you have smooth airflow over your sail. they are basically little strips of nylon. I suppose you could use them on a fairing and with the use of a camera you have the poor mans wind tunnel. sorry for the hijack.

Actually scunny they were the original wind tunnel.  That other shot were they dabbed something on the tail was for the same purpose.  The air flow will streak the oil(?) across the surface.  Always though a 'tell tail' in sailing was the thing at the top of the mast, and the 'strings' on the sails were to help shape it to achieve maximum lift / efficiency.

Apologies for the hijack MCRider, bike is looking great.  Any more NOS packages about to give up their contents?

Wow, guys that's cool about the tell tails. I've seen them tape streamers on stock cars to watch the air flow. I couldn't say if that's what Rick's bike has as i just don't know but it sounds like it. And I saw the crew putting dabs of stuff on the tail, had no idea what that's about.

AS to NOS goodies, I've about exhausted them. I will revisit one item I got from Laser/Marshall in the Netherlands 12 years ago, and that's the Marshall Deep Tone exhaust. About ready to put it on, can't bring myself to destroy the box, look at the cool lettering.

We mocked it up a few years ago. Good thing too as each header is a separate piece and they wouldn't fit into the collector. Took quite a bit of work to get it together. The angles were all OK though.
It should look good, sound good, and Laser has a reputation for performance. Unless they've tooled up again, they don't make it anymore, for early CB750Ks.

No apologies necessary, all in the name of learning.

[Tintop]

Yeah, would be nice to save the package.  Exhaust looks great.  Never heard a Marshall, but have been told they are very nice.

Oh, and scunny, did acheck and your terminalogy was correct re sailing, apologies.

[MCRider]

We had pressure in the brake system. I went out to try and get something done. Pulled the lever and nothing. Seems all the fluid ran out. There is nothing in what was a full master cylinder, and nothing in the lines. I have the bike sitting on a furniture pad, it must have absorbed it all, as there is nothing on the floor. There is one lonely little drop hanging from the lowest connection on the Left side caliper.

So I went to the local brake shop and got some 10mm washers. They gave me the wrong size first, though I asked for 10mm, partly my fault as I didn't take a bolt to confirm. Got the right ones on the second trip. Hope to get them all in and bled tonight. Then tomorrow AM we're going to Maine till the 5th. Happy/Sad.

Take care of everything while we're gone.

[CBJoe]

 I wish you a good trip... Rose and I are heading off to Canada for some fishing on the 8th...Snake Falls Camp near Red Lake, Ontario.

I'm excited because I got the thumbs up to start spending money on bike projects later this summer 

[MCRider]

I wish you a good trip... Rose and I are heading off to Canada for some fishing on the 8th...Snake Falls Camp near Red Lake, Ontario.

I'm excited because I got the thumbs up to start spending money on bike projects later this summer 

That sounds like fun.

Can't wait for your build thread!

[Tintop]

I wish you a good trip... Rose and I are heading off to Canada for some fishing on the 8th...Snake Falls Camp near Red Lake, Ontario.

I'm excited because I got the thumbs up to start spending money on bike projects later this summer 

Wow CBJoe, you are  heading for the north country.  Should be great fishing up there though.

[Damfino]

Both of you have a good trip. Me & the wife will be heading to Asheville N.C. on the 8th...can't wait!

[CBJoe]

Wow CBJoe, you are  heading for the north country.  Should be great fishing up there though.

I hope so... i'm not an avid fisherman, but we usually do good with walleye, pike, and perch(my favorite).  Hopefully the weather stays as nice as it is right now up there.

[Raef]

Both of you have a good trip. Me & the wife will be heading to Asheville N.C. on the 8th...can't wait!

going through the biltmore house? I spent a few months working in Asheville in the early 90's I haven't been back because they closed the glass furnace I worked in.

 I love the area...

hope all you vacationers have fun, be safe

Mark

[MCRider]

I'm back. I mentioned before the vacation was a happy/sad event. Happy I can do it, happy I have a wife I an spend that much time with, etc. Sad that it took two sessions away from Phaedrus.

I'll get some prelims done during the week and we'll hit it hard on Sunday AM.

Pics of the trip to Maine will appear in the Open Forum.

[supersports400]

Hi,

Just out of curiosity, why phaedrus ?, something to do with the famous dialog with Plato, or (and) Robert Pirsig ?
Notice my signature, and you'll probably know why I ask this question,

Jensen

[MCRider]

Hi,

Just out of curiosity, why phaedrus ?, something to do with the famous dialog with Plato, or (and) Robert Pirsig ?
Notice my signature, and you'll probably know why I ask this question,

Jensen

Yeah I originally adopted Phaedrus in 1980. without getting into a discussion of ZAMM, as we've done that already and it gets ...spirited, it simply represents my alter ego, as it did for Pirsig. I've owned the bike since 1974, met my wife on it and many other important life experiences.

If you look back on posts of the old tank you'll see it written on the tank. Also used a wolf's head, as the wolf image recurred a few times in ZAMM. Pirsig thought the two were related, Phaedrus and the wolf, but he was mistaken, per "Guidebook to ZAMM" by Ronald DiSanto.  I may drop the wolf's head in favor of some 1970's style flames.

[supersports400]

Hi,

I'm sorry, but 71 pages of info is too much for a quick question,

Jensen

[MCRider]

Hi,

I'm sorry, but 71 pages of info is too much for a quick question,

Jensen

No prob. This was the first one. Started a lot of conversations in the parking lots/ campgrounds:

Turns out it was a "wrinkle tank" and i sold it to Terry of OZ.
Then I had this one done. waited too long and didn't treat it properly and it rusted thru. had to discard it.

Now i have a clean slate, professionally rustproofed and primered: