Topic: Carpy CB750K7 Cafe

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

A couple of months ago, I bought a 1977 CB750K7 off of ebay.  It was fairly clean, but in dire need of a carburetor rebuild, and a style upgrade.  Here's a few pictures of the bike from the previous owner:

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'm a big fan of Carpy's bikes (I've commissioned him to do a full custom build on a CB750K2), so I asked him to modify the bike into a cafe racer.  First things first, he rebuilt a set of carbs, the front and rear brakes, installed a drilled front rotor, Clubman handlebars, halogen tri-bar headlight, headlight visor, bobbed rear fender and brake light, smaller turn signals, fabricated a new tandem seat (using the stock seat pan, so it functions just like a stock seat) and modified the MAC exhaust into one of his own. 

Incidentally, Carpy is now offering a NEW YOSHIMURA exhaust -- not the Yamiya -- by having one of Pops Yoshimura's original fabricators replicate the original exhaust headers (the rare ones you can't find anymore).  He's selling the new headers for $399 for the first run, so get them while you can.   

The results from the first round of modifications were eye-catching and joy to my ears (the old carbs were bogging and clogging).
























Here's a movie-clip of the new carbs and exhaust in action:

[heffay]

looks and sounds great!

just a few minor details and a completely new bike... that always gets me w/ the cafe bikes.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Carpy then fabricated a new tank, welding the top flap, installing a new flip-top fuel cap, new peatcock (the old one was leaking bad), gave it a custom Norton-esque decal and paintjob replete with pinstripes, added a oil pressure gauge to safeguard the engine, and added a cool Ducati bar-end mirror.  In days, my Old Stocker was transformed to a Rocker.

Carpy is true craftsman, a great storyteller and a real stand-up guy.  I feel truly lucky to live close enough to his shop to have him work on my bike, and to see all of the cool Cafe bikes he has in his garage and shop.  

Seeing the bikes up close is whole other experience than seeing them on his website (www.cb750cafe.com).  I got to see the Tangerine Dunstall, the Cobalt Special and Mike Dirnt's Red Army Cafe (sporting new CR carbs and a dual front disc job).  Incidentally, he's going to be at the Long Beach 28th Annual Cycle World Show December 5-7 at the Long Beach Convention Center -- http://www.motorcycleshows.com/motorcycleshows/static/staticHtml.jsp?id=358892 -- for all of you local SoCal people.

Here are some cool pictures of the finished tank and bike:

















My NEW K7 cafe accelerate and handles like a completely different bike.  It gets all kind of cool looks and thumbs up, and it's a kick in the pants to ride up and down Pacific Coast Highway.  I'm getting pretty psyched about putting it through the Ortega Highway and the run through Trabuco Canyon to Cooks Corner.

[Really?]

Kewl!.  I liked both the before and after look.  The only thing I was at odds with was the blue centerstand.

Carpy does make some really nice bikes.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Carpy only used the "blue" centerstand to facilitate servicing and the modifications.

[Really?]

I guess that is smart way to know it was his, lol.

[Mach-5(50)]

Fantastic looking bike. I especially like the seat. it is exactly what i have been trying to come up with in my own head, i just didn't know it. i was trying to figure out how i could have a cafe racer style seat that my mife could ride on too, and still utilize the stock seat pan, since i am fabricationaly challenged. thanks for the photos.

ryan

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Mach-5,

It might be as easy as sending your seat to Carpy and having him fabricate it.  I could bring in my bike for him to use as a template.

[Really?]

How comfy is the seat and what did he charge?

[brady0706]

I do like alot of carpys work but just curious why you enlisted someone else to do this and didnt do most of this yourself. I imagine it would have been a ton cheaper. I guess I always try to do my own work whenever possible.

[heffay]

I do like alot of carpys work but just curious why you enlisted someone else to do this and didnt do most of this yourself. I imagine it would have been a ton cheaper. I guess I always try to do my own work whenever possible.

carpy is on the cover of a few magazines now, has multiple bike builds to his cred., yada yada yada

not speaking for cafe fan... but, i know i'm not published OR a renowned bike builder... i'd be happy to have something like that in my garage.

spending money on fancy stuff is nice too sometimes.   

[Johnny5]

That 77 is looking great. I love what he did with the tank. But personally, the seat looks unfinished or something. Doesnt seem to blend well with the rest of the bike. Other than that, fantastic.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The design of the seat was meant to mimic the look of a cafe style cowl, YET be flat enough and provide padding for a passenger.  One of the problems with a Guiliari (sp?) seat is that they are not passenger friendly, and a fiberglass hump isn't comfortable either. 

 I'm not that much of a wrench, myself.  Carpy's prices are beyond fair, and he stands behind his work and parts.

[Bill K]

Tail light and turn signals look great !  Hate my big ole tail light on my 78k. Saw the tail light @ Carpys. Where did he get those turn signals ?

[hopterfixer]

I have the same turn signals but with clear lenses, got them off of e-bay.  They have aluminum bodies.