New CB Cafe project

Eric 951 · 03-10-2008, 09:04 AM

Just picked this up off of Craigslist, it is a '76 750 since the ailing Morini won't be done in time for riding weather. Right now it is stock except for the MAC exhaust. Clubmans, bar-end mirrors, a new tail/seat combo and turn signals are on the short list. I must say it is one of the cleanest CBs I have ever seen--not a drip or leak anywhere, fires right up and runs smooth.

Dueller · 03-10-2008, 09:16 AM

As clean as that CB is I'd cafe it but not do anything that is not reversible. It will be more fun with light cafe mods, but put back in stock configuration when you tire of it will be much more valuable.

Nice find.

I'm gonna semi-replicate this out of an old beater Buell M2:

Dueller · 03-10-2008, 09:26 AM

here's a good resource: http://www.cb750cafe.com/

Dueller · 03-10-2008, 09:30 AM

Joeaksa · 03-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Nice find! Always liked the 750 hondas!

Rot 911 · 03-10-2008, 10:21 AM

Nice bike, but that seat looks out of proportion to the bike. but you are going to cafe it, so no worries there.

VincentVega · 03-10-2008, 11:30 AM

Excellent

I saw a guys Buell up close a couple weeks ago. Tube frame, big motor, lots of carbon fiber... I want one!

Dueller · 03-10-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Martin

Excellent

I saw a guys Buell up close a couple weeks ago. Tube frame, big motor, lots of carbon fiber... I want one!

If you want a tuber buell (last built in 2002) they are cheap cheap cheap...nice ones can be had for $3500.00 or less...waaaaaay less. Sadly many are being snapped up to build mutant choppers using their motor wheels and forks.

If you are interested, see www.badweatherbikers.com classifieds.

VincentVega · 03-10-2008, 12:18 PM

Thanks for the recommendation. I've been looking for a 90's Duc SS, maybe an old CB, but really want to check out a Buell now. I need to find out what mod's he did, he was badass.

Tim Hancock · 03-10-2008, 01:27 PM

I have to admit that buell looks pretty bad@ss, but somehow I can't get past the fact that it has a Harley engine.

Eric, make sure to shoot some pics, as I get on a "build a cafe bike" every now and then. A local guy here often has various CB's for sale. I still have an '83 Nighthawk 650 that I bought in the mid 80's. I often think about tearing into it, but with the shaft drive and modern lights and speedo, it would take a bit too much effort and would never really look the part.

Dueller · 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

I have to admit that buell looks pretty bad@ss, but somehow I can't get past the fact that it has a Harley engine.

LOL...one of the things I love about my old school Buell tubers is that the crotch rocket crowd doesn't talk to you cuz its a harley and the harley crowd doesn't talk to you cuz its a crocth rocket

Seriously, they are fun oild bikes. In stock form they put out almost twice the power of a sporty and weigh 200+#s less. Plus they stop and corner well. They're loud, obnoxious, ground pounder hooligan bikes. TOTALLY impractical. They're visceral. They're the Shelby Cobra of the motorcycle world. The motors are sooooo simple: pushrods and 2 valves per cylinder A piston the size of a small block chebby. I use a big ol' Fram oil filter meant for a ford. You can work on 'em yourself with a $59 craftsman tool kit. Can you tell I love 'em.?

A friend summed it up best..he's a big Duc fan and road races a 919. At my urging he took my hot rod naked bike out for an afternoon. He came back shaking his head and with a grin said "That's the ANGRIEST damn motorcycle I've ever ridden."

Pretty much sums it up for me.

varmint · 03-10-2008, 02:04 PM

clip ons, bar end mirrors, maybe trim the rear fender. that's all it will take to have an ideal cafe style bike. no need to change it otherwise.

put good tires on it. that's the best performance mod you can do.

Dueller · 03-10-2008, 02:07 PM

Hey Varmint...whaddya want for the M2 swingarm?

varmint · 03-10-2008, 02:35 PM

$100.

and i'll throw in a random buell surprise part at no extra charge.

$200 takes it all. act fast. i'm going shooting next month. and i'm sick of having this crap around my apartment.

Eric 951 · 03-11-2008, 08:47 AM

Thanks for the replies. I just picked it up today and it is sitting in the bed of my truck right now.

Dueller, I have seen Carpy's site and bikes and that is the reason I decided to go with a CB--his machines are sweet. and all mods done will be reversible.

Kurt, yeah the seat has been recovered--they did a nice job, but definately not my cup of tea-- I am going to swap the entire tail out with a Carpy piece.

Tim, I will do a complete "before" and "after" photo series and post them here.

varmit, bars, mirrors, signals, tail section/seat/tailight are on the short list--velocity stacks are a maybe--it already has some cafe pieces as that was the previous owners' intent, but he ran out of time.

Looking forward to having it complete by the end of April.

Tim Hancock · 03-11-2008, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric 951

Tim, I will do a complete "before" and "after" photo series and post them here.

varmit, bars, mirrors, signals, tail section/seat/tailight are on the short list--velocity stacks are a maybe--it already has some cafe pieces as that was the previous owners' intent, but he ran out of time.

Looking forward to having it complete by the end of April.

Thanks Eric

Eric 951 · 03-19-2008, 07:06 AM

Well, just ordered the first round of parts from Carpy...signals, grips, clubmans, new tailight, and the dunstall-style seat. I will take pics when parts arrive.

Carpy actually called me too, he needed to confirm a piece I was ordering--caught me by surprise--really nice guy to deal with--looking forward to getting the parts.

VincentVega · 03-19-2008, 07:08 AM

Great news, keep the pic's coming.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Nice find! I spent last weekend doing a little TLC work on my motorcycle (weather is getting nicer here for riding and given how gas prices are going, I think I'm going to opt to commute to the office on the m/c daily rather than in the 'benz). Anyway I just picked up a carb jet kit and synchronizer tool, all new filters & plugs and a set of feelers/shims for the valves. Thinking about getting a D&D exhaust - I think I'll pull the trigger today. Ahh, good times coming. I love bikes. Can't wait to get all that stuff done and go for a nice long ride to Vegas or Mammoth or someplace.

Rock on bro - ride safely!

Dueller · 03-24-2008, 09:55 AM

Progress pics?