The Buy It Now CB750

RicerwannaB

Active Member
I have lurked on this forum for well over a year now, Reading every build thread and tech article I could get my hands on. I have always loved motorcycles and Cafe Racers, however my time has always been spent modifying and racing cars. Well I have put my 69 GTO on hold for the time being and I am switching gears. Well I didn't know where to begin, and that's where things just kind of fell into place. I needed to do an Internship for school, and I had a friend(and long time wrench turning mentor) who owned a motorcycle shop, Checkered Past Cycles... Perfect. We worked it all out, I have been at the shop 2 days a week now for about 2 months and have learned a lot.

Anyways, I have been looking for a CB to build, but wanted something light weight and smaller, like a 450. But I wanted it cheap(college student with internship = minimal budget), I wanted a project I had to rebuild almost everything, for the experience, and I want to know my bike inside and out since I am keeping this one for myself. Well a late night Ebay search resulted in a 1973 Honda CB750 about an hour and 45 mins away, Buy It Now $500 dollars. Well that didn't take much thinking, I scrounged up some cash and clicked the button, picked her up within 48 hours.

As far as Direction, I just want it to look low, mean, and fast. I have a 04 GSXR front end I am picking up next month from an old Marine Corps buddy who rides and builds bikes for it. I am getting for a hell of a deal,and its an excuse to go see him.I also want to run laced rims, fat tires, disks all around. Paint, I am thinking primarily black with carousel red accents to match my GTO.

The bike needs some TLC. It threw its chain with the previous owner and put a nice hole in the case, beyond welding. That is ok though, Because I am excited to replace the cases and go through everything, making sure I replace any parts that are worn past their limits.
But anyways, thats that. And here she is, as I got her and without the seat,looking better already....And how anyone can ride with those bars, I have no idea.
 

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I was watching that one myself, but it was too far away to seriously consider.
Looks to be worth what you paid. Hope you have fun with it.
 
A good resource for your build would be Cognito Moto. They provide the necessary parts you need to make your front end swap easy. He's got a 750 build on here as well, that would be worth looking at. I'll see if I can find jt
 
Deconstruction phase one has started. Removed the stock ugly bars, all internal wiring, every single wire was red...all of them. So they are all gone. Removed small stuff like fenders read turn signals, header, etc. (selling everything I pull off of it to a friend restoring a 750 hondamatic.)

Also got a CM400 tank I am going to cut up and turn Into the seat pan, now it looks good 3/4 of the way back. But it looks like someone shot it up front. Would be way more work then it is worth to repair. So I may as well repurpose it.

Next up. Sand blasting CB750 and CM400 tanks, start modifications and body work. Picking up another bad CB750 motor this week. Going to see what I can salvage from it, and possibly rebuild it.

Also took off 4-1 header that came with the bike. I will be cleaning it up, painting it with high temp paint, and wrapping it because I like the look. Any ideas for muffler options? Looking for something deep, raspy, loud.

Will hopefully have bike completely stripped down in a few weeks.will start on frame, and motor rebuild then. As well as picking up gsxr front end in a few weeks, it's waiting for me in North Carolina.

I want to run wire weels, with 04gsxr brakes(tokiko) on an 04 gsxr front end. Now besides the Cognito Moto conversion hub, and the Harley Hub, are there any other options I should look into?
 

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I never understand why taking a bike apart is step one.
Cant say I didn't fall into that trap ever, but it is defiantly NOT step one....

Also might want to read up on the fork swaps. If just trying to get some look then fine, some guys get a kick out of that....
But if talking about things from a performance or actually functional point of view 99% of these swaps are a down grade in everything other then braking.
 
Some folks like to get em running and sorted out as "step one". Others like to tear it down first, and fix what's broken along the way. Does it matter? Nope, there's no cookbook to these builds. Whatever works for you is what's best. Glad this one will see the road again.
 
Surffly makes a good point about the front end. It'll look low and mean, but reduce the bike's handling to the point of a handicap. If you wanna increase braking, adding a second stock disc up front is always an option. You could also find a supersort rear end to add a disc brake rear end. On the exhaust end, getting a deep raspy note from a 4/1 might be a challenge. Someone may be able to offer more experience than mine there, but I've had good results with old 4/4 drag pipes. Mac makes them, cycle x and other companies sell them. They are uh, unique on sound. Ppl either love or hate them. My '75 build thread has them.

Good to see another 750 sohc on here too :) hope it works great for you and welcome!
 
Yeah, I know taking a bike a part should never be step one, but in my case it is(read: wirings trashed, motors trashed, might as well start from scratch).

However, I am building this bike at a motorcycle shop and not in my garage with no knowledge, and I am pretty handy with a wrench, and I am with motorcycle Mechanics that build custom bikes mentoring me every step of the way when I need it. When I am done with my internship I plan on being a certified Motorcycle Mechanic as well. This isn't my first bike, but it's my first bike build.

I am mainly here to start a build thread, post my progress, Network with the likes of ya'll, show you guys what I am doing, get some feedback and advice, and some ideas of some cool things I can do to my bike.

As far as the GSXR front end, I am definitely doing it for the low and mean inverted fork look. I do not plan on competing with it in any way other then a bike show. I imagine by summer this won't be my only bike either, I'll build something to toss around the twisties next that will only have 2 cylinders.

Hmm.... That sucks about the exhaust. I want to stay with the 4-1 for aesthetics. I'll figure something out.
 
Canyon Carver. Thanks man, I love that Car. Bought it after I came home from Fallujah As a gift to myself for living. I dont plan on ever getting rid of it. I have a Tremec T56 im going to rebuild and put in it shortly, As well as Coilovers, etc, etc, etc.
 
MS Paint seat pan from tank rendition 1, compared to tank.
 

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RicerwannaB said:
Canyon Carver. Thanks man, I love that Car. Bought it after I came home from Fallujah As a gift to myself for living. I dont plan on ever getting rid of it. I have a Tremec T56 im going to rebuild and put in it shortly, As well as Coilovers, etc, etc, etc.

Another "hell yeah" on that Goat! Sounds like you've got most of your bases covered with the build, good luck.

Glad you made it back, too. I'm a pencil pusher and mostly do work in SE Asia, but wrote with some guys on a project on events in Fallujah and the Triangle of Death for the ONR. Sounded like hell.
 
Thanks Man, Yeah, Al Anbar Province was the Wild West, Spent 07,08,09 floating around there. Was an 0331 with 1/4 B co.

I'm just trying to keep this ball rolling on this project, then on to the next. I just wanted to do a build thread because I've never done one before on any of the forums I've been a part of over the years.

I am excited to get the Exhaust finished, and the Tanks / Seat pan done. Should be getting the suspension this weekend.
 
A few More GTO pics, and Im Top left on the MK19, My dudes and I on patrol somewhere in Al An bar 07, somewhere near the Euphrates and The Ibrapanhia peninsula off of rt Bronze.
 

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Minor Update.

Well I cut up the stock Oil tank to scavenge the bungs, fillers etc. All rough cuts, still need cleaned up. But it wasn't in the greatest shape and I didn't plan on reusing it, so I figured I would try my hand at building my own oil tank in my rear seat cowl. Should be fun. Stay tuned for that.

Also, The Shop got me a TC Bros Choppers CB750 Engine stand for my Birthday. Awesome gift, and I cannot wait to put it to good use with my engine build. Still sourcing a few things.
 

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Update: Got a few parts in the mail, and picked up some new tools. Body hammer and blocks for some good old fashioned metal work. Older Ninja Swing Arm I picked up off of a member on here, Verboten1. Thanks again. Also picked up some Titanium Lava Rock Exhaust Wrap for the header.
 

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Now, Any of you guys that have any experience building your own oil tanks, specifically in the cowls of your seat pans, (but all relevant experience and ideas are welcome) and have any ideas / pictures / hints, etc. I would also greatly appreciate that as well, as I am about to start on that here soon.
Thanks
 
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