'71 CB175 - Cafe Project

Didn't look like you had the best day, but with bad comes good, now you can get some nice new valve plugs. The shocks look good. and if you are going to make a mud guard I would make one out of fiberglass, I plan on making one soon for mine. I want to take off my janky fender, and its not secured right anyhow. Anyways I plan on making one out of fiberglass for light weight and then I am getting some chrome vinyl $20 sheets and making it look like chrome, or just shiney. Just a thought.
Good Job again.

Yeah that cover is a freaking wreck. I have no idea how it could get so snug, but I guess 40 yrs is a long time for something to sit. Yes, I need to get a cheap impact driver, that would have been nice.


I thought about that Big Rich, I didn't have one on my CB350, and kept a close eye on my carbs for that reason. Never really had a problem. If I do something I could probably rig a little sheet of aluminum or something in there pretty easily.


Good idea 1976cb356, I'll keep that in mind.


Thanks for the input guys

Back to his idea: on that cb125 I'm working on, I planned on using a plastic rear fender. I cut the original mounts off the steel fender and bolted them to the plastic one. Pretty quick and easy solution if I do say so myself.

I'm definitely interested in seeing how that turns out. Sounds like a nice quick solution. You have a build blog on here for your CB125 right?

Yeah, in the trackers section. I need to sand blast the metal parts and paint them- once that is done I'll post better pics.

Alright,
Made a little progress in the right direction yesterday. Finally got that last tappet cover off after spraying the crap out of it with penetrating lubricant and letting it sit all night. Then sprayed it again some more in the morning and wrestled with it for another 10 minutes with the vice grips.


So I got my valve clearances set, and the correct sized plug for the starter motor cavity installed.


I also started piecing together my muffler idea. It all looks like it should work great. I found some chrome exhaust tips at the auto parts store and manage to find the right size adapters etc. I will even be making a little baffle for the inside of it. I ran out of time last night, but Ill try and get some pictures up soon of my idea. The headers will be wrapped, and the tips most likely painted black.


Should be ordering some replacement tappet covers today.

adriannarnold said:

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What did you use to paint the shocks? Also, did you have any trouble with the height adjuster on there? I painted mine and they looked all nice and shinny then I tried to slide the adjusters back down the shock and I guess the 1-2mm of paint were too much to clear and it stripped all the paint off.

Big time bummer on the tappet covers too, man. Im sorry about that.

Sxecafe,
I used appliance epoxy. No trouble with the height adjusters. They were more snug, but not enough to scratch the paint.

Those shocks look good. I might just be replacing mine with Forsa shocks available from Rusty Riders on eBay. The Hagon are nice but at 200 a set minimum, I'll probably save that for a down the road upgrade.

Cool, I didn't know they were that expensive. They came on the bike. I hear you, I could find slot more uses for $200

Alright, finally some pics and progress.


Lets see.
Front end torn down
Front wheel, hub, and spokes painted
Upper triple tree painted
Handlebar mounts painted
Headlight bucket painted
Tach repainted and remounted (centered)
Speedo removed
Headlight ears and fork covers removed
Fork boots installed
Drag bars, shorty levers, throttle installed (still have to center levers and trim bars)

For the tank I plan on painting the blue part white, and the part that is currently white to black.







I do have some parts to sell, I'll try to get some good pics up soon.


Stock mufflers
Stock handlebars, controls, speedo

Looking good! I wonder though with the replacement controls, are you still going to have flashers, engine kill, etc functional?

did you use appliance epoxy to paint everything? like the bars, wheels etc?


Is it in a rattle can, and where can your find it, i could use some for my project. How does it hold up?

Hey guys,
Controls on the handlebars are minimal. No turn signals, no electric start, kick only, headlight hi/low/off is on the bucket. The only button ill have is the horn. Still have to install it.

For the wheels, spokes, and hubs I used rustoleum hammered. The handlebars I purchased black. I did use appliance epoxy on the handlebar mounts, upper triple tree, headlight bucket and tach. It seems to do just fine. It is rattle can and I get it at home depot for like $5

Very cool! I've always been more of a fan of drag bars like that. Did that on my last build and I'll be doing them on the cb175 I'm starting soon

Hey guys, here is some long over due pictures of the bike. I got my exhaust all worked out. Basically used the stock headers, found some nice little chrome exhaust tips at the auto parts store, made some little baffles inside, found the right size adapter and welded them on. (first time welding, some was a little rough) I really like their size and think they go pretty good with the drag bars. They sound nice and beefy too, without being over the top loud. Also ground off the passenger peg mounts. Thats the good news. Bad news is below.





Was having trouble getting my bike to idle, and didn't have any time to work on it so I dropped it off at a local shop. I got a good raping for that one. Turns out my slides are pretty worn inside my carbs, or so I was told. So today I took my carbs apart and the left slide looks perfect, the right slide has a lot of dings and nicks on the bottom of the slide. (not even sure how they could get there). Now it looks like I need either new carb slides, new carbs, or just make the switch to some new mikunis and figure out how to get them to mount up. None of this would be as frustrating except the fact that the shop charged me a retarded amount of money for monkeying around on my bike and not accomplishing anything, except losing one of my idle speed screws, which Ill have to go and try and claim. Also my gas tank is leaking up near one the front mounts. Hoping its a small enough pin hole leak that I can cover if I line the inside of the tank. Losing out on excellent riding weather right now and this january I will be out of the country for a while so I really wanted to get some riding in before then. Back to work

And you paid them?
That was an expensive leap backwards!
Are you getting enough back pressure for the idle ...... these little critters like some resistance in the exhaust.

Tell me about it

I did install some big washers on both ends of the baffle. The one on the header side of the muffler I left as is. It has just the center hole, its a good 3/4 inch. On the exit side of the muffler the washer has the center hole, and I drilled some small holes around the washer too. I figured those would supply a decent amount of back pressure. Is to much pressure a possibility?

Thanks for the tips

Defo not too much pressure in your baffles, a rule I was given was that the sum total area of the holes in each baffle plate should not exceed the internal diameter of the header. And it works too! However sounds like your main problem is on the intake part of the equation.
Good luck in solving it!

Cool...Good info. Thanks