Aussie 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

I've been meaning to start this build thread for a while as a way of keeping track of my progress and also sharing what little knowledge and experience I have with the DTT community.

After researching Cafe Racers for many years I finally had the approval from my wife to take over half of our garage. So I chose my machine of choice - a CB750 and began scanning the classified. I was able to pick up a 1982 CB750F for the right price which was running but had a top end knock and even still had some registration left so I was able to ride it home.

Here's how she looked when I brought her home



Fast forward 11 months:


I was of two minds as to how I would approach the build. I could either do piece by piece and keep it rideable or go all out. I began by taking off a few bits and pieces that weren't necessary for my style of build and that turned into a complete strip down. Before I knew it I was down to a frame and engine cases.

Here's the mandatory "cafe mock up" pic



Then continuing the strip



Engine was in surprisingly good condition



With the exception of the crank bearings, as you car see - through to the bronze



Then stripped the paint off the tank and cut the side panel tabs off

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

I got hold of a GSXR 750 2002 front end for a bargain, the 2002's run axial mounted calipers though and I had radials in mind so I also picked up some lower legs off an 05 750 along with calipers





I cleaned the lower legs up and repainted, then removed the old lowers and swapped over.

Here's a pic of a rough mock up, just waiting on bearings and steering stem from Cognitomo



I'm in the process of figuring out spring weight now before I put the forks back together.

And last pic is of the triangle clean up job.

I'm in the process of cleaning and rebuilding/ re-jetting the carbs, the engine case is off getting acid washed. And the cylinder head is at a mates shop getting serviced.


I'm eagerly awaiting a shipment from the states including:
CB900 cams
A.P.E valve springs
Cognitomoto's steering stem kit
Rings, mains and rod bearings
Carb kit and jets
And a few odds and ends that I couldn't source locally.

That's all for now, that brings me up to date, hopefully things won't move too slow if the last 3 weeks have been any indication.

I hope you guys enjoy reading the progress.

Cheers,

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Good looking build so far, keep up the good work!

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Great start. Are you gonna stick with the points ignition or swap it over to the elec.?

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

How did you remove the lower legs?

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Sweet setup -- the bike is looking great. Modern suspension on the DOHC's are so mean!! Do you plan to stick with the stock tank? Any plans for the seat yet?


Also nice soda collection

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Looks like a small grocery store in your garage. ;D
Stocking up for the Zombie Apocalypse.

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

750mors said:

Then stripped the paint off the tank and cut the side panel tabs off

Click to expand...

It would be good if you could reshape the bottom edge of the tank to remove the section where it start to head south to match up with the side covers. I have seen one tank painted black to visually change the shape and one I saw a while ago chopped off at that bottom corner, but not done very well. It needs to be curved around like the rest of that bottom edge to look right.

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Jewbacca said:

Great start. Are you gonna stick with the points ignition or swap it over to the elec.?

Click to expand...

Jewbacca,
If I can source it for the right price I would like to move over to electric, I have some time up my sleeve (until I order a harness from sparckmoto) until I have to decide. The dollars keep adding up though!

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

biker_reject said:

How did you remove the lower legs?

Click to expand...

Just a bit of heat to melt the thread lock with the leg in a vice, then had a long bar through the holes at the top of the stanchion, as soon as I applied some heat it free'd right up.

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

bananas said:

Sweet setup -- the bike is looking great. Modern suspension on the DOHC's are so mean!! Do you plan to stick with the stock tank? Any plans for the seat yet?


Also nice soda collection

Click to expand...

Yeah I was waiting for the comments, I own a vending machine company. Hence the array of sugar.

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

bananas said:

Sweet setup -- the bike is looking great. Modern suspension on the DOHC's are so mean!! Do you plan to stick with the stock tank? Any plans for the seat yet?


Also nice soda collection

Click to expand...

Tank and seat I'm not too sure on yet. I kind of like the big tank... I've got a mate that wants to try putting the knee cut outs in but haven't decided.

Once I've worked out the tank I'll have more of an idea on the seat/ rear hump. I need to keep my electrics in it so it will have to have some size to it, but I like the lower / sleeker looking humps.

Too many choices when it come to paint and panel, as the sky is the limit. I'll have my wife play around with some designs on photoshop soon to get a feel for what I like.

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

teazer said:

It would be good if you could reshape the bottom edge of the tank to remove the section where it start to head south to match up with the side covers. I have seen one tank painted black to visually change the shape and one I saw a while ago chopped off at that bottom corner, but not done very well. It needs to be curved around like the rest of that bottom edge to look right.

Click to expand...

Yeah I think I know the one you're talking about teazer, I think it was silver on top with almost a black underbelly to 'thin' the appearance of the tank. I really like that idea. As for the cutting down you're talking about, if you manage to dig up a pic I'd love to see it so I can better understand what you're talking about.

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

It was probably this bike. I had planned on doing this to my tank, but I like the way it turned out. I did knee pockets and clip-on pockets and I think it visually minimized the bulkiness of the tank.

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Biker Reject,

Yeah that's the one I had seen. Love the pin striping too. I'll have to spend some time finding examples of finished products of modified 82 tanks as they don't run conventional lines that's for sure.

Matt

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Got the forks back together this afternoon.

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

This is a Suzuki GS1100E tank that came with a similar integrated swoopy Euro look that's in the process of being "flat bottomed" to make the rocking world go round......

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

had the same problem with my tank, doesn't look too bad with the bottom painted black. compared to the work that needs to be put in reshaping the tank...

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

Teazer - That's some serious work right there!

Jungalist - I'm thinking that's what I'll end up going with. Your bike looks great!

Re: 1982 CB750 DOHC - First Build

That's a small job compared to fitting the flush filler cap on the last tank or the frame and suspension mods.... ;-)

The key to it is that the end result is your own design and implementation and people are never quite sure what was modified and what came from some other bike. That tank fits on stock front mounts (almost) but needed new rear mounts to fabbed and welded on, so I cut some tabs off a spare frame and modified them slightly and then used rubber mounts form a different bike to pull it all together.