71 CB175 bobber

Well, I've had this 175 for over a year now and with my recent move and lack of room for so many projects I had to decide which ones I wanted to work on first and get started. Financially and ability wise the 175 came out on top. Aside from carb cleanings or tearing bikes apart and never doing anything with them this is my first full build. I've got limited internet access and funds are practically none, as I'm getting layed off Dec. 31st. Anywho, right now I'm tearing the bike down and getting it ready to be cleaned up and start reassembling it.

I've got most of my plan layed out. I'm just trying to decide if I want to go with white or pearl white for the paint and I need to learn how to polish metal. Eliminating the inner fender, bobbing the front and rear fenders, eliminating blinkers and blinker wiring. Plan to delete the starter as well, but I'm not 100% on that yet. Also contemplating ditching the points since I don't know how to set them, but that would probably be dictated by finances.

When I'm able to get pictures of the bike as I got it online, I'll definately post them. Any suggestions or advice is welcomed, but I won't be changing the direction of the build as a bobber has been my plan since I found the bike.

Here's a couple pictures of what I started with. Sorry for any sideways pictures, no photo editing stuff at work.







I've got a few better ones, but I still need to find them.

After a little tear down:









And last nights progress:







Damn those forks look good! :'(

Can anyone provide any insight on how to remove the upper and lower tripples and the rear brake arm. Someones already beat the crap out of it and I don't want to destroy it removing it, but with the lack of movement I'm getting I don't think I've got too much of a choice. But I want it off to start prepping the frame for paint. Tomorrow I'll be getting a few items from heckeljk so that will be nice.

That upper triple should come off pretty easy since you have the forks out. Just a couple love taps with a rubber mallet (assuming the nut/washers from the steering stem are off). Once the upper is off, the lower should slide down pretty easy too (more gentle taps). Try to put something like a pan or a towel underneath to catch any bearings though

looks liek you got alot of work cut out for you but it looks like its gonna be killer!

charlesskelter said:

.... white or pearl white for the paint .....

Click to expand...

+1
good choices.

Well, I met up with heckeljk last night and got a set of tires, drag bars and a coil. Woohoo for new parts.

I took the upper tripple off once I got back, no real issues until I decided to try and pull the bearings out individually so I wouldn't lose any. I touched the lower tripple and it fell straight through. Luckily I only had to chase down one bearing and I found it rather quickly. There are 16 in the upper and 18 in the lower, right?

The rear brake arm still doesn't want to come out any further than it is and I'm running out of lip to beat on, not that there was much on there to start with. As soon as I get it off I'll cut the inner fender out and I'll finally start stripping the frame down to get ready for paint.

Glad someone else likes the idea of white paint. I'd really prefer a white pearl, but I am thinking I might just do white since I can find it in a spray can, and it will be easier to touch up.

Way to dive right in man. This should be cool. White paint can be really bitchin on the right scoot. As far as the bearings, you should replace them with conical roller bearings... Much better.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Honda-CB175-CD175-all-models-Steering-Head-Bearings-Kit_W0QQitemZ390129482329QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories?hash=item5ad5877a59

VonYinzer said:

Way to dive right in man. This should be cool. White paint can be really bitchin on the right scoot. As far as the bearings, you should replace them with conical roller bearings... Much better.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Honda-CB175-CD175-all-models-Steering-Head-Bearings-Kit_W0QQitemZ390129482329QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Motorcycle_Parts_Accessories?hash=item5ad5877a59

Click to expand...

Oddly enough I just found this:

http://www.pyramid-parts.com/steering-head-bearings/honda/honda-cb175-cd175-all-models-steering-head-bearings-kit-p-6824.html?osCsid=2cumjmil8a95csc9ft449d1u8n5p7h3d

;D
Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

charlesskelter said:

Oddly enough I just found this:

http://www.pyramid-parts.com/steering-head-bearings/honda/honda-cb175-cd175-all-models-steering-head-bearings-kit-p-6824.html?osCsid=2cumjmil8a95csc9ft449d1u8n5p7h3d

Click to expand...

I've bought from them before on a couple of builds, fast shipping and the parts worked perfectly.

Jay

jay_kent said:

I've bought from them before on a couple of builds, fast shipping and the parts worked perfectly.

Jay

Click to expand...

Good to hear! Thanks!


Well, last night I decided to size up my new rear tire with the stock fender and see if I could get a feel for the amount I wanted to bob the fender.







Hmmm, it appears to be a little wide. Looks like I might be stuch having to run no fender... I guess I'll re-aproach the rear fender once I get back to the mounting point.

So I moved on to the front forks. I finally looked them over real well, and needless to say, they're done. There's way too much really deep pitting. So I need to figure out what I'm going to do there. By the way, how the hell do you get the lower fork sleeve (the one attached to the housing) off without destroying it?

Maybe I could use these...


Hydraulic front end would be pretty sweet...

After realizing the forks were shot and brutally destroying one of the lower fork sleeves I was too aggrivated to do anything productive. So I grabbed a wheel to see what a little scrotch bright will do





The rim cleaned up real nice, too bad I will not be polishing the wheels.

The hub and the spokes



The hub looks like it will clean up nice, the spokes stay a dark gray color. I wanted polished spokes. The lower spoke in the picture is the one I cleaned up.

Then I dismounted the tire.



More rust, but it doesn't look to horrible.

It's kind of hard to tell, but I wanted a picture to show how whomever worked on this last managed to chew up every sprocket bolt... why? How?

Brake arm cleaned up real nice, I'm assuming the hub needs to be stripped then cleaned like the engine covers, or do I just need to start heavier and work through the funk?

the forks off my CL175 havent been spoken for yet......maybe we can work something out?

Charles, if you have an air compressor you could rig up a soda blaster. I just tried it on some aluminum the other day and it is amazing. There is a how-to somewhere on here (maybe the $50 mod thread)?

Re: Soda Blaster

Here's one link for this thingy:

http://www.aircooledtech.com/tools-on-the-cheap/soda_blaster/

Great idea on the soda blasting, and thanks for the link! Unfortunately my compressor is a 220v and there's not a 220v recepticle in the garage.

I'll have to see if I can't find a small portable compressor to borrow from someone. The simple non-toxic clean up would be quite nice.

charlesskelter said:

Great idea on the soda blasting, and thanks for the link! Unfortunately my compressor is a 220v and there's not a 220v recepticle in the garage.

I'll have to see if I can't find a small portable compressor to borrow from someone. The simple non-toxic clean up would be quite nice.

Click to expand...

I made a soda blaster like the one listed above and use it to clean my carbs and I also used it to clean up the rear hub when I was doing my 450 project last winter. It worked pretty good, but I was only using a small compressor and had to keep letting it fill up. I'm looking forward to trying it again on my new bike, but this time I'll have my gas compressor that puts out a lot more air.

I now have access to a sand blaster, and I'm going to see about picking up a gun to make a soda blaster out of so I can blast my frame and the engine and cases.

Any updates/ pics on this bike? I've seen the questions about polishing, just wondering how everythings coming along

Progress has been quite slow. Still need to chop the frame and blast it. I've only run a test polish on one fork to see how it's coming along (that's when I saw the unacceptable pitting).

My 73 New Yorker has been eating up funds. I need to get it inspected so I can finally get the title, but it's developed an overheating issue (partial clog in radiator and dead water pump). Just got a straight pipe welded in to get rid of the blown out exhaust. Working on upholstering the interior of my Civic (which I just put a new engine, clutch, axle etc. in). I've got a lot of pots on the fire.

Pictures are limited to when I get access to someone elses computer and have my flashdrive handy, right now I'm using my sidekick to get online. I'll try to get the couple pictures I have up this weekend.

Wow, almost a month later just to get a few pictures up.

Still not much progress, definitely giving up om perfection on the fork lowers and drum. Just not worth t for a bike I plan to spend more time riding than cleaning.



Still need to get a small polishing wheel to get in the smaller areas of the drum, but a general idea of where it's at.







A seat I got for free, messed around with the idea for a couple minutes, then firmly decided it'll go on the 750. Of course I'll be recovering it and re padding it.





A light buddy had laying at the shop. Switched the clear bulb for the amber. I guess i'll be sticking to riding in the daylight.

Before


After


Still haven't cut or blasted the frame. Hopefully that will come soon.