1972 CB450 cafe BCR original***pics of finished bike***

Well, here's some of my build details, I'll try not to make boring. I started out buying two basket case bikes, the paperwork was a mess and the bikes were too rough. So I bought a third bike in my home state and with what I thought would be a good engine. The engine turned out to be pretty bad, so it required a total overhaul.

I discussed a new project with Benjie from BCR and after a while we decided to go in a new direction. So a new one off tank, seat, pipes and a few other pieces were ordered.

This is the build bike when she came home.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

Here she is a week later, I fabbed up my rear set mounts so I could get the measurements off to BCR so they can get working on the pea shooter exhaust. I lowered the mounts 2 inches and moved them back about the same.



Here is the motor getting some paint along with my 550 big bore project.


So I bought a Harbor Freight buffer since the 450 has alot of aluminum. Here are some pieces I worked hard to get back to shiny.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

The aluminum motor mounts were a nice score off one of the parts bikes, as was the front drum hub. There were a few engine pieces that got away from me while polishing and smashed, back to ebay for more. The wheels went to Buchanan for stainless spokes and nipples. They do a great job.


The engine was overhauled by me. Head ported by me, mostly cleaning, deflashing. Valve job, new +3 pistons coated skirts and domes, new cam chain, new cam chain tensioner, new cam bearings. Some new parts were in with the basket cases, score!



All rewired, electrics located behind seat including a 9BS battery, Hondaman ignition, vintage connections has a good kit to rewire these old bikes. Sourced vintage controls without kill switch, aluminum color and switch for front brakes. Upper tree holes welded up and polished smooth. Gauge mount holes filled with LED bolts for neutral & hi beam. Headlight mounting bolts drilled out and LEDS threaded in for front turn sigs. Not DOT but they go blink.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

Rear sets. Not so easy sometimes. I tried Tarozzi sets, all mounted, adjusted everything the way I wanted it. Then I mounted the exhaust which shared the same mounting hole. The Tarozzi's wouldn't clear the pipes. BCR left no room for my hardware. I see it as an oversight. No complaints. It just tested my resolve. So I got some round stainless and headed to a buddy's shop who had a lathe. I drilled out the end, then started to size the ends to fit the frame and what was to be the pedal pivots. So the lathe work finished. Made my own levers from cold rolled round stock, I cut an old brake pedal pad off and welded it to my levers. The pivots are DOM with an i.d. that fits my machined pegs. I then cross drilled the pegs. I would have knurled the pegs but I had no access to the tooling. I like the way the pegs came out and my total invetment was zero dollars, metal was cut offs, I just invested time. I think I will continue to make my own rear sets. Here is a shot of the lathe work, boring to look at, even more boring drilling for an hour.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

Looks great man! I love that you fabbed your own rearsets.


Any pics of the whole bike complete?

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

mothgils said:

Looks great man! I love that you fabbed your own rearsets.


Any pics of the whole bike complete?

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Thanks! It was fun and rewarding. I do have pics, they'll be up soon.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

I made a custom rear swing arm, its 3" over stock. I think the 450's are a bit stubby looking. So I grafted two arms together, slugged and tigged. Then the shocks were too short, so I again cut CB550 shock mounts off and grafeted those on, the 550's are 1" higher. Then I pc'd it a second time. Remeber cut twice, powder coat once. I know that lengthening a swing arm slows the steering, heck this whole bike will be slow, that how I ride anyway. I even swapped out the disc brakes for a drum. The bike is just for fun, no track days.

The frame is starting to come together, Benjie made a custom rear hoop, its wider than the frame and wraps the upper shock mounts. The frame is powder coated in Anthrecite. The forks are pc'd silver and rebuilt, all ballz tapered bearings, BCR bars with 450 gauge. I painted the body work in the same color as the frame so when I stripe it, the two tone paint will be seperated by a 1/4" stripe the same color as the chassis. Since I had no idea where the stripe would be, everything got painted. I spend three days and three rolls of fine line tape before I settled on a design, I wanted to bring out the shape of the tank but not look too trendy. BCR made this metal one off tank and its fits the 450 so nice, it has an Italain bike look to it, I just love it. I don't have photoshop so the paint and stripe is getting the old school method.

BCR made a set of pea shooter pipes that are nice and tight that wrap the frame. Benjie made the pipes to my frame dimensions. They fit really nice.

Here's a couple of pics as the build was progressing.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

What a great build with beautiful craftsmanship, Rock On!!!
kev

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

DAMN I like that tank!

Love it!

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

cb550fcafe said:

Here is the motor getting some paint along with my 550 big bore project.

So I bought a Harbor Freight buffer since the 450 has alot of aluminum. Here are some pieces I worked hard to get back to shiny.

Click to expand...

Hey man. Awesome build so far! I keep asking this question to people who i see have their cases split open. Im having a bitch of a time getting mine apart. Any tricks? Also, Im seeing something that looks like glue in between the seems of the top and bottom case... Is there a gasket that seals them together or something else?

Also, gotta love that HF buffer, right?! Best $60 i have spent there.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

stik70 said:

What a great build with beautiful craftsmanship, Rock On!!!
kev

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Thank you! The finished pics will be up soon.

revheadgl said:

Great build. Love the tank/seat combo!

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Thanks, I love it too BCR did a great job.

Ethanol said:

DAMN I like that tank!

Love it!

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Cheers! I'll post some pics with paint soon!

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

sxecafe said:

Hey man. Awesome build so far! I keep asking this question to people who i see have their cases split open. Im having a bitch of a time getting mine apart. Any tricks? Also, Im seeing something that looks like glue in between the seems of the top and bottom case... Is there a gasket that seals them together or something else?

Also, gotta love that HF buffer, right?! Best $60 i have spent there.

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Yea splitting cases can be tricky. It is glue that seals the halves. Usually the glue is old enough that it isn't holding very strong, so they do come apart. Almost always there is a hidden bolt somewhere. So I always check the manual, when I am sure all the bolts are out and its still stuck, I thread in a few bolts about 1/2 way and tap on the heads of those bolts to pop the halves. It usually works well. I use threebond to reglue, I know there is Hondabond also, but I just got the threebond from the supplier where I was buying other parts.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

Awesome. Thanks! Ill try that when I get home today.

Took a look at your photostream, great shots! Also, got a sneak peak at the finished bike and what a fantastic job! Love the frame color with that green.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

sxecafe said:

Took a look at your photostream, great shots! Also, got a sneak peak at the finished bike and what a fantastic job! Love the frame color with that green.

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You cheated. I was going to post this weekend. Just trying to pick my favs.

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

Love this bike!
Saw it on Cafe Racer Culture earlier today

Re: 1972 CB450 cafe BCR original

1KDS said:

Love this bike!
Saw it on Cafe Racer Culture earlier today

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Thanks! The bike has been on ottonero and 8negro also. The Italian blogs really like the bike. So, like I promised, here are some pics.












Click on the links to my photo pages for alot more pictures.

Amazing build man!

I have seen this bike a lot around the web lately, looks great, and the paint is very unique. I noticed that one pick has a set of velocity stacks on the carbs, but the rest have pod filters. Do you mind sharing where i can find a set of stacks and where you found your rear shocks. Thanks, That green bike is smoking hot too.

Thanks, I appreciate the praise. The stacks were made by BCR. I don't feel comfortable running them on the street, although they do have screens, I'm just worried, there is alot of dirt on the roads here. The shocks are from a CB900F, ebay forty bucks. They have some cool adjustments on them.

valvesprung said:

Amazing build man!

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Thanks! I worked very hard on this one, it took a while. Here is one of my favorite pics, I love the B&W.