1970 CB450 build - Now renamed "Piston Killer"

Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella **UPDATE**

Bout damn time. OK, so I got the piston cleaned up, re-honed the cylinders, slapped her back together. Dropped the engine back in the frame and am finishing up the paint on the tank before I fire her up again (this weekend).

Here are some pics of the tank after striping and checkers and ready for clear coat:

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Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Checkers are done to death, its true but when they're done well nothing says "cafe" quite as right. really nice work!!
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Gage Werke Composites said:

Did you remove your starter? That's a little battery.

Also, can you get a better shot of how you mounted the signals to the shock mounts? I think I'd like to do that.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Flugtechnik said:
Did you remove your starter? That's a little battery.

Also, can you get a better shot of how you mounted the signals to the shock mounts? I think I'd like to do that.

Hey Flug,
I did remove the starter, she's kick only now. The battery is the biggest I could fit under the seat and still put the rectifier and regulator under there. It's a sealed gel battery from ebatteries.com.
As for the blinkers. Their yamaha blinkers that I just opened up and removed the mounting post. I then drilled the holes to fit the shock mount bolts. I'll get some pics for you though.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

diesel450 said:
Checkers are done to death, its true but when they're done well nothing says "cafe" quite as right. really nice work!!

couldnt have said it better.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Well, she's alive and well (except for a few small oil leaks on the valve covers). Rode her to work for the past couple days. I'll tell you what though she doesn't want to keep that front tire on the ground. Amazing what bumping compression up to 10.5:1 does. Still dialing in the jets though. I'm running 155's and plugs are a bit rich. I'll bump it down to 150's this weekend and re-check. I'll post some pics tonight.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

hell ya! is that a 440 jet ski in the back round? or what size is it? i just sold my 440, it ha heads, westcoast manifold and pipe, race pitch impeller, ocean ride plate, tons of work! was a blast!

glad the bike is running strong!
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Gage Werke Composites said:
I'll tell you what though she doesn't want to keep that front tire on the ground. Amazing what bumping compression up to 10.5:1 does.

I always wondered what the fuss was about with these bikes. I thought mine pulled pretty good, but nothing special. Then I checked the compression and realized it was down at 130/135! Should be around 185, Doh! Already got my valve seats redone and will be getting the jugs done soon. How did you up the compression? Shave the head, or did just going to the big bore kit do it?

Can't wait to see this in the show&shine.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

JRK5892 said:
hell ya! is that a 440 jet ski in the back round? or what size is it? i just sold my 440, it ha heads, westcoast manifold and pipe, race pitch impeller, ocean ride plate, tons of work! was a blast!

glad the bike is running strong!

Hell yes it's a 440. It sounds like the clone of the one you just sold. West coast everything (manifold, pipe, waterbox, race impeller and ride plate). It pulls my 240# ass all day long. Love that thing.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Flugtechnik said:
I always wondered what the fuss was about with these bikes. I thought mine pulled pretty good, but nothing special. Then I checked the compression and realized it was down at 130/135! Should be around 185, Doh! Already got my valve seats redone and will be getting the jugs done soon. How did you up the compression? Shave the head, or did just going to the big bore kit do it?

Can't wait to see this in the show&shine.

74mm big bore, shaved the heads a bit, but had to install the thicker copper head gasket so it wouldn't blow up at about 13:1.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

Gage Werke Composites said:
Hell yes it's a 440. It sounds like the clone of the one you just sold. West coast everything (manifold, pipe, waterbox, race impeller and ride plate). It pulls my 240# ass all day long. Love that thing.

ha ha ha i thought so! that is awesome!!! my buddies on the super jets would give me all sorts of crap for my "vintage" ski... but i loved it... i am 225 and it took some motor work before it could get me out and on plane... but after it was done... she ripped! gone now... trying to find a super jet for the summer in the sun
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

JRK5892 said:
ha ha ha i thought so! that is awesome!!! my buddies on the super jets would give me all sorts of crap for my "vintage" ski... but i loved it... i am 225 and it took some motor work before it could get me out and on plane... but after it was done... she ripped! gone now... trying to find a super jet for the summer in the sun

Gotta love the superjet. I used to go to the world jetski finals every year in Havasu when I lived there.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

wow, looking nice. This is just my preference, but I like the emblem farther forward on the tank. On stock tanks the emblems are always towards the top and front. While yours is towards the front of the overall tank, its towards the rear of the non indented part, if that makes sense.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

very very nice man! some simple bar ends woudl really clean up the ends of the bars and give it more of a sport bike look. very nicely done... the more i see how you did your inner rear fender i think i may have to do the same. i got a roooster tail over my head last night of "something" sucked
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

I was planning on keeping that part of my fender as well. I've already started stripping it. Since you cut off the aft attachment for it, how did you end up attaching it up under your seat? Just make some little brackets to attach it to the frame?

I was going to build an electronics tray under the seat between the frame rails. I guess I could just attach an angle or two to that to hold it up at the top. Some clear pics of that whole area, including the turn attachments would be great.

Nice work.
 
Re: 1970 CB450 build - Now named Isabella

I used industrial strenght velcro on my seat. put it on the frame rails and pressed the seat on... let it set up for a day. removed the seat, and went around the edges of the velcro inside the seat base with some gell superglue... works great, just if i ever toss it on a trailer i will pull the seat off. other than that it is fine!
 
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