My CB750 Cafe will rise again!!!

Some of you may remember the demise of my baby this past May resulting in the dismantling of what remained of my bike and acquiring some new hardware in my hip.





Well things have returned to pretty much normal status again. My good friend Art has given me a reason to rebuild my bike, of which I can not refuse.

Here is her new back bone. A 1972 CB750K frame modified for drag racing. The modifications include center tube sub-support relocation to allow the valve cover to be removed with out engine removal. Also a custom aluminum racing tank which holds just over a gallon of fuel and is super light, less than a pound, with quick twist fasteners at the tree and an aircraft petcock. Passenger foot peg mounts have also been removed.

New back bone





I plan to install a set of later model bearings and races to accommodate a cb750F front end with dual disk brakes. Also in my possession I have a new set of TT drag headers and mag wheels. The power house of my bike will be the engine from my previous racer. I also plan to stick with the orange and black color scheme with polished aluminum elements.

TT Pipes


The power house:


This will be the 3rd and final time I will build this bike. I intend to take my time with no finish date in mind and really go all out on the details. I don't plan on this being a daily rider but more a show piece or a testament of what I have learned and the skills I have developed over the years in this hobby. I hope to include the help and suggestions of friends along the way.

Man. So good to see you getting back on that horse again. It's guys like you that show what true love for the sport is all about. good luck, and I'll be keepin an eye out!

Nice start on the build BTW. That tank is crazy!

Glad you're back on the horse man. I didn't hear what happened (or just missed it) but it sounds like you have had some rough times. Hang in brother!

good to see youre back! And ya that tank is tits, I cant wait to see what seat you pair it with.

I dont know your story, but back on the horse indeed. Right on!

MBS,

The holidays will be fun talking over the projects.

Remember there are those that just won't understand

SkiMan

Get back at it!! Really cool tank on that bike! Did you paint the orange? What is that? I'm looking for a good orange for my project.

Also fill us in on the "Army" bike in the back ground.

I remember when you went down from your post back in may.....and this is surely a badass way to get back into it! Keep it going cant wait to see what kind of body work you get going for the tail end

SkiMan said:

MBS,

The holidays will be fun talking over the projects.

Remember there are those that just won't understand

SkiMan

Click to expand...

Skiman
I know what you mean, and I have thought about that. How is your bike coming along? By the way, regarding your screen name, I have heard you can ski circles around most like a pro. I can hardly stand up on those things. -MBS

Thanks everyone for the feedback, its going to be a fun and long build. The tank is not exactly the tank I would choose for this bike, but its just to unique not to use it, so I will try to make it look good. As far as the seat goes, I want to keep a minimalist look to the bike, so the seat will be a manx style or possibly an aluminum custom pan. I might even run this one guageless - still on the fence about that. -MBS

diesel450 said:

Get back at it!! Really cool tank on that bike! Did you paint the orange? What is that? I'm looking for a good orange for my project.

Also fill us in on the "Army" bike in the back ground.

Click to expand...

The orange on the old fuel tank was just some vinyl I picked up at FedEx Kinko's. I used to work there so it was no trouble to get a couple of stripes cut on their vinyl plotter. I have applied some of the same vinyl to the wheels I will be using in the form of a strip around the outside edge of the rim. I will post a pic of the wheels soon. I really like the orange and black combo. To me it says "sporty vintage".

The army bike I just sold last month. It was a 1966 Italian Gilera 106 ss that I rebuilt about 4 years ago. Neat collector item but not really practical. I needed a car, so I used the money to buy a 1993 Saab 900 S. Including taxes and registration along with a set of tires and brakes I broke even. It was a fair trade off, I am happy with the car and with winter around the corner I think it was a wise decision. I do miss the little bike though. It went to an italian motorcycle collector and enthusiast, so it has a good home where it will be well cared for. I think the guy who bought it may restore it back to stock. He is not far away and said I could come by and check it out whenever. I am interested to see what he does with it. -MBS

Cool, I love that there are about 1000 different italian bike manufacturers out there. I've got a little Benelli that we're going to redo for my girl. Oh, I used to have an 89 Saab 900s they are great cars. Go get extra keys cut and keep them and a pair of needle nose pliers in the glove box if you don't know what I mean you will soon enough. ;D

diesel450 said:

Cool, I love that there are about 1000 different italian bike manufacturers out there. I've got a little Benelli that we're going to redo for my girl. Oh, I used to have an 89 Saab 900s they are great cars. Go get extra keys cut and keep them and a pair of needle nose pliers in the glove box if you don't know what I mean you will soon enough. ;D

Click to expand...

Yeah I am quite familiar with the saabs both the GM and early swede models. I have had an 86 900 turbo spg (very fun), an 89 900 non turbo automatic (sucked) and a 95 900 s (GM - need I say more?). The early models are tough as nails and great in the snow - love these cars. The 93 900 is the last year they made the classic 900, I wouldn't buy any models after 93. Looks like Saab is done for now that GM can't sell the line back to the swedish. Maybe my cheap car will gain some value, unlikely but who knows? They are very cool in style and unique cars. -MBS

Lets get some sparks flying brother. Good to see you dove in head first, shallow end is for pansies. Should be a truly killer build, and I know you'll go full bore. Watching intently.

Saabs, closest thing you can get to flying an airplane without leaving the ground.

Re: My CB750 Cafe will rise again!!! UPDATE

OK well its been a while since I was able to do anything on this rebuild. The DTT Book is coming along great and consuming most of my free time. Noel has some great ideas we are going to include in the book, so its not quite ready yet....but soon or my eyes are going to bleed!

Anyway, I purchased a new set of tapered bearings and had my good friend Art at the cycle shop assist me in removing the old bearing race from the stem and press on the new bearing to the lower tree. I set the races and installed the tree. I have run into a minor issue in doing this that I am in the process of figuring a solution.

What I am working with is an 81 cb750 front end with the comstar turnout wheels and dual front disc brakes, dual piston calipers, 81 stock tree and air adjustable fork tubes. Quite the upgrade from the original 71 ball bearing single disc, single caliper front end. The replacement frame is a 72.

When I install the tree and the top bearing, then thread down the original top bearing race the steering gets tight and stiff. I attribute this problem to either the old bearing race is pressing down on the race (which sticks up a little in the frame as it should) and binding the steering or the lower tree is not getting a full seat in the race causing the tree to bind with the neck at the bottom.

Everything is generously greased and it is my hope that a washer between the upper bearing and the bearing race nut will solve the problem. My thinking is that the 1981 tree originally came from the factory with tapered bearings, so the usual washer that would go one before the lower bearing to raise it up is not required as there was not one there with the old bearing I removed. But if I am wrong, then the bearing race fully seated on the under side of the frame neck could be up to high. This does not seem to me to be the case as of yet and I base this on the fact that the turn stops on the frame and on the tree seem to meet up properly. But I intend to take a closer look at that.

Anyone with any experience with this - I welcome your suggestions.

Just for hahas while I had the tree on there I mocked up a set of super sport style bars. They look ok, but I think I might go with black powder coated clubmans since the tank is so narrow and the bars appear wider than I would like.

Ok enough talk heres the pics:

Old bearing races - removed




Mock up handle bars




Sorry about the low picture quality. More pics and progress soon!

Good to hear the rebuild is progressing. I like the supa' bars, but they really don't jive with the tank. If you need any 750 bits along the way, I might have things to donate to the cause. Got some extra super sport stuff in the shed.

Can't wait to she you back on the road.

narrow broom stick/ drag bars?

Hey thanks for the offer I might be interested in a few bits and pieces, let me know what you have and we can work something out. I agree on the bars, I am considering a more vintage antique style pull back handle bar, clubmans and drag bars. Drag bars or a broomstick might have a wide stance also. I will see what looks better with the tank which will be polished and have some orange and back. I am also considering a swing arm mounted rear fender and have no idea for a seat yet. Also not sure if I want to go with fat tires or dunlop qualifiers, it all depends on the stance and style that develops. Exhaust could be 2 to 2 or 4 to 1. I am sticking with the 7" headlight and I have a choice in fairings - either squarish or bubble round which is brand new never got to use it. So there are options and I am not sure what will work together until she is rolling.

I appreciate the support, looking forward to riding again too.

Re: My CB750 Cafe will rise again!!! New Updates

Ok well things are a bit slow going but I am sort of taking it steady until the cold season arrives. None the less some progress was made over the last couple months.

First I took the grinder to the frame and removed the left over bits of the passenger peg mounts.

Before:


After: Smooth as a babies bottom.


Painted the frame gloss black at work after hours. Company forklift came in handy. 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of black.


The polished the fuel tank



I also bought a seat on ebay, ugly but I was more interested in the aluminum pan and it was cheap.




Then I drilled out all the rivets and removed the cover and foam



I like the shape of the pan and I think I will make a sub-pan from fiberglass as a removable pad. It really works well with the lines of the frame and tank.

on the roller with a plate for mock up. Tapers nice into the tank.



Then I mounted up the cb750F front end with the new tapered bearings and found the the matching comstar rear wheel would not fit the 71 swingarm, plus I did not like the height of the newer front end even after lowering the tubes in the tree.



So I set out to get another early model tree to use the earlier front end set up.

Here is the tree I got on ebay


After I wire-wheeled and polished the top tree clamp.


I have on the way a set of black clubman bars with bar end round mirrors and grips. Should be mounting up the other front end soon.

Comstar wheels with the added orange vinyl stripe I made will be up for sale to anyone interested. Soon to be on fleabay. Need more funds to keep this going. ;D -MBS