A neighbor gave me a '74 cb450 with title that had been sitting in his barn for 25 yrs and I bought the '71 for parts for $50. After viewing this and other sites, I have decided to chop it up into a cafe bike. I got it running just for fun first and made a quickie drag bar to ride it around as a baseline. Now I have begun cutting the rear frame and fittings off and am working on all all aluminum tail/seat. I am undecided on whether to mod the existing tank or hammer a new one from aluminum. After scratch building several airplanes over the years, I am looking forward to this somewhat smaller project!
CB 450 project done... need jetting/gearing tips
- Thread starter Hancock
- Start date
904cafe
Been Around the Block
Re: CB 450 project underway!
first off... welcome
there are a lot of knowledgeable people here on the site, im sure you will find it very useful!
looks like a very solid bike to start off on. im sure your experience with PLANES!!! will make this seem like childs play. is that your garage? if so, your a lucky man! once again welcome and i am sure i can speak for the most of us by saying we look forward to updates on the build!
first off... welcome
there are a lot of knowledgeable people here on the site, im sure you will find it very useful!
looks like a very solid bike to start off on. im sure your experience with PLANES!!! will make this seem like childs play. is that your garage? if so, your a lucky man! once again welcome and i am sure i can speak for the most of us by saying we look forward to updates on the build!
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Many of the skills required to build cafe bikes are right in line with those used to build experimental aircraft (welding, sheet metal, fiberglass, painting etc). I must say that I tend to get burned out on the large projects anymore and modding these cafe bikes looks like just the right size of project to me.
Yeah it is my shop/hangar. I must admit I am a lucky bastard in the tools/workspace department, but I built my first airplane in half of my parent's two car garage 15+ years ago and that worked out alright too!
My wife is making me clean the WHOLE damn hangar for my daughter's graduation next weekend, so I am not making too much progress till that is done with, but I am sneeaking some time into it in regards to the seat/tail combo.
Anyone know if the passenger peg mounts are too far back for rearsets on a 450? They feel too far back to me, but I thought I may as well ask before breaking out the thin disk on the die grinder.
Many of the skills required to build cafe bikes are right in line with those used to build experimental aircraft (welding, sheet metal, fiberglass, painting etc). I must say that I tend to get burned out on the large projects anymore and modding these cafe bikes looks like just the right size of project to me.
Yeah it is my shop/hangar. I must admit I am a lucky bastard in the tools/workspace department, but I built my first airplane in half of my parent's two car garage 15+ years ago and that worked out alright too!
My wife is making me clean the WHOLE damn hangar for my daughter's graduation next weekend, so I am not making too much progress till that is done with, but I am sneeaking some time into it in regards to the seat/tail combo.
Anyone know if the passenger peg mounts are too far back for rearsets on a 450? They feel too far back to me, but I thought I may as well ask before breaking out the thin disk on the die grinder.
Canuck Plumber
Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
Re: CB 450 project underway!
I'm 6'3 so the rear pegs don't work for me, they don't seem ergonomic enough... Mind you I look kind of funny on a small bike to begin with.
I'm 6'3 so the rear pegs don't work for me, they don't seem ergonomic enough... Mind you I look kind of funny on a small bike to begin with.
Herm21
Been Around the Block
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Welcome Hancock!
Me and a friend are both building cb450 café’s as well. He’s doing a 69 black bomber and mine's a k6, oddly enough we too were discussing rearset placement a little while ago today and mocked a few trail fits. We're both about 5'9", and for me I think the passenger footpeg is too far back, but he feels very comfortable there. I think it's because his clip-ons are well below the triple tree and he’s essentially laying on the bike sort of "drag-style”, it’s where he’s comfortable... I on the other hand have my clip-ons a bit higher to achieve a tighter posture to where I can "tuck in" if you will, but the rearsets being that far back simply do not allow for a comfortable “tuck” at 5’9”, so mine will end up about where the passenger brackets meet the frame.
In the end we decided there’s really no right or wrong placement regardless of your height, but rather it's a matter of personnel preference and how you like to ride.
Given your background and the machinery you have in your shop I’m sure yours will be outstanding, can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Good luck with the project.
Hancock said:
Welcome Hancock!
Me and a friend are both building cb450 café’s as well. He’s doing a 69 black bomber and mine's a k6, oddly enough we too were discussing rearset placement a little while ago today and mocked a few trail fits. We're both about 5'9", and for me I think the passenger footpeg is too far back, but he feels very comfortable there. I think it's because his clip-ons are well below the triple tree and he’s essentially laying on the bike sort of "drag-style”, it’s where he’s comfortable... I on the other hand have my clip-ons a bit higher to achieve a tighter posture to where I can "tuck in" if you will, but the rearsets being that far back simply do not allow for a comfortable “tuck” at 5’9”, so mine will end up about where the passenger brackets meet the frame.
In the end we decided there’s really no right or wrong placement regardless of your height, but rather it's a matter of personnel preference and how you like to ride.
Given your background and the machinery you have in your shop I’m sure yours will be outstanding, can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Good luck with the project.
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Yeah Herm, I am about the same height and basically am thinking the best place for the rearsets is a position that places my shoe just back far enough to clear the rear of the engine and kickstarter area which probably means just aft of the frame tube where the passenger bracket is attached. I will have to decide on whether to simply drill some holes and weld in some mounting bosses in the existing bracket or whether to cut the whole bracket off and make a new one. If I left the original bracket on, I could use it simply as a place to secure the mufflers as original, but the rearsets might look more cobbed. Either way is not a problem from a fabrication standpoint, I just need to figure which way will look and work out the best.
Yeah Herm, I am about the same height and basically am thinking the best place for the rearsets is a position that places my shoe just back far enough to clear the rear of the engine and kickstarter area which probably means just aft of the frame tube where the passenger bracket is attached. I will have to decide on whether to simply drill some holes and weld in some mounting bosses in the existing bracket or whether to cut the whole bracket off and make a new one. If I left the original bracket on, I could use it simply as a place to secure the mufflers as original, but the rearsets might look more cobbed. Either way is not a problem from a fabrication standpoint, I just need to figure which way will look and work out the best.
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Finally got back to the bike project and after cutting the rear fender flush in-line with my previous cut off/plugged rear frame tubes and welding up a block off plate to it, I can now put some more time into the seat/tail. I rolled an aluminum tail piece and tonight I am working on my recently cut out aluminum seat tray. It will get tig welded to the tail piece and will sit on top off a 1/4 piece of rubber sitting on top of the frame tubes.
Finally got back to the bike project and after cutting the rear fender flush in-line with my previous cut off/plugged rear frame tubes and welding up a block off plate to it, I can now put some more time into the seat/tail. I rolled an aluminum tail piece and tonight I am working on my recently cut out aluminum seat tray. It will get tig welded to the tail piece and will sit on top off a 1/4 piece of rubber sitting on top of the frame tubes.
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Thanks Tim..... The steel bulkhead welded to the fender will get a rubber trim channel attached to it and the aluminum tail will fit over it nicely (if I don't screw it up....measure twice cut once... measure twice cut once...). I used a shrinker/stretcher tool to bend the front part of the seat pan to match the upsloping frame, but I still am unclear how I will alter and or cover up the rear tank gap opening. I am calling it a night after tack welding the seat tail together (I HATE welding thin aluminum.... I can do it, but I do not have a lot of experience with tig welding aluminum, so I have to take it slow).
Thanks Tim..... The steel bulkhead welded to the fender will get a rubber trim channel attached to it and the aluminum tail will fit over it nicely (if I don't screw it up....measure twice cut once... measure twice cut once...
). I used a shrinker/stretcher tool to bend the front part of the seat pan to match the upsloping frame, but I still am unclear how I will alter and or cover up the rear tank gap opening. I am calling it a night after tack welding the seat tail together (I HATE welding thin aluminum.... I can do it, but I do not have a lot of experience with tig welding aluminum, so I have to take it slow).
HerrDeacon
Over 1,000 Posts
Re: CB 450 project underway!
That looks sweet Hancock. I'd love to have the tools and the skill to be able to do something like that.
That looks sweet Hancock. I'd love to have the tools and the skill to be able to do something like that.
Re: CB 450 project underway!
So far so good....had to go back and weld a few pinholes and my arms are sore from filing, but I think it is going to turn out pretty clean looking. It will be a tough call in the future when it comes time to paint or polish (or maybe both). I was originally thinking silver tank fenders with a black frame and maybe a black center section of engine, with a couple gloss black stries down the center line of the tank/seat/fenders.
So far so good....had to go back and weld a few pinholes and my arms are sore from filing, but I think it is going to turn out pretty clean looking. It will be a tough call in the future when it comes time to paint or polish (or maybe both). I was originally thinking silver tank fenders with a black frame and maybe a black center section of engine, with a couple gloss black stries down the center line of the tank/seat/fenders.
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Put in a bit more time this week concentrating on the gas tank. My '71 parts bike came with a cobbed up sprayed painted tank, so I decided to use it in case I don't like it, I would still have my '74 tank intact. After sitting on the bike, I decided to cut the tank in the knee area to narrow it up following some existing lines on the tank yet maintaining the fuel equalization lines and the petcock. So after marking my cut lines and cutting the tank with a thin disk, I started stripping the paint and as suspected I found a BUNCH of bondo which I removed. Having the sides of the tank open, I was able to easily hammer out the dents, so I will end up with very little bondo when I am finished.
Later today I will start fabbing/fitting the new narrow panels that will get tig welded in place.
Put in a bit more time this week concentrating on the gas tank. My '71 parts bike came with a cobbed up sprayed painted tank, so I decided to use it in case I don't like it, I would still have my '74 tank intact. After sitting on the bike, I decided to cut the tank in the knee area to narrow it up following some existing lines on the tank yet maintaining the fuel equalization lines and the petcock. So after marking my cut lines and cutting the tank with a thin disk, I started stripping the paint and as suspected I found a BUNCH of bondo which I removed. Having the sides of the tank open, I was able to easily hammer out the dents, so I will end up with very little bondo when I am finished.
Later today I will start fabbing/fitting the new narrow panels that will get tig welded in place.
Roustabout
Been Around the Block
Re: CB 450 project underway!
Excellent craftsmanship!
Excellent craftsmanship!
