71 Honda CB350: Enthusiast turned builder!

teazer said:
One day I need to get a couple of lift tables.

I started out with just a jack, and it was a huge improvement over working on the ground. Even just for cleaning the bike.

Lift tables are awesome. I have two of them, and wish I had two more. I find that I frequently need to change the height of the table, depending on what part of the bike I am working on.
 
LazloH said:
Man that is a clean bike.

So.. Here is the thing that I have seen just from lurking.. and shooting my mouth off with little to no real world experience....

Nobody is into building motorcycles to save money. They are money pits. Your table might work fine for this build but if you keep going.. you are going to want the right tools for the job.

That being said.... you are all a bunch of wimps.. get down on the ground and get dirty.. who needs a stinkin table.
I like your thinking. I don't have that much money to spend on a hydraulic table.
 
hey pard it doesn't matter if its on the ground, hanging from the ceiling or on a homeade work bench,at least YOUR working on it! its your money,time ,effort, make it what you want. keep after it
 
I built my first hard tail bobber on a table like yours. When I got it done and it was sittin pretty up there, so I built a ramp with 8' 2x10's, rolled it backwards, rear wheel heading toward the ground and it hung up on the frame. Thankfully the frame was covered and didnt scratch the powder coat. When time comes to roll your down, have a couple buddies around to help, it is hard as hell lifting the rear end up in the air, keeping front wheel straight and walking backward down 2x10 ramp!
 
latest issue of Motorcyclist has coupon for Harbor Freight motorcycle lift for $299.00. That is $400 off. Think I am going to invest in one.
 
Our original poster wasted over $100 on materials and the wheel chock to build his platform. He could have added $200 to that and had a real table, one that he won't break a leg trying to get the bike on it.
 
Korbin091 said:
I don't have that much money to spend on a hydraulic table.

Dude, seriously... What the fuck are you doing building a custom bike if you can't even afford basic tools? You could have spent the $100+ that you spent on materials and the chock, and had a really nice bike jack. Or, add $200 to it and have the table. If $200 is a make or break with you, you've chosen the wrong fucking hobby.

I think you should just polish up that bike, rebuild the forks, pack the wheel bearings... stuff like that. Plenty of work you could do on that bike while you build your skills, and you can keep riding it. Start tearing it all apart, and you may not ride it again for months, maybe not ever.
 
Thanks for your input Alphadog, you really know how to complain about every little thing I do. I made the table to work on this bike, plain and simple, end of story. Sorry it doesn't meet your standards.
 
Well, ya know, you posted a picture of your table and said, "Tell me what you think!" Exclamation point and all.

So now, it appears that all you wanted was an "Attaboy" and a pat on the back for your ingenuity, creativity, and problem solving skills.

Well, I told you what I think. A few others agreed.

That's what gets me about you noob bike builder wannabes. You think you are Jessie Fuckin' James right out of the gate with your first project. You ask the group here what we think, and you get all pissy when we give you good advice that doesn't jive with the decisions that you have already made.

Really, all you are looking for is validation. Well, Skippy, that will come with accomplishing more than building a poorly thought out bench. Listen, learn. If we weren't here to help you, we wouldn't bother posting in your thread. But, if you want to be a little bitch about it, there won't be much help. Sorry if I wounded your little ego with honest, informative feedback.

Good luck with your project.
 
Heya Korbin, welcome to DTT!. The noisy greetings you've received so far are pretty typical on any damn bike board I've logged into. There is a lot of great knowledge here and really these guys wanna help. It just might not sound like it at first. Keep a thick skin and just keep on keeping on.
My .02 = #1 Make it safe, #2 Make it fun, #3 Make it look good.
 
Korbin091 said:
Thanks for your input Alphadog, you really know how to complain about every little thing I do. I made the table to work on this bike, plain and simple, end of story. Sorry it doesn't meet your standards.
Take it with a grain of salt. Guys often speak from their own personal experience, and have a hard time showing empathy. That's why everyone can't be a teacher. Amidst it all, you will find really good information. Just because a guy has a fucked up back and bad knees doesn't mean you should build your table the way he needs his. Take that input with perspective. I prefer my table 6 inches off the ground with wheels to roll around and get it out of the way of my Roadrunner. And I've had hernia surgery and I've been handling tons of clay, metal and materials half my life. There are some guys on here that are genius when it comes to these bikes, and you'll figure out who they are. Their advice is all you need. Everyone on here has done something with bad design, it's the good ones who learn from it and adjust. Just don't half-ass it, so in the end you can thump your nose. I've been building Mopars my whole life. Trust me, these fuckers' responses are nothing compared to a Mopar guy's response to cutting up a numbers matching Roadrunner. In the end, it's your wallet and your ride. You're the only one who has to live with it.
 
Mopar guy huh?

389813_10151168098919508_1159260377_n.jpg


thats the inside of my father in laws 68 340s fastback. Completely restored.. with a built engine.. its crazy scary fast. He has a 74 with a 318 we need to fix... Hemi orange!
 
LazloH said:
Mopar guy huh?
thats the inside of my father in laws 68 340s fastback. Completely restored.. with a built engine.. its crazy scary fast. He has a 74 with a 318 we need to fix... Hemi orange!
Hell yes! My brother and I just started restoring two 70 RR's that sat on my g-mo's property since 1979. The first pick is mine about two months ago just after I reformed the driver's fender. The green one is my step father's just after we painted it around 88. They're all numbers 383 cars. The wife wants to sell her Scion and get a 67 Coronet wagon. I already posted these, but hopefully dudes won't be too annoyed. I'm proud of the Plymouths.
 

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I had a '68 RR. Only muscle car I ever owned. Had a nice big back seat for screwing my girlfriend.

Oh, and 8-track tape player!
 
I thank you ALL for your constructive criticism and feedback. I look forward to starting this build! Things are on hold until it warms up, it's 20 deg. here right now, and I have to wait to finish painting the table. Unfortunately, I don't have a heated garage and its about to snow this week. I'm ready for Spring!
 
ADC, That's a mental image I really don't need. Suffice it to say that it has been a tough winter and we'll all be happier when spring arrives.
 
That bike is in fantastic condition. I hope you turn it into into something grand. I hate seeing all of the half assed cafes that ruin great models (Totally not saying that is what you are doing). The amount of unmolested classics are dwindling quickly.
 
As I type this, a front powered by a polar vortex is approaching that is going to make this rain turn to ice, followed by 4"- 8" of snow and temperatures in the teens.

THAT'S far more obscene. :-\
 
Well while we are all sitting around staring at the computer screen I figured you might enjoy a nice slideshow from a previous cafe racer event I went to last year at Martins Motorsports in Boyertown, Pa. This is only about half the bikes that were there, awesome indoor event!

http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/TheSSWerks/slideshow/Martins%20Motorsports
 
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