"IT'S ALIVE"........CB985CR Cafe Racer.......Serenity

cklamer

Been Around the Block
Well I have posted pics here and there online but haven't really started a build thread mainly because I lost my main computer several months ago along with most of my build pictures.
I bought this bike back in October 2011 and it sat at the bike shop for 6 months because at the time I still had my Yamaha Midnight Silverado and my BMW K1200RS. So I had no where to actually put the bike.

Below is what I started with looks pretty good in he picture and she did run but was a pain to start and was a lot of mixed matched parts.



If you look at the above picture they had used one of the original exhaust mounts to use as the mounting point for the Vance ad Hines exhaust in a not so common set up. It was rigged together in the strangest way. Parts were zip tied.


So I was finally able to transport the bike to the engine builder and at first he said I need the entire bike because he wanted to build it while keeping it mostly intact. But as he found out you cannot take these bikes completely aprt without pulling the engine. So he asked if I would go ahead and take the frame and do my thing and get the rolling chasis how I wanted and then bring it back when I was done.

Well that was about May of 2012 and I just took it back to him almost exactly one year later this past March-April time frame.
Only problem is now it was race season and I had to wait because all of the race bikes were coming in for tuning and set up.
So I have been on the back burner.

So all that is left is installing the engine hooking everything up and making some final tweeks before the Barber's Vintage Festival.

Okay I am adding a few early pictures I did find after having the hoop welded on and have everything smoothed out and test fitted it came out really good.







I did have to really rework the handlebar clamps because they were connected to a huge mounted piece that coverd the original fuse block. I I had to cut that off and grind everything off with a hand grinder. I originally wanted to use drag bars but after getting them in I didn't like them so I did find something from Tarozzi clip ons that would work. But still keeping the stock mounts just in case.







So I finally started getting the bike stripped down and gutted pretty much and then detabbed and shed about a 100 pounds.
No this is where the pictures don't exist the first 6-8 months of work are gone. ;-(

All of the grinding, sanding, cutting, BLEEDING and everything else.
Pulled all of the wheels off and a friend helped me remove all of the bearings and he also helped with rebuilding the calipers and master cylinder.
I am using the front end off of a CB900C just because it's a little beefier with 37mm tubes.
Had new Progressive springs installed and the Race Tech emulators.
Also had to have the tube drilled on all four sides for the fluid dispursement per the emulators.

So the follwoing is kind of a progression of the last 6 months and what she looks like now.
The wheels were powder coated first so I would have a color template for the paint and we have no idea what he did but the color was darker so i had to have them completely redone when I finally had the frame powder coated.
Here are the wheels and frame after powder coating.


FRAME...


SWINGARM POWDER COATED BLACK.....

Here are a few parts I picked up from DimeCity Cycles sometime during all of this...


So I have to run I will continue adding more later tonight.

See ya!
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

So after several months I got to the point where I could start the reassembling process. Now the only thing I am not doing is the actual engine upgrades I have handled everything else in a 8 X 12 cubby hole of my garage. I don't have a lathe or any other large machinery not even a welder I don't have anything but basic hand tools and no air system so it's all electric. As with most builders doing it in their garage. ;-)

I do have a day job like everyone else and because of long hours I didn't get a lot of work done until the weekends. So it was a very long process. But it is getting to that point of total satisfaction. Plus I know this sounds reallt pathetic no friends around to stop by and pitch in. So occasionally had to ask the wife to come out and hold something while I could get it mounted. She is definitely a keeper! ;-)

So here I have set the frame up on a folding table so I don't have to bend this old ass body of mine over for several hours. Anyway the folding table fit the area I was using also.

Here I am installing the front forks, rear shocks and the handlebars.






After getting everything installed there were a few things I wanted to change like the front headlight bracket that I had picked up was way to bulky and would not work with the front fairing.
So I had to find somthing that would work with what I needed.
The new bracket also gave me the option of taking it off without removing the forks the other did not.

My other piece of advice take your time which is what someone told because you will make mistakes and as usual didn't listen got excited and screwed up some threads so i had to pull the entire front end off and have the threads retapped. :-(

Back to the reassembling so now it's time for the wheels and brakes.









Okay I will add more later thanks for looking.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Looking sweet so far, keep it up. I keep telling myself patience is key but man I never learn. Just recently dropped a brand new glass headlight lense.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

MIG welded? Is that box for a standard lead battery?
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

caferay said:
MIG welded? Is that box for a standard lead battery?

Yes it is for a standard battery.
But not the standard battery for a CB750.
the tail would have to be so tall it would look silly.
No I believe it's a CBR1000 battery.
But I have a Shorai anyway so it doesn't matter.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

cklamer said:
But I have a Shorai anyway so it doesn't matter.

confused..if you have a Shorai, why the standard battery dimensions?
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Changed my mind!
Can't a brother change his mind? ;D
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

So now the fun part running and working on wiring everything up.
This was a chore and mainly because the stock wiring harnes is just such a pain and not too many folks can answer your questions without actually seeing thebike.
So here are a few pictures of the wiring harnes as I was soldering all of the new connections and adding in the digital head unit and adding new ground wires and just plain old re-routing everything.







So now after 2 months of working weekends I have installed and removed the wiring harness 4 TIMES and on the fourth I said this is it. I had talked to a few people about the head unit wiring and the Fuze Block I was trying to use and after some consulting I decided on the last try to get rid of the Fuze Block and go all inline fuses and change the contact location of the main power for the head unit and add another main ground to the stock ground area.

So here is the test fitting of the head unit and the front fender and other items.









This was the new head light brackets I ended up using they were the right legth and I could move and adjust them way easier than the others.



Okay I will add some more pictures and updates soon.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Looking good so far!
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Okay so now was time for the engine so went for some detail work and wanted to keep the whole thing connected color and finish. So here are some pictures of the engine getting ported and put back together and painted.

The air flow was measured stock and after a while it just wasn't getting any more air and after porting the heads and everything else the air flow increase was substantial about 20%-25% across the board.







Here are the stock engine covers.









And what they look like now:





 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

I'm liking what you have done. Did you do your own porting? Is that a vinyl wrap you used on the covers?
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Im 'effing jealous.
Id love to have access to a air flow meter.
Great stuff bud.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Hey Notlob,
No I am pretty good with my hands and would love to learn engine building but I have no room or space for any of the equipment. Since we did a big bore kit and it had to be resleeved and bored with a lot of machine work. I didn't think that was within my area of expertise.

So I have an expert engine builder doing all of that. He has 25-30 years background in building engines for drag racing and AMA Racing.
He also has a dyno and will be able to tune the bike.

The finish is done with Hydro Graphix with a lot of clear coat. I did the paint detail to the letters on the covers to match the stripes on the bike.
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

damn, those covers are sweeeeet. i like where this is going
 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Well after dealing with the wire harness and getting everything to work and connected it was frustrating as hell.
But I really studied the wiring diagram ALOT!
My problem was trying to use a fuse block as seen in some of the pictures above.
This was probably my biggest problem with getting everything to work.

So after connecting and the removing the wiring harness 4 times I was about to shove it out the door and let someone have it. But I settled down and after talking to a friend that is a mechanic and doing lot's of research online I gave it one more try.

Removed the fuse block and changed over to all inline fuses. Moved the main feed for the new digital head unit over to the positive out from the ignition and added an extra frame ground from the main ground buss connection.

So after all of that I got everything hooked back up again and connected the battery. First thing I see is the clock comes on and stays on and starts keeping time so now I am excited. But I have to step back and make sure everything is connected and plugged in before I turn the key on.

So now is the big moment the clock has about 5 minutes on it and so I reach up and turn the key and damned if everything turned on i was so excited about screamed. well actually i did scream I was so damn excited I had been working on the wiring harness for about 6 weekends in a row.

So here is the picture of when I turned everything on.

 
Re: Yeah,Yeah I know OMG not another CB750 Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Okay wiring pretty much done until after the engine is installed.
So below are pictures of the bike sitting in front of the engine builders shop Marrs Performance.









Should be ready for the Barbers Vintage Festival.

I am so excited. ;D
 
Re: "IT'S ALIVE"!.......1981 CB890CR Cafe Racer.....Her name is Serenity

So after dropping the bike off Dan says it may b a while before he can get the engine installed because it was race season and he has several bikes he works on during this time for drag racing and AMA.
So now his racing season was over 3-4 weeks go and still no engine so i had already given hima deadline because I want her ready for Barber's and that is my goal.
So after a few visits he emails me and says that the bike was on the table and the engine would go in that next Tuesday. That was Saturday the 17th of August and so that Tuesday I receive an email that only reads GOOD DAY!

He has also attached a picture and here it is.



So the engine is in so now I am starting to get excited because it's starting to look like a motorcycle again.
So the next day he send me another picture and not only are the side covers going on the chain and front sprocket have been installed.
Here is the second picture also says GOOD DAY!



Okay so this is Tuesday and Wednesday and he wants to know if I am going to drop in on the 24th and I said I had planned on it and he says good that we need to discuss a few things.
Now you have to remember Dan is normally a one man show and has a couple of guys that drop in that help part time occasionally.
So I am very surprised so much has gotten done.

So I make the drive up to the shop and it's about 65 miles from my house to the shop just over the Tennessee state line on HWY 231.
I get there and park my Kawasaki and walk in and I am just blown away I cannot believe how much has been done.
Here is what the bike looks like now.
By the way they asked me if I wanted to hear it run and I was just speechless when they cranked her up. She sounds AWESOME!

Left side covers:


Right side covers:


Keihin CR31 Carbs hooked up and ready to go:




So after arriving and finding out the bike is already up and running after only 4 days I was blown away.
I was trying to figure out what the hell happened and how did Dan get so much done.
Found out he has the mechanic from the local dealer that closed helping him out full time and the only thing he does is work on my bike nothing else.
Now that is cool because now I know it will be ready for Barber's Vintage Festival and the Ace Corner for sure. :D

By the way when this bike was stock there was only one guy that could even get it to start and now she runs lik a dream and no pull choke cable.
You just flip the choke up on the side of the carbs and she cranks first time everytime.

Sorry no video yet but soon. I have a new phone and I am still trying to figure out how it works.

Thanks for reading my motorcycle porn story. 8)
 
Re: "IT'S ALIVE"........CB890CR Cafe Racer.......Serenity

Damn that bike is sweet. I hope to see it at Barber.
 
Re: "IT'S ALIVE"........CB890CR Cafe Racer.......Serenity

canyoncarver said:
Damn that bike is sweet. I hope to see it at Barber.

Oh she will be there for sure now. ;D
Everything else if gravy as long as she is running she will be there.
I have to find out about the bike shows at the ACE corner and the one at the Classic Motorcycle Magazine booth.

The one thing he does want to add is some type of custom rear wheel hugger or cover to protect the carbs.
 
Re: "IT'S ALIVE"........CB890CR Cafe Racer.......Serenity

carbon print hugger would be my thought too.
 
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