my '73 CB450
- Thread starter drgonzo
- Start date
Ouch... thats pretty nice. You're going to get a whole bunch of debate on that... honestly I say do what will make you happy... if it were me... I would probably sell off all the minty parts like the tank, side covers, fenders, exhaust... and use the money to fund a full on cafe build.... cafe makes me happy.
I was in a similar situation with my CL350... I didn't do anything to it that couldn't be undone... but Looking at it now... I probably will never un-cafe it... if I get tired of it I'll just sell it as is... everyone loves it.
Do what makes you happy. I wish I would have started with something that clean on my CB450 so I could have just done the cosmetics and not had to jack with the mechanicals.
- Woody
I was in a similar situation with my CL350... I didn't do anything to it that couldn't be undone... but Looking at it now... I probably will never un-cafe it... if I get tired of it I'll just sell it as is... everyone loves it.
Do what makes you happy. I wish I would have started with something that clean on my CB450 so I could have just done the cosmetics and not had to jack with the mechanicals.
- Woody
I'm all for turning a very nice stock bike into whatever you want, but with one caveat - keep all the stock bits intact. Put the tank, sidecovers, seat, fenders etc. on a shelf. Buy beat up replacement tank/sidecovers and make a seat. Keep the bars, put clubmans on it etc.
I did that with my CB550F.
When I bought it:
When it was restored:
One point in its life:
When it was sold:
I did that with my CB550F.
When I bought it:
When it was restored:
One point in its life:
When it was sold:
Since I have a 73 Aermacchi Sprint "Project" bike, I think I am going to go the "gentleman's express" route with this one. Keep the stock seat/tank/side covers and add CB400F bars, smaller tail light, intake and exhaust upgrades and maybe smaller blinkers...that kind of thing. Stuff I can do and keep riding it while i tear into the Sprint.
Wow,a couple of very nice vintage Hondas,gentlemen! I think both of you guys are on the right track. It is nice to be able to return a bike to complete original (and in this case, MINT) condition. I also have a '73 CB 450 k6,but not as nice as drgonzo's.It would be a shame to chop up such a nice original bike.
the 1970s hondas did a great job of copying the brit bike styling cues. about 15 years ago my cb450 was tweaked to look like a bsa rocket gold star. it was amazing how little work was involved. 10 years later i found some 2 into 1 hooker headers on ebay that were the finishing touch. some pics here:
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o194/duncan1437/bikes/
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o194/duncan1437/bikes/
