CB400n cafe build - Uni Student - Australia
- Thread starter JobCran92
- Start date
thanks! here is the engine - i haven't opened it up yet - but when i first got it the guy i bought it off said it was faulty electrics that wouldn't let it start. my dad (who works at energex - the local power company) figured some way to bypass the system and it turned over a few times and sounded healthy. As you can see i took off the alternator case and it looks really clean and in good condition (well to my very untrained eye anyway!). There were a few dodgy connections when i took the instrument cluster apart - no big deal although wiring is the bit that worries me!
i was thinking of just spraying it - but for a bit more money i may as well powdercoat. i dont want to look back and think "if only i'd done this or that" i know there will be some things ill want to do differently next time but i want to try to get as much of it good quality as possible.
i was thinking of just spraying it - but for a bit more money i may as well powdercoat. i dont want to look back and think "if only i'd done this or that" i know there will be some things ill want to do differently next time but i want to try to get as much of it good quality as possible.
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I am studying at uni on the gold coast (for those who know australia) and the bike is in my dad's shed on the sunshine coast (hour north of brisbane) so i only get to occasionally go up for weekends to work on the bike. last saturday i got the tank to just shy of the priming stage and just recieved an email from dad with these pics! MASSIVE thanks for doing this!
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jayfromjay
If it don't hit the ton, well it aint no fun!
looks good. nice work Dad!
im pretty happy with how it looks - in my opinion knee dents on a cafe are a must! definitely give it a shot. although i had a look yesterday and on closer inspection it resembles a lunar surface... putty time! should come up good though with a bit better prep.
on a different note i dropped in the frame/stands/headstock/old bar mounts (as i will get it through a roadworthy a lot easier with the old bars + it'll be kinda tracker.. maybe.)/headlight mounts in to be powder coated - then remembered that headlight mount cuts i made were shocking! (angle grinder... just to get an approximation.. then forgot) oops. ill just get them blasted and primed. not sure if i want them black or not - if the are it'll contrast with the silver forks/bars/light real well but im not sure.
also im thinking i need to add a little color to the bike somehow - i was thinking of getting grips/seat/tank stripes in the typical old school tan/brown. the color of the seat below.
on a different note i dropped in the frame/stands/headstock/old bar mounts (as i will get it through a roadworthy a lot easier with the old bars + it'll be kinda tracker.. maybe.)/headlight mounts in to be powder coated - then remembered that headlight mount cuts i made were shocking! (angle grinder... just to get an approximation.. then forgot) oops. ill just get them blasted and primed. not sure if i want them black or not - if the are it'll contrast with the silver forks/bars/light real well but im not sure.
also im thinking i need to add a little color to the bike somehow - i was thinking of getting grips/seat/tank stripes in the typical old school tan/brown. the color of the seat below.
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kilometric
Young, dumb and havin fun.
Hey man im from Aus as well (Melbourne) and doing a CB in a similar sort of style as you i think, just had a look at that Ellespede, they dont get much better than that, so so neat! have they got a shop up there or is it a backyard garage sort of thing?
kilometric
Young, dumb and havin fun.
And those knee dents look so sweet, really wish i had of had a crack at them now!!!
Maritime
Over 10,000 Posts
I have a R/R, CDI and COIL all off a running bike. Also have a motor almost complete and 2 heads if you need anything out of the valve train once you get into her. PM if you are interested, although shipping might be high as I'm in Canada.
Keep up the good work, I like the knee dents, I would have put some in mine but the tank is small enough I didn't want to loose and fuel capacity. I thnk yours is a few litres bigger than the CM tank I have.
Cheers,
Maritime
Keep up the good work, I like the knee dents, I would have put some in mine but the tank is small enough I didn't want to loose and fuel capacity. I thnk yours is a few litres bigger than the CM tank I have.
Cheers,
Maritime
kilometric said:
good to hear! much happening down your way in the cafe racer scene? Brisbane is just starting - it only has one shop solely dedicated to all things cafe but i think its starting to catch on and im seeing more and more people on DTT from around Brisbane which is cool. Ellaspede is featured on Pipeburn. built by two industrial designers in a "makeshift workshop"
http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2011/8/22/1971-honda-cb350-ellaspede-customs.html
i thought it just looked really fresh plus i loved the colors involved - gave it a very vintage feel - the same kind of look i want. kind of that with a silver tank and low bars.
I'm not going to chop off the raised bit on the back of the frame yet (no idea what its called.. guess ill learn as i go!) as Aussie (well the QLD) department of transport are fussy as anything about frame modifications and i want to get it on the road fairly easily. then i can go nuts. [/size][/color]
HondaCBGuy
Active Member
Nice work so far. I also want my rear guard to hug the tyre. Where are you going to fix it to?
I love that Ellaspede 350 as well. So tidy!
I love that Ellaspede 350 as well. So tidy!
HondaCBGuy said:
thanks - i was thinking of attaching it to the swingarm at this point - maybe weld a bracket to the frame then bolt the swingarm on?because then itll be fixed and will hopefully pivot with the wheel (when the suspension compresses the guard will also go down). im not sure where else to attach it. i was thinking of a point a little forward of the bottom shock mount.
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Maritime said:
nice work! something like that would be cool - would it be feasible to hide the battery under the cowl?
also im starting to like a flatter seat idea more and more. something with only a slight cowl in a tan color with the deus gum brown grips.
http://www.deus.com.au/shop/motorcycle-parts/grips/cat_30.html
im thinking a seat would be the most logical step next. something fairly flat - no massive cowl - but it still has to go over the raised rear frame bit - and hopefully something cheap! ill pick up the frame tomorrow from the powdercoaters and start get some ideas flowing. Not got much done at all (in the bike sense at least) as exams/assignments have needed some attention. oh and as well as that blame the latest purchase for my lack of funds/lack of time over the last week (exams... yeah right 
) see pic below
) see pic below