CM400T Cafe >FINISHED!

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Frame is stripped, Unecessary tabs (old battery/airbox mounts, side covers, chain guard, Chain Guide, Center stand spring hook, horn mount) are removed. trimmed down fork steering stop on the stem tube (since I removed Fork Lock it can be much smaller) Tabs for new battery box and electric tray welded on. Very close to ready for Powder Coating. I need to add "frame droop" filler panels for gap between seat line and frame. More bracing to Rear Set Mounts, Bungs to rear of swing arm for Bike Lift Points.

I wanted to get a sense of what it would look like with the A$$ up and the front down a little.........

Now...

What I expect result to be...

 

[baconpocket]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

thanks a lot. now i have to explain to my wife why i need new shocks. cb750 shocks saved to my ebay search.

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

thanks a lot. now i have to explain to my wife why i need new shocks. cb750 shocks saved to my ebay search.

Isn't it a safety issue? aren't yours worn out? .....Yea but then you can sell yours on ebay. As far as CB750 shocks I am using/and can only speak to the CB750F Super Sport shocks, (I think '80-'82) and keep in mind my bike a "CM400" has eyelet top and clevice bottom mounts. The "CB400t's" have clevice top and bottom so they would not be a bolt on.
as I understand it they are "Showa" shocks, and have multiple Spring rate and dampening adjustments. I also expect them to be stiffer since they were designed for a heavier bike.

From somewhere in internet land....
"HONDA 1981 CB750 F CB 750 SHOWA 44520 CHROME SHOCKS - The most interesting of these changes is the new Fully Adjustable FVQ (Full Variable Quality) shocks which are the most adjustable shocks ever offered on a street bike. An adjuster wheel at the top of each shock allows the rider to pick one of three settings for rebound damping. The adjusting wheel is operated by the same spanner used to adjust spring preload. At the bottom of each shock, a small lever nestled in the mounting clevis may be flicked to either of two settings to vary compression damping. During serious pitch-it-off-into-corners riding sessions we usually used the middle rebound setting, the stiffer compression adjustment and the spring preload set on the second or third step up. For the best ride in terms of comfort, backing all the adjustments down to their softest settings seemed to be the ticket."

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

OK so I have been waking up in a cold sweat worrying I will have prepared the frame properly before Powder Coating. Well not really, but I am worried I have thought of everything.

WHAT AM I FORGETTING?

Removed from Swing Arm:
*Chainguard Tab
*Chain Guide

Removed From Lower Triple Tree:
*Fork Lock

Removed from Frame:
*Trimmed down Fork Stop (removed unecessary without Fork Lock)
*Horn Mount from down tube (Moving horn under tank)
*Air Box Tabs
*Side Cover Tabs
*Battery Box Mounts
*Center Stand Spring Hook (Center Stand Removed)
*Tab on right side of Mid Frame (I removed so long ago I forget what it was)

Have Added to Frame:
*New Battery Box Tray Mounts
*Rear Set Mounts
*"Broke Back" Filler Panels
*Steering Damper Mount
*Horn Mount under Tank (moved from down tube)
*Wire Harness Tie Points at strategic places (Pieces of Wire tacked on both ends to form flat hoops to zip tie to)
*Will also complete alot of the "Short" Factory Welds.
*May fill some of the holes/threaded holes in the center main frame sides.

May Add to Swing Arm:
Bungs to accept pins for a quick bike lift.

Have Added to Lower Tripple Tree:
Steering Damper Mount
Brace (After losing so much metal while removing Fork Lock)

1)Should I be adding some bracing? If so where?

2) Was thinking about adding a couple nuts welded on the large flat area in front of the rear wheel on the swing arm. This would give a place to mount a simple aluminum Short Fender if I felt I needed it? ???

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

I worked a little more on the upper tree, I ground of the bumps from the bar mounts. I'm not sure If I like it or not. I have another one that I may cut only the gauge mount tabs off (Like this one was before, in center of pic) and have it as a back up.

Which One????

 

[yayuppp]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

I like it with the bumps grinded

 

[tsbigdog]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

I saw another guy on here with a CM/CB that left the bumps and mounted his choke cable in one of them. It looked really neat. Not sure how he did it though. I think it may have been alchemist.

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

I've seen that done as well. I will be moving the Choke to either:

* Stock cable Looped back and mounted under the seat
or
* On Bar if I simplify controls to
(R) Throttle/Front Brake Lever
(L) Clutch Lever/Horn Button/Choke Lever

If I mount on bar I would use the English style lever I acquired

 

[jayfromjay]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

I'm diggin the triple ground down. Also like the choke lever versus the pull knob. Lookin sweet!

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I will admit the ground triple is growing on me. I guess I will keep working on it and get it polished up. With the tools I had, it was hard to get the hole sanded flat without putting a dip at some point around the hole. Eventually I just went with it and you will notice a dip at the back side of the each hole, hopefully I have matched this "Imperfection" side to side.

The nice thing is if I change my mind, I do have another unmolested alloy upper triple I can always cut the gauge stubs off and leave the bar mount bumps alone. It wouldn't be a difficult switch later on.

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Well I got the "Broke Back" Filler Panels welded in Sanded and some other stuff. I think I am going to put holes in the areas noted. The larger will be tubed and welded.

 

[baconpocket]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Can't wait to see it paint matched and flush.

 

[Redline]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

We did the same for a cutomer bike then powder coated the frame.

 

[tsbigdog]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Hey redline, do you have a build thread for that bike?

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

+1 on is there a build thread?

Did you do holes to break up the area? Can't tell with the black frame.

I'll be powder coating mine as well.

 

[Redline]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

No I didn't put any holes in the frame because the customer wanted something simple and I wanted to hide the electrics. My partner and I couldn't help ourselves and we added a few of our own creative touches. Check out our Bullit Custom Cycles Blog and Facebook page for more details!
Rob

 

[Ziggy]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Total newb question here.. but isn't it bad for batteries to be positioned at a non-upright angle? I thought the water levels had to remain consistently level with the ground?

 

[Redline]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

That was a mock up battery. We use a sealed unit for the final build.

 

[Frankenfe]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Redline, Looks like we even used the same gauge metal, I think I may have done mine slightly different as well, in that I tipped or angled mine inward slightly.

 

[Maritime]

Re: My CM400T Cafe Build - Now a CMB400 Frankenfe

Lookn good Frank, That is exactly what I want to do when I can finsh mine. When it can be a single seater permenantly. Nice work.