[ross_mc]

now then fellas.
been watching peoples bikes, as ya do, and thought id share what id been upto in the garage. had the bike for about 4 years now but never really got round to getting anything sorted out, its was more a bike that would be a good learner then i could get a one of those plastic sports bikes like me darrs. coming from a racing background from me downhill push bike i thought long and hard about if it was a wise idea and i opted out [pussy].so that left me with my 400/4. looked around at what else there was and found www.benjiescaferacer.com and that was that.

the bikes currently at my parents and im living 130miles away at my girlfriends house so progress is err on hold.
here she is so far...

still to do-

strip frame down, paint.
clean engine up.
wire me handlebar controls back up.
mount the tank an inch further back.
rearsets.
brake light.
electronics and battery relocation.

only problem im having is trying to get the battery somewhere so it isnt really seen and i dont have space for it under the seat.
does anyone know if you can get pretty small batterys, cause the stock one could be a brink from a prehistoric castle.

not many people go for clip on bars, am i too young to see im missing a vital part of the cafe race era or is it just what people like?

take it easy

 

[ross_mc]

im starting to think everyone hates clip on bars. sorry lads, ive machined down the handlebar mounts so i cant go back.
have i really mullered my bike up bad styles? ha

 

[texmawby]

we love clipons......welcome!

texy

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[xander450]

Yeah, not sure where you're getting that. I'd say they're the preferred setup in these parts.

A

 

[ross_mc]

i got the impression because everyones bikes have the clubmans rather than clipons. it wasnt meant as a dig at anyone, just thought id ask.

 

[cafeteria_racer]

nah, everyone is just poor.

 

[catboy]

CLUBMAN BARS ARE GAY!

there...i was the first! smoke that, bitches!

"Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion." -Edward Abbey

 

[pampadori]

we're just poor and don't like ditching the headlight brackets. When i first read your comment, i thought to myself surely he is saying that so that the hate brigade will back him when he later doesn't find time for rear sets. but actually if i had found this side before i put clubmans on my first cb750, i would have went clip ons all the way.
Its true that clip ons or clubmans can be uncomfortable with stock pegs. but my white 750 is perfect with the stockers. the seat is about 2 inches lower then my other 750 so maybe thats why.

anyhow, good looking project you got there!


'72 cb750
'75 cb750
'76 cb750

 

[ross_mc]

thinking for my rearsets, ive got a bit of a different idea for them. what im thinking of doing is using the existing foot peg but cutting the mount in half so i have one half being the foot rest and the other half being the mount to the frame, then getting a mate who is a welder by trade to weld a piece of steel rod inbetween the two pieces at the right angle and lenght. then i was just going to do away with that triangular bit of frame on the back of the bike and just have a mount for the pipes run off the frame.
thats the idea anyway.
what ya think.

 

[kenessex]

Ross,
My first race bike was a 400F. I had a J&R 4-1 pipe on it, open carbs, and that was about it. I had clip-ons with the stock pegs and it was fine. It was a 75 and I think from the paint that yours is a 77. The 77 had different foot pegs that are farther forward. Maybe you can find a set of 75 or 76 pegs and see if you like them.
It was a good bike that I put lots of street miles on. It was my only transportation for several years. Thank goodness I never crashed it on the track or I would have been walking to class.

Ken



AHRMA 412
Vintage racing - old guys on old bikes

 

[ross_mc]

now then ken.
its amazing how many people come up to me who know someone or have owned a 400/4 themselves. get all these men about me darrs age talking to me about it. funny.
i baught the bike off a friend who had just done lots of work on it. full engine rebuild, new tryes, brakes, deeptone marshall exhaust, pretty much everything. all i had to do was work off that with how i wanted the bike to look. baught some clipons, a norton wideline seat with some nice suede{spelling?ha} on it, paid more for that then a new one ha.i get a bit carried away on ebay if i like something a fair bit.
just need to put me pipes on, find a small as hell battery and hide the electrics away ,paint the frame and its pretty much ready to battle it out on the roads.
thinking of me rearsets and i think it might be better if i did something like this fellow has done...

 

[texmawby]

ross,

you country? as in rural english? as in out in the sticks? on the farm?

i just love your country grammar.

you wrote, "baught some clipons, a norton wideline seat with some nice suede{spelling?ha}."

suede is kosher.....trying to figure out baught.

this ain't the king's english is it?

texy



http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[ross_mc]

not exactly, from a part of the queens england that doesnt speak much like the queen at all. its called durham, small town near newcastle int he north east england. now as youll already know we do talk a little errr different. and yes my spelling is crap. baught would have been bought if i had read through my reply.

anyway, i thought you lot where supposed to big hairy arsed bikers that got fuked up on beer and scared old zimmer shakers. ha.

 

[texmawby]

just bustin' your stones.....

cheers,

tex

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[parks61]

ross
yer my kinda folk. a few ancesters back in my clan fraughm yer parts. now all i can do is drink new castle. watch out fer texy man...he's big, hairy, drinks beer, and wears a thong.
-parks
ps by the way, not a huge honda fan but those 400-4s are among my favorite/most appropriate (in my book) cafe bikes.
get some local olde tin knocker to bang you up a tank. or add 3 or 4 inches to it.

 

[parks61]

ross
yer my kinda folk. a few ancesters back in my clan fraughm yer parts. now all i can do is drink new castle. watch out fer texy man...he's big, hairy, drinks beer, and wears a thong.
-parks
ps by the way, not a huge honda fan but those 400-4s are among my favorite/most appropriate (in my book) cafe bikes.
get some local olde tin knocker to bang you up a tank. or add 3 or 4 inches to it.

 

[coolatula]

Going to be a great looking bike when your done. I really like those seats. I'm thinking of putting that style seat on my CB200T,but haven't decided yet.

My bike has the same style tank as yours. I wish I had another one,cut both up and making one lengthened tank. That would be ballsy for me,because in good condition these tanks can bring good money for what they are and I don't want to potentially screw up TWO good tanks!



Edited by - coolatula on Nov 16 2007 6:48:30 PM

 

[ross_mc]

the only thing i wish was that the seat was a bit slimmer, kinda a bit of a fat boy. but not too much or it would have gone back on ebay and id of looked for something other.
gonna aim to get it done for next spring. need to strip the frame down, paint that like a dark grey, paint the top end of the motor, i think thats what they call it, and clean up the bottom end. fuk im getting tech now. i dont have a clue about mechanics at all, just baught the bike and got the manual for it and started stripping shit off that i thought looked pap.

tanks gonna be mounted about an inch and a half further back anyways because my clip ons are banging off the tank and i cant get round the problem without kicking a dent in both sides ahah