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Chopper

14K views 118 replies 17 participants last post by  jaguar 
#1 ·
Thought that I had a "build" thread on this thing, but I guess not.

Bought this bike from Geeto a few years ago. Spent YEARS bugging him to sell it to me.
Has a cool story behind it, and to me and epic look.

After I got it, I serviced the crap out of it and started bar hopping.


Then parts of the motor started eating each other.


Kinda moved on to other things after that happened.
Bike got stored and semi forgot about.

Had been casually collecting parts to get it back on the road.
Right not I can not say it is my main focus, but I am starting to actively work on parts of it again.

Bought a "lot" of CB500/550 parts. Have a spare engine I might just toss in the frame so I can ride the bike again.
Currently has insurance and tags, so why let it sit?

The original engine will get rebuilt in a similar way to the Gentleman's Express.
Scored a cheap set of NOS CB750 pistons.
Will send the head out for a mild port job.
Have a CB650 Cam to install too.

Another KILLER part that will be used is an ARD magneto.
Never seen one that fit a 500/550, and the 750 units do NOT fit.

 
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#10 ·
not sure. Might sell it. Might get it running and then sell it. Might cut it and make it into a desk and a chair:
Fender Chair Furniture Flooring Floor


Red Fender Vehicle Plastic


Wife is starting to make vespa sounds again, but I think she want's a new twist and go. She was even looking at a Honda metropolitan scooter but I think those are too slow.
 
#12 ·
Bought these.

Got a great deal on some NOS CB750 STD pistons.

Now need to find a local machine shop that can do this.


Basically building "The Gentleman's Express" motor.
 
#13 ·
....Opens door slowly.....looks around......

WELL HELLO!

Long time no talk!

Been away for a while.

Figure it was time to get back in the saddle and screw some more things up!
Spent most of last year selling off almost everything motorcycle related that I had. Part of it was that the "stuff" just became a burden and very unfun.
I was not doing much with everything and generally didn't enjoy it any more.
Sure having some super rare and interesting bikes was cool, but I seemed to never get traction to do anything productive with them.

Also life was changing, as it tends to do.
Started a new job in a new field doing new and exciting things.
Bought a big dumb house in a neighborhood that is way too nice for me.
Got married about a year ago too.

With all the changes two things stayed constant with my motorcycles.

The CL125, because it is SO good to run around town one.

AND,
The Chopper!

I still would like a modern-ish bike to just "ride", but have not decided what that will be yet.
For right now I have a bike on the road and one project.
ONLY ONE PROJECT!

New house has a single car garage, but a huge full basement.
In that basement is a nice little shop space that will work perfect for me to tinker, and stay focused on the task at hand.


Can not have a work shop without a bench, so I got to work.






Nothing fancy, but will do the job.
Also will be nice to have a place to store bins and keep things organized.
We are trying to turn a new leaf here....


So here is the bike in it's current state.

Engine is still blown up, out and apart.

The big question at this point is what to actually do with the bike.
Personally I am starting to think that the "patina" has crossed the line into "ugly".
Exploring options of re-doing the chrome and having the tins painted.

Would love some input.
 
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#14 ·
It looks good from 10' away, maybe just remove some of the excessive weathering and call it a day?

If you want to go really crazy, do an americanized bosozoku bike... over the top exhaust and metalflake and a seat with a super high back to it
 
#15 ·
I would love to do a lace job on the tank and metal flake the frame.

I LOVE the stance and look of the bike, so not looking to change much.
Just kinda freshen it.

Biggest issue for me right now is the frame is molded and where there is filler the paint is finally coming off in rather large chunks.
 
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#16 ·
I had the same deal with the filler on my chopper frame. I took it all off and I'm just going with the rust patina and calling it a day. As a period piece, it's perfect. Looks like an Amen hardtail frame. Is that what it is? I just traded for a CB550 chopper that looks like it may be an Amen clone, but I don't think it's the real deal. I'll know more after Thanksgiving when my buddy and I can meet in ATL to complete the trade.
 
#19 ·
So I REALLY hate electrical work, wiring or anything of the sorts.
In the past I had dismissed the MotoGadget M-Unit thing as over priced and marketed to dumb Hipsters.

Well maybe I am actually a dumb Hipster as the more I read about it, the cooler it sounds.

I get that this chopper is going to be fairly simple as far has harness building goes, but maybe this M-Unit thing is the way to go for me and this bike.
Right now there are no wires on the bike.
What didn't burn (carb fire, or short from years of hacking) got ripped out a while ago.
Either way the whole bike needs to be redone.

Any of you guys use this fancy harness wiring thingy?
Worth it?
Opinions?
Thoughts?
Comments?
Foul words?
 
#21 · (Edited)
I just redid my gs750 electrics using an M unit.

I thought it was hipster bait, but it made shit so easy.

I went with the m unit basic, Bluetooth isnt with it to me.
I also got their wire kit along with some bullet connectors from vintage connections. I also needed to buy a shoelace ferrule crimper.

Revival cycles has some good informational youtube videos about it too

 
#22 ·
I tend to agree, but wonder if I am missing something.

Will be keeping the electric starter for sure though.
 
#23 ·
Here's the wiring diagram I made.



There's a few more pictures in my GS750 thread
 
#25 · (Edited)
It's probably on par with stock. The benefit is that everything is on its own circuit and that block acts as a giant smart fuse. Yes, you could wire up a minimalist harness for way less, but this has enough features yo make it worth the cost.
 
#26 ·
I'm guessing nobody has ever seen an internal wiring diagram for one of these sealed solid state gadgets so it's value is based on your satisfaction with the product.
It sounds like the equivalent of replacing the old fashion fuse panel in your house with a solid state circuit breaker panel and how tidy that wiring is,
;) well that depends on how tidy you can wire a circuit panel.
 
#27 ·
I'll caveat that the wiring in the picture is after I tested the system but BEFORE I wrapped it.
 
#28 ·
There really isn't a way to control the same junk with more or less wires.
Circuits are what they are.

I like the troubleshooting mode and the resettable relays.
Yeah it is overkill for most guys.
 
#29 ·
The Bluetooth one let's you configure the unit using an app, sends you a phone alert if the bikes alarm goes off, and can be set up as keyless start
 
#30 ·
It's a 70s chopper. You guys are hilarious with the way you overcomplicate things on this site. Wake me up when choppers become an engineering marvel worthy of all these bells and whistles. Hold my beer while I remote start my chopper. You can literally run a simple harness through one, just one, 30 amp circuit breaker. Yes, technology is great, and I love these M Units, but on a chopper? Really?
 
#31 ·
Why would it matter what type of bike got what type of technology?

Do you not run electronic ignition on bike older then a special year?
Is calling a phone sex hotline better if it is dialed from a coin operated pay phone?
 
#32 ·
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#33 · (Edited)
Try not to take those comments too seriously. But since you mentioned it, right now I am running points on my chopper. I may go back to Dyna, or I may not. The Dyna draws power that the points don't draw, so I may not go back to the Dyna. The Dyna doesn't make it run any better or more reliably then points with a booster. I have a small, light AGM battery that doesn't provide the amps to run a starter and works well with as little wiring as possible. I could go LiFePO to make it even smaller and lighter. I actually ran one under the tank, but decided to go with the AGM instead. I run the brake light and the tail light off the same wire, with just a resistor to separate the two. I have no turn signals, but I do have a high beam and a low beam headlight that runs through a mini switch. No start button and just an on/off toggle under the seat. My handlebars are just grips, the small toggle and throttle. I wired my bike for maybe $20, which includes all fresh wires, connectors, fuses and switches. I even rewired from the stator and field coil. The reg/rec is the most expensive electrical part at like $70. It's easy to find a fault in the wiring, because there aren't enough wires to make it hard. Having a minimal harness makes a fault less likely anyway. I guess there are different philosophies when it comes to choppers. I prefer to stay minimal and put all the money into the motor.
 
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