I’m new to forums and to motorcycles. I’ve always loved café racers and old CB450’s, so I’m making one.
I got it on EBay last month for $1475
Since then I’ve:
-Cleaned it up
-Rebuilt the carburetors
-Replaced the points
-Rebuilt the advance mechanism
-Adjusted the valves
-Adjusted the timing
-Installed new tires
-Installed a stainless steel bolt kit
-Rebuilt the brakes
-Replaced front brake cable
-Replaced all of the light bulbs
-Repaired tachometer and speedometer
This is what it looks like now
I'm still trying to decide what to do for air cleaners.
My goal right now is to get the bike running. I plan on building it as I ride it. This winter I plan on a full rebuild, but for now I just need transportation.
Since purchasing it, I have not been able to get it to run. The left cylinder fires fine but the right cylinder backfires through the exhaust and carburetor. It runs better with the choke closed but once the choke is opened, the RPMs ramp up and it starts backfiring.
Diagnostics I’ve done so far:
-Changed out the spark plugs
-Swapped coils and leads
-Valve lash, points, and timing
-Carb and advance mechanism rebuild
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a sticking valve but I don’t want to pull the head until I have ruled out all other possibilities. Other clues as to what may be causing this are compression of 130psi and the plugs foul quickly. If anybody has any ideas, I would appreciate it.
You have yourself a sweet looking bike.
As far as airfilters go, I just took some valve cover breathers and honed them out alittle to fit over the carbs on my CB450--->
Keep up the good work !
ProTeal55
Member: Ton-Up Club Chicago
1972 CB750 Hooligan/Street Fighter -4 SALE !
1974 CB/CL450 Cafe/Bar/Stripclub Racer - 4 SALE !
1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air Hardtop
Brgchap, welcome, and that's a sweet looking Black Bomber. Have you checked the carb manifolds for cracks/air leaks? That may be causing some of your running problems. You can either pull them off to inspect them visually, or try spraying carb cleaner on them while the engine is running to see if you get a momentary increase in rpm. If they're the original manifolds, you should probably consider replacing them anyway.
The rearsets came offa GSXR 1000. All we had to do was make the left side linkage about 2'' longer, and make up the right side and it was done.. Under $100 invested...
ProTeal55
Member: Ton-Up Club Chicago
1972 CB750 Hooligan/Street Fighter -4 SALE !
1974 CB/CL450 Cafe/Bar/Stripclub Racer - 4 SALE !
1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air Hardtop
That Black Bomber is a beauty! Great price too, they are appreciating pretty fast so hang on to it.
I just sold a set of k0 airboxes! Damn, that would have been perfect. I run UNI filters on my 450 and haven't had any problems whatsoever (even in the rain). Just make sure to clean and oil them regularly.
My opinion is that the early 450's were styled to be 'out of the box' cafe racers. The styling is pretty unique, you wouldn't want to eff with it too much. The closer to stock you keep it the more it will be worth.
sweet looking black bomber. if you cafe it, just dont do anything irreversible so if you ever sell it it'll be worth way more
Political correctness
A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
cool bike take the rear fender off,get another one not in good shape and cut it so its a splash gaurd for the lower part till under the seat and put a solo seat on her, save the fender and seat, for the resto guys and ride the wind.Same thing for front fender save it for the purists and put a short one on,a cut new cheapo repro or on ebay they work and your going to cut it down anyway .simple pod filters oil them lightly and ride I hate seeing bikes with no filters makes no sence at all, one tiny grain of sand dirt f the whole engine up.
you can take of the suspect side exhaust and carb manifold and take the plugs out both sides and use the kick start to hand turn the engine as you look down at the valves.or put some mystery oil in your fuel tank to lub the valves read the can tell s you how much to put in I love the mystery oil.
old 450 twins ROCK,top heavey little bastards but cool,ruff till you get up the power band so I like thread lock sealent so things dont become adrift with all the vibrations.
I had a 67 CB450 when I was 14 and learned how to ride on it. I have fond memories of that bike and I'd love to have one again. Good luck and as others have said, go easy on the mods, it's great as is. Wikkid cool bike.
its your bike do what you want just leave that beauty of a gas tank alone it needs nothing...and do save what ever parts you replace or mod for the purists look on ebay and use those parts to modify so you have the originals for the next guy....like there will be a next guy HA!
black bomber stuff is kinda rare - and I am surprised he got his bike so cheap (although it is missing more than a few things). To put this in perspective I have seen a restored bike sell for $5000 and a museum piece sell for $10000.
most trade in the $2500-$3500 range for tattered originals.
surprisingly enough even superhawk and superhawk parts are more common than black bomber stuff.
Personally a set of rearsets and clipons are about all I would add to that bike. You put a set of cheap clubmans on that rig and I will personally hunt you down....
If it were mine, I would carefully remove the pipes, fenders, shocks and airfilters and preserve them. Then I would find some alloy fenders, reverse cone megaphones, K&N filters, decent shocks and good tires. That is all I would do. Then it is all reversable and way cool.
I agree with that plan,i also agree the bike is dead cool as is.Its a dilema,when you get a bike thats a pure classic in its own right the tank, the forks with the covers, the shocks with the covers the seat the fenders all the details of a genuine.classic its almost a shame to do anything but get it running like a watch and drive it for what it is.the 450 twins mid seventies have a generic classic look the tanks are the same generic shape as any honda of the era the seat is over stuffed and over built the lights are like solid heavey lumps hanging in the wind,the handle bars are high .The grab bars is a lump of wieght easily removed.They realy come to life stripping them down...but your bike is like ,well it would be like taking Pam Anderson For a breast reduction and a face lift....where she is good to go, just as she is.
Alright you guys I’m not planning on chopping my bike up. I know exactly what I have- Black Bombers are one of my favorite bikes. It’s good to know so many other people also appreciate them.
What I do want to change on the bike are things that are reversible, although I have no plans for selling it. The first thing I want to change is to make it run. Next it needs air cleaners-I like originals or pods, the problem with pods is any thing with a diametera larger than 51mm (2”) will hit the battery box, the carb flange is 50mm so finding a set has been a bit of a challenge, K&N doesn’t have anything that fits the speck.
I definitely want to swap out the seat, and lace another set of wheels in alloy. I will probably machine rearsets for it; I can’t find any that I like. Then maybe I’ll get some clipons, although I do like the bars that are on it now.
I would also like to do a respray this winter; I was thinking hot pink, just kidding. I’ll probably do it in the original gray and black; I have seen them in all black and I like the way that looks. Does anyone know if that was factory; I know there were a few made in red. I’ll save the British racing green for my car.
Recent work:
-Checking for manifold leaks w/ starter fluid, no dice-they seem to be fine
-Charging the battery right now
-My step dad had an odd idea to help determine if it is the carbs or valve train giving me a headache, “swap the carbs” I did it, I’ll have to hold the choke on one of them, but I think it is worth a try.
-I think the rings might be locked to the pistons from sitting for so long. I put some WD in the plug holes every night this weekend to see if they will loosen up the rings and maybe help the compression.
-I will throw some mystery oil in it and see if that helps the valves and the rings.
-I’m replacing the headlight right now; originals are pricey. Does anyone know if 33120-292-673 will fit in a K0 headlight bracket, it works for a K1-K4? It also has the benefit of being cheaper and having replaceable bulbs.
Until next time brush your teeth and mind your manners.
i would clean the carbs well,down to the smallist parts ,squirt mystery oil in all holes even in the float jets.I would darin tank to besure no crude is in the tank then blow it out with compressed air and put (Im not kidding mystery oil in the tank ...then some fresh gas.while i was doing all this I would pull the plugs squirt a good double dose of mystery oil in the cylinders so they can leak down to the rings .DONT be afraid of mystery oil its good for every thing rings head valves carbs fuel its the best stuff really is for old bikes .Id even unscrew the tapet plugs and squirt a more then healthy dose of mystery oil on top of the valve train ( cant hurt)
check and clean your points then check and clean your points (not a Typo)
can you photo shop a set of cheap clubmans on that picture just to see how many people on this board loose there minds!! That would be histerical!! Lmao.
I've been reading this forum for years but never post. I got a new bike I thought you guys might dig it.
There will be no modifications, maybe some nice rear shocks and some good tires.
I picked up a used KLR650 to add to my fleet and replace my old 93 DR650. I got a really good deal from the original owner up in San Francisco. I purchased this for a couple of reasons... First... Me and my son want to do some adventure riding. He's going to pick up a KLR himself and sort it...
Hi There.
just a quick hello my name is Steve and im a bikeaholic.
been messing around with bikes for years but im NOT a mechanic, more of a muchanic, meaning that i muck about till something works.
Look forward to joining in
Steve
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