[yorchi5m]

Hi, Im new to the site, my name is Jorge and I got an 82 honda cb750 a few weeks ago that I will be turning into a cafe racer, Im thinking on a very simple concep, modern and stylish (for now) I will be taking conciderations to modify the build with modern parts or maybe keep the stock parts, I will be having more questions as the build progress

above is a picture of the bike as it is right now, I don't know the conditions of the engine, the previous owner drove it home, strip it down the. let it sit for about 4 years, so I will be taking the bike to the shop to get it fix and running if needed, my first questions is
from those kits from ebay (fuell tank, seat) what are your guys opinions of those? do I need to modify the frame in order to make it fit? do I need to find one that is specificly for my bike?

 

[yorchi5m]

also, some of the ideas that I have for this build is to replace the entire front fork with a modern one, cbr, gsxr, ninja etc, mostly because I want gold forks, (the bike is going to be black and gold) do I need to modify the frame for the more moder front end fork to fit? also rear shock absorbers will be replace for more modern ones, for a more modern look and to match the color of the bike wheels will be replace as well with some 40 spokes wheels.
Im oppen to recomendations, ideas suggestions, do and don'ts, places where to get this parts etc.
thank you in advance

 

[Geeto67]

Fuck conversations about kits.

Fuck conversations about mods.

Step 1: get the bike running and get tuning. Don't pay a shop to do it because the engine intimidates you. Get a factory service manual and go put your big boy pants on and make the thing run. Engine only needs 4 things to run: Spark Air Fuel and compression. if you cant figure out how to tell if you have those things then you have no business having a project bike.

seriously, stop talking about modern forks and blah blah blah. All that shit is harder than making the thing run and doing basic diagnostics. you aren;'t up to the challenge yet. Earn your stripes by making the thing work.

From the looks of the pictures the PO gutted all the electricals out of the bike. If you have the stock parts you are going to need to mount them up with the stock harness and get the spark part of your equation handled. Basically you are going to need: coils, plugs, plug wires, harness from coils to pulse controller, regulator, rectifier, igniton box, ignition switch, kill switch...etc... Before you spend dime one on ANY custom part - get that sorted.

Do I even have to ask the obvious question of did you get a title with this heap of shit?

 

[knappyfeet]

Welcome and perhaps you should make a proper introduction in the new members area.....with your motorcycle experience, your skills, location, if you have bikes now, etc. This will help but based on your questions it looks like your a little inexperienced in this type of endeavor.

I always assume that when someone comes in and says they are going to build a cafe project I'm assuming that they want it to look like the bikes they have seen before. So with that being said I will guarantee a clean cafe will be $4000 to $5000........ and a mountian of time. A cheap bike is always the most expensive in the long run so keep,that in mind.

Read the new members sticky because you will get guff over the fact that you want modern forks because they are gold. Here's my old honda with stock gold forks with race tech and progressive internals.

May I suggest what I would consider true cafe bikes that are modern and all done.

Good luck

 

[yorchi5m]

sadly I live on a apartment and don't own many tools to start working on the bike, I do have a clean title, the owner PO said he bought the bike, rode it home, strip it down and forgot about it, I also have a few boxes with bike parts, electrical harness cables etc are in there, the engine should run, I just rather have my mechanic to give me a diagnostic of the conditions of the engine, and I want to talk about modern parts because that's how the bike is going to look and I want to get an idea of how much I need to budged for and if is even woth it

 

[yorchi5m]

Hi , I'm thinking on modern forks because I want them gold, its not a necessary thing or something that I must have but it will be nice, also modern forks are the only ones that I have seen gold, I honestly never though about painting the ones that my bike already have gold, I might do that instead (if that's possible) my budget its about 3-4 k, I do have the original tank and seat for the bike but I more likely going to get a tank and seat already made, Ive seen some of them on ebay for about $400-$500 bucks , do you guys build your own tanks and seat cover? or where do you geth them? nice bike by the way it looks great!

 

[Geeto67]

sadly I live on a apartment and don't own many tools to start working on the bike

Well that begs the first question - should I really be undertaking a project like this? Do I have the space/time/money/expirence to really get the outcome I want? or have I been unrealistic in my expectations?

I do have a clean title,

Great!!! you are ahead of about 60% of the newbies that come here.

the owner PO said he bought the bike, rode it home, strip it down and forgot about it,

Never a good sign. Likely he was not saavy either as an expirenced mechanic would not necessarily have taken it all apart for no reason whatsoever.

I also have a few boxes with bike parts, electrical harness cables etc are in there,

Step 1: Get a parts manual and a service manual and label and inventory everything. this takes time but you may not know what you are missing until you try to figure out what you aren't. Chances are some stuff is lost to the ether.

the engine should run,

you don't know that. you are working off an assumption based on a PO of dubious experience.

I just rather have my mechanic to give me a diagnostic of the conditions of the engine

Again I can't seem to wrap my head around what your mechanic is going to do without a running bike. not much he can diagnose. But there is plenty you can do to learn about this, plus plenty of excuses for you to buy tools and develop a comfort level for working on the bike. I think this is not only a waste of money but it cheats you out of why you actually bought the thing in the first place.

and I want to talk about modern parts because that's how the bike is going to look and I want to get an idea of how much I need to budged for and if is even woth it

Here is where I point out that this notion of modern parts is more complicated and expensive than just getting the thing running, even given the fact your bike came home more in boxes than as a bike. nobody here is going to talk to you about modern parts in any serious way because nobody here has any faith that this project it just a lot of money ill spent and letting your dreams get the better of you. Here is the thing junior in order to fit a modern front end you need to be aware of things like rake, trail, suspension sag, spring rates, dampen rates, how bearings work, how they are installed, whether the ones you currently have are good, steering stops, etc...I mean it's no small amount of work on both paper and with tools. You aren't going to pay someone to do it and get any kind of bargain and you aren't going to be able to do it yourself based on what you have already said about tool ownership and reluctance to work on bike.


again I am going to tell you - you won't know if it is worth it until your bike runs and you are riding it. Before then you are just jerking off. Go buy some tools, get a service manual, and get your bike to run.

 

[jaguar]

Worst plan that has showed up here in a while.

Clearly the OP is not looking for any real help.
Maybe he will take his drag queen some place else.

I say taking it to a mechanic is a great idea.
His budget might even cover the work.

 

[Geeto67]

I say taking it to a mechanic is a great idea.
His budget might even cover the work.

you and I both know it will be more than $1000 for his "mechanic" to get it running, and for just diagnostics if he mechanic charges him $1 it will be $1 too much.

It's an aircooled engine that hasn't been running in a while. What's he going to do a compression test on a dry engine? he's going to get low numbers, convince the OP needs a top end rebuild and then spend a lot of money. If by some miracle he doesn't get low compression numbers and the OP get the bike running and there is a problem - the mechanic will just say - well you didn't bring it to me running so I can't tell you everything and walk away. if you do it yourself at least you haven't paid money to hear someone else's excuses.

 

[yorchi5m]

I got the manual, Im currently working on figuring out the electrical and what is what, thanks for your replay about the forks, sometime for newbies who don't have much knowledge we don't take into considerations of those thing such as suspension sag, spring rates, bearing trails etc...

 

[jaguar]

you and I both know it will be more than $1000 for his "mechanic" to get it running, and for just diagnostics if he mechanic charges him $1 it will be $1 too much.

It's an aircooled engine that hasn't been running in a while. What's he going to do a compression test on a dry engine? he's going to get low numbers, convince the OP needs a top end rebuild and then spend a lot of money. If by some miracle he doesn't get low compression numbers and the OP get the bike running and there is a problem - the mechanic will just say - well you didn't bring it to me running so I can't tell you everything and walk away. if you do it yourself at least you haven't paid money to hear someone else's excuses.

$1000?
I would assume more to get that pile to make noise.

OP is an idiot. Let someone make a buck off the stupid.
I just hope he dosent take it to some clown like DCC.

 

[parkwood60]

First thing you should do it figure out if the motor is seized. You can put it in gear and roll it back and forth and see if the motor turns or if the wheel just slides. You may want to try taking out the spark plugs and putting a squirt of oil down each cylinder first. If the motor is stuck this is too big of a project for a newbie, so just try to sell it down the road to someone with a garage and tools.