my CB750F cafe racer build

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 12:06 pm

nominated for october bike of the month on dotheton.com!! very nice origin8r!!you got my vote for sure. almost missed that as ive been out of town for the last week.

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:04 pm

Thanks, ya I kind of got slipped in there but I don't have a chance in hell this month. There are some very nice builds in there.

Cheers!

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:09 pm

NorCalSuperF wrote:

So, is the bike currently being displayed on any "real cafe" oriented sites?

NorCalSuperF

Yes, I have also posted the build on dotheton.com and funny enough it got nominated for BOTM over there.
build: http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=17717.0
nomination: http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=18796

Cheers

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 1:16 pm

paul66 wrote:

Mate, please don't take this as a criticism, but just wondered if you had any thoughts about the brake master cylinder?

I'm trying to think of an elegant way of hiding the one on the Z440 but not sure which way to go. You have way more experience than me on cafe's.

thanks,

paul

Hi Paul, I assume you're referring to the front reservoir? If you didn't want to use a radial mount like I did then any of the all in one designs would hide it just fine. Just look for one without a remote reservoir. These are especially trick but not cheap: http://www.isrbrakes.se/products/mastercylinders/21-011.shtml
http://www.isrbrakes.se/products/mastercylinders/21-013.shtml

If you're extremely clever, I have seen Harley builders hide the reservoirs in the handlebars, but that's some real custom work.

Got any photos of your build so far?

Cheers

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:16 pm

NorCalSuperF wrote:

This is one of the points I've been trying to address in a couple of other posts at the site concerning cafe mods, the total loss of identification as a CB-F SuperSport model.

Funny thing, and maybe a local quirk where "SuperSport" makes me think CB400/4 or a SOHC 750.... I look at this bike and think what a nice DOHC F this is - so obvious is the engine/frame combo that even the pretty fibreglass and paint can't hide the identity Laughing

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 2:40 am

Originator, Congrats on the BOTM nomination @ dotheton. You've got a really nice build there....I like it a lot. I'd love to see that tail lite recessed into the tail section, regardless, a beautifully done bike!

Ed

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:32 am

Dunno what he's talking about, I think it would look like an F if all that was left was the frame, at least to the folks who love these bikes enough to notice. Looks like an F to me, can't miss it. Most of it is there. More, in fact, than many other builds on this site that purport to be a Freddie replica or a quasi 'R, many of which don't have to run a gauntlet of criticisms from others on the site. I mean, if it's all about the body work and the comstars, that sort of calls the whole bike an exercise in design, rather than one of engineering. The design, the clothes if you will, have changed. But I'd recognize those tits and that ass in any sort of dress you want to stick on it. Most of the time, I'm picturing her nekkid whether she's sporting a "bikini", a full fairing / evening gown or even wearing a big fat hondaline rucksack, fannypack, handbag, etc. I guess that's why she sits in my garage stripped to the bone like this last Thanksgiving's Tofurky.

So what if the masses don't know if it's an F? (Do they even deserve to?) I think sticking the name on the bike for everybody to read what it is and then go about fudge knowing something about bikes starting up a conversation with you they can't finish is tedious for the rider but good advertizing for the manufacturer. Works for Honda, heck all the manufacturers still write out the name of the damn bike. NorCal has made his hatred of all things "cafe" evident, I think he takes it personally when people strip the stuff off their bikes that he so loves on his own. We're all like that in some small way at one time or another. Just think if somebody took the best "cafe" F build you've ever seen and puts it back stock! Or worse still, made it into one of NorCal's "super F" monstrousities, ha ha. It would chap a few asses right in this thread, up until we remembered it wasn't any of our business in the first place.

Anyway, congrats on the nomination. Those dudes over at do the ton are too anti DOHC, anti F, anti 80's bike to really appreciate what you've done.

I sure would love to see somebody do with these F bikes what Steve Carpenter did with the sohc bikes. Except for ruining the second hand market. And except for "anglicizing" a bike which should never forget it's awesome Japanese heritage. That I wouldn't want to see. Probably what cheeses off so many "anti-cafe" types, who think a clubman bar and many other small details is somehow un-Japanese and therefore inappropriate on this bike the Japanese themselves "dumbed down" for the north american market. In any case if I had a shitload of money and energy I'd churn out hundreds of the things and go for something with all the class of a cafe, yet with much of the practicality of the super F builds NorCal and his ilk come up with. Sort of a "Best of cb1100f.net" bike, then spew them out in mass production for mass consumption, then we could truly put these bikes where they belong on the stack of what's cool hip and trendy. Put the dohc back on top of the sohc and make a buck at working on the F while you're at it, which would be the point of course.

You've got a lot of energy with your bike builds origin8or, that's what I most admire. That and you have good taste. I am looking forward to the 900 you're working on. I believe you could make an ST1100 look like a moto guzzi if you put your mind to it.

Somebody ought to do it, and one day somebody will. Not that there would be any oil left, but in about twenty years somebody will build that ST which only exists in my head.....

Anyways, your bike is the bike of the month for more than a few around here. I'm sure it's your bike of the month, and that's all that matters in any case. You can't please everybody. And as the saying goes, it's better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.

You know what might come close to pleasing everbody? If you posted some vids of that white bike streaking down the road. Just a thought.

-Sigh.

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:43 am

By the way, I also have a 440, though it's an LTD. Which sucks. I will have to put a lot of work into it just to get it to look like a z440. I've got the 16" rear wheel, and the buckhorn handlebars. The master on mine is this block that wouldn't even sit straight when I put low superbike bars on it. It needs the buckhorns because the mount is at an angle. In any case, the master on many early KZ's, like that on the sohc honda 750s, is a beautiful item that you wouldn't want to hide. Swapping out the master is a good oportunity to swap out to a better caliper. And let me tell you, the one on my 440 was a real turd. Haven't tried to polish it yet, but it seemed to have been a turd in function at least. Was a pain in the ass, felt like I was gonna die when it got all jammed up in there, so it was a lot like a turd, ha ha.

Can we get a link to some pics of that z440 build?

-S.

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 4:31 pm

SoyBoySigh wrote:

You've got a lot of energy with your bike builds origin8or, that's what I most admire. That and you have good taste. I am looking forward to the 900 you're working on. I believe you could make an ST1100 look like a moto guzzi if you put your mind to it.

Anyways, your bike is the bike of the month for more than a few around here. I'm sure it's your bike of the month, and that's all that matters in any case. You can't please everybody. And as the saying goes, it's better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.

You know what might come close to pleasing everbody? If you posted some vids of that white bike streaking down the road. Just a thought.

-Sigh.

Thanks for the kind words, I'll see what I can do about a video.

As for the z440 comment, was that directed towards me as I don't have one of those bikes in my stable.

Cheers

Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:54 pm

Sorry, I was hoping the other poster would catch that. My rants can be a bit confusing. I sort of talk to the room sometimes, and forget that you guys can't tell which direction I'm facing when I'm talking out loud to you guys.

For a long time I thought my 440 was a piece of crap. I had used it as a highway bike. But, you know it could make a pretty good commuter or ripping around the neighborhood bike. The thing could be built into just about anything, offroad, cafe, ujm, you name it.

Just to be clear who I'm talking to, I sent you a PM a few minutes ago. (You meaning origin8or that is.) I promise there are no questions directed at other members in there. Feel free to ignore it though, I'd much rather you were working on that 900 and taking pics of it than reading messages from me.

-Sigh.