CB750 urban scrambler

Started by Raydial, December 24, 2013, 08:29:44 PM

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Raydial

Around summer 2012 I started to get interested in the new wave of custom motorcycles. The sort of stuff you see on Bike EXIF. I spent many hours looking at what other people had done. I considered many options. I mulled over buying an old bike and bringing it up to date with tasteful modifications. But I eventually ruled that out because if I had a nice, original, old bike I would feel like it was sacrilege to chop it up or do anything other than a full, original restoration. I bid on one or two part-finished projects on eBay where the sacrilege had already happened but where I could make my own mark on it, making it my own. But I didn't win those.

So I started looking for newer retro-style bikes that would have better performance, braking and handling than the older stuff but still have potential to create something interesting with a definite retro vibe.

So, fast-forward to May 2013. I bought a non-running 1996 CB750 with light accident damage for £600. It had been standing unused in a garage for the best part of a year. I wanted a cheap bike that I could take an angle grinder to and not worry if I fucked something up and this fitted the bill perfectly. My aim is to do something interesting for as little money as possible. So that means I'm not planning to replace things like the exhaust. It's to see what I can do on a budget.

This is it when I got it home.



I've not really done anything to change its appearance yet, apart from cutting off that rack which was rusted in place and replacing the pink indicators. I jump started it off my flatmate's car battery to get it running and then I replaced the worn-out battery a couple of days later, blowing the main fuse in the process. The terminals in the new battery were the opposite way around to the one I took out. I replaced that, then straightened the fork in the yokes (the previous owner thought they were fucked but they were just twisted), replaced the indicators (two didn't work) and put it through its MOT.

I then replaced a leaking oil feed pipe which was a pain in the arse to do. Even the carbs had to come off. That took me 10 hours.

The brakes were binding a bit so I started overhauling the calipers just before Xmas. When I got the pistons out they were so flaky I decided to replace them too but the company I ordered the new ones from sent me three of the correct type and one wrong one. When the correct replacement arrived it was too late for me to finish the job. So the calipers are currently in my kitchen in London while I'm in Northern Ireland for Christmas.

Anyway, I was bored yesterday (did I mention I'm in Northern Ireland?) so thought I'd do a bit of Photoshopping. This is the before and after of what I would like to do to it. My base bike is scruffier. I intend it to make a feature of that. The tank will be sanded to bare metal and lacquered, keeping the dents visible. The paint is flaky in a few places. I'm thinking of calling her "Tina" because she has a definite patina. :rofl:



I'm not doing clip-ons because my back won't allow it. I've got some Renthal low bars waiting to go on, that's as low as I dare. I've already got the tail light, I'm planning to chop down and recover the original seat with stretchy, tan vinyl and respray a couple of bits black. I'm still trying to find the perfect rear mudguard but when I get that, I'm ready to start the cosmetics.

Partly, this thread is so that you lot can nag me when I haven't done anything for a while! :rofl:

Alzo

Good stuff...look forward to seeing progress when you return from holiday.

Lord Danoir the first

Yes, yes and thrice yes I say!!!!!

Make it so, keep us informed or incur my wrath.

tucola

Looking forward to this...


Jarse

Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on December 25, 2013, 03:09:52 AM
Yes, yes and thrice yes I say!!!!!

Make it so, keep us informed or incur my wrath.

I'm with this guy :moto: :moto: :moto:

greenmeeny

Quote from: Jarse on December 25, 2013, 06:51:26 PM
Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on December 25, 2013, 03:09:52 AM
Yes, yes and thrice yes I say!!!!!

Make it so, keep us informed or incur my wrath.

I'm with this guy :moto: :moto: :moto:
Thirded.

7550

What you waiting for ? Let the angle grinder see the bike.  :evil: :moto:

David W

Get it done!

Getting rid of the airbox for individual pod filters gives a long way for the look, but at the expense of practicality I imagine.

Raydial

Yeah, that's something I'd love to do at a later date. It would open up the triangle under the seat. I gather I'd need to increase the jets a couple of sizes to level out the fuelling, and relocate the battery and fuses either to a box in front of the swing arm or to underneath the fuel tank. But it would have to be replaced with a small, lithium one to fit there.

One thing at a time. :)

Raydial

#9
Well, I've made a start. :)

Stripped off the rear plastics and cut off the rear mudguard, removing the rear light at the same time.


Got the hacksaw out and cut off some of the subframe. No turning back now...  :icon_pale: Would have liked to take a little more off the length but there's a cross-member there with the seat latch mechanism. So removing that would mean I need another way of keeping the seat on. Also, I would have lost a lot of strength in the subframe.


That's about as far as I got. I stuck the seat back on and I reckon it looks better already.



The subframe has surface rust in quite a few places so I'll have to wire brush that off and spray it. I have some lugs to remove while I'm at it. And it could do with a wash.  :embarrassed:

I offered the new mudguard up to it to see how it looked. I need to trim back more of the undertray plastic so I can get it in a better position, fix it in place, see where I can squeeze in the relocated electrics and hook up the new rear light and indicators (not sure where the indicators will go yet) and shove on the numberplate to get it legal again.


Then I'll shorten, reshape and recover the seat. I'm thinking of shortening the subframe further and putting on a rear loop, like this.


I think it's going to be an evolutionary process as I try different things a bit at a time and see what I like.

Oh, and I already got the brake calipers reconditioned and stuck on some braided hoses.

Alzo

Very liberating that you can just evolve the bike rather than have a set agenda...the biggest part being that you enjoy the process.  ;)  :moto:

David W

How about making a hugger, and putting the number plate on one side of the swingarm?
The bobbed look is good but I think I'd get fed up of a wet arse on anything but bone dry roads.

Jarse

Looks better already. Good work.

Raydial

Quote from: David W on February 22, 2014, 07:01:43 PM
How about making a hugger, and putting the number plate on one side of the swingarm?
The bobbed look is good but I think I'd get fed up of a wet arse on anything but bone dry roads.
I can't stand the one-sided number plate thing. It looks like the person who built the bike couldn't figure out how to attach a numberplate and just stuck it wherever they could. I'd rather put it on a GS1200 spray guard.



I like the look of bobbers when they're stationary but think folk look like twats riding them. But maybe it's just the hipsters I've seen on them in East London that put me off.  :huh:

Raydial

Did some spraying today.