My Cafe Build
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
GREAT JOB Corn ! Just wanted to say congrats on the beautiful build !
I started a cafe racer build about a month ago in my limited spare time , stumbled across this thread and been watching you since. You have done an excellent job with the fabrication and have inspired me to slow down and put mine together properly.
I will be posting my build this weekend , so if any are interested , feel free to check me out . I will start a thread this weekend .
I started a cafe racer build about a month ago in my limited spare time , stumbled across this thread and been watching you since. You have done an excellent job with the fabrication and have inspired me to slow down and put mine together properly.
I will be posting my build this weekend , so if any are interested , feel free to check me out . I will start a thread this weekend .
I am glad that my build has inspired so many people. I also wanted to say that this forum rocks, everyone is very supportive and encouraging even though the motorcycle was not a superhawk your interest inspired me, so thank you everyone.
On another note, there will be another project bike sometime this year. I need to work on my VW for a bit, then depending on what kind of bike falls into my hands will determine what I do. Some of my ideas are, build an old goldwing cafe gl1000, if I can wrangle a street legal two stroke I am considering building a small sport bike out of it for my sister (would require alot of engineering). Maybe a sidecar rig if the right bike comes along, sky is the limit, and I think that almost any kind of project will be fun for me to build.
Senior Member
SuperSport
SuperSport
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 809
From: North Wales, PA
I don't think I've commented on the build prior to this, but I just wanted to let you know that I've been watching intently since day one cause brotha you got it DONE. alot of builds on here span several years, or just fad away into obscurity. I don't have patience to keep up with those kind of build threads, but you kept the pace up. I've always been a big cafe racer fan. your build has kept me coming back to check from my work computer every single day since you started. fantastic job! everything I thought to myself, "he should do this, or paint it that color", you did. and then some. I think this is probably the best build I've ever seen. certainly more interesting than those ex-roid monkeys who have their own tv show, and bitch for an hour every night as they make pretty looking garbage. and your bike is way cooler than any chopper POS. congrats and thank you.
Senior Member
Back Marker
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 187
From: Massachusetts
Like almost everybody else on this forum, I have been following this from the get go, very inspirational to people like myself who are thinking of, or are in the midst of their own build. I only wish I had an iota of the skill you do, beautiful work. I have a feeling we're going to see a few more build threads (me included) before too long. Can't wait for the next one!
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
so I have been working through a couple issues, I have oil leaking from few places. the head gasket on the drivers side, only after stopped a drip or two thats it, the oil filter cover gasket (I was planning on changing that and the filter again soon anyways). I also had a leak from the valve cover end the tiny one but I fixed that already. Head gasket cost $75 I will have to save a little bit of money for that, not a big deal, it will take me an afternoon or so to replace. I got a chance to ride it a mile or so today, it feels great motor runs strong sounds mean. The rear shock seems really stiff. I can't wait for some dry pavement for a real ride!
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,611
From: Belgium, WI
so I have been working through a couple issues, I have oil leaking from few places. the head gasket on the drivers side, only after stopped a drip or two thats it, the oil filter cover gasket (I was planning on changing that and the filter again soon anyways). I also had a leak from the valve cover end the tiny one but I fixed that already. Head gasket cost $75 I will have to save a little bit of money for that, not a big deal, it will take me an afternoon or so to replace. I got a chance to ride it a mile or so today, it feels great motor runs strong sounds mean. The rear shock seems really stiff. I can't wait for some dry pavement for a real ride!
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
so I have been working through a couple issues, I have oil leaking from few places. the head gasket on the drivers side, only after stopped a drip or two thats it, the oil filter cover gasket (I was planning on changing that and the filter again soon anyways). I also had a leak from the valve cover end the tiny one but I fixed that already. Head gasket cost $75 I will have to save a little bit of money for that, not a big deal, it will take me an afternoon or so to replace. I got a chance to ride it a mile or so today, it feels great motor runs strong sounds mean. The rear shock seems really stiff. I can't wait for some dry pavement for a real ride!
I have a tube of red sticky red gel I bought at an International Truck garage that has worked everytime I've used it to seal a leak. It never hardens. I can find out more about it if you need.
Hope you get some nice weather to get some riding in. We just had a 15" snowfall here and i fabricated some tire chains for my dual sport and took a little spin. I've been sore for two days from the beating i took getting thrown all over the place trying to keep that thing upright. What a trip. hahaha I figured out that i need a sled ski to afix to the front tire/wheel for my next snow experiment.
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
Hmmm... a two stroke triple of the same displacement vs the honda. Well if the kawi was stock now that I dropped 40 lbs off of the cb it would be a pretty close match up bike wise. The kawi has the same power but weighs 403 pounds wet which about what the cafe weighs wet now. Lets do it Tim!
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
By the numbers and a few interesting tidbits
So here are a few numbers,
Weight 363 lbs dry
Build cost including title and purchase price $1418
Aprox hours worked on 285
Number of donor bikes and cars 6 (cbr600rr,vtr1000f,Supra,geo,f150,cb750)
Number of months build spanned 5
Weight 363 lbs dry
Build cost including title and purchase price $1418
Aprox hours worked on 285
Number of donor bikes and cars 6 (cbr600rr,vtr1000f,Supra,geo,f150,cb750)
Number of months build spanned 5
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,452
From: San Clemente, CA
Congrats on your finished product! You've got a real head turner there. I really like the black spoked wheels.
I saw a CB750K cafe bike on display at the Dainese Store in Costa Mesa, CA last week. Supercharged and very nice, but not near as eye catching and custom looking as yours IMO. Plus I'm sure that one has a ton more money in it. And it still has the original single disc up front....with a huge supercharger?
I saw a CB750K cafe bike on display at the Dainese Store in Costa Mesa, CA last week. Supercharged and very nice, but not near as eye catching and custom looking as yours IMO. Plus I'm sure that one has a ton more money in it. And it still has the original single disc up front....with a huge supercharger?
Cigar Officianado
Squid
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 22
From: Bothell, WA
If you had to pay out for all that labor it would be a very costly bike. Looking forward with anticipation toward the next project. Let's go riding!
Member
Squid
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 71
From: Glenwood Springs, CO
Very nice and cost-effective project. 40 pounds of weight loss is impressive. Looks like something to ride for years, very close to exactly the way I would want it to look if it were mine. Congrats.
ps, IMO the old Kawasaki triples SUCK. Loud, stinking, obnoxious and EVIL handling. Interesting to look at at bike shows, but not something to actually own. Just my $.02
ps, IMO the old Kawasaki triples SUCK. Loud, stinking, obnoxious and EVIL handling. Interesting to look at at bike shows, but not something to actually own. Just my $.02
Member
Squid
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 71
From: Glenwood Springs, CO
But speaking of 2 strokes, there was a guy I once saw at the Steamboat Springs roadrace, many years ago, who had an '85 FZ600 with a CR500 motor that he built in a shop I'm guessing looks alot like yours. It was a two stroke GP bike to the rest of the field that weekend, dominatingly fast, amazingly light. I know if you were to build one of those you could at least keep me entertained...
Best regards,
Ken
Best regards,
Ken
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
So I could use some second opinions. I rode the bike today and the front end had a bad vibration at about 50 mph. I thought maybe the forks where to stiff on the dampening and where not releasing correctly. But when I was looking things over I noticed that the front wheel and the rear wheel have no weights 
. Ever have any wheels not need balance weights, I never have? Should I return to the shop and ask them what the hell?
. Ever have any wheels not need balance weights, I never have? Should I return to the shop and ask them what the hell?
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,452
From: San Clemente, CA
Wheel balance for sure to take care of the vibration.
But since you're not running a front fender, I think a fork brace will really improve handling/stability once you get the speed up in corners.
But since you're not running a front fender, I think a fork brace will really improve handling/stability once you get the speed up in corners.
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 524
I've never seen a wire wheel that didn't need weights.....from the butt weld in the rim to the varying thickness of the tube not to mention the tire itself, it'd be a miracle if all of it lined up to be perfectly balanced.
If the shop charged you for mount and balance than they owe you the balance.....
Kai Ju
If the shop charged you for mount and balance than they owe you the balance.....
Kai Ju
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
definitely!
remove the front wheel, set two jackstands side by side, lift them evenly (and level them) so that the wheel will fit between them while resting on the axle, or a rod or pipe of the same size, then place the wheel/axle onto jackstands and you can check the balance for yourself.
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,452
From: San Clemente, CA
definitely!
remove the front wheel, set two jackstands side by side, lift them evenly (and level them) so that the wheel will fit between them while resting on the axle, or a rod or pipe of the same size, then place the wheel/axle onto jackstands and you can check the balance for yourself.
remove the front wheel, set two jackstands side by side, lift them evenly (and level them) so that the wheel will fit between them while resting on the axle, or a rod or pipe of the same size, then place the wheel/axle onto jackstands and you can check the balance for yourself.
Snap-on sold a balancer in the '70s that worked exactly as nath described. I used it many years ago, works great.
Thread Starter
2nd mouse gets the cheese
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,697
From: Beaverton, OR
