LostSoul's '78 Honda CB750 "Lucky 13"

[LostSoulMiata]

I picked up my first CB750 a little while ago for a scant $150. It was a former "drag bike" I was told, where the rider wrecked on track, then it sat, then came up for sale. I kept and open mind because the bike already had potential when I first laid eyes on the craigslist ad. I've always been a fan of the older bikes because to me they have soul that newer bikes don't, and for $150, I figured I couldn't go wrong.... It turns out I didn't, and I ended up with a 1978 CB750F Super Sport equipped with a few odds and ends that I couldn't believe it had already done to it.



The bike had the following on it already.....
Yoshimura race exhaust (SOOOOOOO Keeping this little gem)
CX500 Turbo front forks w/ brace (taken off and sold)
CX500 Turbo wheels (rear has a hub adapted to it since the CX is shaft drive) (Taken off and sold)
Tommaselli Gold Commander Z-bar clip-ons (traded for gas tank)
Sandcast CB750K Carbs w/ choke circuits removed
Koni rear shocks (taken off and sold)
Steering damper (taken off and will be replaced)
Oil cooler w/ sandwich plate (LockHart Phillips piece)

So after tearing it down a little to see what I have to work with, I've come to some decisions. My overall project goals aren't really for top-end speed, but better handling, better braking, lighter weight, ease of repair, a better ride and some decent looks along the way. I'm going for a Cafe Racer and Street Fighter look, or a Cafe Fighter, if that makes any more sense. After a rocky start, I decided on a name for the project and dubbed it "Lucky 13". If you can't tell by now, I have some pretty off the wall tastes ;)



After a few ideas from around various forums, I've come up with a decent, yet reliable mod list thus far. That mod list being:

Engine:
"blood" spattered Black valve cover
"Lucky 13" airbrushed breather cover
Clear points cover from FB-Stuff.com
"Sandcast" carbs w/ 110 mains (final jetting TBD)
"Cast Iron" painted engine cases
Contrast cut cooling fins
836cc Wiseco piston kit
Andrews Cam
Dual valve springs
Ported and smoothed head
Adjustable cam gear
HD cam chain
Yoshimura Race 4-1 exhaust system

Controls:
Driven 41mm clip-ons
Driven Black bar ends
Driven Superbike grips
CBR600RR start/stop switch
K&S Offroad TS switch
CBR600 Rearsets

Suspension and Frame:
Twilight black powder coated frame (powder by the pound)
2005 Yamaha YZF-600R 41mm forks
Superbrace fork brace
CBR600F2 swingarm
CBR600F3 rear mono shock and linkage
Un-needed tabs cut off and frame welds smoothed
Custom self-made looped rear frame
Custom self-made seat pan for electronics and battery mount
Custom self-made gussets welded to frame
Gordon Frame mod kit


Rolling and Stopping:
2005 YZF600R Front wheel
CBR600F2 rear wheel
Pirelli Diablo tires 120/70-17 front / 160/70-17 rear
2005 YZF600R Front brakes w/ sintered pads
CBR radial front master cylinder
2004 CBR600RR Rear brake master and caliper
Braided black SS lines
530 front Sprocket conversion


Body:
Stock F model Fuel Tank painted Championship White
Cafe/Speedster style self-made seat cowl painted Championship White
Custom self-made Steel left side body/frame cover


Electrics:
7" true HID Bi-Xenon headlight by Xciting lighting
Custom Dynamics LED brake light and LED turn signals
Custom Dynamics LED DRL fixed to custom mount below headlight
Trail Tech Vapor Digital speedo/tach
Ricks Motorsport 3-phase rectifier regulator
Custom made and upgraded wire harness
Dyna S Ignition and mini coils
Hidden Harley round key switch

[LostSoulMiata]

So after getting the rear end from a CBR600F2 on, I decided to go with the monoshock rear end to help with the handling and fun factor of this build instead of adapting the swingarm to fit the duals and centralize the weight.



The CBRF2/F3 arm is 3.25" longer than the stock F arm, which will actually help in the stability department and is less than an inch longer than my '94 CBR1000F. I know it looks huge in the pictures, but there isn't a seat or cowl on it yet either. I'm also cut off the rear part of the frame and looped/triangulated it. Going to add some gussets to certain parts of the frame to increase rigidity. Also, the frame pieces missing from the center is an actual modification that allows you to remove the valve cover/cylinder head/cylinder without having to remove the entire engine from the bike first.


I ended up looping the rear of the frame with a piece I bent up previously, cut it, tacked it on, didn't like the way it looked, broke it off, ground it a little to angle it a bit higher, then tacked it back on, and then hit the outsides with a body hammer to round it over. So here it sits now.... (I hate when I have tools laying around, but I was too excited after getting this fitted)


Finished fitting my HID headlight and test fitted with some LED markers on the sides...


Got most of my wiring sorted with some tests that I was getting power through everything and used an R1 tail light I had, motor cranks over with my new CBR start switch also Then I got busy with the rear part of my frame. Cut off the rear upper loop thingy, cleaned it all up nice....


So then I fab'd up a pan for all the electronics to fit... (stator, TS relay, start solenoid, wires, etc...)


...got to tacking it on to fit it a little better after removing all the wiring so nothing was scorched in the process....


Then I finished stitching it on (not finished as of yet, I need to touch up a lot of places to make nice and smooth, but shot it with some paint so the welds didn't rust)....


Got the headlight fitted to see what it would look like...


Got the tank in and on...


Then worked on the rear cowl and seat idea...


More goodies came in...

[LostSoulMiata]

Got my HID wired in and working...


Rear lighting test fitted...



Daytime Running Light and dual wattage converter...



Been slowly getting pieces in for the bike so I can take my time and not rush like I've done previously on past projects. I also came across another bike I bought off a family friend so I can have a passenger, because the CB is going to be my fun bike

[The Driver]

Oh my gosh I'm so jelly! That thing is pure SWEETNESS!!!

[Ron]

That's looking awful nice Sir!

[LostSoulMiata]

Thanks guys. It's slow progress, but I'm taking my time to focus on making sure things fit perfectly and my welds are solid. Need some updated pics.

[zenit]

Good work with all the fabrication.
There are plenty of ratty ways to put together an old honda, and none of them are here.

Also, that's going to interesting to kick start. Becareful.

[★ smaeda ★]

Can't wait for another update!

[LostSoulMiata]

Not much for an involved update, but here's some current pics that show some progress. I finally got in my F3 rear shock with remote reservoir, still need to get linkage because the one I got off ebay didn't come with the linkage attached like it did in the picture Still going for clip-ons, because finding a pair of an after market set that fits and looks good is about the same price as any single OEM one I've come across. I did however get a top triple clamp for the YZF front end that's been missing from the build since the start really. I will mill the OEM triple clamp down for both clearance and cleanliness as I just hacked off what I needed to real quick to get it on and drop the forks a bit so I can get an idea of ride height in the front. Excuse the white wall on the back, I needed a 17" tire that held air for the time being (used tire)

[FooSchnickens]

Excuse the white wall on the back, I needed a 17" tire that held air for the time being (used tire)

Iunno, I kinda like it...

[LostSoulMiata]

Iunno, I kinda like it...

I've had mixed feelings, but I think white wheels will be a better choice, like I did with my YSR50.