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Doing up a '73 CB750K

The CB is really close now, I scored some nice original shocks and fenders with near perfect chrome, and some other bits to use as spares. My tank was too beat up, and I decided to look for a replacement. A guy on another forum is restoring his to show condition and he has a tank with some pin holes in the top forward area near the neck - hardly visible. I will seal that area and touch up the outside. It had one dent but he had it fixed professionally by a paintless dent remover and it looks beautiful. He didn't even notice the pinholes until he smelled gas after a ride. Neither did the dent fixer. I'm hopeful that sealant will work OK.

Other than that it is like new, off a garaged 5K mile bike. He is giving it to me for shipping cost. The color is from '75, candy apricot red - which is my favorite. So it's not a '73 color but I'm fine with that, it will look spectacular. He sold the side covers unfortunately so I have to repaint mine to match, which won't be cheap or easy, but is doable. Hope to have tank soon.
 
All looks great.

Tell us about renewing the gage faces.

.
 
Agree with Redman, nice looking for sure! One of the reasons I prefer the survivor look is due to do my lack of "Situational Awareness" when it comes to keeping things looking pristine. An extra bang, ding or scratch doesn't hurt too much when I keep it that way.
 
Thanks, Redman. I took them apart and the faces were faded and warped from the California sun, so I got replacements from cb750faces.com in the UK at $53 delivered. Quite pleased with them. Then I spray painted the needles white and dipped the ends in some fluorescent orange model paint I had, and brushed on some silver inside the center of the needle. The retaining bands were tricky to get off and put back on, and they aren't perfect but they look fine. I painted the housings with VHT semi-gloss, baked in oven and cut/polished with Meguiars.

I just picked up some nice fenders for cheap, had to do some work to adapt what was a CB450 fender to my brackets. Also replaced pitted rear fender and a really good set of original shocks. Some pics of gauges and fender/shock work in progress.

My Avon is on in wrong direction, need to remount. I was in a hurry and told the shop how it mounted but had too much on my mind. I will remount myself.
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Redman said:
All looks great.

Tell us about renewing the gage faces.

.
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On the CB (no GS content sorry!) I got a $20 fender from a CB450 which is much better than mine, and ground off the rivets attaching the bracket to swap and make it fit, since the fender part is the same. I used chrome allen head round top bolts and nylock nuts from the hardware store, and they look fine. Cheap and effective upgrade to a pitted fender. I also got a bunch of parts including rear fender for cheap, and now my chrome is pretty decent. Not show quality but a 5 footer now, well at least with my old eyes. I got really good original shocks too with the pile of parts.

I have a really nice tank on the way which isn't orange and isn't for a '73 but the price was right.. free. It's a beautiful red. Pics will follow when it arrives. It's very nice but has some pin holes and the guy was after perfection. He sold the side covers to a guy on eBay who is flipping them, so I hope to win them and reunite the parts. They're candy apricot red off a '75 which is my favorite color. I don't care that it won't be a '73 color, purists can scoff but I like what I like.

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Your bike looks great!

I'm not a purist but I like what I see. The photos are crystal clear and your parts are pristine!

The single front disc and rear drum make me appreciate my bike.

The spoke wheels add that magic touch!

Chrome only looks good on vintage bikes.

Ed

****
 
Thanks. I may put a 2nd disc on the front. I had a '76 CB750 and it stopped reasonably well (except in the rain!), but took a strong squeeze and felt wooden. First rear disc I tried was my friend's '82 GS1100E and it made an impression.... you mean the rear brake slows you down? :) To this day I haven't ridden a bike with a better rear brake. I have put the best quality pads and shoes on this one, and will see how it goes. New brake lines and rebuilt MC and caliper with OEM Honda parts too. I hope to have it on the road by Christmas, just waiting on the last little bits.

GSXR7ED said:
Your bike looks great!

I'm not a purist but I like what I see. The photos are crystal clear and your parts are pristine!

The single front disc and rear drum make me appreciate my bike.

The spoke wheels add that magic touch!

Chrome only looks good on vintage bikes.

Ed

****
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oldGSfan said:
Thanks. I may put a 2nd disc on the front. I had a '76 CB750 and it stopped reasonably well (except in the rain!), but took a strong squeeze and felt wooden. First rear disc I tried was my friend's '82 GS1100E and it made an impression.... you mean the rear brake slows you down? :) To this day I haven't ridden a bike with a better rear brake. I have put the best quality pads and shoes on this one, and will see how it goes. New brake lines and rebuilt MC and caliper with OEM Honda parts too. I hope to have it on the road by Christmas, just waiting on the last little bits.
Click to expand...

I have the entire front end of a 1982 GS1100 with dual disc...the discs are smaller than the single front disc...but, two discs are better than one, right?

Unless I had to make an emergency stop, I don't really use the rear brakes. That's why I'm not too concerned with having a rear drum brake.

Can't wait to see how you finish your build!

Ed

****
 
Bike is looking great, Tom! :cool:

GSXR7ED said:
Unless I had to make an emergency stop, I don't really use the rear brakes. That's why I'm not too concerned with having a rear drum brake.
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Rear brake can be pretty handy for mid turn braking.
Good way to scrub off speed if you enter a little hot, without transferring weight to the front end.

However, at all the track days I've done, they said NO! No rear brake ever....
 
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Love those rear shocks. Look almost identical to the ones on my '73 CB350.

No rear brake at the track?
I am going to need it to control my victory lap wheelie down the front stretch.
 
On rear brake usage, I remember how awkward I was at low speed maneuvers when first riding big street bikes, with foot dabs etc before I knew to use the rear brake as an anchor, modulating clutch and throttle. I also do use the rear on the street at pretty much every stop, it's just habit I suppose, gained from riding old British bikes with terrible single leading shoe front brakes perhaps. Or my 1951 BMW with sidecar, man that thing was a white knuckle ride. Then there's dirt biking... So my brain is well trained to use the rear and know the feel of breakaway.

I knew my son would love bikes as soon as I got my Ducati, when he was about 10. Now he's of the age to start riding, and of course I'm worried. He is primarily interested in a dual sport to get to the hills and says he won't ride much on street, but we'll see. He is crazy good on a mountain bike and is sensible and careful, knows his limits. To prep him I got a Cardo and every time we rode together I told him everything I was doing and why. I think my main survival technique is to create space, use the bike's power to get free of traffic and find that gap. But of course there are tons of little things too that all add up.

Now he watches zillions of riding tips on YouTube and knows quite a bit from that, but real world awaits. About all I had were some books, one being Harry Hurt's landmark book, handed down from my brother who has been riding 50 years, with one crash, knock wood. One more than me but I've only got 42 under my belt... again, knock wood.

I let my son ride the XT350 I got him up and down the cul-de-sac to get the hang of it, and we also did a fantastic day together in Ocotillo wells, me on a YZ250 and him on a Honda 150. He was really good.
 
Got my tank, need side covers. There is rust inside so I have to be careful to get this one sorted. It was basically free for shipping so I took the chance. It's not a '73 color but it is my favorite CB750 color and I don't care, do you?

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Thanks, yeah originals are way out of reach for me, it's an $800 bike with another $1200 put in, I can't see doubling that for pipes, though they sure would look nice.
The MAC is what I had on my last CB750, a 76 I had from 1991-94. While they don't look as good as the 4 into 4s, obviously, they do the job and have symmetry at least. And they have a nice rasp. The down pipes on the bike were pretty bad except one of them, and I found a set of three, luckily replacing the worst three of mine, on eBay for about $50. I got the MAC slip-ons for about $220 on clearance, so I'm happy to have a decent sound and look, but of course would love to stumble upon some 4 into 4's. I hope to be riding the Honda before the new year, and then I'll turn my attention to my '66 Norton N15CS, which will be more of a challenge.

Originally this bike might have been either flake sunrise orange which is iconic but perhaps over represented (I like but can't afford), bacchus olive green (OK if a bit bland) or maxim brown mettalic (not a fan). I could get repro stuff for $1300 to $1500 but not having such deep pockets, I found a tank from a '75 in the color I like best, and can get some side covers for about $300. Still spendy but within reach.

I got somewhat spoiled by the amazing condition of m GS turbo but that was a once in a lifetime score, I can't expect that level of awesome to drop on my lap every day.

https://youtu.be/wAy8VnCqbGE

steve murdoch said:
Looks great, Tom.
Like the lower handelbars.

https://youtu.be/wAy8VnCqbGE
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Yep, thanks my old motion pro manometer with mercury is at the ready. I was lazy and figured it was a 'ran when parked' bike so I just filed the old points down, checked the gap and made sure the old caps were on the plug wires reasonably securely. Lots of room for improvement but wanted to fire it up and it didn't take long. It actually settled into a decent idle and had crisp throttle response. Carbs were cleaned in ultrasonic and rebuilt so I'm happy to hear it run. I will take some time to tune it up and take off non op, give a call to Hagerty etc.

steve murdoch said:
A little carb tuning and around the block you go. Very nice.
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I put a cosmetically worse tank on as I'm fixing up the red one, it's a friend's. I de-rusted it and rebuilt the petcock and put a new cap seal on it so it's ready for his '74 'bagger' style if he ever finishes it.... I had to solder up one of the carb bowl overflow tubes as it had a crack and was leaking. Now it's good to go, taking off non-op status. It shifts and brakes well, the carbs are only bench synced and it's running with old crusty plug wires/caps and points, so there is room for improvement, but it runs, that's the first step.

Not sure how to make the youtube preview work on this editor, trying the Insert Video way.

 
Great day today, took Honda CB for a ride and all is good, bedding in the brakes and fine tuning the carbs etc. No leaks, handles and rides well. I also got some racks to store parts on and organized my junk. I will have a pile of 79 GS850G parts to add next week, a freebie bike. I am just running the Honda with a friend's tank that I cleaned out while I prep the better one and await side covers.

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