miss-piggy

Typical situation. I'm thinking of picking up a '78 CB 750 to make a Cafe Racer. I plan on rebuilding most of it simply for the experience and the fact they are easy to work on and parts are still damn cheap.

Deal is, in typical fashion, found a bike for the right price on Craiglist that isn't too far away. Guy posts in broken sentences and doesn't have pictures. Based on his location, I'm assuming it is just someone 40+ that doesn't understand how the internet works. I plan on throwing $500 in his face and seeing how things go. My real question is, anything in particular I should look for? At this point I'm focusing on rust even though there is a good chance of a lot of the bike being replaced with a Cafe Racer "body kit". I also figure the bike is going to run just okay probably due to carbs that are clogged and look like ----. I'm also concerned about the frame and it's condition. Is there anything else you guys know of that are problematic? From my basic readings, typically the reasons they don't run is due to carbs being in poor condition and ignition parts being bad. I'm going to spend an hour reading up on the SOHC 4 forum and seeing what they have in their stickies and maybe even make a post but I figure with all the post -----s on this site, someone might have something worth saying.

MikeJ-2009

"It's a typical situation in these typical times" -DMB

j3w

know how i know you're gay

Tough-guy

There is nothing "racer" or "fast" about a CB 750 or anything else of that year for that matter.

Gonna probably need:

-A new battery
-A carb clean
-A carb rebuild
-A carb sync
-A general tune and service

Things to look for:

-Condition of the fork seals (leaking, bouncy, noisy)
-Condition of the tires (tread wear, cupping, bowing, side wall cracking)
-Condition of the chain and sprockets (tight spots in the chain, has it been lubed?, are the sprocket teeth straight or "shark-finned")
-Obvious oil leaks (shift-shaft seal, valve cover)

It isn't that likey there is anything wrong with the ignition system.(unless the owner tells you otherwise) They were points-type back then.

stillnoturbo

If you can get it for 500 then the bike isn't gonna be without any problems. What the hell is a cafe racer body kit? I never even heard the word bodykit and motorcycle in the same sentence before now. You make me sick.

Tough-guy

You fail horribly at motorcycles...

CXyD

picture of bike with the body kit just posted reminds me of Mad Max

Tough-guy

Ahahaha

bigdaddyvtec

Hmmm and this is sitting in the garage:




Dads first Jap bike was a 1979 CB750F with a Yoshimura pipe and some rearsets on it with the cafe bar trip..... It was Black with the orange striping on the tank... Just like this one


Next was a 1981 CB900F with cafe bars (clip ons), Yosh pipe, cams and ---- on it... That ------- thing was fast... Silver with blue stripe. I snuck it out/stole it a few times when i was like 12.... could barely hold it up..... LOL Just like this:



Next was the 1984 interceptor with Yosh motor and supertrap exhaust (custom made at their factory as he was tearing their over the counter setups up (read going to fast and wearing the pipes out from dragging around corners)



I havent owned one since 89 when I bought a FZ600r and crashed it 6 months later... ------- gravel on skyline in the bay.... HAvent wanted one till recently... Like to have a retro jap bike...

scottsi

05 R1 = win