Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 just bought me an '81 honda CB650! she's ugly, she's slow, and she's old, but she runs great and i have some plans! picked it up for $900, runs great, has some dings and dents in the tank, tears in the ugly ass seat, and some electrical issue with the headlight, but overall in solid condition for a 30 year old bike in the rust belt! http://upurs.us/image/47049.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/47050.jpeg i'm thinking a set of black supertrapp megaphones(and either black painted or wrapped headers) http://upurs.us/image/47051.jpeg yep, those tall ugly ass bars have gotta go. clip-ons? http://upurs.us/image/47052.jpeg some small dents - probably gonna need a new one of these... (the pic is forgiving) http://upurs.us/image/47053.jpeg yep, gonna have to fix that... http://upurs.us/image/47054.jpeg c'mon honda, that's just a gigantic piece of DISGUSTING http://upurs.us/image/47055.jpeg like i said, awful!!! that's gonna get fixed... http://upurs.us/image/47056.jpeg this seat is ugly as hell anyways, definitely gonna find something cooler http://upurs.us/image/47057.jpeg someone tell honda that this thing is supposed to look like a motorcycle, not a damn insect! antenna mirrors have gotta go! and, my inspiration for the future... http://upurs.us/image/47058.png CB650 from Ugly Motorbikes http://upurs.us/image/47059.jpeg CB650 from Ralph Miller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Looks like a fun project. It'll stand out in a crowd when you're done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbot Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Is it just the angle or is the front fork bent in the 1st pic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyM3rC Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Is it just the angle or is the front fork bent in the 1st pic? I saw that too. All those old hondas like to break the tach and speedo needles. Make sure you stay on those valve adjustments! You used to be able to get low-rise or drop bars at the Rice Paddy for almost nothin, but I'm sure the internetz could hook you up too. Careful not to kink the brake line with new bars, that really stresses out old rubber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Turn it into a cafe racers. Cafe racers are hella cool. Yeah, i just said hella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 I love this style of bike. I had a older 750 Yamaha for a while it was a blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Alex- Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Love it. I just bought a '77 KZ650 and a parts bike about a month ago and am going a similar direction with it. Once I make a little more progress on mine I'll make a project log. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lag wagon Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 Cool bike. :megusta: Good price too I'm rebuilding a 75 CB550 that I've had for a decade or so It came from the factory with just as much tacky junk bolted to it.. Benji's tank/seat and Clubmans (going w/ clip-on's next) changed it into a totally different creature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillbot Posted March 24, 2013 Report Share Posted March 24, 2013 I've been eyeballing CL for one of these myself but I usually miss the deals or when I check them out they are complete junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 thanks guys, can't wait to get started on this thing! these 12hr days will make progress a little slow but the cash flow should help out(especially with the raise i'll be getting pretty soon!). alright, been checking out my options for this thing and there is basically zilch in the aftermarket. the CB550 has a solid aftermarket and the CB750 has a solid aftermarket, but the CB650 has shit all available:doh: i'm certainly not afraid of a grinder though, adapt and overcome! bars: so doing some reading, both clip-ons and the typical (ugly ass) cafe bars on these make for an uncomfortable ride for shorter people(which, at 5'5", i may or may not fall into that category:dumb:). however, i did find the normand hyde M style bar, which i think looks pretty good and is supposed to make for a really comfortable ride... http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/norman-hyde-m-bars-35-toronto_7851228.jpg http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d76/SpeedKing199/Honda%20cafe/P4260022.jpg ...looks a SHIT load better than those ape hangers they put on there from the factory... (and that's one KILLER CB750!) seat/tail: no seats available for these things, so either something will have to be adapted or i'll have to send the seat pan out for something custom. right now i'm looking at this one from benji's cafe racer... http://upurs.us/image/47123.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/47124.jpeg ...i'll admit, the profile is definitely a bit goofy looking(should be a little more 'bullet' shaped instead of so 'sausage' looking IMO), but i love the fact that it has the cafe look to it while still allowing for a passenger with the removable cowl taken off, and it also solves the absolutely ridiculous god awful massive ugly taillight problem too. at $620 it sure isn't cheap though(granted, it's a seat pan + seat + fiberglass cowl + taillight). i'm not sure how much it would cost to strip the stock seat pan and have a custom seat made similar to that one(would [attempt to] make the removable cowl my self), but i'll probably check that out before i pull the trigger on the benji's set up. exhaust: so there is one single aftermarket exhaust system available for the 650, which is a 4 into 1 from mac... http://www.motorcycle-exhaust.com/merchant2/graphics/00000001/PU2010601.jpg ...so i'm not sure if i want to go with that(in black like above - i'm not big on chrome), or if i should just paint/wrap the stock header and throw a set of supertrapp megaphones on there... http://img0021.popscreencdn.com/45825476_supertrapp-universal-4-megaphone-muffler---cruiser-.jpg (again, in satin black) i've always thought supertrapps were pretty damn cool:megusta: that stuff is a little ways off though, gotta get some routine maintenance out of the way first(plugs, carb rebuild, filters, valve lash, etc.). it runs great till you start getting into the upper RPM range(~8000RPM i believe, an attached tach needle would help significantly...), where it starts to stumble and pretty much stops climbing. pretty sure that's because one of the previous owners just straight up took the air filter out:fuuuu: hopefully the local honda shop has one in stock, but i'm definitely not getting my hopes up about that... Is it just the angle or is the front fork bent in the 1st pic? i noticed that after i posted these pics. i haven't went and taken a look at it yet, but it handles just fine and tracks straight. if they are bent i might have to see what other(read: better) forks i can shove in there. I saw that too. All those old hondas like to break the tach and speedo needles. Make sure you stay on those valve adjustments! You used to be able to get low-rise or drop bars at the Rice Paddy for almost nothin, but I'm sure the internetz could hook you up too. Careful not to kink the brake line with new bars, that really stresses out old rubber. thanks for the info! i've turned wrenches a few times in my life but this is my first bike, so any tips are more than welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 update! looks like i'm tearing that engine down sooner than i thought, lmao. was riding over to see my brother in law(electrician) so that i could get this damn headlight fixed, and i blew the damn head gasket on the way over. cylinder #1, spitting oil out the side. so, looks like i'll be getting a whole gasket kit for the engine(might as well if i'm gonna pull it out of the frame), carb kits, and i'll probably take the opportunity to throw on some K&N pod filters and a dynojet stage 3 jet kit. probably wouldn't be a bad idea to do the timing chain as well. my brother is a certified small engine mechanic so he'll probably come over from indiana and help me out(anyone here go to lakewood, class of '98? dennis thompson is my brother). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustlestiltskin Posted April 6, 2013 Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 I honestly wouldn't put a penny into modding this. Just do some upkeep to get the bike safe and reliable then drive the piss out of it. No point in dropping tons of money into a bottom barrel, old, janky motorcycle but that's just my opinion. Good luck in whatever direction you go with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I honestly wouldn't put a penny into modding this. Just do some upkeep to get the bike safe and reliable then drive the piss out of it. No point in dropping tons of money into a bottom barrel, old, janky motorcycle but that's just my opinion. Good luck in whatever direction you go with this. i've actually been thinking about that in light of recent news. we're starting a 2nd shift at work this week and it's getting a $1 pay differential, and i'll also be getting a $.50-$1 raise at the end of the month, so a pretty good pay bump coming up soon. the bike i've really always wanted is a buell XB12(or an 1125R for a good price), so at this point i'm really considering just maintaining this bike for the next year or so while i save some cash to get a buell. if i go this direction, i'll put a little into this(bar end mirrors, small inconspicuous turn signals, a tail light that isn't as fucking obnoxious, different bars) but it'll just be cheaper stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc1647545523 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I'd have to disagree with Paul on this. I like your original plan, and you've picked out some great bikes for inspiration. You don't have to sink a fortune into it to get the look you want. Do it tastefully and I think you'll be able to get your money back out of it when and if you decide later to get the Buell. Your bike has a lot more potential than mine did, but I'm very happy with what I ended up with. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101890 (before pics of the bike are halfway down page 1 of the thread) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'd have to disagree with Paul on this. I like your original plan, and you've picked out some great bikes for inspiration. You don't have to sink a fortune into it to get the look you want. Do it tastefully and I think you'll be able to get your money back out of it when and if you decide later to get the Buell. Your bike has a lot more potential than mine did, but I'm very happy with what I ended up with. http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101890 (before pics of the bike are halfway down page 1 of the thread) well hell! right when i thought i was going one way, you got me thinking about going back the other way:dumb: if i do end up going ahead with my original plan, i'll likely take a more budget approach(like a more reasonably priced seat) and just leave the engine stock(after a refresh). that's a killer 'zuk, CLEAN bike! love what you did with it, that seat/tail section is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger1647545553 Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 I love cafe racers good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 (guess i probably should've put this in project management...) http://upurs.us/image/47780.jpeg ...almost ready to rip the heart out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oh8sti Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Docs right. His bike is awesome, unique and more fun to ride than most bikes I imagine (i haven't been in town long enough to take it for a spin). I love old cafe bikes. There's something special about them. Any dummy can get a gixxer and stretch/slam it. Cafe bikes are all about personality and art. That's what makes them unique and worth sinking a few grand into. At the end of the day you won't see one exactly like yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fubar231 Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 Stick with this bike, i feel like you could make it really look good without sinking a bunch into it. Get a cheap muffler/tip (Whatever they are for bikes), wrap the stock header so it gives it that look, handle bars, and see if you can find a cheaper seat and your almost there. Then of course mirrors, lights, signals etc but you know what i mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 yea, that's pretty much the direction i'm taking. same as the original plan, but more value conscious. just got a paycheck in, so i'm about to order a top end gasket set, plug wires, 4 carb kits, K&N pod filters(because that asshole of an airbox is NOT going back in that bike!), these bars, and these bar end mirrors. should be a good start, improve the riding position for my short ass, and look better without those ridiculous mirrors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Alex- Posted April 27, 2013 Report Share Posted April 27, 2013 You may wanna swing by Iron Pony. I went last weekend and they had a decent amount of 7/8" bars there for around $20. I picked up a set of drag bars but they ended up putting my master cylinder at an awkward angle so I left my other bars on for now. I should've went with the clubmans instead. :/ I also picked up some shorty turn signals for around $15 for the front and ordered a tail light with integrated turn signals off eBay for $30. Little things like that clean them up so well and are cheap. You should check out Iron Pony regardless, 90% of the time there's at least one hot chick working the registers. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 dropped by there today actually, picked up a set of GP touring bars for about $23! these should definitely look better and be MUCH more comfortable for my short ass, lol. and you're right about the hot chick working the register, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted July 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 update! everyone can see the major issue above with the seat - it looks like shit, both design and condition! so i set out to resolve that issue. while looking for tanks on ebay(since the one i have is all dented up), i stumbled onto a company in vietnam that sells both foam & seat cover kits as well as entire seats. - they have both an ebay store... eBay My World - hondaclassic31 - as well as a dedicated US based website... Cafe Racer Seat | Custom Motorcycle Seats | Custom Cafe Racers - their ebay store seems to have lower prices than their website they *shockingly*(seeing as how their's no aftermarket for this turd) have a number of offerings for the CB650, so, needless to say, i was sold immediately and spent the next few hours pouring over the different designs they had. eventually i decided on THIS foam & seat cover kit because of it's nice, classic shape and smooth, clean design(though i did consider THIS, without the red stripe). IMO, a seat should blend in with the styling of the bike, not be the center of attention(be it good or bad). you'll note that the pictured seat has a straight base, so i knew it wouldn't end up exactly as pictured due to the shape of the stock 650 seat pan(see OP). before i jump into the details of the install, i'll address the cost. IMO, these kits(and complete seats i'm sure) are just a bit overpriced, but i was willing to overlook that for the sake of convenience. and also because i got it $30 cheaper during an ebay sale they were having:lol1: also, shipping is flat rate $40 - expensive, but this thing comes in a BIG ASS box all the way from vietnam, so there isn't really much they can do about that. having said that, i don't regret the purchase a single bit, and would do it again even at full price! alright, now for the install. i had a few more pics but i decided to use this great program called 'wondershare mobilego' to import contacts and files from my old phone, but the ****ing piece of shit decided to overwrite everything on my new(used) HTC rezound and delete the backup file on the computer*RAGE* but i digress... so, as mentioned above, there are 2 reasons i'm replacing the stock seat. A) it's ugly as ****... http://upurs.us/image/50405.jpeg and 2: it's pretty worn out... http://upurs.us/image/50407.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50406.jpeg and so the process began. since we're installing new foam and a new cover on the old seat pan, we gotta remove the old garbage from it of course. as seen below, the seat cover is merely held on by staples... http://upurs.us/image/50408.jpeg but first we gotta get this seat mount bracket out of the way... http://upurs.us/image/50409.jpeg now onto those staples. a good pick set does wonders here, as well as a mallet(to tap the pick under the tighter staples) and needle nose pliers... http://upurs.us/image/50410.jpeg once you've pulled all of the staples loose, you can pull the seat cover off... [insert pic that was deleted by shitty software] if you're a jackass like my self and buy a 30+ year old bike in ohio, then hopefully you recently got a tetanus shot! now you'll need to go back and yank out all of the rusty asshole staples that didn't come out the first time... http://upurs.us/image/50411.jpeg now you can pull the foam off of the seat pan... http://upurs.us/image/50412.jpeg we can get a good look at the differences in profile with both seat foams in hand. the new foam drops the seating position a little, which is a bonus for me... http://upurs.us/image/50413.jpeg and the tail section looks much MUCH better. probably not quite as comfortable to sit on, but, hey, i won't be riding there... http://upurs.us/image/50414.jpeg overall, just a much better, cleaner, and leaner looking profile... http://upurs.us/image/50415.jpeg one thing worth noting is that the stock foam is MUCH softer... http://upurs.us/image/50418.jpeg ...than the foam that comes in the kit... http://upurs.us/image/50417.jpeg ...you can request a softer foam when you order either a kit or seat, and, though i don't foresee any comfort issues whatsoever with this seat, i would still suggest ordering the softer foam. and a shot of the two seat covers side by side... http://upurs.us/image/50416.jpeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted July 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 it's now time to throw the seat foam on your seat pan.... http://upurs.us/image/50419.jpeg ...i went ahead and slathered the seat pan in spray adhesive so that i wouldn't have to worry about the seat foam moving around on me as i flipped the entire piece every which when while stretching the seat cover on. next, we position the vinyl seat cover over the foam... http://upurs.us/image/50420.jpeg and now we begin the arduous task of attaching the seat cover to the seat pan. get a firm grab on the edge of the vinyl and pull it around so that you have a solid amount to staple to the seat pan... http://upurs.us/image/50421.jpeg BTW, i tried using an electric stapler but it wasn't powerful enough to penetrate the hard, thick plastic of the pan. also, use 1/4" or 5/16"(what i used) staples, as 1/2" staples may go all the way through parts of the seat pan and poke you in the ass! work your way stapling around the seat, doing 2-4 staples at a time before switching to the opposite side and placing 2-4 over there. it sounds simple enough, but, if you haven't done this type of work before, there will be a LOT of stretching, you will be removing and restapling sections multiple times, etc. it is very doable for anyone though, you just gotta have a modicum of patience. and remember, pull perpendicular to wrinkles to smooth them out. this is the very front of the seat, where it meets the tank. you would think it would be a tricky spot, but it's actually very easy... http://upurs.us/image/50422.jpeg ...grab some vinyl, pull it tight, and hold it in place... http://upurs.us/image/50423.jpeg ...then, throw a staple at it... http://upurs.us/image/50424.jpeg ...and move on to the next spot... http://upurs.us/image/50425.jpeg you'll likely encounter a few ares where material will want to bunch up, and this can seem like a major problem... http://upurs.us/image/50426.jpeg ...but all you gotta do is grab the material and, again, just stretch the shit out of it... http://upurs.us/image/50427.jpeg a few hours later, and you'll find that your vinyl is all stretched out and your seat pan is completely covered in staples... http://upurs.us/image/50428.jpeg don't be shy with the amount of staples you use. remember that your fat ass will be moving around on this and the vinyl will constantly try to pull away from the pan. more staples = more security http://upurs.us/image/50430.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50431.jpeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry_Trapp01647545522 Posted July 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 now, admire your work... http://upurs.us/image/50432.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50433.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50434.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50435.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50436.jpeg i gotta say, i may not be mexican, but i'm pretty damn happy with my work, LOL. i can't wait to get this thing fixed up and reassembled, it's going to look WAY better with this seat on it! http://upurs.us/image/50437.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50438.jpeg http://upurs.us/image/50439.jpeg ...now i just gotta cut that ****ing rear fender off, LMAO. and, finally, a parts update... http://upurs.us/image/50440.jpeg i got a top end gasket kit(back), 4 carb kits(back right), dynojet stage 1/stage 3 jet kit(left), K&N pod filters(center), plug wires(right), and my new handlebars. HOPEFULLY, i'll have this thing up and running in a few weeks! ride it till it's too cold to ride any more, then blow it all back apart, strip it down, and paint it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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