CB750K Cafe Racer

Stripped Frame and Pulled Engine  Stripping it down to the frame turned out to be the right call because a lot of the frame modifications would have been impossible without having complete access to it.  It was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be; nothing was seized or stripped.  The side of the frame even comes right off to let the motor slip out, which im sure would make my wife happy after she reads this because I would have asked her to help me.  The immediate plan is to inspect, clean, paint and rebuild the engine.  After studying the DOHC (dual overhead cam) motor bible and watching some youtube vidoes, I started disassembling the motor. Engine Tear Down It seems overwhelming at first but if you take your time and stay organized it really isn't a big deal.  At first I was just going to clean it and replace the gaskets, but when I told my dad (frequent engine rebuilder) this plan, it was as if I told him I murdered someone; actually I think he w

Scroll to the bottom for the build plan.   Barn Bike: 1981 Honda CB750K I found a great deal on a barn find 1981 CB750K.  It was completely stock, some pieces damaged but nothing was missing; most importantly, the tank wasn't dented.  Surprisingly, the bike started right up with some starter fluid and the choke open; this was a great sign.  Wes, like the trusty motorcycle friend he is, set off with me to snatch this bike up.  The old guy letting it go was amazing.  He wanted to restore it but just didn't have the time or energy to put into, luckily I do.  Along with the bike he gave me tank restoration chemicals, a complete engine rebuild manual and all the parts he bought for it.  For craigslist deals it was pretty ideal.  Once I got it home I quickly stripped the fenders, turn signals and side covers to get a quick glimpse of a cafeish CB750.  I had always wanted to see my other bike like this but never wanted to strip it knowing id have to put it back.

Welcome to my cafe racer research/ebay scouring/build project blog.  I am going to be detailing my cafe racer build as I modify a 1981 Honda CB750K into a lightweight stripped down sport bike.  The build theme for this bike is "If Honda designed a cafe racer using the 79'-82' CB750K base."  Skip to the next post to get into the build.  The story so far... I've always wanted to build a cafe racer, but I really didn't know the first thing about them, let alone motorcycles in general.  After searching through many cafe builds, my favorite of them being Japanese base bikes and BMWs, I finally found a picture of a cafe build that sold me on finally doing it.  Hookie Co. 1981 Honda CB750K(Z) Hookie Co.'s numerous cafe racer builds were just about perfect in my eyes.  The lowered suspension, the completely stripped frame leaving only the necessities visible (especially the entirely empty triangle behind the motor), the large whee