Dresda Restoration

[masonmart]

Another benefit of having the forks restored is that you get a far thicker layer of chrome which resist corrosion and wear better than OEM.
PS do you know how much lighter the Dresda frame is?.

I'll check Mark. DD has at least one CR engine in bits and he used to build them with Dresda frames

[masonmart]

Any ideas on where I may be able to get hold of a pair of straight ones or does anybody have a pair to sell.

For less than the price of replacement stanchions, Philpotts in Luton can straighten and re-chrome including collection and delivery. I've had 2 sets of stanchions re/chromed and they're very good. Check them out www.pittedforks.co.uk
Peter


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Peter, many thanks for the link and it looks good. CMSNL have stanchions for around £85 delivered and given all uncertainties I've gone this route.

[masonmart]

I believe that to get the wheel bearings out I had to drift against the inner race which probably means that these 40 year old bearings are not in good shape. The OEM units from CMSNL are around £20 per bearing delivered but NTN/SNR standard bearings are around £20 for a full set plus seals. Is there any reason not to use non-OEM bearings.

I plan to build the wheels up using the existing beautiful Borani alloy rims (that have come up amazingly well) using butted stainless spokes. I know that Hagon does them, are there any other good suppliers known to posters here?

Many thanks MM

[Bryanj]

No reason at all to not use other bearings, Honda bought them in from a supplier in the first place!! Try Central Wheels for spokes maybe

[masonmart]

I've finished the engine and everything is ready for engine in tomorrow. The only way to do it is to lay the engine on its side and thread the frame downwards over it installing the engine plates and bolts as you go. I'll pop a couple of photos up when it's in.

I'm generally in good shape with bits that I need for completion but may need to get some help in rewiring the loom, it was in terrible state and I did some minor damage getting it all freed and off the bike which was badly corroded..

[Bryanj]

standard looms are available pattern from silvers

[masonmart]

Big day today as we got the engine into the frame. Waiting for my new fork stanchions and to get the wheels built  so that it becomes mobile but I can make really good progress now.

[masonmart]

Bought spokes and built the wheels at the weekend, the front was very difficult as 40 spokes and Hagons design of 3 crossings.

Forks are rebuilt and on the bike.

[MarkCR750]

Wheels looking good, I googled Dresda 550 but there's a whole array of styles that people have created, do you have in mind how yours will look when finished?

[masonmart]

Wheels looking good, I googled Dresda 550 but there's a whole array of styles that people have created, do you have in mind how yours will look when finished?

Mark
I don't like the original look because the style then was big fibreglass tank and massive fibreglass seat unit. I'm going for a single racing seat with the classical hump, the original 4:1 pipes (coated in black) and the original chromed Motad single silencer which I've managed to clean up quite well. I'll use straight flat bars and a manx type small screen. The frame may be fitted out for the standard Dresda tank but  I'll either paint it to hide the size (mainly black) or see if I can find a 3 gallon Manx type tank. Forks, discs, brakes, clocks, etc., will be original CB500. The wiring I'm not sure about as the original 500 loom is in a mess but I can ask Dresda to rewire it as they do their Tritons. I'm doing it to a budget though and may end up with less than perfection and using original stuff that I've reclaimed. I intend to make it look classic with much better lines than the original Dresda but the value of the bike doesn't justify spending the type of money needed to get it perfect.

[MarkCR750]

That's the great thing about building your own bike, you can make it exactly as you want, it really annoys me when purists pick fault for a lack of originality (thankfully there's none of that on this forum), I look forward to seeing it!

[masonmart]

That's the great thing about building your own bike, you can make it exactly as you want, it really annoys me when purists pick fault for a lack of originality (thankfully there's none of that on this forum), I look forward to seeing it!

Thanks Mark. Whatever happens the bike will be special to me at least. I've met a lad who rides a similar bike and loves it. The CB500 is a beautiful motor and in a bike with total weight of <150kg and with the 605cc kit should be brilliant.

[lcgtr]

Did you get around to finishing this project?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Did you get around to finishing this project?

It would be great to see the end result.

[masonmart]

I did finish the bike in the end
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I stopped when I'd got past £20k spend. The bike was running and went amazingly well but I didn't like it. The flat bars didn't work and the front mudguard from a CB500 wasn't right. I had a new Kawasaki Avenger A7 project to do and put the Dresda into the garage for the future. I'll probably sell it for whatever it'll fetch. Would make a good buy for somebody, nearly everything is new.