Smaller disc alternative spoke wheels CB750 project ideas

[Rozabikes Tim]

Thinking about ideas for 750 SOHC cafe racer I want to build.

I like the idea of subtle modifications and I am thinking of larger single disc / modern caliper at front. Also although F1 / F2 have rear disc, it is big and clumsy in my mind and fancy a "token small disc" at rear / modern caliper.

Has anybody had experience of fitting more modern, later hubs from something like an Africa twin trail bike and lacing them to relevant rim to suit the 750? I am thinking this would give more scope for alternative discs? I appreciate there would then be the normal problems of calipers mounting /  lining up discs, which could be a bit easier with opposed pistons in newer caliper?

[Seamus]

Usual thing is to fit a GL1000 front end onto the 750. Fitting modern disc systems is difficult with the fork leg design.

Have a look at the us site  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62595.0

This will ge you started, lots of reading.

Cheers

Seamus

[Rozabikes Tim]

Yes thanks for the direction but seen this and don't really want twin discs as like the idea of the simple original single look. Have read on US site re EBC rotor as straight bolt on. Anyone done this? Still fancy the idea of modern caliper too!

The rear disc is the real issue as it looks clumsy to me on F1 / F2. My CB900 had similar set up too.

[Seamus]

I have been looking at the EBC option, but I can't find a reference for the rotor to see if it is available in the UK.

Not really looked at the rear disc.

Have a look round this site http://www.stotfoldengineers.co.uk/Stotfold_Engineering_blog/2009/09/

Has some info on brakes

[SteveD CB500K0]

What a great site!

Got any more info on them?

[Seamus]

No, I was thinking of going over for a look as they are not too far away. I actually found the first link on the US site.

Some very interesting stuff and very good quality. I may need to fit some new guides to mt K1, so could well ask them to do that bit.

I have not really decided if that is my problem, but will be have a better idea when I remove the exhausts and see if there is oil in the exhaust ports.

[Yoshi823]

I agree about the 750F1/F2 rear disc...

750F1

750SS

The disc that was on the rear of my F2 was a standard one but machined down to a minimum that would take a much smaller caliper.I had bought and sized up the MB50 disc to go with the caliper but it would have meant a major remachine of the wheel hub so I didn't go that route after all.

[Rozabikes Tim]

Now we are talking!

No reason why this idea would not work with F1 wire wheel then?

[Yoshi823]

No reason why not at all...so long as you can source a small caliper and make up a mounting for it.I had the material to hand at work so it was just a case of a bit of measuring and machining...and it worked.It wasn't as ferocious as the massively oversized rear,but with a set of Ferodo pads in the MB50 caliper it was sufficient.

[Rozabikes Tim]

What pipe were you running on your bike in the piccy with the small rear disc?

[Yoshi823]

I liked the flowing lines of the original downpipes and collector on the 750F2 so removed the chrome clamps and welded the number 1 and 3 pipes into the collector. I then had the lot grit blasted to remove the chrome.Kal-Gard Gun Kote was then sprayed onto the down pipes and baked in the oven at work.But the original 'Harris Racing Track Outlet Pipe' got a bit mangled when I had a off on some diesel, so I approached Johnny Campbell of what was then CG Exhausts of Burnham Road Trading Estate as it was back then in 1982 to make me an exhaust silencer. John now trades under the name of Renegade Exhausts and makes stainless steel exhausts out of a lock-up down in a garage in Chelsfied in Kent. if you want more details of what he does now then just ask as I would need to dig out his details that are around somewhere.

[SteveD CB500K0]

I'd be interested in the details of such a guy in that part of Kent.

[Rozabikes Tim]

Mr yoshi - if I may be so forward!

Do you have a piccy of the old girl from the side, showing the whole pipe as the picture posted was close to show disc etc.



Tim

[Yoshi823]

I'd be interested in the details of such a guy in that part of Kent.

Not a problem Steve. John can be contacted via email on barabbas.onyabike@virgin.net or www.barabbas.co.uk or via mobile 07946-759990. His address is r/o Lockyer Motors, Skibbs Lane, Chelsfield Village, Orpington, Kent BR6 7RH.

As I had said before, he deals mainly in stainless but i'm sure that he can fabricate just about anything nowadays. I have a very old 'Bike' magazine somewhere  with one of his adverts also showing 'Cambray' wheels, which where an amalgamation of John as well as Bob Bray, who i'm told used to race sidecars. Old hands may well also recognise the name of Lockyer, of Lockyer Motors, as Dave and Peter Lockyer used to also race sidecars. Lockyers also do bike MoTs as well as car MoTs.

[Yoshi823]

Mr yoshi - if I may be so forward!

Do you have a piccy of the old girl from the side, showing the whole pipe as the picture posted was close to show disc etc.



Tim

Not a problem Tim. I am sure that I have posted this elsewhere on this forum but here it is again. This was the last incarnation of the bike before it's unfortunate demise...


There is another guy who lives just off the South Circular/A20 but I have mislaid his details otherwise I would gladly pass on his details. His name is/was Tony Cook and he welded mild steel which was ideal if you wanted to have the part chromed afterwards, rather than being made out of stainless steel as John Campbell does.