Hello from Croatia

[lockotar]

Hello everyone!

After 4 years of finding parts, $$$ and tinkering around the motorcycle I am finally nearing to completion. This is my first and last motorcycle project that I am working on. I made it for myself as the first bike. For the aesthetics I only need to do some cable management. For mechanical parts fuel system need some little attention but I am 90% there and I am planning to change brake lines because after 44 years I think it would be better safe than sorry. Oh and I must say it is difficult to find side leg stand for this bike. There is a leg mounted from Custom but it is too short and I don't feel safe using it.

All I wanted to say is that this forum helped me the most and I wanted to thank everyone for it.

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Bike is so fun to ride 

[Johnny4428]

That looks a nice bike! You’ve made a good job there. Not so many of them featured on the forum here.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I agree with Johnny - you have done a good job.
What model is it based on?

[Laverda Dave]

Hello Lockotar and welcome to the forum.
Congratulations on building a great looking bike. The tank colour and finish brings it very up to date.
Croatia is a lovely part of the world, probably still warm and sunny there with perfect biking roads.

[lockotar]

Thank you all!

I bought CB650C '80 in 2019, Croatia but the bike was in terrible state. Literally every other screw was stripped and every other thing was sawed off...you could steer the front wheel far far to the left and right. I don't know how do you call it. Some kind of steering limiter on the frame. Mount for the instrument panel on the steering stem was cut, carbs (nightmare)... About a year later i bought another CB650 '80 from Germany but it was disassembled in parts and that bike was in much, much better state but missing some parts like instrument panel, exhaust, headlight, handlebar, side stand, middle stand and some other little parts. Only middle longer hex bolt head for the cylinder block was little stripped but I took it from the first bike as the other missing things. And I took the camshaft with more HP from the first bike.
Bearings, rings, pistons, o-rings, chains and other wearing parts were replaced except crankshaft bearings but those are impossible to find (at least I can't find them anywhere) but they seemed in good condition. I have like a million pictures taken during restoring.

The tank color is "stolen" from the Golf mk7  This color really suits the bike hehe

It is still warm in Croatia but in the next 3-4 days it will rain all the time so no biking. I rode about 400km since I finished the bike and majority of km was tuning so I didn't have the chance to enjoy much of the road yet.

[SteveD CB500K0]

Can you show us the right side of the bike please (with the exhaust)?

Looks very cool.


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[andy120t]

Looks nice - welcome aboard!

[lockotar]

As I said the wiring is not done yet so the left side is a pretty side and I left out the right side haha

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And I am still contemplating where to hide the 7.5Ah lithium battery.

[Bryanj]

I think youmay have problems with that size battery reliable providing enough for starter and ignition

[Athame57]

Hello from London, welcome here and hey, awesome bike! 

[lockotar]

Actually I think the battery and the charging is the only thing I've done right on the first try.

Now that I am looking at pictures the battery is 5Ah and not 7.5Ah. I've decided to downsize the battery back then because the 240CCA rating is enough for the starter and it's starting like crazy!

I periodically measure voltage on the battery after riding and it is always around ~14V. All 11 3W bulbs are replaced by LED bulbs. I think that the biggest help is charging efficiency of the lithium battery. You almost loose nothing unlike with the lead acid battery. And of course I changed the regrec to accommodate lithium charging voltage. It's charging to 14.2 - 14.3V.

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And thanks again for the kind words

[Murf]

Welcome to the site, very nice bike and restoration, the colour works well with the look of the bike. I like your change over to using a lithium battery it’s an interesting modification for a classic bike.

[Murf]

Also love the seat, very cool.

[DomP]

Nice bike, that battery looks interesting.   On another subject, always wanted to visit Croatia, good snorkeling I hear!

[Ken4004]

Hi there welcome to the site I am a newbie as well but everyone has made me feel welcome and no end of advice has been given to me , bike looks great did you take any before pictures ?