The CB750F was Honda’s effort to regain supremacy from its original CB750 Four Superbike. In 1980, Cycle Guide claimed that the new 77-hp 750 DOHC could “accelerate with the fury of a one-liter hyperbike” and possessed “magical cornering qualities never before found in a four-cylinder street bike.” . then they tested the cb750f super sport against a ducati 900ss.
Reading: 1980 honda cb750 cafe racer
Enter Josh Beloit, former US Navy sailor and current construction manager in the Seattle area. Like many of us, Josh has found that working on his bike for an hour or two is the perfect way to clear his head. He bought this 1980 CB750F for $400 from a friend whose project had stalled. the bike hadn’t worked in years. after getting the old cb up and running, josh contacted jason green of classic motoworks to help him complete the build.
Here’s the full story of the build, along with some beautiful shots from terri beloit photography.
honda cb750f cafe racer: in the words of the builder
I am a construction manager in the growing seattle area. In my younger years, I was a sailor in the US Navy. uu. where I traveled the world and experimented enough for two lifetimes, which I based my bike build on (if that makes sense). my life is pretty hectic between work and my young growing family (baby on the way). still, I find every opportunity to lose myself for an hour or two to clear my head and get back to the center.
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I started admiring motorcycles when I was very young and a teacher of mine had her son stop by and show the class his gp style race bike. I remember that it was unlike anything I had ever seen before and it sparked my interest in motorcycles. My Cafe is only the second bike I’ve owned and the first where I’ve had the time and money to create a custom race bike. thanks to this motorcycle he forced me to finally go to get my license. At this point I’ve only been riding for about 4 months and around 2000 miles but hey everyone needs to start on time and why not do it in your custom cafe.
although this is my first true bike, it certainly won’t be my last. especially for custom bikes, I already have a couple of ideas for my next build! I’m excited to be a part of the motorcycle/cafe/custom motorcycle world and regret not starting years ago. regardless I’m hooked and won’t back down.
on the bike
well, about my bike… it started in my friend’s garage, where he started building it and just didn’t have the time. He took it from an original CB750F, removed the plastics, cut the tail off, replaced the rear sprocket, and replaced the chain. I didn’t have time at the time and had to make room in the garage so I bought it for $400. I was excited to have a build in my garage and that’s the state it was in for several months. During that time, I would look at it every day, coming up with ideas, parts to buy, and sketching general designs.
Last February I decided I had to get it ready to ride this summer, so I started working on it. After a couple of tense hours between me and my friend (who I bought the bike from) we got it going, something I hadn’t done in years. After firing, the throttle got stuck and sprayed fuel out of the carb. At that point, I decided to find a custom shop that could build my vision and get it done much faster than I could. I eventually ran into Jason Green, owner of Classic Moto Works on Federal Way, Washington. he was the perfect guy to work with and help with the construction. Over the next two months, tons of research, countless hours, and a great deal of online shopping, the cafe racer known as Lainey was born. This bike brings extreme joy and usually draws a crowd wherever I stop. below is a breakdown of the build.
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engine: -complete carb rebuild -dynojet stage 1 & kit of 3 dispensers & tune -smooth gasket replacement -single carb pods -4 in 1 headers to a cone tip (very loud, but in a good way) -good old fashioned pressure wash
electrical: -all new wiring with heavier gauge wiring -new 7″ amber headlamp with rock guard -front and rear eagle eye turn signals -“brake” light side mount & license plate holder -ballistic performance evo3 lithium ion battery -(2) 3 button handlebar controls -motogadget m.ride blue controller (best money ever) -acewell speedometer and tachometer
body: -custom tuffside seat & hood -custom paint -modified front fender -custom rear kits and bracket (coginito moto) -custom battery box mounted under rear swingarm -rebuilt front forks -rcy rear shocks -7/8 clips -custom triple tree top -modified tank – new bridgestone battlax tires -gsxr 750 front master cylinder -goodridge steel braided brake lines -gsxr 750 rear brake master cylinder (gp type) -motogadget rubber grips -adjustable levers -bar mirrors
I’m sure I’m missing elements, but that’s the gist. On a future note, this winter I plan on replacing the front forks with GSXR forks, new spoked front and rear wheels, installing a rear monoshock, replacing the speedometer with a MotoGadget MotoScope Pro, custom triple tree, and upgraded front and rear brakes.
follow the builder/photographer
- photograph by terri beloit: facebook | instagram | website
- josh beloit: @bel_wa
- classic bike works
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