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1979 CB650

Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 10:44 pm
by socal1200r
Picked up this 1979 CB650 a couple of months ago with 5700 original miles. Bike would start with the choke pulled, but as soon as the choke was pushed in, the bike would die. Took it to a local indy shop, who had it for almost a month. They ended up cleaning and rebuilding the carbs, replacing both throttle cables, new plugs and air filter, new tires, steel-braided front brake line, Tarozzi fork brace, lower handlebars, new round mirrors, new barrel grips, etc. After I got it back, I had the 4-1 exhaust ceramic-coated, installed another stock rotor that I had cross-drilled, and some new piggyback shocks for the back. Bought some extra engine cases, oil filter cover, and valve covers, and those will be powder-coated gloss black, and hopefully installed before the end of the year.

I've gotten several compliments on the bike already, and the guys at the indy shop especially liked the bike. They said it was in fantastic shape for being 35 years old, and even the color and numbers on the gauges looked like new. After I get those parts powder-coated and installed, she'll be done (with the exception of doing something with the brake on the front end).

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:50 pm
by Pbiggs
Looks good. Real good how much did you end up spending at the shop?

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 5:59 am
by cb650
yes very nice!!!

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:40 pm
by socal1200r
Pbiggs wrote:Looks good. Real good how much did you end up spending at the shop?


The shop bill for parts and labor was $1300, but that didn't include the tires ($160), handlebars ($22), mirrors ($24), or fork brace ($100). I bought those and had the shop install them. General breakdown was about $800 parts and labor to do the carbs (gasket kit, air cut valves, main jets, needle shim kits, Keihin slow jets), and the rest was to mount the tires, install the handlebars, and misc parts like the throttle cables ($40), choke cable ($19), s/s brake line and fittings ($55), hand grips ($15), etc. The new EBC FA45 pads were $23, new piggy back shocks were $120, another stock rotor was $35, getting the rotor cross-drilled was $125, and I installed those myself.

Spent $180 to get the exhaust ceramic-coated, and $140 to get the three engine case pieces, oil filter cover, and engine guards powder-coated gloss black. Dropped off the three valve cover pieces to get powder-coated gloss black, should have those next week. Once all those pieces are installed, she'll be done, and all I plan on doing is taking her out on dry, sunny days, alternating her with my '87 Cagiva 650...

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 4:10 pm
by socal1200r
Got the powder-coated left side engine cases on. Here are some "before and after" pics...

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:36 am
by my79650
Very nice, wish mine was that clean.

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 12:22 pm
by jclayc
What kind of exhaust do you have on it?

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:39 pm
by socal1200r
jclayc wrote:What kind of exhaust do you have on it?


There's a plate at the back of the muffler, I'm pretty sure it says "DG Street Performance" on it...

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:03 pm
by socal1200r
Got all the powder-coated parts on it now (engine cases, case guards, valve covers, oil filter cover), and these are the lastest pics. I also adjusted the collars on the rear shocks by 10mm, and they made a noticeable difference. They're still in the highest position in the pics, but adjusting them down 10mm stiffened them up, so it didn't feel like I was bottoming out coming and going from the public storage facility's driveway. Bought a Mobius action cam and a handlebar mount, and also put some velcro on the top of my helmet. This Mobius camera is about the size of a car remote, MUCH smaller than a GoPro, but still takes pretty decent video, even at 720 resolution and 30 frames per second (I think it can go up to 1080 and 60 fps). I had to put a small piece of duct tape over the microphone on the front, and the USB port and memory card slot on the back, in order to decrease the wind noise to a more tolerable level:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xYd3cZyUcE

I think I'm pretty much done with any customization on my CB. Now to enjoy riding it, and keep her maintained for hopefully many years to come!

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 8:41 pm
by cb650
Says video is prvt. maybe its too sexy!!!!

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:12 pm
by socal1200r
cb650 wrote:Says video is prvt. maybe its too sexy!!!!


Looks like I forgot to "publish" it...s/b viewable now...

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:00 am
by cb650
nice video

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:58 pm
by socal1200r
socal1200r wrote:
cb650 wrote:Says video is prvt. maybe its too sexy!!!!


Looks like I forgot to "publish" it...s/b viewable now...


Just for giggles and grins, here's the same route on my 1987 Cagiva 650 Alazzurra v-twin. Really brings out the difference between a 650 inline four and a 650 v-twin, lol...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH-ghDhLDfw

Re: 1979 CB650

Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:20 pm
by cpower
Looking to see how it's holding up a few years later? Just got mine and would love to get it looking as good as yours!