SkiLLz CB650

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SkiLLzCb650c
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:05 pm
Location: Wilmington, NC

SkiLLz CB650

Postby SkiLLzCb650c » Sun Oct 28, 2007 3:34 pm

My 81 Cb650c. Thought I would post some pics for you guys. Got this bike for $150 and got it running within a week.....my first bike. I have done a lot of work the past few days. I lowered the bike, shortened the stand but still need to weld a foot on it. I added a 06 Harley tail light and remounted my signals. Made me a fork bag out of a old car bra, some rivets, and some nice nuts haha. Put on some rear pegs off of a cm400c......notice how they are sleek with the frame. Highways pegs are rear pegs off of a 72 cb350....turned out good.....until I get cash for chrome. I still have alot of work I want to do. I need to put on some new handlebars....these are bent. Need one more sidecover and I have been thinking about getting rid of the tach and dummy lights and centering a speedo on the tree. I would have to relocate the fuse box and ignition too......but I think it would look so much better. Maybe some longer forks in the future. Threw in a pic of what it was when I got it. I dont have my license yet just been cruising around the neighborhood.....but I LOVE IT!!! Let me know what you think!

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still had the stock tail light on it when I got it but its off in the pic......it was soooo ugly. First thing to come off.

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Volker_P
Posts: 5508
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:53 am
Location: southern Germany

Postby Volker_P » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:18 am

First let me say that I really admire your enthusiasm and the bike looks really allright for $150. However I think you should think a bit more on the technical aspects of your changes and the consequences for your safety as the things you did seem partly quite critical to me.
E.g. when you pull the brakes with a passenger your smart rear footpegs would just tilt to the front and the passenger will slip into your back and maybe you can guess where you will feel it most? :roll: :lol:
The CB650 chassis is quite old fashioned and I would not recommend it to a young beginner even in intact original condition. Great engine but hard to handle on the road. Even with the rear shocks in operation. You did not find out that because you probably just did slow turns in your neighborhood. Sorry, but with stiff rear one can bet whether you rather first miss the road or break the frame when you ride over a bump at more than 30mph. My tip would be the upper bolts of the shocks will shear off first and you fly off from the blocking rear wheel :(. A longer front fork will mean even worse steering geometry and turn the whole thing even more into unrideable.

Some more things that caught my eye: the exhaust will scratch on ground at even moderate banking to the right and the unsuitable rear exhaust holder will break soon. If it is elastic enough not to break first, the exhaust will break instead. The bolt on the gear lever is missing and the lever is already half way out. Push it in and turn in a bolt to avoid damage to the teeth of the cam or even to loose the lever. The chain still asks for some oil.

So good advice that you may not like hear would be: What you prepare there is fine for travelling to meetings on a trailer and great to make some pictures you can show your children later. But if you try to ride this in traffic at speeds above 40mph there is a good chance that you won't have the opportunity any more to show them the pictures yourself.
Perhaps you know some experienced people that could have a look on your bike before you seriously go out on the road.

Have fun with your CB but please think about the things written above and don't risk your life more than avoidable!

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Ibsen
Posts: 375
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Kongsvinger, Norway
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Postby Ibsen » Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:43 am

I think Volker gave you some very reasonable and well founded advises.

Keep up the good work and your enthusiasm. 8)

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Volker_P
Posts: 5508
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:53 am
Location: southern Germany

Postby Volker_P » Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:40 am

Thanks for your confirmation, Ibsen.
I felt a bit unconvenient about writing this quite strict contribution, but I still think it was appropriate.

To SkiLLzCb650c: don't take it personal, I was young too not so long ago and I only wrote this because I believe what you intended to do there is a bit too much to learn it the hard way. You can bet I learned some things this way, too (and had fun anyway 8)) and I guess this is necessary for everybody, but within some limits.


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