DOHC Newbie from Door County, Wisconsin

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:26 am

Hello all,
I just bought a 1982 CB750 Custom from a guy near Wausau, WI. Problem is, when I was riding it home, the bike died only ten miles down the road. So I bought a new battery and headed down the road. After about 80 miles, that battery died too and I was only 16 miles from Green Bay. I bought another battery at a nearby hardware store and had to quick charge it with the car. (My wife was following with our car) That second battery was enough to get me to a bike shop in Green Bay.

I have now owned the bike for 3 days and haven't even gotten it home. I hope the bike shop doesn't cost too much. I don't know if the guy I bought it from owned it long enough to realize it had a problem. Anyhow, I am not too upset because I sold my 81 Honda CM400C for the same price as I bought this CB750C for. All I have into it so far is the cost of two batteries. I plan on fixing up this bike as best I can. I don't have much interest or know-how in making any mods on this bike. I just want to make it as close to original as possible (but it will have a non-stock paint job) I look forward to any recommendations you might have.

I know that I will spend more money on this bike than my wife will know about but she likes it already even though it didn't make it home yet.

I have already read a lot from this forum and will continue to soak it in! Thanks.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:28 am

welcome to the site, post some pics od it when you get it home.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:34 am

Sounds like serious charging problem. At least you shouldn't need any batteries soon!!! Fasterspider will be along to set you right on that, no doubt. He admits he is an a**hole, but he knows his stuff! Welcome, and hang around-Lots to learn here!

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:37 am

Welcome to here. Charging systems go out on these bikes quite a bit. We can help you get it sorted. You might end up spending $200 or a little more to get it reliable.

It will also need a complete physical, all the maintenance items in chapter 3 of the Honda Shop manual. You can download it from our Technical Documents section.

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:59 am

Welcome fellow snowbird:
I found the following article to be of great help.

http://home.earthlink.net/~trinomial/DOHCcharge.html

Best of luck. I had a 1973 CB750 and rode it till I became a father and my bride suggested alternative transportation (ie a cage).

I picked up a 1981 CB900 Custom last year (think 750 on steroids) and had some charging issues that this article helped trouble shoot.

Last week I had modulators put on my headlamp and tail light and incorporated the blinkers to light with the brake light. I chose the units by Signal Dynamics and am very pleased. I have noticed a substantial reduction of incursions by cage drivers. Worth considering up here where the cage drivers don't or won't see you.

Scott

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:23 am

I am going to fly into Green Bay (from Phoenix) on 8/8/08 for Monday Night Football. I'm staying at the Radisson in Green Bay, and should get there by about 6:30 pm, if not before.

PM me here if you'd like to get together and BS about bikes and football over dinner at the sports bar, or just BS about bikes and tits.

I knew Willie Davis, used to work for him. I have Green blood in my veins. Wink

I'll be back the first week of September for the first game of the real season. Chat later.

Gene

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 2:54 am

when ya comin to florida for a bucs game gene?

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:15 am

750chop wrote:

when ya comin to florida for a bucs game gene?

About the only time I get to Fl is for a Jax or Miami game. Nothing this year. I only do NFL... MNF... Wink

Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:30 am

dammer, oh well.

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:41 am

I don't think the shop in GB have had the time to check out my bike yet.
Would it be better for me to trailer it home and rely on info from this forum to fix it myself?
If Fastspider can provide the appropriate parts, I don't have any problem doing business with him. He sounds very reliable. What say you Fastspider?

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:57 am

We can guide you through the process if you have some tools. Ray will fix you up proper with the rotor. Wink

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:44 am

I have what I believe is a good selection of tools. All the wrenches, sockets etc. I also have a compression tester that has never been used, and a multimeter.
Are there any specialty tools that I just can't live without?

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:21 am

Well a few... in addition to a complete selection of metric tools, you'll need some tune up tools, like a valve depressor for changing shims, magnet gizmos for pulling shims, , feelers for measuring valve clearances, teensy screwdriver for popping shims loose from buckets... calipers, and/or micrometers for measuring shims, a clutch nut tool from MotionPro, gasket sets and valve cover seals, that kinda thing. A decent Volt and Ohm meter is also required for the charging system and other wiring and electrical troubleshooting. You could also get an alternator rotor puller from Motion Pro. Not a typical flywheel puller, it's a specialized tool.

You could also use a Morgan carbtune for carb syncing, a carb adjusting screwdriver from MotionPro, and a few other items I probably forgot. These tools will pay for themselves the first time you use them successfully and save the money that you would have given a shop mechanic that didn't really care about you or your bike.

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:32 am

is the motion pro valve shim tool any good? i have been hearing horror stories about the cheap ones on ebay forever.

i tried the old rear axle trick to pull my rotor. worked OK except i bumped my head getting the thing to loosen up...broke loose too fast and caught me off guard with the valve cover right between the eyes.

while you are at it, a bike stand of some sort is always useful. if you still have the stock center stand, keep it, but a couple of good bike stands can come in handy. also, some kind of platform that you can put the bike on that will let you tie the bike down while you do some kinds of fixes is handy, as well. i don't know how many times i have been doing something that required getting one end of the bike or the other up in the air, that really didn't leave me with a lot of confidence about it falling over or rolling.

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:38 am

I still think the problem with the Motion Pro valve shim tools is that ppl try to force them instead of insert them smoothly. I've never had a problem with mine, and I run high performance valve springs and big cams.

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:59 am

thats just cuz your a badass Gene

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:03 am

Well, someone's gotta make a stand Wink

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:05 am

sounds like i got a few new tools to add to the box, and god i need a new box, i ran mine over with the truck a few weeks ago... fucker aint even a square no more

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:01 am

This a couple of years old and my toolbox has grown huge sections. I like to play with tools. Wink

Added this to the shop today. Very Happy

Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:11 am

I actually still have a Kennedy box that was run over by a bobtail. We used em in the 70s. I inherited it back twice removed from my former employer all straightened out. I work on the Academy Awards with the guy that ran over it as my assistant at the time. He turned out to be an incridible soundman. Wink