Tag Archives: CB500

Never tire of wrenching on 2 or 4 wheels

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
07 Jul

With all this Crazy Mayhem with the virus and wear a mask etc., its nice for me to be able to just do my own thing out in the sticks and away from the craziness that has really changed the Globe right now, but I came across this photo of me many years ago when I created my own style of CR750 Honda and they were care free days that we still need to have . Below is how Life is today with just some of my very own rides and am blessed to live the lifestyle that I do.

I have a variety of machines to complete and am looking forward to new parts I will be making available to you all to help you with your own creation, half the fun is building and the other half is riding them.

I have built many styles of bikes and always scratching my Nogging to think of what to do next, but when the New Barn is completed, I shall be looking into completing some creations and more Blogs and videos to show you what I get up to out here.

If I can help steer you in the right direction , I surely will, this is like a big family to me and always feels good when a Customer informs me their ride is now on the road for the first time.

Get creative and you may have to strip that bike 3 or 4 times to get where you wanted, this bike above I built 3 times but in the end it came out just as I had envisioned it and was worth the blood sweat and tears.

How to build a cool set of forks for your CB500-CB550 or CB750 Honda SOHC Motorcycle.

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
21 Mar

I get so many emails asking about certain things that I create on the bikes and parts that I build here at my place, so- I thought I would do a little Blog on my Custom Fork service that I have been doing for many years and shipping these set ups all over the Globe. So below is what they start off like, just a bog stock set of worn out, tired, telescopic front forks.

These came off a bike that was parked up many years ago and the Customer purchased the complete bike for a decent price and wanted to take the machine apart and create his own cool Custom ride, he wanted my fork service and this is a Blog on what I did.

Looks like Dogs or cats or something Hairy had been crawling across this bike for some time, also if you look, you can see the tubes are toast as there are many pits in the tubing and hard chroming these days has got so expensive to do.

The Caliper will need to be completely torn apart and I will Blog that a little later on, this is not an uncommon thing to have sent to me to fix and rebuild and hope you enjoy this little journey of what I did to get these set of forks into a really Custom looking piece.

The main goal is to take everything off, then clean up on the outside and then once happy with that, the fun begins in the transformation of these fork tubes.

There is an array of parts that I need to rebuild these and as you can see I have everything for this to fix and get the guy a really nice set up for his Motorcycle. If you look, you can see I machined the lower Fork Stanchions and put grooves in the legs for a great Custom Finished set.

Above, you can see I am about to fit brand new Honda Fork seals to the stanchions and what I personally use is some Home Depot PVC pipe that fits perfectly over the fork tube and allows me to use the tube as a Press to get the seal to slide into the recess inside the fork and not damage the rubber of the seal.

I sat the forks on a small pad and then used my Rubber Mallet and gently tapped the pvc tubing until you feel the seal come to an abrupt stop, that means its into its seating and no more tapping required.

Once the seal is in, I plop the snap ring into its place using some circlip pliers, this holds everything in snuggly and no scratches on the fork tube. You can buy these at Harbor freight Cheap.

I use Brand New genuine Honda Dampener Bolts and crush washers, I like using the real deal and not the Chinese crap that’s out there, and this will have longevity compared to China’s inferior quality.

I also fit Brand New OEM Rubber Fork Dust Caps and to really give it that Custom touch, I fit Chromed steel Dust Covers to finish off the polished Finned Lower Stanchion.

See what I mean?  It really does complete the front fork in dressing the part to show you this is no run of the mill ride, it has attention to detail.

I finish the lowers off by Polishing the clamps and adding stainless Lock washers and stainless flanged nuts, this is a great look and easy to get a wrench on to remove the front wheel at anytime.

I cleaned up the dampeners and spring and set a pre load using 4 stainless washers, an old Motorcycling Racing trick, I also do not ever use standard fork oil, I do like the old guys did and use ATF and that’s so much cheaper to purchase too.

How do I know how much to put in forks? As many of the years of the CB750 have different lengths of lower stanchions, so the volume of fluid changes.

As you can see, I have the Factory specs for the Honda CB750s right at hand and actually sell a book with all the settings in , so I can easily look up year and model to get the capacity required.

Bang on the money and now this is all ready to button up and get the forks completed for the Customer.

See, they sure do look Custom now and am happy with the way these look and the preload is right on the money too, I also use Brand new fork Caps to give the top to bottom New Parts finished look.

So there you go, a Custom rebuilt set of forks that I offer and boy do they look sharp, not cheap but add the parts up yourself, and you will see this is a good deal.

I sure hope that you liked this little Blog, thank you for following me and purchasing my parts, its my passion and Career.

New Parts and New projects this year

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
03 Feb

Hey Everyone

Hope that you are all well and trying to continue doing what you enjoy- This Pandemic is a royal Pain in the proverbial arse, but we have to stay strong and continue masking up, keeping your distance and soon after we all get the Jab, hopefully we can get to some sort of even Keel and enjoy the freedoms that we once all took for granted.

Things will be changing a little with me as I shall be having a steel barn built to keep me close to home, I can make prototype parts and start to create some more motorcycles for Customers and of course my own, I have a few ideas for many things and here I can do all that and much more.  I shall be offering more exhaust systems, that are all made right here in California, none of the China crap will be here and hope that you can pass the word so we can keep our money in the USA as so much money goes to China, but none from me- I tell ya that for free.

 

I love what I do, I really enjoy making new parts, I also enjoy the many emails and texts that i receive every day, if I can help someone out of their dilemma, even if it does not involve using my parts etc, I am still happy as someone now has got their machine on the tarmac.

Have fun with what you do, its an awesome hobby of ours and everybody wants to help each other out, I get a lot of calls right now as people are of course at home locked down in some cases, so, as to not get bored, people are creating their own style machines and there are some great creative minds working overtime as I type this Blog today.

So get into them Garages, Sheds or back rooms and have fun wrenching, I am here to help anytime, be it phone, Email or text, sure look forward to hearing from you, stay safe and get wrenching.

 

New Year, let’s hope this one is a fruitful one

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
03 Jan

Well, 2020 can go and bugger right off, what a shitty year for everybody around the world, and we still have some ways to go before we can all meet up anywhere, so I tend to think I shall be here at home and will put my time and energy into making New parts available for you lot that are building at home right now.

I am so lucky that I find creating parts very therapeutic for me and will make the most of this lockdown scenario to see what I can accomplish and make available for you all in this 2021 year that we have just started on.

I am looking forward to seeing how your creations are going and hopefully you can send me some quality photos with a full description of what you have done, as many people ask about readers rides, so looking forward to some emails of your projects.

So I am wishing you ALL a very Happy New year and lets get building and see some very cool machines on the Tarmac for the Summer.

 

 

 

Looking forward to a more positive Healthy year

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
29 Dec

A couple of days left in this terrible Pandemic year, good riddens to it and sure hope that 2021 will be great for us all, of course it will take probably half of that year for all of us to get back on an even keel so to speak, but we shall get there and life will change for the better.  Where we can go out and eat, enjoy meeting folk again, even attend shows and Motorcycle meets etc, life is so short and precious and I think that everybody’s attitude will be a tad different now too.

I love making parts or just building bikes, I am no Pro at this, and didn’t go to school to learn how to either but I grew up with 2 wheeled machines and still to this day do not own a Snap On tool, just the old Sears Craftsmen’s lol. The photo above is me about 20 years ago with my Rocket 4 seat base I created and, still sell today. And Below, was when I helped Dennis Roth create a tribute trike to his dad who passed away Ed Roth, and of course, it had to be CB750 Powered. How much fun did we have with this, hope to find photos of the finished product one day when it was on display at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

 

Exhausts are going out the door pretty quick these days

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
07 Nov

Well, a day off at last, albeit I will be catching up on things at home etc, but- I am in my office and for once, it has started to rain.  Something that we do not get much of in Southern California, so I will engulf this as it reminds me of back home in the UK and, it also gives me a little time whilst I have a cup of splosh, to tell you that I have been selling quite a lot of 4 into 1 exhaust systems as of late.

I have not added up the amount of systems I have sold over the years but its a few thousand now and I am so stoked that Customers still like them and, they are made right here in California and not China, I get many emails from customers, letting me know they love the look, fit and of course the sound and performance that these systems make, a very unique and smooth breathing system that I am very proud of and cannot thank you all enough for purchasing.

It is unreal the places that my systems have ventured out to, Russia, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, etc as well as Australia, New Zealand and the surrounding Islands, from Hawaii to London too, I am amazed when I get the order to see where it is going. So thank you all for that and I shall be looking into some more designs when the New workshop is built, something that will always be enjoyable.

These will fit the CB500 the CB550 and the SOHC CB750 K F models from 69-78 and you will see a big difference from stock, weight for a start, sound and of course the response is way faster and smoother, rev that girl out and watch the RPMs enjoy the free flowing system and the bark as you shift gears.

These come in a variety of finishes, for the Tough look, there is Raw steel, its bare bones and will rust of you dont wither wrap it or clear coat it but it looks killer when fitted and the industrial look in really popular right now.

Also there are Color options for the systems, we get them Professionally Coated with Cerakote.   High temp ceramic coatings act as a ceramic insulation in that they protect your exhaust system from rust and corrosion. Ceramic coating will protect your exhaust from things like road salts, oil and gas, heat from your engine, and exhaust gases that flow through your pipes. Also can improve the performance of your engine’s horsepower. It helps increase the speed and maintain the quality of exhaust gas flow while keeping the temperature of the engine low. When you apply the coating to the exterior, it can make the exhaust flow faster, allowing for a reduced loss of power and temperatures. 

Above is the Burnt Bronze which has a Texture to it and helps dissipate the heat fast. You aren’t going to want to replace the items in your exhaust system very often, and you won’t have to when you use a high temp ceramic coating. The coating reduces the thermal cycle surface temperatures, reducing the exposure to a constant hot-cool cycle. This all means that the coating reduces the risk of the metal arts in your exhaust system weakening.

A stealthy 1978HONDA CB750  SOHC looks Tough as Nails sat outside the owners garage, he loved the fit and sound of his machine and rides it as much as he can, it looks great eh?

The Sidewinder is a good system too and hugs the frame tightly, it also allows for a Main stand to be used if you wanted to.

The Yoshi is my Best Seller and as you can see, it sets this machine of nicely a great Motorcycle and it gets a lot of attention where ever it is ridden to.

Above is the Titanium Color that some people order, its great to be able to offer a few colors as the bike they are building can have a matching system that suits the styling.

We try our best to come up with a great exhaust and I think that we have made many people happy that this is available not just in Raw steel, but in a variety of colors and stainless steel too.

The good thing is that this 2 piece set up comes with a Removable Baffle and you can either pack it with fiberglass to quieten it or leave as supplied for that Velvet tone, as 99% do keep the baffle in with No packing at all.

Which ever way to go, I am here to help, I look after all my customers and over seas I adjust the customs forms so you dont get hammered with Duty fee’s etc, and as the system is a 2 piece, I can get it in a smaller box, which means cheaper shipping as well.

Using up old snotty parts

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
01 Sep

Well, it is still hot as hell here in southern California, and I have been flat out with work, so not too much time on the Blog side this time but always try to post something to show you guys n gals out there.

I have a few bits and bobs laying around in my storage, an old 5550 frame, some rims and a set of tires etc, I may build a little Brat bike to take out on the dry lake when the races are on- As that 550 Honda is a great size machine to blap around on and right now I just have a few parts, but will start to piece it together and see where I end up, it may be a forever buld, but hope to have it running and rideable at some point and see what route the style goes.

I used to have quite a stock pile of old parts back at the house and in storage, but things do slowly get used, but that does not mean I wont find more, as I always turn up stuff from time to time.

Be nice to have a few more old snotter laying about like a i used to and maybe a road trip for later on in the year to see what I can locate on one of our travels.

 

Thursday and almost the weekend.

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
13 Aug

As we approach the weekend, I am sure there are many of you that will be sweating your arses off in the garage, shed or back yard, trying to put your long term project together and give you something to do while many places have forced you to stay at home.

Be it a Tracker, Brat, Cafe Racer or restoring it to stock, I am always here to help with questions and as I have built so many of these inline fours over the 20 years here in California, I am always happy to give advice as to help you repair your big 4 machine and get it back on the tarmac once more. Below was an Old 70’s bike I found and got running in just 2 hours.

Spending time in your work area with your machine has never been more exciting to be honest in these times, as you can focus and continue to build a machine to your style and color and the only thing stopping you is your imagination.

I always have things to do or finish or even for that matter, make a brand new part for the SOHC and this month is no different, I have a massive undertaking for a lot of exhaust systems and Hoop conversions right now but I will succeed and get this all done.

I love what I do and thank you all for your emails, phone calls and texts about building or supplying parts to you, and I strive to push the envelope all the while.

Have fun and remember I am just a text away if you need help or direction, Motorcycle Building and riding should be fun, we all stress when we get stuck, but I am here to at least try and help you from pulling your hair out. Thanks for reading my little Blog today and hope I can help you with your Motorcycle.

Something to watch whilst you are at home.

Sunday and plenty to do in the Garage

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
09 Aug

Hey you lot, hope things are OK with everyone?  And you are trying to get on with your Motorcycle Project in this Pandemic. I am still flat out playing catch up and thats a good thing to be busy.

With the weekend crashing by so fast, its hard to sometimes catch up on a daily Blog, but I try as I know many people read what I am up to etc and like to hear from readers of the things they are doing to their 2 wheeled machines in this strange times that we are in right now.

I have a multitude of things I have to try and get sorted, over 50 more exhausts to build, more Tee shirts to design and I have a 550 Honda to Rebuild Carbs, a Triumph Scrambler that needs a service and a bunch of Customer orders I need to pack and get ready to ship for tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be my 58th Birthday, hard to believe that I am approaching that bloody Golden age in 2 years, but I feel like I am in my 30’s and thats because I have a great girlfriend that helps me in what I do and achieve, and having a strong support system is paramount when it comes to a business.  And with Jennifer at my side, we can accomplish much more than if i was trying to do it all on my own. She rides her Own Motorcycle and I am so fortunate that she has the same passions and interest as I do, we make a great team.

 

Well, I am going to get a few things done but I was thinking of things I may like to do some day and I thought about Hill Climbing on two wheels, its a fantastic sport for spectators too, maybe one day I will have a go, id prefer a Vintage bike but hey if the opportunity arises, I’d give these bikes a shot. Have a great Sunday everyone.

 

Friday at last, the weekend begins

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
07 Aug

Its that time at last, Friday evening, its nice to know that the weekend is now here, I have many orders to try and get out the door and tomorrow I shall be up early so i can pack a bunch more orders to send to my Customers.  It’s my Birthday Monday and although i have to work, I am blessed to have another year of doing what I love and I shall be churning more parts out this week for sure.

Have a Great weekend all of you and hope you get some time to work on your steed or even get to ride it.

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