My 77 750 Cafe finally sees a little road time..

[Zooks]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!





But, get that seat finished. It hurts my butt just looking at it.

[Dogma]

Hey, that looks a lot better when it's not under a tarp! Too bad I missed the event.

[Loose Seal]

Man I need spokes.

Love the bike!!

[Jethro]

That thing is fvckin' sweet! You should jet it a little rich so it spits black smoke out the exhaust when you really get on it. And I think it needs some spikes or at least a chrome skull of some sort somewhere... regardless, diggin' it.

[Dogma]

I wonder what that thing weighs now. I know a place with scales in Lebanon...

[tkent02]

I took it up the street and back, before realizing the rear tire was nearly flat. Bummer. But, she IS running, and the motor is running SMOOTH. The carbs seem pretty responsive, tho i still think i am a hair rich maybe.

Looks great, and It's got to be hard to resist riding it a little, but idling and a little putt up the street is the LAST thing you want to do to a rebuilt top end. Don't run it at all until you can warm it up and open up the throttle.

[TheCafeKid]

Looks great, and It's got to be hard to resist riding it a little, but idling and a little putt up the street is the LAST thing you want to do to a rebuilt top end. Don't run it at all until you can warm it up and open up the throttle.

Ooooh Yeah, i didnt really even think about that Tom. in the excitement of actually getting it going, and having to tinker with the jetting i didnt think about ring break in. They ARENT NEW rings, as the motor only had 22k on it, and i pulled them out and measured, and they were well with in spec, so i didnt change them. But i did check them cos when i got the motor one cylinder was pretty dirty, and some oil was on one of the valves, but the guy shipped it to me with oil in it, it had apparently been sitting for some time, so after inspecting it thoroughly, and deciding everything looked good, measured good, I simply put it back together after cleaning it thoroughly. Im sure the rings need some time to reseat, but thus far ive seen only a little bit of blue smoke when i originally got it running a few weeks ago. ( i had to end up getting another rack of carbs because rain got into mine and seized up one of the slides, which i NEVER got loose again Ah well, live and learn) But indeed, i do need to get it running to a point where i can give it throttle up and down to get them seated back up. Thanks for bringin me back down to earth Tom..i definately dont want to screw something up after the time and effort ive put into it thus far!

[tkent02]

They ARENT NEW rings, as the motor only had 22k on it, and i pulled them out and measured, and they were well with in spec, so i didnt change them.

Just curious, did you hone the cylinders?

[TheCafeKid]

Just curious, did you hone the cylinders?

Nope. I didnt. Having done, and helped, with a couple more top ends on various other bikes after doing mine, and honing on those, I honestly was worried about it before starting it up, because I obviously SHOULD have done so. But I didnt have a hone at the time, and didnt realize how important it was. I got lucky, and its not burning oil, and compression numbers are great. Definately should have, but I didnt. It IS now a tool in my box, and any other motors i tackle will DEFINATELY have it done.

[TheCafeKid]

Ok, so I need a lil help here, as ive never really done serious plug chops before. My cafe seems to run GREAT at idle and just off. But above that, Im guessing where it starts to get into the needle circuit, its starts to bog, and stumble. So i ran it there all the way up my street and then cut it pullin into my drive, and pulled the plugs. COVERED in soot and blacker than a babboons ass. So where too from here? Are my mains too rich, or my movement of the needle to the forth clip down, raising the needle, need to go back? Or does the main directly effect the needle enough to blacken the plugs like that? Slightly confused on this part. I have 130 mains in it now, and could drop back down to 127.5s. Any help would be great. Thanks!

[dardoonk]

Cafe,
Here's a pic of my rear hanger. I have the same problem as my bike has no rear footpeg mount. I just heated and bent a piece of 1" steel strip (Lowes) and then bent it accordingly. The black cap you see is the end of the lower peg hanger. I left enough of it in place to build a brace that runs to the otherside and serves as the stopper for the center stand. You may have to run your exhaust bracket to another location, but mine is plenty sturdy after I put the twist in the steel.

[tkent02]

Ok, so I need a lil help here, as ive never really done serious plug chops before. My cafe seems to run GREAT at idle and just off. But above that, Im guessing where it starts to get into the needle circuit, its starts to bog, and stumble. So i ran it there all the way up my street and then cut it pullin into my drive, and pulled the plugs. COVERED in soot and blacker than a babboons ass. So where too from here? Are my mains too rich, or my movement of the needle to the forth clip down, raising the needle, need to go back? Or does the main directly effect the needle enough to blacken the plugs like that? Slightly confused on this part. I have 130 mains in it now, and could drop back down to 127.5s. Any help would be great. Thanks!

Main jet size shouldn't have any effect on mixture at that small throttle opening on a VM, not enough fuel will be pulled through the needle jet for the main jet size to matter. In fact they will run fine without any mains installed up to somewhere around 2/3 to 3/4 throttle. If it is at exactly 3/4 where it gets too rich without a main installed, the needle jet and needle position are about right...
My guess is that your pilot is way too rich, but what happens at about half throttle? How about wide open throttle?

[TheCafeKid]

Main jet size shouldn't have any effect on mixture at that small throttle opening on a VM, not enough fuel will be pulled through the needle jet for the main jet size to matter. In fact they will run fine without any mains installed up to somewhere around 2/3 to 3/4 throttle. If it is at exactly 3/4 where it gets too rich without a main installed, the needle jet and needle position are about right...
My guess is that your pilot is way too rich, but what happens at about half throttle? How about wide open throttle?

The Pilot jet is stock 15 after 17.5 was too rich. The plugs are definately showing rich, completely covered with soot. Just under about half is just about where you start to get the bog and stumble. It seems to run alright thru that area if you are slow in bringing it up to that RPM, but over that and its breakin up pretty bad. I will adjust the needle, try that, and if that doesnt seem to help, I will back off the main, and see what that does. Sound logical?

[Shaughn]

Update?

What happened?

[TheCafeKid]

What happened?

Havent had time to touch it honestly. I will play with it when i get back from Red River. Im currently awaiting a new to me pipe i just bought for it. An old Kerker, black, which will allow me to get rid of the blingy chrome VH. which ive been wanting to do for a while. Just doesnt fit the bike. Too damn pretty...lol. So, there is little point in jetting for the VH if im changing it out soon anyway.