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It’s been a very long time since drinks, however one in every of our favourite yard builders, Steven Wilson is again! It comes as no shock that Steven has come to us with yet one more Honda Cafe Racer construct, however there’s quite a bit that’s surprising about this bike. Being orthodox wasn’t one thing that crossed Steven’s thoughts with this one, and whereas the tip outcome might elevate just a few eyebrows we wholeheartedly approve of the result.
“I needed to resurrect an outdated motorbike and create a brand new one which had fashionable dealing with, superior electronics, and a definite retro look,” says Steven. “A motorbike that was mild and nimble for cruising round city and most significantly, a lot of enjoyable to trip. My aim was to be fully completely different from my earlier builds by making an attempt to take my creativity to a brand new stage.”
Steven bought the ’73 Honda CB500 K2 from Jim Hannah who ran Victoria Motorbike Salvage in Victoria British Columbia. Jim was pressured to shut his 33-year-old enterprise after being evicted from the constructing. At 62 years outdated Jim determined to close store and offered off his stock. Steven deliberate to return when his Honda challenge was achieved to indicate Jim the outcome. Sadly Jim handed away quickly afterward closing the enterprise so in his honor Steven named the bike Hannah.
To kick the construct off Steven went to city on the Honda’s body. “I eliminated the rear part and changed it with a newly fabricated half,” he says. “This modification was achieved to create a extra open and spacious sensation, enhancing the proportions of the bike by enhancing the space between the tire and the seat. The brand new part ensured a harmonious alignment between the body and the tank, which, in my view, vastly improved the bike’s visible attraction.”
As soon as the fab work was completed, Steven stripped the body to reveal steel and had it powder coated utilizing a textured satin black to distinction with the gloss end he deliberate for the engine.
Subsequent got here the suspension and wheels which turned out to be probably the most difficult a part of the construct. He needed a completely fashionable setup however he quickly discovered these sorts of modifications weren’t so frequent with a CB500.
“My imaginative and prescient was marrying a set of Yamaha R1 forks and triple tree to the CB500 body. I couldn’t discover a bearing equipment that might carry the 2 collectively. So, I needed to search by means of numerous web sites to search out bearing sizes I might work with. Then with a bit of grinding of the body and minor sanding of the Yamaha steering stem, I made it work,” he says. “The subsequent problem was becoming a spoked wheel with twin discs and fashionable tire measurement to the Yamaha entrance finish. I ultimately found {that a} Harley Slim Glide twin disc entrance hub had the right spacing however I had to search around to search out bearings once more. Finally, I discovered that bearings from a Ford Fiesta gearbox have been the right measurement to work. I anticipated that discovering wheel-bearing seals could be simply as powerful, however All Balls Racing has a terrific fitment chart the place I used to be capable of finding the suitable sized seals for my utility.”
After verifying he might obtain his targets with the wheels and forks Steven pulled the set off on a set of spoked BSR rims to swimsuit the Harley hub. Whereas he waited for them to reach he rebuilt the R1 forks to have them performing like new. When the edges arrived he laced and trued them and set them as much as be tubeless utilizing 3M sealant tape. The edges have been then wrapped in Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S22R rubber with a 120 up entrance and a 150 within the rear. The addition of an offset entrance sprocket from Cognito Moto and a customized spacer for the rear sprocket stored the chain working true.
Subsequent got here the engine, and whereas Steven by no means anticipated knuckle-whitening efficiency, he needed to create a considerably spirited and dependable runabout.
“The unique engine underwent a radical rebuild. I additionally modernized the inventory ignition system utilizing components from 4into1. The highest finish was fully rebuilt. After honing the cylinders it obtained new pistons, rings, gaskets, and seals. I ported and polished the top and reseated the valves too,” he says. “I swapped out the unique cam for a CB650 model with the hope of accelerating midrange torque. I put in a CB650 major chain tensioner to assist get rid of the noise at idle as properly. These engines have been all the time missing in cooling fin floor space, in contrast to its huge brother the CB750, so I added the CB650 oil cooler and used the bigger CB650 sump pan to extend the oil capability and enhance cooling.”
To wrap up the facility enhancements, Steven has added a customized set of 4-into-1 headers and a slash-cut muffler completed in black. The airbox has additionally been opened up and fitted with a Uni filter to permit the engine to breathe extra freely. Modifications have been additionally made to transform the clutch and the rear brake actuator to hydraulic options.
To realize the trendy retro aesthetic he was after, Steven moved away from the Hondas manufacturing unit bodywork. The bike now wears an aftermarket gasoline tank with cafe-style knee dents and a glossy silhouette. The tank has additionally been custom-made with a flush mount filler and a sensor to relay the gasoline stage to the brand new KOSO gauge. To finish the look Steven’s completed the tinware in a putting “tormented teal” scheme with modern-looking silver pace block stripes.
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The wasp’s tail-style seat and hump is a one-off primarily based on a pan Steven made by hand. The pan was wrapped in leather-based by a proficient native upholsterer and beneath it, you’ll discover the electrics.
Talking of electrics, you received’t discover any 50-year-old wires on this CB500. Steven has upgraded every thing utilizing a brand new loom and Motogadget M-unit equipment from Revival Cycles. A Rick’s Motorsport Electrics reg/rec and lithium battery full the modernized electrics. Push-button switches on the clip-on bars observe swimsuit and that Koso gauge seems proper at dwelling above the R1 triple clamp.
“The bike’s lighting is fully custom-made. Each facet, from the projector-style entrance headlight, daytime working lights, and switch alerts to the dual-function rear taillight built-in into the body. It was all purposefully designed and crafted by me with a imaginative and prescient in thoughts.” says Steven. “Whereas images might not totally seize its brilliance, extended gazing on the DTRL or brake mild may be fairly intense on your eyes!”
As for the way the bike rides, Steven says, “It’s so a lot enjoyable! It’s simple to flip from one aspect to the opposite when going by means of tight twisty corners. The entrance brakes are superb, and this bike can cease on a dime. You received’t win any top-speed contests or drag races, nevertheless it’ll pull strongly to the redline. I feel that’s what makes it a lot enjoyable as a result of you may have all the enjoyment of listening to the engine screaming as you place it by means of its paces, with out stepping into the difficulty that might be inherent with a extra highly effective bike.”
So far as CB500s go, this bike is in contrast to any we’ve seen earlier than. It received’t be to everybody’s style, however constructing customized bikes isn’t about pleasing the plenty. It’s about constructing what you need, and Steven’s achieved exactly that.
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