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Anybody Seen This Stuff From Omar's?

2396 Views 16 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Bird76Mojo
Ran across this while doing some browsing and thought that some might be interested.




Omar's started this project in June of 2003. Because we were so busy getting orders out, progress has been slow. Our hope is to finish all the parts this year.

The design of our clubman is based on CR Honda road race bikes but we're doing some untraditional sculpting so be prepared for some slightly unusual vintage glass. You'll notice the sculpted knee pockets in the tank - that's normal. What is not normal is a tail piece/fender, it has sculpted lines which answer the tank knee pocket. This was done so creative painters could make tank and tail flow into one another.

Omar's deliberately designed this kit for a bone stock CB450 frame. We happened to pick the 450 because scads of them litter junk yards, (read, cheap) and they have decent power. This kit will fit other bikes with single back bones but may not fit bikes with three back bones like H2/H3, RDs and T500s. It will fit CB350/360 but you'll have to flatten the flange on the back bone and pad it with foam. Should fit CB400/500/550s and other mid sized Japanese and European bikes with a back bone diameter of 3" or less.

Don't forget the engine as an important element in the overall design of your bike. This engine is basically stock with the exception of a CB500T 500 cc piston kit. The cast parts were painted with three coats of aerosol engine paint and cooked in the wife's oven while she was gone, (175° for 2 hours). Heating cures and hardens paint and gives it more gloss. Aluminum covers-just polish the poop out of them.

Notes

1. For total projects, trash your chrome rims and get some vintage style aluminum rims with shoulders. These are Italian 40 hole x 18". We had them anodized gold. Don't forget to polish your hubs.
2. Polish your upper tree. The upper tree on CBs is aluminum and it looks like a jewel when polished!
3. Stock side covers. Use your stock side covers but fill the flanged edge so they no longer looks like a stamped part.
4. I may at times refer to these parts as a kit but it's really a bunch of parts from which you chose to craft your project
5. We will be writing an instruction manual for this 'kit', by and by
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I'd seen that recently Bill, and meant to post it up for everyone, but got sidetracked.. I did post something about the 2 into 1 exhaust though, and possibly the rear sets? Hell, that exhaust is more affordable than the Hooker that I paid out the wazoo for!! Plus it's brand new, not 30 years old like mine!


I'm still glad I bought the Hooker though. Hehe..

GB :mrgreen:
Bird76Mojo said:
I'd seen that recently Bill, and meant to post it up for everyone, but got sidetracked.. I did post something about the 2 into 1 exhaust though, and possibly the rear sets? Hell, that exhaust is more affordable than the Hooker that I paid out the wazoo for!! Plus it's brand new, not 30 years old like mine!


I'm still glad I bought the Hooker though. Hehe..

GB :mrgreen:

Tell you what GB, maybe you should send that (so called) Hooker to me and let me verify that it is Indeed a Hooker system. :D I'd sure hate for you to get taken, you know? :D Oh well, I tried. ;)
That Hooker is one piece that'll have to be pried outta my cold dead hands.. Along with my guns.

Nice try though. :p

GB :mrgreen:
Question about handlebars in general, based on your Omar's post.

http://omarsdtr.com/cafenew9.html is the handlebars.

How do you know what handlebars will fit what bikes? Sorry for the elementary question but I've looked in the clymer's manual and also at a few sites online for those handlebars and I don't want to make a dumb mistake.

I would eventually like to have a bike darn close to this one: http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/091785/
I just don't know what handlebars and gauge kits those are or how to find them (and know they'll fit)

Thank you very much for your time and input.

PS - i've never paid for a hooker. any advice you have on that would also be taken into consideration ahahhahaha.
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The guages are stock Honda. The bars are identical to my adjustable clubmans and mine are Tomasselli brand. They're 7/8". Any 7/8" bars will fit your bike basically. Any bars on Omars will, I'm sure.

GB :mrgreen:
Nice!
That's great that you can just id it like that.

Very useful indeed.

I'm going to check out the handlebar brand you mentioned in 7/8. I'm assuming that I just need to make sure that I have a complete range of motion when "adjusting" the bars.

For some reason the front of my bike seems so much clunkier. Probably just because it's all stock.

Do I need to get anything aside from the handlebars? the triple-tree piece for example? or will it fit as is?

Thanks again.
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bandanabandit said:
Nice!
For some reason the front of my bike seems so much clunkier. Probably just because it's all stock.

Thanks again.

Welcome to the world of stock 450's - those are maybe some of the worst forks ever made, to be sure. The best I can say of them is that they're replaceable.
You might try draining them and putting in some 10 or 15 weight fork oil.
Some guys run much heavier oil, you'll have to experiment and see what works for you.
There are even guys over at the 450 forum that say they run 30 or 40 weight motor oil in them - hard for me to believe, seems like that would make for a pretty savage ride, but.......

Handlebars are handlebars - as long as they're 7/8", you'll be fine. If you want to keep your switch wires inside the bars, you'll have to get pre-drilled bars or else do it yourself.
Nothing else to consider, really.
I would'nt spend too much on those bars until you get everything else fixed first. Like Bill said, those forks....... :lol:

GB :mrgreen:
makes sense.
any idea where to find the forks? Keeping in mind that I'd like my ending product to be similar to
.

I keep doing a google image search for 1973 CB450 in a variety of queries, but keep getting pictures of forks that look just like mine.

thanks.
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Well, you could always look at my running commentary on my latest 450 project, which de-evolved from a straight-ahead restoration into sort of a street tracker thing (sort of).
I swapped out the entire front end for one from a '79 CB400T, and the forks feel really good to me. Sort of stalled out right now because of the weather, but I have actually ridden it.

They're not Ceriani's or anything, but WAY better than the stock clunkers, and they look great..
It wasn't really an awful lot of work or trouble, but then someone had given me for free a CB400T.
Lots of details how I did it and what was involved.....

There are lots of options for total swap-outs - Steve is an EXPERT on this stuff, and helped me out.
Well, It would help IF I could see the pics... All I get is a white square with a red X in it....
Steve
The pics of the gold bike show a standard CB450 disc brake front end.....Late CB550/4 F forks fit those trees and spacing, can take dual discs, and use the same wheel/fender,... They are only a slight improvement....
Before I can actually make any specific recommendation, I need to know how and where you ride the bike.... Is it just a cafe' for looks?...Or performance?...Will you flog it? ...Or just putt?... Any racing involved?......What's more important, looks or function?.....How long have you been riding (in years).... What's the budget allow for? ( Inverted "Ninja" style forks CAN be fitted IF you want them...).....
Post some links to bike pics you like to give me an idea of your style preferences...
Concept and Planning is 80% of the build...
Thanks for all the input.
I will find some pics and post the links to them. In the interim I can answer your other questions.

I haven't gotten to ride the bike at all. It has a gasket that needs replaced and my first step is to unbolt the motor which I'm going to attempt today or tomorrow.
I am hoping to ride it around town. To and from work. Maybe up to the mountains.

Performance. I'd like it to run, respectably and consistently. I don't have any need for racing style performance or high speeds. I will never race it on a track. Something between a putt and a few wild hair streaks here and there?

I would like a balance of form and function.

I have been riding for 3 years but this is the first bike that is mine. So that said, you should consider me a newer rider.

The budget allows for saving for modifications here and there. I will do things one at a time so that I don't go broke dreaming. I know I don't have thousands of bucks to put into it, but I think I scored the bike for a decent price and just have to take what I can get and move forward with it ;)

Pictures of bikes I like are below. I am hoping perhaps you can sense a theme and give me some ideas based on that:
http://mycaferacer.com/images/cafe racer 550 bktgthr.jpg
http://mycaferacer.com/images/cafe racer Lucy CB550.jpg
I like the two above (same bike) very much. Probably more realistic with my budget and expertise than the rest too.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/2077719361_bf762f2d46.jpg?v=0

http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/features/wp-content/2008/05/P4231233.jpg

http://www.insenses.org/moto/450_cafe.jpg

Thanks for any and all pointers as to how they did it, what parts they replaced, used, etc etc blah --and also, if I should move this somewhere else to a new thread I'm happy to do so.
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I'd say that if you're budget oriented and a new rider, save your pennies, fix the old 450 and ride her a while. You're tastes and budget are likely to change once the bug bites you in the right spot.. ;) You sound like the type of rider I am. The hair stands up once in a while :lol: Getting the 450 running nicely will have you pretty happy I suspect. You'll get it spot on eventually.

You can build any of those bikes you want to. A lot of nice bikes start out their second life as a old forgotten piece stowed away in a barn. They get fixed up, and modified as time goes on and money allows. We all learn as we go, and draw knowledge and ideas from everyone here. So hang out and you're likely to learn as much as I do(which is'nt much ;) )..

GB :mrgreen:
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