Mobile Pup - Superdream 125 Cafe Racer Project
Discussion
Hello, due to struggling with time, money, space and skills on the capri project I've got going, I've decided that I need even more work to be getting on with.
So now I'm building a first bike for my wife. It's a rather tatty CB125 TD-c purchased sight unseen off ebay for not very much cash. Rode it home via a mot test station for a pre booked test (off the road for 4 years) where the tester told me to f
k off and come back with a less broken bike. Main issue is the rear suspension, it's totally seized in a low position. 50 miles on a solid rear end is not a nice ride, I can assure you.
So here it is in all it's glory..
Looks a bit low a the back yeah?
Shock is just about out of travel with the bike on the centre stand
First job was just soaking every single bolt, stud and screw with a couple of cans of wd40. Left it a couple of days.
First afternoon's job..
Second day's work was a bloody nightmare, found the bottom shock linkage absolutely seized solidly to the frame via a bolt which round off every so easily and had to be ground out. That would explain the fixed rear end.
That plastic bag contains the electics from the rear end. It's like that because if I took it all off the bike, I'd forget where it all went.
I'll update this as it goes if anyone's interested.
And yes, I am working on a bike in my back garden. I'm sooo white trash.
So now I'm building a first bike for my wife. It's a rather tatty CB125 TD-c purchased sight unseen off ebay for not very much cash. Rode it home via a mot test station for a pre booked test (off the road for 4 years) where the tester told me to f
k off and come back with a less broken bike. Main issue is the rear suspension, it's totally seized in a low position. 50 miles on a solid rear end is not a nice ride, I can assure you.So here it is in all it's glory..
Looks a bit low a the back yeah?
Shock is just about out of travel with the bike on the centre stand
First job was just soaking every single bolt, stud and screw with a couple of cans of wd40. Left it a couple of days.
First afternoon's job..
Second day's work was a bloody nightmare, found the bottom shock linkage absolutely seized solidly to the frame via a bolt which round off every so easily and had to be ground out. That would explain the fixed rear end.
That plastic bag contains the electics from the rear end. It's like that because if I took it all off the bike, I'd forget where it all went.
I'll update this as it goes if anyone's interested.
And yes, I am working on a bike in my back garden. I'm sooo white trash.
Wedg1e said:
I remember riding one of those when my daily hack was a CB100N... I recall describing it as 'the Transit van of motorcycles' - feels bigger than it is.
I have to agree with you mate, its weird as it looks so small but there's far more space on it than you would expect. That will change when I do something about the bars though, can't be having comfy bikes now, can we.Just waiting for a seat unit to come through my postbox and work can commence.
Wedg1e said:
Old disc laid around for a while? They self-destruct like that if they get damp. Otherwise operator error 
No, it was new. 
Some progress made
Adjusted the valve clearances, somewhat surprised by the lack of time it took. My zx7r was about a week's worth of work but this one was done 15 minutes later! Also the cam chain tensioner, new plugs and oil waiting to go in once I've finished messing around.
I've turned the handlebars upside down for a 'sportier' feel, wanted clip-ons but I'm struggling to find any for under £50, so another
mod it is.
Painted the frame in a rust resistant coating, comes out like plastic almost but should keep it tidy. Also sprayed the engine which came out rather nicely I think
I've had to move the battery, as the air boxes and side panels which used to cover it, now don't. Because they're not there.
It now lives under the seat hump on a beautifully crafted bracket I
Some relocation and extension of the electrical parts and loom required, but not much really.
Of course all the mass of the battery sitting so far back over the rear axle will make this a headbanging wheely machine, possibly, so to counteract this and move the COG back forwards a bit, I'm adding ballast to the fuel tank. In the form of filler.
The rear of the tank needs extending back to meet the seat, about 25mm. I also wanted to smooth out the edges, and then try to match the curvature on the back of the tank with the seat hump.
I extended it with fibreglass formed over my fist (with gloves on) and am now in the process of sanding down all the filler. This is from the early stages today, the seam that runs around the tank is now filled and smooth-ish
Still trying to find a replacement suspension link, £120 from honda with a 3 month lead time just wont do!
Edited by captainsmelly on Tuesday 12th April 17:52
Hello campers, I have made a little progress.
Thanks for the kind posts!
I have got the swingarm and all the gubbins fixed back on now, using a replacement shock that I tarted up with some paint. Was going to paint the spring to match the bike's colour scheme, but basically couldn't be bothered.
Also fitted are little air filters, which are cute, apparently.
Refitting the rear wheel has shown up a minor issue. It turns out I'm thick.
So the battery tray had to come off, and be relocated to just in front of the intakes.
Also raised the rear seat mount and boxed it up so it is nice and strong now
Thanks for the kind posts!
I have got the swingarm and all the gubbins fixed back on now, using a replacement shock that I tarted up with some paint. Was going to paint the spring to match the bike's colour scheme, but basically couldn't be bothered.
Also fitted are little air filters, which are cute, apparently.
Refitting the rear wheel has shown up a minor issue. It turns out I'm thick.
So the battery tray had to come off, and be relocated to just in front of the intakes.
Also raised the rear seat mount and boxed it up so it is nice and strong now
Andrew_M said:
I knew nothing about cafe racers until a couple of weeks ago. The series on motors TV is brilliant!
Yes that was good wasn't it!I've got the seat mounts finished up now..
And the tank is all filled and smoothed, it's extended about 50mm to the rear and the mounting points for the side panels (which are no longer to be mounted) have been cut off
Edit to add - the tank took a lot of filler, about 1.5kg!
Fitted a new(er) starter motor, the original one was very noisy and the cable was shagged so I found one on ebay for cheaps. Have to remove the alternator cover to refit the starter sprocket, so took the opportunity to clean and lube the chain whilst I was in there.
Tank is all primered up now. Going to spray it in an ivory white, should look good (in my head anyway)
Trial fittings..
I have cut a chunk out of the tail unit to fit the rear light, also fibreglassed the number plate bracket into the unit and reinforced the hump section to take the weight
Indicators I think are from a fazer or maybe bandit?
Finally, I fired it up, a few times actually, without the exhaust fitted. Makes a rather comical bubbly/pop pop noise out of the ports. Going to run the standard system (for now..) as I find 125 4 strokes just sound stupid with open pipes.
Tank is all primered up now. Going to spray it in an ivory white, should look good (in my head anyway)
Trial fittings..
I have cut a chunk out of the tail unit to fit the rear light, also fibreglassed the number plate bracket into the unit and reinforced the hump section to take the weight
Indicators I think are from a fazer or maybe bandit?
Finally, I fired it up, a few times actually, without the exhaust fitted. Makes a rather comical bubbly/pop pop noise out of the ports. Going to run the standard system (for now..) as I find 125 4 strokes just sound stupid with open pipes.
Hooli said:
If that's pre August 1986 you can loose the indicators for a cleaner look as well. Looks good so far though & those filters will sound nice when you get near higher throttle openings.
Thanks.I did not know that about the indicators, that's useful. But as this is the wife's bike I'll keep them on, saftey first and all that.
And yep, I'm hoping to get a good bit of induction noise through those little cones.
Hooli said:
If that's pre August 1986 you can loose the indicators for a cleaner look as well. Looks good so far though & those filters will sound nice when you get near higher throttle openings.
Hooli said:
If that's pre August 1986 you can loose the indicators for a cleaner look as well. Looks good so far though & those filters will sound nice when you get near higher throttle openings.
Thanks.I did not know that about the indicators, that's useful. But as this is the wife's bike I'll keep them on, saftey first and all that.
And yep, I'm hoping to get a good bit of induction noise through those little cones.
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