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1974 Honda CB750 project with my daughter

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Oct 5, 2006
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Location
College Station, TX
I thought I’d share a project that my daughter and I worked on starting in the fall of 2015. Daughter was 10 when we started and is currently 12. I really enjoyed the time together working on it with her. We have discovered dirt bike riding, which we are really enjoy doing together.

Anyway – here is what I had posted on another forum to some friends:

I recently bought a 1974 Honda CB 750 from a friend for a good price. He parked at in his parent’s barn about 5 years ago. When he posted it for sale it grabbed my attention, I like the looks and color of it. I plan on going through it (probably not take the engine all the way down) to fix things up and check over. Figure it will be a good way to spend time with my daughter and help teach her. Much faster, easier and cheaper than fixing my cars right now.

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Daughter starts school next week (5th grade) - so we took some time today to start taking the bike apart. Another day or so and it should be disassembled. Then time to order parts and fix things. Pretty good shape for being 41 years old. Wiring harness a bit hacked up, a few stripped and mismatched bolts. No complaints though.

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These photos are from a week or so ago. We now have the motor out of the frame. We will take the top of the motor apart to look things over and replace gaskets. Then time to start ordering parts, cleaning parts, and putting it back together.

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Tomorrow after she gets home from school we are messing with it more. She really is enjoying working on it, makes me happy :)

A couple of photos from a week or so ago. Frame was getting cleaned, we will paint it while out. Motor apart, everything looks good. Bores look good, will slight hone and new rings, lap the valve seats. Then time to start cleaning parts, ordering parts - then reassembly. Work has kept me incredibly busy lately (working weekends and nights). I should have some more time in the coming weeks to spend with her on this.

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I was planning on putting the motor together over the last Christmas holidays, but life got in the way. A couple of months ago I decided to get busy on it, and see if we could get it finished for an upcoming event – a “Distinguished Gentleman Ride”.

It has been too long since I finished a big project, so that was extra motivation.

We ended up not making the event (it was close, but a few last minute set backs had me decide not to chance it).

We did have a lot of fun, my daughter enjoyed it – and I really enjoyed the time together as well. She learned a lot in the process. Some of the tedious grunt work I did myself (so she wouldn’t have to spend hours cleaning parts with solvent or tracing out wiring issues).

There were a few annoying issues that took time – new wiring harness that doesn’t follow the factory setup. It wouldn’t start once I had it all buttoned up - I miss timed the cam (why have two dowel positions in the crank?!) so I had to pull the motor back out of the frame and I took the head off to check that I didn’t bend any valves (I rotated it over by hand during assembly, the intake valves just touched the pistons but not enough to notice).

It runs nicely, we’ve taken on a ride around town, currently has about 75 miles on it. I’ve synced the carbs. Neat to ride, definitely different than my modern sport bikes. Project snowballed a bit, I may go ahead and repaint the tank and side covers. Not sure what the plans for it are – my daughter actually likes riding on the Aprilia more (Honda has 4cyl vibrations and old suspension that is a bit rougher?).

Here are some selected photos, more online - http://www.z28evans.com/album/thumbnails.php?album=49&page=2

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Friday afternoon we had a friend take photos of Holly and I on the CB750. We had originally planned on wearing these clothes during the "Distinguished Gentleman's Ride" last year, but the motorcycle was not completed in time for the event.

We took the photos by Attic Antiques in Bryan, TX - I worked there part time while in college, refurbishing antiques. Still has the same owners.

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Full album of photos (in much higher resolutions) : http://www.z28evans.com/album/thumbnails.php?album=49&page=15

James
 
Father daughter stuff is awesome. When you get her a car, get a manual, she can drive it, but not those pesky boys. Of course, my baby girl is 29, and she taught her husband/boyfriend to drive a standard, so it could backfire. I am starting on the grandbabies.

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Remember little hands can do jets better.

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Dude !!!
I may be way off base but, keep the bike.
After a shared experience like that leave it for your daughter as an heirloom.
I still languish over the fact that my dad sold my 1980 Benelli 354.
 
Wow - great story, great bike. I wish my dad had been able to impart some mechanical skills to me.
 
that is a great story and great pictures, I have a boy 8 and girl 6. I dream of doing individual projects with both.
It is fun to see her grow in the pictures.
I say keep the bike. I am a sucker for sentimental items like that.
 
Your photos are also very cool Doug :)


My Daughter likes the looks of Sport bikes, and she prefers riding on my Aprilia

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Here she is on a Ducati at last years MotoGP

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We also have a few car projects as well - recently taught her to drive our IROC (we've had for 20 years, it needs TLC). It has a manual trans (and light weight aluminum flywheel, spec 3+ clutch).

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And I have a bunch of photos since we started riding dirt bikes together last year (it has been so much fun for both of us - it actually caught me by surprise when I found out that she was interested in riding dirt bikes).

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I'd like to keep the CB750 - and may if it doesn't sell (I'm not going to give it away), but it goes before I'll sell the dirt bikes.
 
cool bike, cool dad, cool daughter, I like the progression. Turned out a beauty. Bike, and daughter...so far. LOL,,,so young. I am just starting to fish w my grand girls.
 
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You guys inspire me, the bike is beautiful, great work and thank y'all for sharing, we are a dirt bike family ourselves, lots of Grand kids, daughters and moms all in on the fun.:clap:
 
I wish you were closer by; I'd love to drop by & pay homage to that bike. You may be aware that, a couple of years ago, Motorcyclist Magazine named the CB750 the "Motorcycle of the Century" because it was such a game changer in so many ways.
 
Awesome tale! I was just given a 47-53 chevrolet truck in pieces that I plan on building with my 2 year old when he's old enough.

Definantly save the bike for her! I'm still bitter that my dad sold the truck I grew up in. You never know how much it could mean to her

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
I pity the boys who try to speak motorcycle trash around her. Way to go!
 
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