By Chris Kelland’s admission, he and his companion Elijah Reese will “construct bikes for anybody that desires to throw bundles of money at us.” However that doesn’t imply they’re not not less than just a little discerning. When a consumer requested them to show their father’s 1974 Honda CB750 right into a café racer, they mentioned “no.”
“Cafés are uncomfortable and annoying, and everybody and his cat does that,” says Chris. “I believed, ‘Let’s construct one thing extra enjoyable and distinctive.’ In spite of everything, who builds flat observe CB750s? Nobody… that’s who.”
Chris, a British ex-pat, and Elijah, a Texas native, run Limey Bikes in Austin. They specialize within the upkeep, restoration, and customization of older Japanese and British bikes—and sure, they often construct café racers, too.
“CB750s had been by no means actually used for café racers, as they had been too heavy and sluggish in comparison with the two-stroke screamers of the day,” explains Chris. “So we thought this was a greater choice. A Honda CB750 flat tracker—however gentle and never sluggish.”
The CB750 had been within the consumer’s household since new, nevertheless it was exhibiting its age—so a full tear down and rebuild was on the playing cards. Chris and Elijah introduced the motor again to life with an 836 cc large bore equipment, a “new-ish” crank, and a milled head. Additionally they cleaned up the consumption and exhausts, and upgraded the valves with Kibblewhite elements and CNC-cut seats.
Limey Bikes then rebuilt the clutch with an EBC equipment, and fitted a row of Keihin CR29 carbs with Ok&N filters. The modern four-into-one chrome steel exhaust system comes from Delkevic within the UK. The wiring harness was significantly simplified, and the bike now sports activities a Dyna ignition and a Shorai Lithium battery.
Transferring to the chassis, Chris and Elijah swapped the swingarm out for one from Carpy’s Café Racers (satirically), fitted with bronze bushings. A contemporary set of piggyback shocks prop up the rear. The CB750 rolls on 19” Solar rims, laced with chrome steel spokes from Buchanans, and wrapped in Shinko flat observe tires.
The steering stem was refreshed with tapered curler bearings, and the highest triple clamp was swapped for a brand new CNC-machined merchandise, devoid of any speedo or ignition brackets. Outsized bar risers grip ProTaper handlebars, fitted with Renthal grips, a copy Yamaha brake grasp cylinder hooked up to a stainless-steel hose, and pared-down switchgear. The ignition now sits on the left aspect of the bike.
For the bodywork, Limey Bikes ordered a full set of fiberglass elements from Airtech Streamlining’s intensive catalog. The equipment included a gasoline tank, tail unit, and an oil tank with an built-in interior rear fender. (Airtech modeled the equipment after the legendary Honda RS750 flat observe racer.)
The duo trimmed the Honda’s subframe to accommodate the brand new rear part, then modified the oil tank and fender to get it sitting completely. “It doesn’t match,” provides Chris, “regardless of their fervent assertion that they’ve made the identical equipment for a number of a long time.” A home made seat and chrome steel oil traces full the setup.
This Honda CB750 flat tracker wears minimal accoutrements. A small headlight is embedded in an enduro-style quantity board, with a taillight and license plate bracket tucked underneath the tail. Flat track-style fork protectors do obligation up entrance too.
Then there’s the livery—an impressed cocktail of blue, black, white, and gold, with OEM-style Honda branding. A lot of the onerous elements have been redone in black, whereas the engine wears contrasting uncooked and black finishes.
Are Chris and Elijah glad that they managed to alter their consumer’s thoughts? Heck sure.
“That is hands-down the lightest, best-balanced CB750 I’ve ever thrown a leg over,” says Elijah. “With roughly double the unique power-to-weight ratio, it’s a blast. I weigh over 300 lbs, and it nonetheless feels prefer it desires to drift the entrance wheel with me on it.”
“This must be our favourite CB construct ever,” Chris provides. “It’s every thing you would need from a road bike that additionally occurs to be 50 years previous. Actually—if we might have stored it, we’d have!”
Limey Bikes | Photographs by Dalton Campbell
