my 92 750 so to be Cafe Racer

[Davy888]

here it is

[Option13]

Do the bars clear the tank?

[Davy888]

I used Rox handle bar risers and adjusted them all the way to the front. Moved  the handle bars forward by about an 1 1/2"Now I have full turning capability.

http://www.advdesigns.net/roxhabaradri.html.

People use them mostly for snowmobiles and dirt bikes

[coffee_brake]

 

I assume you'd like to run pods, bob off the rear fender, fabricate a bum-stop seat and do a flat black paint job?

I hope you can get a chance to ride and enjoy this bike some before the work begins. Just think very carefully before you fire up the Sawzall, and don't throw away that air box.
I don't mean to be a nay-sayer, I love bikes customized for a purpose other than looks as much as the next rider. But when some of us say this bike is not easily customized, and that there are other models far more easily (and successfully) customized, it's because we've owned and worked on this model a lot, and because many here have found out how hard it is to change the bike and still have it run well.

Some folks have, for sure. But they've usually got quite a bit of experience.

But hey as long as you're enjoying the experience, think carefully and research here, and then enjoy it!

We're a friendly bunch who will be glad to help you if we can. 

[Davy888]

Thanks for the warning. I've been a metal fabricator and welder for about 25 years and have been riding and working on bikes even longer. I do agree with what you said. I never jump into any customizing without doing the math first. That's the reason why I like doing cafe racers. You can do something cool without sacraficing performance. This is my first nighthawk though and i aperisate your thoughts. One thing I noticed was the backbone of the frame is a little high which may make it a challenge to get a tank and new seat to line up and look right. I was actually half thinking of  put the motor on another frame an scrap this one altogether. Let me know what you think.

[TDodge7]

I was actually half thinking of  put the motor on another frame an scrap this one altogether. Let me know what you think.

At that point why not just sell it and buy a bike that is more suited for cafe'ing . At the price most of these 750's can sell for you would be in Triumph project territory which is what the actual cafe racers were, on the other end of the spectrum is the xs650 and sohc cb750's all of which are better suited to becoming cafe bikes.

[Davy888]

You're right there are plenty of bikes that are better suited for this. I could very easily pick one up. The thing is, this project is to do something with this motorcycle. For that reason I guess it would be cheating to use a different frame.  I'm looking forward to this build because it isn't an easy bike to do these things to. It's about the challenge. Besides the great thing about working with metal is if you cut something off you could always put it back together.

[TDodge7]

Well if you're going to hack it up do the nighthawk community a favor and sell the nice parts instead of carving them up . Ebay is full of non pristine parts ready for carving but the nice stuff is harder to find. A guy on here once hacked up a set of very rare $1000 exhaust pipes to make his flat blacked bobber louder , with that money he could have bought one of the 10 worse condition exhausts that were on ebay at the time cut it all up and still had $900 left over ....some people have more sawzalls than brain cells I guess.

[Davy888]

I never use a sawsall. They are barbaric instruments. It's funny, this is the first time I've been on this forum. Is it a normal practice to treat everyone like they're some bumpkin who doesn't know what they're doing?

Hey I just noticed, I've been welding almost as long as you've been alive. Just saying.

[JB1290]

  to the forum. Your bike looks good so far. I'm interested in seeing the final product.

Please post pics as you go along.   

[Davy888]

Thank you jb1290. I surely will. It's gonna be a cool non-hack job. I'll show those surly nighthawk forum dudes.

[Option13]

Just remember we see countless bikes that people say they are going to "make their own" or make the bike "reflect who they are" and come out with an ugly bike, wondering why no one will buy it.

Now, if you make a fiberglass tail with a shortened seat, integrating it into the stock sidecovers, that would be cool. Unfortunately most people that want to cafe or bob a Nighthawk do so by taking off the sidecovers and tail and expecting praise for how unique and cool they are.

I'd love to see another good looking cafe, so I'm holding you to your word.

[Davy888]

I hear ya. I have to figure something for the sides especially because the airbox has got to stay.
I'll do my best not to disapoint.

[TDodge7]

I never use a sawsall. They are barbaric instruments. It's funny, this is the first time I've been on this forum. Is it a normal practice to treat everyone like they're some bumpkin who doesn't know what they're doing?

Hey I just noticed, I've been welding almost as long as you've been alive. Just saying.

The Nighthawk is a beginner bike for many riders so we often get a lot of very new riders here that don't know what they're doing , and almost every other week we have someone new come through that wants pointers on how to cut their pristine nighthawk to bits so they can pretend it's a harley or pretend it's a triumph or whatever . I've seen FAR FAR FAR more hack jobs than I've seen quality customs (though the majority of the hack jobs belong to the bobber crowd). That being said I never implied you were a "bumpkin" , never said you couldn't weld , never said you were going to sawzall the bike up , and never claimed you were unskilled (though I did miss the part where you said you were a metal fabber so I apologize for that oversight) all I was getting at was that if you're going to cut up any really nice parts it would be good to sell them to others so they can keep their bikes nice instead of destroying them , as there's plenty of non pristine parts on ebay prime for cutting. I just mention it from a preservation standpoint , them duke boys crashed a lot of 69 chargers , and now they're hard to find , if people keep chopping them up one day the Nighthawk will be a rare bike.....just saying.  But don't get me wrong ,I do enjoy a well built cafe bike and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Do you have any plans at this point or are you still kicking ideas around ? I've always been partial to polished aluminum fuel tanks on cafe bikes.

[fortyhourdays]

Hey Davy,
That's a good looking 750.  Don't get too discouraged by the doubters.  Like was mentioned, we've seen a lot of people hack up their bikes and end up with something that is neither very unique, original, or good looking.  However, it sounds like you know what you are doing.  We're usually a pretty friendly bunch around here.  I think "Cafe Racer" has just been a bit of a negative buzz word when related to Nighthawks around here lately.  Plus you caught us on a Monday and who's ever in a good mood on a monday?   I'm looking forward to seeing your build.

[Pithecanthropus]

Nice bike. Good luck with the project...there are a few other "cafed" NHs on the board. Although not the easiest bike, like you pointed out, but it could look awesome with the right vision.

[coffee_brake]

Well if you're not a beginner at either riding or fabbing...then...you've got one heckuva sweet, smooth motor to start with. And a tough tranny, plenty of power, and there's still parts available.

The side covers would have to be heavily modded or start from scratch, since they mount to the tank. Can certainly be done, but you'd have to cut the tabs off the tank, or do a different tank altogether.
And the sidecovers fit right into the tail section...heck I think you'd have to scrap everything but the front fender, and start making brackets for the old school cafe parts!

Have you done any other vehicles? Pics?

[Davy888]

Hey all. Thanks so much for the tips. Sorry I may have been a little crabby. I have noticed a lot of ch alleges to this project.  IE motor doesn't like running without the giant air box.  A lot of people dismiss the NH thinking it's an "UN cool" motorcycle. I have a lot of respect for this machine and want to show the naysayers just how cool the nighthawk can be. I think I'm gonna like this group.

[Option13]

I would think running two large air filters at the end of the air boots would be the best way to run pods. I don't know for sure if that would be enough length to get the airflow right, but it's the closest you'll get without a totally custom airbox. That will definitely require a rejet if it works, and I would want some dyno time for sure to verify a consistent a/f ratio

[ariwhiteboy]

I like that you found a way to make cafe bars work on a late model 750...very common question/problem for folks. Maybe you would consider taking some good step by step close up pics and doing a "How-to" write up.    Can't wait to see the finished product. 

[Davy888]

Hey       Here's some pics of how i got clearance to use drag bars.  pretty easy.  also a picture of how I moved my license plate and trimmed off the back fender to expose more of the back tire
   

[muttstang]

It is nice to see someone modifying their bike who has some skills and taste!  We do tend to see a lot of people who just go at it with a sawzall and call it "kustom" (must not forget the K in kustom....)

[SirSeanSean]

What's the clear box on top of the handle bars toward the left? 

[Davy888]

The clear box holds my ezpass. We have a lot of tolls in jersey.

[Sonnystile]

If you decide to ditch the tail section, PM me.

Mines cracked....

I've never seen that type of bar riser.  In the past I've used the type that look just like the upper bar clamp with half circle on the bottom to flush out the mounts...

(on old CB's, not my Nighthawk)