Japan Meets Britain

jensen · Post by **jensen** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:24 pm

Hi Vince,

Nice looking job, nice steering damper too.
It is possible to open it up, I did it to change the seal and oil (it started to leek)
In money it's not wise to do it, it takes you hours, so it's more effective to buy another one.

I'm not a showman, neither my CB72 (no offense Vince, I like your bike too), so I decided to zink cobalt plate it (it has a "black" finish)

Zinc Cobalt : This alloy can be produced from acid and alkali solutions, a cobalt content of 0.4 to 1.0% being required to give enhanced corrosion resistance. The chromate passivated coating is similar to that of zinc with a higher iridescent by a higher cobalt content and it is possible to produce a good black passivate on jigged components.

Jensen

Vince Lupo · Post by **Vince Lupo** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:45 pm

Thanks for the info Jensen -- but me? A showman? Oh I sincerely doubt that....;)

Question for you: I don't remember whether the wide flat part of that oblong nut (the one that screws onto the plunger rod) faces towards the damper or towards the end that attaches to the lower triple tree -- do you recall?
I think the wide flat part faces outwards, but can't be certain....

LOUD MOUSE · Post by **LOUD MOUSE** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:06 pm

The rubber cover has a small lip which fits only one end of that part. ............lm

Vince Lupo wrote:Thanks for the info Jensen -- but me? A showman? Oh I sincerely doubt that....;)

Question for you: I don't remember whether the wide flat part of that oblong nut (the one that screws onto the plunger rod) faces towards the damper or towards the end that attaches to the lower triple tree -- do you recall?
I think the wide flat part faces outwards, but can't be certain....

Vince Lupo · Post by **Vince Lupo** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:07 am

Thanks Ed -- always good to hear from you, and I appreciate the clarification.

jensen · Post by **jensen** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:11 am

Hi Vince,

Like I said no offense, but to generalize a bit, the original number of chrome parts on a CB72 / 77 is low. In the USA are so many extra chrome parts on a CB72 / 77. We, especially the dutch are a little more dull (we call it sober), but that doesn't mean we don't like it. It's just like your brand of motorcycles, Harley Davidson, it's a lot of chrome parts.

Jensen

Vince Lupo · Post by **Vince Lupo** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:30 am

No offence taken at all Jensen. I know that my bike isn't for everyone's tastes, and that's fine.

I admit that I get a bit tired of seeing yet another stock CB77, and I like making bikes my own. Plus, I've had this 'vision' all along of combining the best of Britain with the best of Japan in this creation, and if there's a bit of America (chrome) thrown in for good measure, well that's fine too. Probably with the exception of the electronic ignition, everything that I'm doing to the bike could have done back in the '60s if someone wanted (though I stand to be corrected if I'm mistaken!).

As you can see from the photo below, I had the modification bug even 20+ years ago with my '81 CB900F. I'll never learn....

davomoto · Post by **davomoto** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:20 am

Vince, towars the end that attaches to triple tree. I have disassembled several of these, and it's not that hard with the proper tool. I have them done in clear cad, and refill with Race Tech suspension fluid.

davomoto