# Maxwell's '74 cb450 cafe build. **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [January 8, 2013, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067 "2013-01-08T10:35:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Kramer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kramer](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Kramer)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/281 "2013-05-24T07:11:40Z")
Saw this thing in person while paul and i were goofing around with my latest purchase, thing really is so nice for a DIY garage build and right where i think paul wanted it to be, its def not a garage queen and Im looking foward to him being able to put thousands of trouble free miles on this bike ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/282 "2013-05-24T09:01:12Z")
Thanks Johnny. It’s a decent daily and it’s the epitomy of crappy garage engineering. I wish I had a welder, but I feel happy with where I am at considering the amount of time and money invested. There’s still things I want to do to the bike (ie: hooped tail, more polished seat/tail section, inverted front end, etc) but I feel like i’m at a good point where I can ride it and invest more time and money into it next winter and so on. I have put about 20 trouble free miles on it but I still need to dial in the carbs and possibly the timing a bit more. I get a high idle (3k) after the bikes been running for a while (I already ruled out the carb boots and valve clearances), and I am getting a higher RPM miss occasionally. After I get back from memorial day travel, i’m hoping to sort out the last few bugs, slap some yoga mat on the seat, and ride the bitch all summer. ![http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-6.jpg](http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-6.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/283 "2013-05-24T09:41:30Z")
trust me you’ll be pretty happy with the yoga mat for a seat man, I use it pretty exlusively. Make sure you buy the good shit, adidas makes a mat that’s over an inch thick, its like $35 but well worth it for a comfy bum. Also, your idle is going to constantly change…it’s why they always make the idle adjuster a bigger tumbwheel that is easy to get at…as the bike warms you’ll have to turn down the idle at stop lights and such, then next time you go to fire it up when it’s a cold motor again you have to raise the idle back up until it warms up again…just one of the small nuances of owning one of these older machines. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/284 "2013-05-24T09:48:53Z")
> [@focusinprogress](#): > > trust me you’ll be pretty happy with the yoga mat for a seat man, I use it pretty exlusively. Make sure you buy the good shit, adidas makes a mat that’s over an inch thick, its like $35 but well worth it for a comfy bum. Also, your idle is going to constantly change…it’s why they always make the idle adjuster a bigger tumbwheel that is easy to get at…as the bike warms you’ll have to turn down the idle at stop lights and such, then next time you go to fire it up when it’s a cold motor again you have to raise the idle back up until it warms up again…just one of the small nuances of owning one of these older machines. Word. I still think somethings not quite right. It idles right around 3k rpms unless I put a bit of a load on the bike again to get it to go down below 3k, then it will settle at a healthy 1/1.2k. Online research says it can be anything from carbs, timing, or valves that cause this high idle. I’ll go through everything again once I am back from yet ANOTHER weekend away. I’m hoping to get out and ride soon with you bums. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 9:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/285 "2013-06-10T09:24:08Z")
This was a fun weekend. Busy, but fun. Late last week Checko stopped over and I finally said fuckit and installed the HUGE new universal 12v coils up under the tank. I had to use my eyecrometer a few times, but I was able to get them on to my liking. I was SUPER busy until Sunday morning, but I woke up early, wrapped up a few more things and fired up the bike. I wasn’t sure how the coils would affect performance but after a short cruise around the block it was apparent that the coils cured my issues with the bike. IT RIPS. I hit up Checko to let him know, and he said he was wrenching on the bike, so I rode over there to chill for a little bit. His dad tweak my idle settings a bit and got me out of that high idle I was experiencing before as well. I am beyond excited as to how well the bike performs now. The only bad thing that happened was Sunday evening after hockey. It was about 730 and I had a bit of daylight left so I took the bike out to Clarence and ripped up a few back roads. I brought the rpm’s up into the 8’s for the first time and it actually POPPED my brass cap off the exhaust and took some heat wrap with it. I didn’t notice it at first but I am super lucky the wrap didn’t wrap around the tire or anything… it could have been bad. I’ll have to sort out a more permanent solution for the exhaust, or maybe I didn’t tighten down that clamp enough, who knows. All in all, i’m beyond excited. Here’s a couple photo’s with crappy filters. ![http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-25.jpg](http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-25.jpg) ![http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-26.jpg](http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo65/maxwell8888/null-26.jpg) -Paul ---
**Author:** ![checko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/checko/32/5422_2.png) [@checko](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/checko)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/286 "2013-06-10T21:03:50Z")
in4picsofexhaust haha ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 8:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/287 "2013-06-11T08:16:21Z")
I lost the tip but i’ll buy a new one and utilize your advice. Right now it just dumps straight back into my right foot, lolll ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/288 "2013-06-11T08:59:30Z")
if it’s a slip-fit tip, just drill two holes and use pop-rivets to secure it in place, then wrap over and clamp the wrap as it was before. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 9:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/289 "2013-06-11T09:11:03Z")
Something like that, but gonna drill and put in the lolipops right there, then re-wrap. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/290 "2013-06-12T09:06:35Z")
> [@focusinprogress](#): > > if it’s a slip-fit tip, just drill two holes and use pop-rivets to secure it in place, then wrap over and clamp the wrap as it was before. Do you have pop-rivets? Maybe i’ll swing through this weekend and we’ll get my exhaust done.Lemmi know. Here’s a quick little video from Sunday after installing the new coils. My roomate mounted his go-pro and edited it real quick. Not too shabby IMO. [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/5/d/5dc5c4b2900be5accaa57aaafe50a24fbbcf3107.jpeg "060913 Ride") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P91-6fjTOvc) ---------- Post added at 12:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:58 AM ---------- Also, i’m sure some of you will be pleased to know that I am pulling apart the front end this weekend and going BACK to clubmans, with the original headlight ears. I am plastidipping them and a few other bits, but I assure you it will make the front end look SO much nicer. Keep an eye out for that this weekend! ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/291 "2013-06-12T09:20:30Z")
I do have pop-rivets and the hand-riveter for them if you need to borrow them… ---
**Author:** ![GV1390](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gv1390/32/5432_2.png) [@GV1390](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GV1390)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/292 "2013-06-12T09:42:32Z")
I’m so glad I don’t run that bulky cluster setup lol looks horrible IMO. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/293 "2013-06-12T09:48:48Z")
> [@GV1390](#): > > I’m so glad I don’t run that bulky cluster setup lol looks horrible IMO. Lol, thanks. I really really don’t mind it. With clubmans it may look better too, who knows. The original 450 gauges were much bigger and had the bulky center neutral light, etc. These gauges off a CL175 are much smaller and have the neutral light built in. You’ll have to see it in person sometime soon. ---
**Author:** ![GV1390](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gv1390/32/5432_2.png) [@GV1390](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GV1390)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/294 "2013-06-12T10:11:34Z")
I’ll be out riding almost every nice day so hit me up. ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/295 "2013-06-12T10:26:06Z")
having bars and bar mounts will make the guages look less like they are sticking way up and out of place…should be a cleaner look when swapped to clubmans ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/296 "2013-06-12T10:49:25Z")
> [@focusinprogress](#): > > having bars and bar mounts will make the guages look less like they are sticking way up and out of place…should be a cleaner look when swapped to clubmans dot. ---
**Author:** ![checko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/checko/32/5422_2.png) [@checko](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/checko)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/297 "2013-06-12T12:06:32Z")
Do it. Lets get a few of us ridin this weekend. Nicks bike is super close. Hopefully it will be done by the weekend ---
**Author:** ![GV1390](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gv1390/32/5432_2.png) [@GV1390](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GV1390)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/298 "2013-06-12T12:25:14Z")
Don’t forget he needs to find time to hit up the DMV for it as well. I’m game though, first one to break down buys everyone lunch. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 12:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/299 "2013-06-12T12:28:24Z")
DEAL! ---
**Author:** ![checko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/checko/32/5422_2.png) [@checko](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/checko)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067/300 "2013-06-12T16:19:56Z")
DMV Cheektowaga is open Saturday morning I believe. He could finish the bike, DMV then ride lol [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067.md?page=14) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/maxwells-74-cb450-cafe-build/228067.md?page=16)