Purpose Built Moto is slowly but surely becoming the custom build studio riders call when they want something a little different brought to life. Objectively the variation in work that rolls out of our garage is hard to match. This is driven by a passion for motorcycles in any shape or form, and the joy they deliver to us as their riders and custodians. A simple concept to understand, but a very important one to remember.
Richard had purchased this vintage Honda racer on a whim, an ad in the classified spoke to him and after a quick conversation the 1967 Honda CB77 was his. This happened in 2004. The bike laid dormant for near 20 years in the garage until the decision was finally made to give us a call. Previous to this, the baby Honda had lived a full and colourful life as a race bike, touring with various owners to local race meets all over Australia. This history intrigued me so I asked our rider Rich to reach out to the previous owner off for a background story on the bike before we got hold of it.
This is what Mal Jonas had to say. “ I think my purchase was in 1995 or 96. The bike when I bought it was pretty much how it looked when you got it, but having had 2 engine rebuilds after “blow ups”. That is the bike had been prepared for period 3 historic racing. The seller didn’t seem to have any real history for the bike and I didn’t think to ask a lot of questions.
It had been raced most its life, but the details of that are unknown. I bought the bike from Stephen Bernard from Narre Warren, I even rode it around the block on the public street at his home….what was I thinking ? Running on methanol, straight through exhaust, the neighbours must have hated me. I even met him again at the Philip Island Classic maybe 1998 … I was racing the CB77 and he was on a Period 3 Ducati, maybe a 250.
Anyway…. I had never been a racer in my youth but got the bug just watching Historic bikes at our local race track Mallala. I had very little money to spend and no mechanical or other skills to build a bike but found the CB77, I think I paid $3,500 for it. 305cc …running on methanol…. single Amal carburettor, Norton style fibreglass tank, rear sets, single racing seat, Borrani wheels.
An engine failure occurred early on a “ride day” at Mallala. It was virtually the first time I took the bike out. No doubt the engine had been worked on but apparently not properly done. The result was a cylinder bore liner had moved and the rising piston had broken the flange at the top of the liner.
The engine was repaired by an Adelaide guru mechanic and champion rider, Dave Basham. (I say repaired but it should have been rebuilt … available parts and money were issues.) However the bike seemed to be running Ok…. I ran it at Mallala, Mount Gambier SA, Winton Victoria and then the Philip Island Classic … probably 1998.
The Honda and me struggled on the big track…it’s a very long way around on the 305cc, 4 speed box bike … sadly another engine failure … this time a broken conrod. A full rebuild was done by Neville Lush Racing during 1999, I think, parts were still an issue so the engine became a 350cc, still CB77 dry sleeve… new roller bearings, shot peened rods etc… re-jetted and electronic ignition replaced points.
The bike had very little use after that…. A couple of Mallala race days and McNamarra Park, Mt Gambier. I decided to stop “racing” based on a job change so I sold all my bikes. On a good day I could keep BSA 500s, Ducati 250 even an out of tune 650 Triumph behind me… the other Hondas were quicker than me… but they could RIDE!
With a Backstory like this we were definitely not short in inspiration. As the bike was delivered it was mounted on a square tube engine stand, wheels, and suspension in boxes and all the other parts needed for the bike were provided in a few dust filled tubs marked “Honda”. We had our work cut out for us.
We started by cleaning everything down and sorting through parts we would and wouldn’t use. Then assembled a rolling chassis and took a good look at what we were up against. Previously the forks had been lengthened slightly and rebuilt/chromed. The rear shocks matched this new stance but were old and tired. I decided to scour Ebay for some period correct road racing shocks and quickly found that was a tall order. The compromise was sourcing a set of off road racing shocks , and having them brought back to life by Joe at Ride Dynamics. The new shocks are fitted to a modified mount, rich had requested the shocks be re-mounted on a forward lean, rather than at 90 degrees to the road. For nothing more than he didn’t like the look of the original, so we obliged and completed the mod to have our CB77 Café racer sitting on its own 2 wheels for the first time in 20 years.
The wheels had been rebuilt and laced to polished Borrani rims, brakes have been stripped blasted, repaired and polished while receiving a hydraulic actuation upgrade paired to Kustom Tech master cylinders.
Time to inspect the engine, which had certainly been rebuilt using a mix of old and new parts, so we decided to get into this thing properly and make it street ready for another 50 years. The 350CC kit was fresh, so a new set of rings and a light hone was all it needed. Some cleaning on the very intensive porting work was required but nothing too notable. New valves, guides and springs and a full head service and re-surface. The gearbox was in good condition, but outside the crank cases EVERYTHING had been track side modified.
We have restored, replaced and rebuilt the ignition system, fitted a new stator and rotor, reg/rec,, starter motor, starter clutch and upgraded the chain driven mechanism that links the two. This engine was one I completed on my own as a learning exercise. We’ve also replaced the Amal carbs with a more user friendly set of Mikuni flatslides and specially made DNA Performance pod filters that wear the PBM delta.
The whole engine has been freshly vapour blasted in house with some select cases, and covers polished before assembly. Red, Black, Chrome, you don’t need much more than that.
Up front we have cleaned the cockpit up considerably. Restoring some chrome steep angle clip ons, running a set of our PBM 2 button handlebar switches, and a tiny 48mm Speedo. All this neatly tucked behind a 4.5” flashpoint LED headlight and custom sheet metal cowl we shaped up to further smooth out those flowing body lines. A clean and minimal front fender was hand shaped for the forks, Finishing out the front end we have modified and restored the factory Honda Dream fork shrouds, aiming to clean the aesthetic completely on these forks.
The fibreglass race tank on this bike was a non-negotiable when taking on this build. If I was building this bike, that tank was staying. We have had to make some minor repairs, and create a mounting strap that matched the 350cc Hondas bold new, show piece aesthetic. A beautifully shaped piece, and part of this bikes history. Our job was to replace the tired and torn vinyl seat and tail cowl with something worthy of putting our name on.
The idea was to draw inspiration from the race tank, breaking the frame line with a side number plate inspired shape and finishing in a clean ducktail. A perfect match for the half moon tank. Lighting on the rear is minimal, as a pre-compliance machine we had no need for indicators. The extent of the tail lighting is a centre mounted, integrated Orbit LED tail light, and a tail tidy kit from our PBM original parts selection. The seat was a simple choice, clean, black leather and minimal stitch work. Perfectly executed by timeless autotrim.
One of my favourite details on this build is the way the engine sits tipped forward slightly after the new suspension and geometry was set up to match the original race machine. This allowed us to create a perfectly proportioned and classically styled true 2 into 2 exhaust system. Sand bent stainless teel, matched into some welded on Torpedo mufflers. The result is a single piece exhaust on either side, that howls perfectly as this Honda twin climbs its rev range.
Our final part of fabrication was a new pair of rearsets, and brackets to give the rider a touch more room. as the bike has been raised a bit we had lean angle to spare and creating a little comfort for our rider was paramount. These bikes get ridden. We’ve made a set of custom stainless steel mounts with our Arcdroid plasma cutter. Mounted a set of Cognito moto rearsets and linked them to where they need to go with some custom rods.
With that our major work was complete. I now designed up a paint idea that took the original tanks design and applied it across the other bodywork we had now made. My design brief was met with the same response from both the painter, and the owner. “That’s a lot of red Tom.” And it was. I’m not immune to critique of my work, so I took it onboard and applied a different idea. The front of the bike would be blacked out, with tank and tail in the luminous red with Black pinstriping.
The colour and graphics were laid down by Sam at Colour fuel in Sydney. A painter we have started working with who’s work you’ll see on some of our upcoming projects.
With that it was time to fire the bike and get to testing. This bike was a lot of fun. Small engine, high revving and a vintage aesthetic that stops people in their tracks for a second look. You can’t cruise on this bike, the look and locked in ride position won’t let you. Just rip the throttle and have fun with it, all 350cc’s of it!
These machines put Honda’s street performance on the map, the CB72 and CB77 from the 1960s. Before these rolled out, Honda was known best for their pressed-steel commuter bikes, but the Super Hawks changed the conversation. They ditched the stamped steel for a proper tubular frame, bolted on telescopic forks, and ran a high-revving, overhead-cam parallel twin that was practically bulletproof. The 305cc CB77 was the real standout—touted as Honda’s first genuine sportbike, capable of cracking the 100 mph mark straight out the dealership, all while having an electric start that actually worked every time you hit the button. They laid down the exact mechanical blueprint for the Hondas we know and love that came later.
Our CB77 café racer build is less of a homage to Honda itself, more of a nod to the Backyard tinkerers, and racers that gave these machines a life outside the mundane commute.
WE BUILD BIKES WITH PURPOSE.
Purpose Built Moto is home for unique custom motorcycle builds. We offer a unique motorcycle customizing experience in the heart of the Gold Coast.
