It’s getting harder and harder to impress with a CB750 cafe. But this machine, stripped back to bare finishes and muted colors, works a treat.
‘The Natural’ is a collaboration between two Portland, Oregon builders with complementary skills: Crowe Customs and The Tarantulas.
“Scott of The Tarantulas wanted a clean and simple bike, with a vintage feel and raw finishes,” says James Crowe. “Scott’s built several bikes himself, so he was able to handle the mechanical aspects.”
Crowe focused on the bodywork, and had an open brief. After he sorted the stance of the bike, he made foam mockups of the cowl and seat pan, contracting Ginger at New Church Moto to craft a new seat.
Crowe then built a new battery box and hid the oil tank underneath the cowl and all the electrics under the seat. “I wanted the bike to have real clean controls,” says Crowe. So he made the clipons, the throttle and the levers in-house.
The front brakes are actuated by a remote cylinder—similar to the system on slash 7 BMWs. The master cylinder itself is mounted under the tank, and the bike has been converted to a dual disc setup.
Josh Ewing stamped out the taillight so Crowe could add the glass lens and bezel, and the exhaust is a modified Carpy unit. Tarozzi rear sets were used for foot controls.
“Scott’s been riding the CB750 cafe for about a year now,” says James. “We both enjoy the freedom of being able to modify things and test ideas before the bike gets its final tear down for paint and plating. Until then, Scott stays busy with the WD40 and Scotch-Brite!”
Images by Confront The Craze. With thanks to Benji Wagner.
