Octopus Soul OSB/3
By Ross Sharp - 24 Apr 15
Some people finish school, study some more and head of to the bright lights of the city for a career, perhaps dreaming of one day saving up to ride around the world. Not Jordi Ciscar of Octopus Soul Bikes in Barcelona, he's had more jobs than this CB has had oil changes. He has raced in a host of categories, spannered professionally, sold motorcycles, graffitied stuff, illustrated things, strummed a guitar in a band and more recently run guided motorcycle tours through Morocco. Thankfully for everyone Jordi temporarily halted his gadding around just long enough to build this decent looking CB750.
Jordi's previous work proves he has the eye and as with other things in life, practise is everything. Well, that and having his dad Joan around who passes on his mechanical wisdom.
So back to the actual bike, a CB 750C which was conceived by Honda in 1981 and shipped to America. At some point the bike found its way to Spain where it lay dormant for years, gathering dust in a shed. The mileage was low and the layers of grime had protected the important parts. First job, a jolly good scrub and polish to reveal the twincam beast beneath.
Part of the slammed look is thanks to the more svelte fuel tank, borrowed from an XS250 and stripped bare. The shape lends itself to the build in terms of balance and sensible fuel capacity. A simple cockpit with single mini speedo and low bars sets a café-brat tone, while the seat unit further blurs the lines. We like the look of those Biltwell Recoil grips too.
The forks were shortened internally before being overhauled and rear shocks are considerably shorter than stock, placing the centre of gravity 10cm closer to the deck. Rather than chop and loop the subframe completely Jordi left some of the rail intact, blending into the fender and avoiding the snub-ended look. His display of upholstery skills sits on top.
The local powder coater was kept busy to ensure a the dark and moody colour scheme flows throughout, broken-up by the bare tank. Jordi hoped that the new owner would be as happy to display the OSB/3 in their living room as much as the garage. Looks handsome enough from where we're standing.
If you like what you see then get in touch with Jordi via his Facebook page as he might be persuaded to part company with it.