Topic: CB550 Gulf road race build 592cc

[Dimitri13]

Unfortunately the colors didn't come out right in the picture, but it's copper/bronze/magnesium powdercoat.

Don't worry, I won't forget them I just don't think they came in the bolt kit I ordered.

[Stev-o]

One word.........WOW!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

One word.........WOW!

Second that!!  WOW!!

[Godffery]

Finish it and go. It looks perfect. BTW...the front tappet covers will not fit with those allen head screws.....you need button heads. Just went through it.

You can also taper the ones you have, put them in a drill and run the heads agents a grinder till they are tapered enough to clear the tappet cover. 
Like I've done here:
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/album03/Godfferys-Garage-123/Waterhouse+Performance+motor+build/WH-128.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

[FrankenFrankenstuff]

I see the tach plug looks nice. Guess I should have put a logo on there.

[bambuhiphop]

One word.........WOW!

Second that!!  WOW!!

eh.. I've seen better

Totally kidding!! looks utterly fantastic

[Dimitri13]

Thanks guys. It's been way too long in the making. I finally have some free time this week so I'll be doing as much as I can.

Beautiful, Godffrey. I think I may go with the button cap ones though.

Franken, the tach plug really sets it off. I think a logo would've been cool

[Mcwilliams570]

Dimitri13 really nice build, is inspiration for when I do my race bike build..

Matt

[Dimitri13]

Got a better shot of the engine. This one shows the proper color of the covers. Not sure what I did, but I managed to screw up the colors real bad on the last photo I posted.

Prismatic Powders P-4236B US Golden Bronze



Yesterday I finally got the steering squared away. Stupid me, I drove on the lower bearing not knowing there's supposed to be a dust seal between the washer and bearing. Had to figure out how to drive it off without damaging the bearing. Brass drift and a BFH took care of that real quick. Top clamp is a billet piece sold by DCC.



And with all the pictures I've posted, I don't think I've posted one of the orange I'm using. Or at least a good picture. Well, this is what it looks like in all it's glory. Enjoy.

RAL 2010; Signal Orange. Unsure of the brand.



Other than that, I've been slacking real bad.

I still need to:

Assemble the forks.
Put the engine in the frame.
Soak the clutch plates and finish assembling the clutch and various side covers.
Possibly rebuild my wheels. I bought brand new Borrani-style shouldered aluminum rims. Still need to figure out what spokes I want. Also need new tires.
Assemble the rear suspension.
Get the tank painted. Also need a new seat, but I'm not sure what. need to figure out if the GFTP XR750 seat will fit. Then have my seat painted.
Wire up HondaMan's transistorized ignition.
Get an A/F gauge and sensor.
Fab up a new gauge bracket to fit my TrailTech gauge and also dummy lights.

Probably missing a few things, but that's most of it.

[Stev-o]

Looks awesome!

[Dimitri13]

Thanks stev-o!

Been slacking real bad the last month or so. I have some parts ready to go on the Vette, and won't take more than an hour to do so, but I still haven't touched them.

As for my ranchero, I finally bit the bullet and got some rust repair done. Just waiting on a new windshield (managed to crack my old one taking off the trim). Then I can take it back for the rest of the rust. Around the windshield, and under the rear window. Then it'll be 99% rust free. All that'll be left is what's at the top of the smuggler's box. I noticed it the other day when I was putting in my new amp. Oh and I need to borrow an oscilloscope to set my audio stuff. Sounds like crap right now.

I'll probably be having a few guys over sometime this week to help me tackle a few things, mainly putting the engine in the frame.

Oh and speaking of Ranchero, I finally got some use out of it. Helped my friend pick up his 72 Bonneville he picked up in Oregon.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Thanks stev-o!

Been slacking real bad the last month or so. I have some parts ready to go on the Vette, and won't take more than an hour to do so, but I still haven't touched them.

As for my ranchero, I finally bit the bullet and got some rust repair done. Just waiting on a new windshield (managed to crack my old one taking off the trim). Then I can take it back for the rest of the rust. Around the windshield, and under the rear window. Then it'll be 99% rust free. All that'll be left is what's at the top of the smuggler's box. I noticed it the other day when I was putting in my new amp. Oh and I need to borrow an oscilloscope to set my audio stuff. Sounds like crap right now.

I'll probably be having a few guys over sometime this week to help me tackle a few things, mainly putting the engine in the frame.

Oh and speaking of Ranchero, I finally got some use out of it. Helped my friend pick up his 72 Bonneville he picked up in Oregon.

Look at that gorgeous blue Hawaiian sky!  I miss it!

[Stev-o]

Bonneville is a nice bike, wish I had one. You ride it?

[Dimitri13]

Nope, I haven't ridden it. As soon as he got it home, he started tearing it down. And it wasn't running when he brought it in. Spent several months working on it in Oregon before it was shipped over.

[Dimitri13]

Got my forks together. Putting the caps on was a bear. Dropped the left one twice I'll eventually replace them with a billet piece or maybe a recessed piece.

Powdercoated lowers, steering stem, and caps.
New CycleX stock length chrome tubes.
Tarozzi fork brace.
Tapered bearings.
Billet top clamp from DCC.
Progressive fork springs.
15w fork oil.

Stock internals. I had planned on getting RaceTech cartridge emulators, but I didn't do any research and found out you can't use progressive springs/should use single rate springs with emulators. I'll see how these feel, and if it feels lacking, I'll go for emulators.



Unintentional colors.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The front end looks great, especially like the billet upper tree and the Tarozzi brace.

[Stev-o]

Agree, look great.  Is it ready to bolt on?

[Dimitri13]

Pretty much. I just need to clean out all the threaded holes, and MAYBE have to tap a hole. I know one of the brake assembly holes is messed up, and since I'm going to be running dual disc in the near future, I'll be taking care of all that now.

I'm leaving everything, including the triple tree, off, for when I put the engine in the frame. Don't need anything flopping around.

My one big regret of this build is not doing a rear hoop. Can't see in any of my pictures, but I chose not to because I wanted the only frame modification to be removing the seat mounts; nothing structural. But I've been thinking of doing a flat seat so I can run 2-up, and now I can't really. Still deciding on what kind of seat I want to run.

[SF]

everything looks great man! wish I was at this stage for my build. IMO this build would fit a single and that extra HP will add flex to your frame....maybe add a bolt on brace on the rear??

[Dimitri13]

What do you mean "fit a single?" Like the color scheme or engine mods would be appropriate for a thumper?

I have a fork brace and a swingarm brace, as well as race-spec swingarm bushings from HondaMan (a harder bronze alloy, that's about all I know, I'm no metallurgist ). No frame bracing to speak of though.

If it feels like I need it, I don't mind pulling everything off, having a skilled fabricator do some real bracing (I have a few pages bookmarked), and getting it powdercoated again. That would give me a chance to install a rear hoop too

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

What do you mean "fit a single?" Like the color scheme or engine mods would be appropriate for a thumper?

I have a fork brace and a swingarm brace, as well as race-spec swingarm bushings from HondaMan (a harder bronze alloy, that's about all I know, I'm no metallurgist ). No frame bracing to speak of though.

If it feels like I need it, I don't mind pulling everything off, having a skilled fabricator do some real bracing (I have a few pages bookmarked), and getting it powdercoated again. That would give me a chance to install a rear hoop too

Haven't seen the braced swingarm in a while. Is it black or orange?  What kind of shocks?

[SF]

I mean fit a single rider. every bike I have and built are for single only because that's me. If you would brace frame, put gussets in the triangle, add the loop on the back and don't mind getting it re-powder coated that would make a difference and improved handling but again that's me. You have a beefy looking swingarm why not do the same to your frame?

[Dimitri13]

Looks good, no?



Shocks are Progressive Suspension 12-series.

Oh, that's what you mean. Fortunately, I have a girl who likes being on the back of a bike. But unfortunately, 3 projects (picture) means I have no spare $ for a two-up bike

I didn't get the frame braced for the same reason I didn't get the frame hoop and the trans cut; I didn't think it through until it was too late.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Looks good, no?



Shocks are Progressive Suspension 12-series.

Oh, that's what you mean. Fortunately, I have a girl who likes being on the back of a bike. But unfortunately, 3 projects (picture) means I have no spare $ for a two-up bike

I didn't get the frame braced for the same reason I didn't get the frame hoop and the trans cut; I didn't think it through until it was too late.

The swingarm looks great. I can relate about thinking about frame mods after PC.

[Dimitri13]

Finally off the bench and in the frame. Only took a year and a half.