Author Topic: finallyfast.com is my CB550 Project (Read 6554 times)

otosjay · « **on:** May 01, 2012, 01:18:18 AM »

New to bike building but I'm having a great time with this project. No real big bucks spent other than the exhaust (stainless Yoshi replica by Lossa Engineering). Mostly just long hours tearing it down and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

I've got longer shocks to put on but other than that, some pics attached showing where she's headed. I live near Daytona Beach (Harley Nation) so not a lot of people around hear appreciate these bikes so I'm interested in some feedback ... Let me know what ya think!

fastbroshi · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2012, 01:41:10 AM »

Looking good so far, especially the tank.

CH · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2012, 03:27:09 AM »

what seat is that?

otosjay · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2012, 06:55:56 AM »

Thanks guys ...

@CH ... the seat is from Glass From the Past ... it took me 3 months to find it!

part number VINBTD at gftpstore.com

CH · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2012, 12:19:04 PM »

thanks! love the look your bike has going

also, what year bike are those wheels off of? yahama mags correct?

luceja · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2012, 02:42:33 PM »

Also curious about the wheels. Looks like an absolutely excellent project!

otosjay · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2012, 03:21:35 PM »

The wheels are actually Lesters ...

Check out this ad ... "because the make you look good" ... hahaha

Maybe make the bike look good but me ... not a chance.

luceja · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2012, 03:47:12 PM »

dang, nice. I've had trouble finding a rear drum, 18" cast wheel, lots of 16's however. You're puttin 'em to good use!

Greggo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 01, 2012, 04:47:29 PM »

The Lesters look great! (So does the whole bike

) Did they come with the bike? Are they correct for CB500/550's?

jinx2350 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2012, 09:36:12 AM »

Into it! Loving the blacked out Lesters. I just missed a set on ebay last week for $485. Not sure if that was worth it, but I think I might have gone for it if I had paid attention to the auction. Those things just make the cb550 look so tough. GFTP is rad too. best prices on fiberglass seats I've seen.

otosjay · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2012, 09:49:58 AM »

@jinx2350 ... haha ... yeah I probably wouldn't have been rebuilding the bike if I didn't have the lesters but I would have paid that much if I was looking for them because a spoke rebuild aint cheap either and I like not having to run tubes. I had them on there when the bike was stock and they just looked out of place ... but stripped down to skin and bones and the Lesters just brought the bike to life.

Greggo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2012, 10:36:28 AM »

Quote from: otosjay on May 02, 2012, 09:49:58 AM

@jinx2350 ... haha ... yeah I probably wouldn't have been rebuilding the bike if I didn't have the lesters but I would have paid that much if I was looking for them because a spoke rebuild aint cheap either and I like not having to run tubes. I had them on there when the bike was stock and they just looked out of place ... but stripped down to skin and bones and the Lesters just brought the bike to life.

Dude, you need to run tubes on those rims!! I know they say tubeless on the rim, but it is strongly suggested you run them as a safety feature.

Statenheimer · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2012, 12:35:02 PM »

Love the bike. Pretty much how I picture my 550 cafe looking as soon as the resto is on the road.

Might be a noob question, but I have to ask: What in the world is the long attachment on your center stand?

otosjay · « **Reply #13 on:** May 04, 2012, 12:51:43 PM »

@greggo ... I hear what you're saying ... but I'm pretty comfortable without.

@statenheimer ... haha ... that's my flinstone style brake ... haha ... the long arm and what looks like a center stand is all one piece and can only be used when the back half of this particular exhaust is off. The shaft on the bike stays on the bike. The center stand is cut so that the shaft on the bike rests on an open section of the stand. Pull the long extension down and the bike comes up. The bike will have about an inch longer shocks so it will essentially have this stance when not on the stand so the stand will only get it a hair off the floor once the new shocks go on.

otosjay · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2012, 04:55:07 PM »

So these are the shocks I'm putting on. The guy I owe all my inspiration to has been helping me out left and right on anything I don't have the tools for (welding for example) and found a mint condition set of these at a swap meet to go on there. They are 13.5" eye to eye vs the 12.5" that's on there now. Swingarm is getting re-worked but these are some kick arse shocks ...

http://goo.gl/4IJws

Greggo · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2012, 05:06:34 PM »

Those are very nice shocks I hear. All chrome?

otosjay · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2012, 05:12:57 PM »

Body is aluminum. Preload perch and springs are Chrome.

Definitely a solidly built piece.

jinx2350 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2012, 01:26:51 PM »

BTW, I've got the same exhaust. miss my center stand sometimes, but man it's nice. eye pleasing, light weight, and sounds mean.

otosjay · « **Reply #18 on:** May 09, 2012, 01:32:32 PM »

Quote from: jinx2350 on May 09, 2012, 01:26:51 PM

BTW, I've got the same exhaust. miss my center stand sometimes, but man it's nice. eye pleasing, light weight, and sounds mean.

I cannot wait until I get to the point where I can here her fire up with that bad boy on there. Have only heard a few sound clips but from what I've heard, it's the sound that all other exhausts should be judged by.

Got any pics of yours together ? Or sound clips?

jinx2350 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2012, 01:38:39 PM »

Had someone fab a quick bracket for me to hang off the rear passenger peg. If you've cut yours off, you might have to get creative. No sound clips, as it's not quite tuned correctly. No top end, and gets bogged down when i really snap on the throttle. Need to re-jet. I've heard 105 is a good spot to start with the stock airbox, but I'm fairly clueless about carb tuning.

AC

jinx2350 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2012, 02:23:25 PM »

couple questions for you..

What tires are those?

Is your top triple flipped upside down?

IRISHCBRACER · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2012, 04:31:37 PM »

What is exhaust is are you using in these pictures?

Quote from: jinx2350 on May 09, 2012, 01:38:39 PM

Had someone fab a quick bracket for me to hang off the rear passenger peg. If you've cut yours off, you might have to get creative. No sound clips, as it's not quite tuned correctly. No top end, and gets bogged down when i really snap on the throttle. Need to re-jet. I've heard 105 is a good spot to start with the stock airbox, but I'm fairly clueless about carb tuning.

AC

IRISHCBRACER · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2012, 04:33:58 PM »

oops, I read the thread in more detail. Is the Yosh replica you have made of stainless? It looks very yellow.

otosjay · « **Reply #23 on:** May 10, 2012, 06:32:18 PM »

Yep .. Flipped top tree. Looks real good and allows me to tuck the clips on below the tree ... I have since lowered them from where they are in this pic by about 3/4 inch. A single gauge will fit perfectly in the cutout that used to be the mounting points for the dual gauges.

The tires are Shenkos 230's ... 110/90 front and 120/90 rear. http://www.bikebandit.com/shinko-230-tour-master-motorcycle-tire

That exhaust on Jinx's bike is stainless and I'd actually call it bronzed ... Which if it happens on my bike I'd be totally cool with that. But my guess is that the bike is running lean.

Jinx I dig your instagram feed BTW. Looks like your a tog. I've got some stuff here ... Shutterhead.com haven't updated it in a while though. You got anything else?

xsmooth69x · « **Reply #24 on:** May 29, 2012, 11:02:10 PM »

what clip ons are those and where did u get it. build looks amazing btw

otosjay · « **Reply #25 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:04:54 PM »

Clipons .. http://goo.gl/JRekY

Getting close people ... starrting her up this weekend.

otosjay · « **Reply #26 on:** June 07, 2012, 07:32:11 AM »

Drilled my headlight brackets ... to make them look like less like a big old slab of cast aluminum. Came out real nice.

Bike is at a friends house right now getting new schock mounts on the swing arm for the eye to eye Progressive Technologies... With some flexibility in changing the height of the rear end, I settled on a ~1.5" lift.

Once it's back home, will be working on wrapping things up and getting it out for a photo shoot.

otosjay · « **Reply #27 on:** July 16, 2012, 08:38:23 AM »

Ok so she's road worthy but man did I screw up ...

left the tank on some towels with some gas in it ... tank shifted while I was at work and rolled on its side and the little gas that was in there leaked out and on to the tank ... stripped a big slice off the side of it so now I gotta repaint it. gonna just let it go for now and focus on the little things that need to be wrapped up ... slap some stickers over the screw up for now.

I flipped the top tree back over to it's defualt orientation ... gonna grind the handlebar tabs off, drop the front forks 3/4" (internal spacers) and lower the front headlight about that much more as well.

any way ... very happy with how she came out ... looks a little dull in this photo because of the filter that was used but she's spotless at the moment.

Next to the R/R tracks ... whatdya think CB550RR? Lol

Cheffish · « **Reply #28 on:** July 16, 2012, 09:30:20 AM »

I think it looks damn good!

Mcwilliams570 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 16, 2012, 09:43:41 AM »

Nice looking bike. The rims just set it off for me..

Matt

sinister902 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 16, 2012, 12:21:59 PM »

I am incredibly jealous of your lesters. INCREDIBLY

otosjay · « **Reply #31 on:** August 10, 2012, 06:05:47 AM »

@sinister902 --- haha ... me too ... so they sleep in my bed with me at night

so more photos ... this time with a top tree from Dime City Cycles ... definitely check it out for $130. It has some taps underneath and in front to mount whatever which keeps things clean. I also bought the gauge brackets for another $30 that bolt directly to the taps on the bottom ... the UNIVERSAL gauge brackets they sell mount guages high so had to do some customization (machine some "down tubes" ultimately dropping the gauge about 2". Looks soooo good.

otosjay · « **Reply #32 on:** October 03, 2012, 08:18:55 AM »

New pic (click to enlarge) ...

Have been ironing out a rich condition. Now running 40 idles, 120 mains and stock needles set on 2nd clip from top. Purrs like a kitten, roars like a lion that just met face to face with a gazelle. So much fun!

I have a few things I have to do but have put it all aside to just ride for now. If anyone knows where to find speedo cables that are about 6 inches shorter than stock, let me know.

And yeah, the tank mishap sucks (fuel sat there for a few hours and pealed the paint right off. It'll be repainted. But for now, it's a friendly reminder of how much effort went into rebuilding this bike.

sander · « **Reply #33 on:** October 03, 2012, 08:46:20 AM »

Nice bike! You take some fine pictures too.

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Author Topic: finallyfast.com is my CB550 Project (Read 6554 times)