Author Topic: Talk me into/out of a '76 CB550 (Read 2944 times)

bbenthin · « **on:** November 29, 2012, 08:54:10 PM »

Looking for some council.

I found a cheap ($600) 1976 CB 550 locally. Looks to be in reasonable cosmetic condition.
Clean title. Not running, and the carbs have been removed (but the seller has them).

When I asked whether the engine was still freely rotating, here's what the seller's reply was:

" The kicker kicks through but the pistons don't seem to be moving. There is no compression. I don't know enough to even know if its been separated from the kicker or the pistons are missing. Come check it out. I want it gone since I may be losing my garage. "

Thoughts?
Is this a common thing with kick starters or typically easy to remedy?
Is this more likely an indicator that the engine is completely worthless (bottom end toast)?

I'm no stranger to a project, have restored many cars over the years...am fairly mechanically inclined and have a good local vintage-Honda shop for when I get over my head. I just want to be sure that any cash saved by buying a project like this wouldn't be gobbled up by the engine (and any other unforeseen issues) versus just spending more on a runner.

Any tips on how to identify what's going on and what it could mean to my wallet would be mucho appreciado.

Thanks in advance!

singedebile · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:33:15 PM »

sounds like you should kick another $200 bucks or more off the price. I have a friend that bought a cb350 for that price, but because it needed little bits of everything she has at least 1500 in it now. Unless you think your going to figure this all out and have past mechanical experience, I would walk away.. .otherwise with a little more off the price you might might still be able to come out ahead IF your lucky.

geminimotors · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:41:53 PM »

Speaking from the Bay Area, that's not a bad deal if it's complete- airbox, exhaust, etc. You should still haggle him down some. Propose to the seller how much it's going to cost you to have a shop disassemble it to find out if the pistons are missing...

BeSeeingYou · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:46:55 PM »

Don't know what the market is for bikes where you live but no way would I pay $600 for that. Non running, carbs off, and a question on the condition of the engine.....$300 tops and the seller should be thankful to get that. If he is too lazy or stupid to get the bike in sellable condition I would low ball him without mercy. Maybe it's just a problem with the kickstart...will it turn over with the electric start? You are the one taking a chance on a non-running bike. Nothing wrong with that.....we all have done it but it has to be taken into consideration on the price. At this point it's not much more than a parts bike.

bollingball · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:47:26 PM »

Put it in second or thirded gear leave the clutch leaver out and push the bike. If the rear tire slides then take out the plugs and try again. This will tell you if the motor is locked up. Post back with results
Ken

Stev-o · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:51:19 PM »

Personally, I wouldn't pay $600 for that. The last 550 I bought was a running complete bike w/10K miles for $650.

RFogelsong · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:52:28 PM »

It sounds like at 600 initial investment, you're going to have a similar story to the one told by singedebile (final investment of like 1500, although I'd say probably a bit higher since I'm assuming a full engine rebuild). Not a bad investment, but a project for sure. I like the "see if he can knock 200 off" comment.

Also, I'm assuming your locale has a bit of a factor in the $600 here.

bbenthin · « **Reply #7 on:** November 29, 2012, 10:17:26 PM »

Good advice, thanks guys.
I'm with you, I figured I'd be at $300 max on the thing...maybe I get lucky.

Prices in Seattle ARE a bit inflated. They seem to come back down to earth east of the mountains and south in Portland, OR (seems to be more inventory there...I bought my VFR in PDX for $500-$1000 less than I could have gotten it here).

Keep the opinions and advice coming, I value your experience(s)...

Here are the pics:

Tews19 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 29, 2012, 10:37:14 PM »

It looks decent but a locked up engine is scary... Plus the carbs are missing, maybe lots of water got into the engine.. If the title is on the frame and an engine is to be had for cheap, I may consider that buy.. But not for 600....

TwoTired · « **Reply #9 on:** November 29, 2012, 10:58:31 PM »

On the Cb550, the kicker needs an engaged clutch to turn the crankshaft. To keep the bike from moving during kick start, the trans must be in neutral.

Lars · « **Reply #10 on:** November 29, 2012, 11:38:14 PM »

+1 on Twotired. Besides, the seller has the carbs. As mentioned, you easily test if the engine is locked or not. Bike looks pretty good, you will easily have your $ back parting it out if it the project fails, and maybe the seller will go down a little. They are very nice bikes, both to ride and design. Handlebar and mufflers are not original, the rest seems to be.

Scott S · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2012, 04:12:00 AM »

FWIW, the first time I turned over my CB500 with the kicker, I though something was wrong. I was used to kicking over my XS650 (big twin).

These bikes have relatively tiny pistons. With the carbs off and/or the plugs out, they're VERY easy to kick over compared to some bikes. I can turn them over by hand (using the kicker), and that would be nearly impossible with the XS.
Heck, the kick start might not be assembled correctly.

What I'm getting at is, he may not know what he's talking about and the bike might be fine. Or not. But it's worth checking out. The bike looks nice in the pics. Use it's "not running....something's wrong" condition to bargain for a lower price.

Tell him carbs kits are expensive, needs new rubber, etc., etc., then lay a few hundred dollar bills on the seat.

DustyRags · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2012, 06:46:12 AM »

Here's what I'd do: Take three bills and wrap them around your wallet. Stick another hundred in 20's inside it. Stash two more bills in another pocket. Then go check out the bike. Decide how much you want to pay for it and tell him "I only brought (x)." Need two hundred? Grab the two bills. Need three? Grab the ones around your wallet. Need four? Grab the whole wallet. Two and change? Grab the two and your wallet. You get the picture. The point is you're waving money in his face for a non-running bike, but look like you didn't bring more, so the seller is less likely to hard ball.

Then buy it, yank the engine, and drop this puppy in it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Honda-Super-Sport-CB-550-F-Engine-ASG1-/400349646774?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d36b2cfb6&vxp=mtr Boom! Bike and parts engine for $900-or-less.

Duanob · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2012, 08:41:45 AM »

I saw that bike on CL. I was wondering why it hadn't sold being titled and in good cosmetic shape. $600 is abit steep for whats left of it.

Its been for sale for a while. I would go look at it with a trailer or truck. Then tell him you have a pretty good idea what it will take to restore it. tell him the most you can give him is $400 ($300 without title). There is at least that in parts. $600 is a bit of a stretch as he says. But it's the cost of restoring it you can work him over with. There is frankly nothing you can't fix on this bike with enough money. It seems like a good restorable bike. There was a set of 4x4 pipes for sale in seattle this past summer. Don't know if the guy ever sold them.

I bought a $900 non runner it's taken me over $3000 to get to the shape its in and it didn't look nearly as good as this one. But at least I knew it had pistons in it

thedrewski86 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 30, 2012, 09:04:37 AM »

It really doesn't look too bad, not for $600 though. Mine drags the back tire when it's in gear and I push it but you could put in in third or fourth on the center stand and turn the back wheel by hand. If the engine turn over give it a shot!

bbenthin · « **Reply #15 on:** November 30, 2012, 09:33:02 AM »

Thanks guys, and thanks Duanob for the local history.
What tools would I want to bring in order to pull the plugs on one of these? Ratchet, box wrench, what size socket, etc?

thedrewski86 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 30, 2012, 09:34:54 AM »

18mm plug socket, extension and ratchet.

Bankerdanny · « **Reply #17 on:** November 30, 2012, 09:39:52 AM »

Because it's complete, appears to be cosmetically sound, and has a title, I think it's worth $300-$400 regardless of the engine condition. If you can confirm that you have compression using the methods others have recommended, then I think $600 is not bad. Engines are easy to find. Complete, cheap clean bikes with a title not so much.

Tews19 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 30, 2012, 10:45:09 AM »

Quote from: thedrewski86 on November 30, 2012, 09:34:54 AM

18mm plug socket, extension and ratchet.

Needs to be a thin walled 18mm though. You can get one at Sears..

I would just take her off the guys hands for 400... These are fun bikes to work on anyways.

thedrewski86 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 30, 2012, 10:47:43 AM »

Possibly, mine works fine though. I think it's standard wall.

TwoTired · « **Reply #20 on:** November 30, 2012, 11:39:06 AM »

Quote from: thedrewski86 on November 30, 2012, 10:47:43 AM

Possibly, mine works fine though. I think it's standard wall.

You mean, you have yet to cross thread the #3 spark plug threads? That's a fun repair...

thedrewski86 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 30, 2012, 11:42:45 AM »

Ugh, no! I guess because I'm so flippin careful whenever I thread a plug in it just hasn't happened, I'll definitely keep that in mind though. I always threat those like they're made of glass.

Tews19 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 30, 2012, 12:45:24 PM »

Standard 18mm socket can not fit in #2 or #3...

Magilla · « **Reply #23 on:** November 30, 2012, 01:12:44 PM »

If it kicks over its not seized. In the history of dumb people very few have ever put a motor back together without pistons. Is it possible? Sure but not very likely.

I would use the fact that he is losing his garage and offer $400. If I could get it for $400 or $500 I would snap it up. At $600 I would most likely still take it. The worst case scenario is that you have to part it out to get your money back. The motor with a titled frame could get close to the price paid.

Not much risk on your part.

DustyRags · « **Reply #24 on:** November 30, 2012, 08:59:44 PM »

Agreed. Shoot for $300-400, but think about $600 and think hard about $500. A lot depends on what you want out of it. If you want and have the space to work on it for a few weeks or months, it'd be worth it (ignore ability- if you can handle a torque wrench and not cross-thread things, you can learn- I did). If you need to get it running without owning more than a hammer and an exacto knife, this may not be the bike for you.

Engines are available for about $300- keep that in mind.

Odds are that the current owner doesn't know how to kick it over- make sure it's in neutral and the clutch is not engaged, and see what happens. If you do a compression test on it and you're kicking it, make sure to kick it until those numbers stop changing- because a kick only turns it over a bit at a time, you're going to spend the first couple of kicks compressing the air in the tube. The first kick tells you nothing- but the fifth one does.

goldarrow · « **Reply #25 on:** November 30, 2012, 11:32:41 PM »

This is easily $1000-$1500 bike down here LA area. I'd say, get it for a project. Cheaper is the better of course.

I paid mine for wayyyyy much more, and much worst shape. And now it runs.

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Author Topic: Talk me into/out of a '76 CB550 (Read 2944 times)

bollingball