Forks --- I am rebuilding forks for my 1976 CB550F. They are all cleaned and polished and pending the arrival of a couple of small internal parts I can put them back together again. But what about AIR SHOCKS?! In "The Thoughts of HondaMan," HondaMan suggested some simple mods to greatly improve handling: new sealed wheel bearings, tapered roller steering bearings, brass swing arm bushings, three washers in the fork to preload the spring, and drill/tap the top fork nut, install a shrader valve and run 10 psi in the fork tubes. I have all that stuff except the shrader valves but I know were to get them, and I can tap a hole.
Have many of you done this? Whadya think? I haven't measured but the fit looks tight to be able to air up the shocks without removing the handlebars. I have super bike bars and they look about the same as stock bars (wrt air valve clearance or interference; I know they LOOK way cooler than stock bars
) Is it worth it? Is there any downside aside from the apparent inconvenience to fill them? How often do you find the need to fill them?
Clutch --- I have trouble shifting down into neutral or 1st when the bike is fully warmed up (proper amount of clean oil - Honda 15w-40, fresh seals and o-rings in oil pump assembly). I can get there but the bike has to be moving at least 10-12 mph or off. Again sighting the Good Book, for 750s HondaMan recommends drilling some more considerately placed oil passage holes in the clutch drum so more oil flows through the clutch something something. Have folks done this to a 500/550 with success? Seems like it would help, right? Worst thing it could do is... nothing?
Thank you kindly,
percolate
