Author Topic: 74 cb550- cafe face lift  (Read 3363 times)

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Offline Cortydean

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74 cb550- cafe face lift
« on: February 14, 2013, 11:48:46 AM »
How it looked when I bought it.  There is a video on you tube of the bike when he was selling it "Honda Cb550 cafe racer / street tracker"
« Last Edit: March 21, 2013, 09:13:12 PM by Cortydean »

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2013, 11:50:10 AM »
So what's your plan?
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2013, 11:51:48 AM »
New Exhaust
MotoGP Werks Yoshi Style

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2013, 11:54:41 AM »
Just got the tank back today
Stripped to bare metal, smoked the top, cleared the sides, and red pin stripe to match the stitching in the seat.
Looks awesome in person when you can see the fine random sanding marks in the metal.

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2013, 11:59:58 AM »
Rebuilt and jetted the carbs but haven't had a chance to start it yet.  I got my floats all set to spec.  They weren't even touching the float valve fully collapsed.  I wonder why my carbs leaked fuel.  I got my dyna S in the mail yesterday with dyna 5 ohm coils.  Also my new petcock but the thread size is too small so back to the market I go for a new one. I am gonna try 115 mains and the needle on the last notch for a start.  By the way getting that float bowl gasket to stay is a pain in the buns.  I am gonna try using some sort of gasket adhesive and see if that works.

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2013, 12:02:58 PM »
I am still waiting on my EBC clutch and springs to arrive.  Along with my new stainless tank cap latch pins.  Also the clutch cover crank case gasket.

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2013, 12:09:59 PM »
I just put the exhaust loosely on there for a trial fit and see what it would basically look like.  I will post another when I got the wheels back on the bike this weekend.  Trying to get ready for bike week!

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2013, 12:24:53 PM »
Oops loaded wrong image!   :o

Offline goldarrow

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2013, 01:02:08 PM »
Love those exhaust, and they sound great. Me want one but can't afford the price tag.  Do you know/did you ask the seller the recommended jet sizes for the pipes? And air settings?
Life Is Full Of Challenges - And My Backyard Is Full Of SOHC4's

CB550 K0
CB750 K0, K2, K23 JDM, K45, K5
And the little ones z50r, xr50r, st90


750k5 http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=114817.0

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2013, 03:06:54 PM »
Yeah I told him what I was planning on doing and he said that that sounded about right.  I am just not sure about the pilots.  I read a lot of posts about peoples jetting and a lot of people never really said much about them.  Some claim that no rejetting is necessary at all, and that they ran rich to begin with.  Personally I would rather not take the risk and cover 1/4 - 3/4 throttle.  Won't spend much time under a 1/4 throttle anyways    ;D

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2013, 03:23:29 PM »
I like the stubby rear fender. I want to do something similar, although more fender still.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline sniper1

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2013, 04:58:19 PM »
What kind of rear shocks are those? what's the size (eye to clevis)?

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2013, 05:13:38 PM »
They are NICETECT  They ride nice, no complaints.  Hope the pic helps you.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2013, 05:15:43 PM by Cortydean »

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2013, 08:52:43 PM »
Got the Dyna S ignition installed today.  Gonna try and fire it up in the morning.

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2013, 07:35:52 AM »
Looks like I have a run into a manufacturing error.  The puck won't fully seat onto the spark advance plate.

Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #15 on: February 19, 2013, 02:16:45 PM »
What I thought was manufacture error is not at all.  On the shaft of the advance assembly there was a nipple that was contacting the the top of the notch in the puck before it would fully seat.  Dynoman told me that it was something that some bikes came with as a sort of emissions controller and to just pull it out.  Mine wouldn't come out so I just ground it down flush.  I got it timed and fired up and it idles and sounds great.  Time to make sure the carbs are synced and go for a little winter ride to blow the dust off of her.  I couldn't really get the marks on the timing to line up timing it statically.  So I just put it around the middle and checked it with a timing light and by dumb luck it was spot on.  I hope the neighbors didn't mind me starting it up a 2:30 am ;D


Offline Cortydean

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Re: 74 cb550
« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2013, 03:19:07 PM »
Found out the hard way that clear doesn't stick too well to bare steel so I am just gonna get it clear powder coated which is what I should have done from the begining.