Author Topic: New Member from IL (Read 1012 times)

Stilltime · « **on:** April 11, 2013, 11:56:59 AM »

Hey everyone,

I have been browsing the forums for a while, and finally registered. Looking to pick up my first bike this weekend - a '78 CB550! Price is reasonable, it has a few things done to it but I'll save the details for when I [hopefully] pick it up. My plan is to eventually build it into a reliable cafe style bike with a modern touch. No front brakes on it, so I've been flipping through the classifieds.

Anything in particular I should be looking out for when I go to look at it? My wife and I will be travelling a little over 2 hours to get there, not really in the mindset to leave without a bike

The bike I'll be looking at...

Thanks in advance!

Chris C.

steakCB550K · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2013, 01:42:27 PM »

hey welcome to the forum.

I picked up my first bike (also a 78cb550k) last june and this guy's youtube channel totally helped me out.
mrmaxstorey:
How to buy an old motorcycle 1/3

good luck and welcome to a great journey!

pancho y onions · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2013, 02:12:23 PM »

From a new guy to another. Welcome!

70CB750 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2013, 02:13:55 PM »

Welcome!

Stilltime · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2013, 05:15:37 PM »

Quote from: steakCB550K on April 11, 2013, 01:42:27 PM

hey welcome to the forum.

I picked up my first bike (also a 78cb550k) last june and this guy's youtube channel totally helped me out.
mrmaxstorey:
How to buy an old motorcycle 1/3

good luck and welcome to a great journey!

Thanks for the clip! Raised some good points that will come in handy this weekend.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Spike · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2013, 09:57:45 PM »

Good luck on your purchase. (from an x Morton resident)

tool14 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2013, 04:39:19 AM »

welcome

Stilltime · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2013, 03:08:37 PM »

Quote from: Spike on April 11, 2013, 09:57:45 PM

Good luck on your purchase. (from an x Morton resident)

No way! Wonder if you know any of my brothers, two of them are out in CA now but we all grew up here.

Thanks everyone!

Looks like its supposed to be about 75 degrees, wwwiiinndddyy and a chance of rain when we are supposed to go look, better pack my raincoat and a tarp haha.

Stilltime · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2013, 09:26:17 PM »

Well, we made the trip and bought it today! Fires up from a cold start with no struggle. I need to reinstall the front brakes (after powdercoat) and move the pegs back to the stock position.

I really wanted to get rear sets for this, but I guess bolt on ones are hard to come by for a '78 550K. I might pick up some universal ones and have a custom plate cut on the waterjet where I used to work.

I'm new to both bikes and carb tuning, but very mechanically inclined and learn quick. I was told the carbs were synced last summer, but I feel that some tuning could get this running better.

The seller also said the clutch discs were replaced; there was some chatter at idle until you start to engage the clutch, then it goes away... Is this normal?

Throttle is very sticky, but I'll be doing a new upper/clip ons/controls/gauges soon so I'll replace the assembly with a new push/pull throttle. I want to get it running proper and "legal" soon so I can practice and take it to the DMV to get my license. Right now it is without mirrors, speedometer, or turn signals... Not sure if they will care/dock points for that or not.

Debating on whether or not to start a build thread...it would more than likely be a slow progressive build but I definitely have some plans for it.

Chris C.

steakCB550K · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2013, 06:57:45 AM »

congrats on the purchase. If you are new to bikes I would suggest taking the MSF course, it's like 23 dollars and considered a donation. If you want to keep the money the course is essentially free. It is a pretty good course and really informative. I have never ridden a bike prior to taking this course and they show you a lot, usually it is 3 days (Friday, sat and sunday). Friday is all classroom work, sat is mostly riding and sunday is mostly riding. After the course you'll have about 10-12 hrs of riding. And if you pass the course (written and riding) you'll have your certificate to take to the DMV to get your M class license.

I'm also in the middle of a super slow build and I am hoping to get out and ride this year. Let me know if you have some questions and want to compare notes. Also you should join the ChiVinMoto group (www.chivinmoto.com), nice group of guys with a wealth of information.

Good luck.

*edit: doh, I was confusing morton with morton grove, IL. Since you're so close to springfield, I think springfield has a vintage motorcycles group as well.

Spike · « **Reply #10 on:** April 15, 2013, 08:24:04 AM »

Quote from: Stilltime on April 12, 2013, 03:08:37 PM

Quote from: Spike on April 11, 2013, 09:57:45 PM
Good luck on your purchase. (from an x Morton resident)

No way! Wonder if you know any of my brothers, two of them are out in CA now but we all grew up here.

Well, I left there shortly after your bike was "Born" . Graduated from MHS, hung around a year, then left for California.

Stilltime · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2013, 08:53:54 PM »

Quote from: steakCB550K on April 15, 2013, 06:57:45 AM

congrats on the purchase. If you are new to bikes I would suggest taking the MSF course, it's like 23 dollars and considered a donation. If you want to keep the money the course is essentially free. It is a pretty good course and really informative. I have never ridden a bike prior to taking this course and they show you a lot, usually it is 3 days (Friday, sat and sunday). Friday is all classroom work, sat is mostly riding and sunday is mostly riding. After the course you'll have about 10-12 hrs of riding. And if you pass the course (written and riding) you'll have your certificate to take to the DMV to get your M class license.

I'm also in the middle of a super slow build and I am hoping to get out and ride this year. Let me know if you have some questions and want to compare notes. Also you should join the ChiVinMoto group (www.chivinmoto.com), nice group of guys with a wealth of information.

Good luck.

*edit: doh, I was confusing morton with morton grove, IL. Since you're so close to springfield, I think springfield has a vintage motorcycles group as well.

I can't register for a MSC till about mid-June (already full every weekend) but a few people cancelled for this weekends class so I'm going to try my luck with one of the "walk-in" seats. If there is a seat for me, I'm good to go this weekend!

I drained the battery attempting to start it last night, it was giving me all sorts of problems. So tonight I changed the oil and filter, new plugs, checked the air filter (still think I could replace this), drained the tank, drained the carb bowls, filled it with fresh 91 pure gas, (non-ethanol station nearby!) and it fired right up! This was about 20 minutes ago though so I couldn't open her up, our neighbors still like us haha.

Tomorrow I'm going to adjust the valves, points, cam chain and anything else that is suggested. At some point I will need to pony up and tear down the carbs...I've never really worked on carbs before so I have been delving into threads here and through the shop manual.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

steakCB550K · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2013, 10:15:53 AM »

Nice work, it is truly satisfying to hear the bike fire to life for the first time. If you take your time and do some research the carbs aren't that bad. I had to do mine twice but I think that's part of paying your dues and putting your time into the bike.

tool14 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2013, 11:09:46 AM »

make sure to clean jets real good.

Stilltime · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2013, 06:58:26 PM »

My Clymer's manual came in today from Z1. Adjusted the valves and cam chain tension. New throttle assembly, push/pull cables, caliper seal, Slingshot SS brake line and banjo pressure switch will be in this weekend.

After I get her running good I will be ordering a rear seat loop, seat pan and seat from DCC. Also a new ignition switch and clip-ons. I won an auction for a billet upper tree (from DCC) on eBay for a song, so I'll be cleaning up the front end and bars as much as possible.

Thinking about ordering a 12" reverse muffler and having an extension pipe welded onto my exhaust without the Mac muffler so I can clamp on new muffler. This one sounds horrible! Old, beat up Mac exhaust...

Stilltime · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2013, 01:19:25 PM »

I've been busy working on the bike when I can. Had Avon AM26's mounted front and rear, installed clip-ons, new brake lever/MC, rebuilt the caliper with OEM seal and SS piston. The last few nights I've been grinding away at the frame and gabbing some seat mounts, everything is ready to weld in once I can free up some time and take it to my neighbors house.

The last picture is a cone filter adapter. This will bolt onto the air chamber just as the factory filter box did, but I will be able to mount a K&N cone filter to it. I'm having it 3D printed, I should have it in a couple weeks.

Stilltime · « **Reply #16 on:** May 19, 2013, 01:21:08 PM »

Couple more pics of the progress...

pancho y onions · « **Reply #17 on:** May 22, 2013, 07:27:46 PM »

Looks like you got some good experience on Auto Cad

Stilltime · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2013, 09:12:01 PM »

Quote from: pancho y onions on May 22, 2013, 07:27:46 PM

Looks like you got some good experience on Auto Cad

Thanks! Haven't used AutoCAD in years. Pro/E is my preference and what I've been using the past 5 to 6 years. I've just recently been teaching myself Inventor Pro which is what this particular part was done in.

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Author Topic: New Member from IL (Read 1012 times)