Topic: 77 Cb550k Pretty Aggressive 200mi ride Yesterday. Put to the TEST!

[Lostboy Steve]

So we rode out to the Freemansberg Hill Climb yesterday. We started out in Freehold, NJ. The total trip was 200~ miles. I don't know the actual route we took to get there. It was pretty insane, some highway but mostly VERY twisty roads. I know for a while we were on River Rd right across the Delaware River in PA. The point of this post is to cover a lot of questions we see on this forum regarding the 550 model Honda Four. So first of all lets start with the bike. Some of you know but I have a 1977 Cb550K with 9000miles. It is a standard bore, with ebay rings. The head has been ported and polished the valves cut. The pistons and valves have a heat-treated finish on the faces and micro slick coating on the friction areas. It has an airbox and uni drop in filter. 4 into 2 swept exhaust. Stock needle position and stock idle circuit. Main jets were bumped slightly. Ignition is stock with the exception of the Hondaman Transistor Box. Stock (clean and working) Showa rear shocks and progressive front springs with new seals and oil. Gearing is stock. I run spitfire tires. 110 90 19 / 110 90 18. I chose a mid grade fuel 89 octane just for #$%*s to see how it would react.
Firstly, the comfort was awesome. I didnt get cramped the smallest bit. Bumps felt really smooth. Through the turns it felt very stable. Even through the higher speed sharp transitions, it held the road really well. Through all the back roads you really get the feeling that the bike is where it belongs. It sings through it all and really seems to enjoy itself. I cant say enough good things about that. We did it some traffic and my upgraded ebc springs did a number on my left forearm muscle. Today it is actually quite sore. The highway was really where i became concerned. As we got on it was apparent that everyone felt that ~80 was their cruising speed of choice. As I grabbed all the gears in order to try and keep up I found that the bike seems very able and willing to comply. I'm not saying that its as fast or even remotely close to even the ninja 500 that was with us, but it was very able, even at an aggressive launch, to keep on its tail. I will admit at first it feels like you're giving it a beating, but then you realize that it not only tolerates your input, but actually relishes in it. At 80mph she is quite loud (at least with my pipes) remember I was probably sitting in the 7500rpm area. I did that for 50 straight miles on the way home. It didn't stutter once. For a minute I actually reached down to touch the head and since it didn't immediately burn me, I felt the temp was just fine. I did throw in ear plugs for a while and believe it or not they made it so pleasant to do 80. You could still hear the engine but it was softened as was the wind noise. The best part of the ride was getting off an exit a slowly downshifting through each gear which in turn made the bike gurgle, it was like heaven to my ears. All in all it was a great trip, the bike did it extremely well. I would do it again tomorrow and nobody should be concerned with holding a 550 open for a long period of time. My only regret, I only saw one other sohc4 (400) and it was in the show and didn't win though it probably should have.

[Bankerdanny]

7,500 actually seems a bit high for 80mph on a 550, but I don't remember what my '77 was turning at 70.

But in general, no I don't think it's a problem. Still plenty of RPM's left on the tach. As long as you have the right amount of oil in the bike and the oil and filter are changed regularly I would think it will run at that RPM for hours at a time.

[bollingball]

Glad to hear every thing went well. I have always had a problem with high RPMs. To many Harleys I have learned to keep it above at least 3500RPMs and found on the open road it likes 5K to 6500K in top gear for the speed I like to go for at least the best part of a full tank when on a long trip. These bikes are just flat out built for it. Just hard to get use to it when I drive a 51 Chevy stock power glide or even my 98 expedition auto,06 mustang 5 speed or 2010 BMW auto. It goes against what I was brought up driving in the 50s and 60s. When I do go in town I never get past 2nd gear. My town has about 4 traffic lights and I still hate going there.
Ken

[Stev-o]

That sounds like you have a great, sorted bike and doesn't surprise me one bit. My '76 550K has always run great too, my only complaint is I occasionally get a hop when running hard through the twisties and hit a bump.  New shocks would most likely take care of that issue and are on the list.

Got pics?

[dave500]

they are a good old bike,you dont see many around here on the gold coast,people with late model bikes get surprised when your right behind them the whole way,then if they pull up and you get talking you tell them its stuck in first gear!!

[kghost]

they are a good old bike,you dont see many around here on the gold coast,people with late model bikes get surprised when your right behind them the whole way,then if they pull up and you get talking you tell them its stuck in first gear!!

You ride that "thing" pretty well Dave lol

[cosmicvision]

Sounds like an awesome journey I used to make 300-mile jaunts across Ohio from the PA border to Detroit last summer...bike never one single time gave me as much as a hiccup. Even rode 30 miles through an all-out downpour one night (traffic down to 30mph, standing water on the road, the whole nine) and I was scared sh!tless but the bike trooped through without skipping a beat. All I did all summer was keep fresh gas & oil in it & keep the chain tight. It was the first summer I had it so it seemed the most comfy in the slow lane holding 60 but after riding it for a while now I'd feel confident blasting 80 down the freeway now. Plus back then it really spewed oil past 60 but I've since got that problem at bay too. It's a Honda man, you just can't kill em! Take care of them & they will take care of you.

[andrewk]

Ride 'em hard.  They love it.

[Tews19]

I have been riding my blue 550F the past few days and its great to be on a 550 again. Now when I moved my 750 today it felt like a tank. But now with over 1000 miles on my 750 I can see how people say the low end torque on a 550 is lacking. She sure screams after 6k!

[RAFster122s]

The 550 is more fun to ride than a 750 and more nimble. I think smaller bikes like my CX500 and the CB550 are more fun on twisty roads and easier to ride than a 750. But, I am biased since I prefer the smaller more nimble bikes. Keeping the revs up the 550 is no slouch but it is true it doesn't have the torque of a 750 or larger bike. You might want the additional torque but not the  steering and added weight of the 750.

The longer duration of a CB650 cam in the 550 pulls out the flat spot in the torque curve and just increases the fun factor.

[dave500]

good on you twist,,these engines have a pretty short stroke,and therefore a pretty slow piston speed,they seem like your revving the gizzards out of them but its not as harsh as some might think on the engines,so long as you replace the oil sooner than specified and have a tinker after a hard ride like that itll just keep on doing it,i dont like the feeling of sitting on 80 in a straight line for long though,its not comfortable for me on these after a short while,i just use cotton wool in my ears on longer runs,i find the proper ear plugs give me an odd not quite with it,too cut off feeling?,the main thing is you did it and enjoyed every second of it,,you wouldnt have had as much fun if you just bought a new bike and rode it like that,,like stevo said i get a rear hop going too hard through rougher corners even with ikon rears,just ride accordingly.

[goldarrow]

Open up the rocker cover and throw a 650 cam in it, you will feel plenty more power.

I have a 550 in stick config, and a 550 with 650 cam, totally different feel. 

[dave500]

to quote barry sheene,"an ounce of power is worth a pound of handling",having posted that put the two together and it all should be so much better?

[Tews19]

New tires make a significant difference. My 550 right now has old knobby tires and I can't get to crazy in turns and twisties. .... Plus I didn't out in tapered bearings or rebuild the forks. Those simple tasks make a world of difference.


Now I need to start my other 550 build soon

[kghost]

i dont like the feeling of sitting on 80 in a straight line for long though,its not comfortable for me on these after a short while

Ummm we ride on the twisty bits Dave.......

But last time I checked you had no problems at 80 MPH.

[Bankerdanny]

I am looking forward to having a 550 to ride again soon.

I am seriously considering selling my Goldwing once I am sure all is sorted. While I will miss the plush ride and electric motor smoothness. The 550 will do all that I really need, including long distance rides, and I can spend the money from the Wing on rebuilding the engine on my MG.

[cosmicvision]

i just use cotton wool in my ears on longer runs,i find the proper ear plugs give me an odd not quite with it,too cut off feeling?

Yeah I feel the same way, I rode with earplugs once & it was really weird, like riding in a car with the windows up. I wanna hear that engine! The cotton is a good idea though, the wind noise is a little much sometimes.

[Lostboy Steve]

I got used to the ear plugs when i wore a Brain Bucket on my Buell. Not so much for noise but I tend to get ear aches from the wind. I always have even since a kid. I can still hear through the ear plugs. The key is to not jam them all the way into your ear canal. I dont really have pics of the ride but I do have a few vine videos.

[750K]

#$%*in rights, sounds like a good day. I've been thinking of picking up a 550four lately, I really like the thought of a smaller more nimble version of my 77k. But we shall see, my eyes are bigger than my garage is at the moment and I'm no good at selling toys...

[Lostboy Steve]

[Tews19]

Great pic. 

[Lostboy Steve]

That was later in the event. Believe it or not a lot of people had left already. Again out of all of that there was only one other single cam and it was in a different area for a show, a little cb400 four.

[grcamna2]

Ride 'em hard.  They love it.

+1 Nice account of your ride,I felt like I was there w/ you