Author Topic: She's home! (Read 2039 times)

Jeff · « **on:** July 30, 2006, 10:27:04 AM »

Yesterday I picked up my 77 CB550K. I found this bike on this forum, in the Bikes for sale. It was sold by Butch, cafe69. So far so good! Funny, I was 2 when it was built, and it's older than my wife.

More pics in the gallery.
http://www.sohc4.us/gallery/v/members/personal/Jeff+Cook/

Jeff

cbjunkie · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:29:20 AM »

shweet!

is it a good runner already or will you be putting in some fix-up time?

have a great time!

g8ts · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:34:03 PM »

SWEET !!! She looks in great shape...

Jeff · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:47:17 PM »

Thanks!

She is in pretty good shape. It weeps oil a bit, but not much at all. The exhaust is loud and obnoxious and needs some attention. But overall, it's a good runner. I might just ride it around the block over the next few days just to make sure though.

Jeff

g8ts · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2006, 02:10:07 PM »

Ya, I only ride mine within walking distance to the garage. Have not had that much time to get her dialed in yet.Besides its dam hot out here. But she is running !!! So now I have to get new points,time,valve adj and fine tune the carb's. I think I will drill out the side holes on the jet tubes to .040 like I saw on a hondaMan post and seen if that smooths things out... Here is a pic... Before this summer she's just been sitting in the gargage for to many years

bryan · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2006, 03:14:08 PM »

I want a 550 now. That's the best looking 550 I've seen!

g8ts · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2006, 04:02:53 PM »

See now Jeff, you are giving them all 550 envy...

Jeff · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2006, 04:45:07 PM »

I dunno, he may have been talking about your 550 with those sweet pipes!

Jeff

angeldeville · « **Reply #8 on:** August 01, 2006, 03:29:33 PM »

nice bike,
I wish I was about 200Lbs lighter or I'd get a 550, it's all I can do to get my poor 750 up to 115mph

g8ts · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2006, 07:34:08 PM »

Jeff,

Get some miles on her and give us an update on how she run's...

Yours is the sweet looking bike ...

Jeff · « **Reply #10 on:** August 02, 2006, 06:38:29 AM »

So far I've ridden it around town a couple times, and to work and back once, for about 70 miles total. She runs pretty good. 60mph is spinning 5k rpm. No baffle in the muffler means it's obnoxiously loud, especially if I'm getting after it around 6k rpm. It has a VERY comfy seat, although it's small size has made it easy for me to slouch, then my back starts hurting. I just need to sit up straight.

Overall it's running pretty well, although I did notice gas on the garage floor yesterday. I shut the petcock off and that prevented any more leakage. When I fill up the tank again I'm going to run a bit of Seafoam through it to clean out any crap. The previous owner didn't ride it much, and I don't think the previous previous owner did either. Hopefully just riding it alot will help getting it to run better.

I really want to replace the exhaust, but I don't really want to spend $300 for the Mac chrome megaphone setup, and I don't care for the black Mac system that's on there now. And even if I could find a good stock setup, I surely couldn't afford it. Anyone have any suggestions on revamping the exhaust to have it look good, sound decent (and not as loud) on a tight budget?

Oh yeah, the backrest came off shortly after I got home - looks better already:

Jeff

dusterdude · « **Reply #11 on:** August 02, 2006, 10:37:03 AM »

Quote from: angelpena on August 01, 2006, 03:29:33 PM

nice bike,
I wish I was about 200Lbs lighter or I'd get a 550, it's all I can do to get my poor 750 up to 115mph

is it a k8?

gasguzler · « **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2006, 11:07:28 AM »

IMHO that black pipe looks hot... keep it!

Jeff · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2006, 12:10:41 PM »

One in good shape might not looks so bad, but in person is doesn't looks so hot. The end cap is kind of bent up, from the baffles being ripped out. Plus it's very rusty. If you look closely at the headers and collector, it's not pretty.

Jeff

g8ts · « **Reply #14 on:** August 03, 2006, 07:34:50 PM »

Your right looks better with out the backrest.

If you are on a budget, I would just take the pipes off, give them a good sanding and re-paint them for now. You could use some exhaust wrap also might pretty her up a little. Then if money's allow down the road get some chrome 4-1 setups. I like mine quiet.

Nothing like a quiet cruise down the old country road...

Jeff · « **Reply #15 on:** August 03, 2006, 07:57:54 PM »

I've thought about getting the pipes sand blasted then painted black. But the muffler is nasty ugly, and bloody loud. I don't mind louder than stock, but this is a bit ridiculous, albeit slightly funny. I've thought about cutting the pipe off at the muffler, sticking a baffle in the midpipe, then welding on a nice looking exhaust tip. It'd be different looking, I'd assume quieter, but I don't know for sure, and if I blast the the headers and paint them, then problem solved... maybe.

The Mac chrome megaphone 4 into 1 looks nice, but I don't want to spend the $300 on them. Plus I'm not sure on the long term quality of the Mac, due to the current setup looking like crap.

Jeff

StevieMac · « **Reply #16 on:** August 04, 2006, 07:44:05 AM »

Are you sure the baffle isn't removable on that pipe? You may be able to remove it and wrap the baffle with muffler packing to quiet it down.

Jeff · « **Reply #17 on:** August 04, 2006, 08:06:48 AM »

There is no baffle in it. A previous owner took it all out and threw it in the trash.

Jeff

StevieMac · « **Reply #18 on:** August 04, 2006, 08:19:02 AM »

I seeeee......

I'd probably see if I could find a round baffle to fit at an auto parts store. I've seen ones I'd imagine would work.

Jeff · « **Reply #19 on:** August 04, 2006, 08:20:27 AM »

That would definitely quiet it down, but it wouldn't make it any less ugly.

Jeff

Jeff · « **Reply #20 on:** August 04, 2006, 01:03:50 PM »

Does anyone have an idea of the cost of ceramic coating? I got a quote of $20 to bead blast the exhaust, but powder coating won't withstand the heat. Ceramic coating will, but I have zero idea of how much it costs.

Thanks,
Jeff

cbjunkie · « **Reply #21 on:** August 04, 2006, 01:30:33 PM »

man...super cool ride...

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Author Topic: She's home! (Read 2039 times)

bryan

gasguzler