The following novel will be my ineffective attempt to summarize.
I wrecked my first bike, a vstar 650 (no injuries but totaled none-the-less) and put the insurance money onto debts thinking that my old lady would approve, leaving myself enough to buy an old bike and make something out of it. Well, the old lady didn't approve and said that I should have picked out something newer and more reliable, and then the bike I picked up turned out to be a whole lot more worse off than I thought... a double backfire that I wouldn't change a bit. I will stop here to simply state that I love motorcycles, especially vintage and antique motorcycles and this experience has become the best opportunity for me to really understand what it means to say that, and the greatest part is now my lovely wife understands what old bikes mean to me as well.
I initially was just going to do a few cosmetic changes as that was my skill level from my previous bike, I like lines and asthetics and the best option for me to get a really killer looking bike in my budget was going to be in a cafe style. I really liked the subframe and wetsump features of the cb550, and this platform lends itself to the budget minded shopper so I had a target. I found what I thought to be a good candidate and got started, but after digging into it I found a lot more wrong with it than I had figured when giving it the test ride and once over. At that point I had been off a bike for around 3 months and already had figured If I was going to put time into it I should do it as right as I could afford... so I decided to tear it down.
Broken rings, missing gaskets, rusted out helicoil, a swamp in cylinder 3, snapped exhaust studs, frozen brakes, ect. my work was laid out for me and I knew that any future rides would be happening on my father in laws collection of higthawk 650s when I visited back home. To me that has been the most challenging part, deciding to build a bike and learn the lessons that such a task brings with it without having another bike to ride. But it had to be done so the part ordering began and I got to work. I dont have any special tools, I bought a grinder, a set of bolt extractors, and a backtap from harbor freight, I worked on flagstone patio out behind my old house and on the deck and on the floor of the basement in my new house so this hasn't been anywhere near ideal, but I've been able to get a result that I am quite happy with.
The bike is in what I consider phase 1, as it currently stands it has a shaved and painted frame, new rings, new gaskets, fresh carbs rejetted with stacks, gl1000 rear shocks, new cables, champion deluxes, clip ons, gum grips, rebuilt brakes, clutch lever, 1/4 turn throttle, 1978 cb750ss tank, new fuel lines and petcock, carpe 4 into 1, custom seat/rear section, new chain and rear sprocket, axel mounted tag and tail light, a simple wiring kick-only harness with a small 8amp battery and oregon cycles reg/rec. under the backend, and some hand polished bits here and there. I still am waiting for the leather work, a slim pad brown seat and cover for the stacks. Later for phase 2 Id like to get some nice rear sets, new bearings front and back, fab some new headlight mounts, powdercoat the frame, pull polish and brush finish the motor and other bits, switch up to progressive front and rear, and maybe box in the underside of the rear section for a little tool storage.
Sorry for such lame pics, I travel a lot as a musician and haven't been home since finishing the bike. Dean Middleton (CB racer, Fuller Hotrods, owner of Atlas Cycle) is dialing her in at the moment, double checking my work seeing as this was my first build. I will try my best to get to his spot in the next few days to get some good daylight shots. Here are a couple few from the course of the build.
Deceivingly pretty, right?
A perfect working environment
a concrete floor is an upgrade, actually bought a house and had a baby during this build
Last picture before the bus left, I call it the gist. The bike looks the same now but the rear section covers the frame in back better, lines up with the tank, and they have both been shaded brushed and cleared, hoping to pick up some emblems at the Barber fest swap.
Im super siked to be nominated in the botm thread, thanks for putting my project in the running... and Im only up against two perfect bikes built by guys who know exactly what they are doing and executed it all perfectly
. Seriously though if it weren't for this community I'd have a bunch of pieces in crates, and even less hairs on this gorgeous head of mine. However, I'd also have some money to speak of having never have reached the full blown aids level of obsession with these machines that I am at now. I just wish we could talk twins as in depth too as my next project is a cb350 track bike for the AHRMA season next year.
If you are around Atlanta Im riding the gentleman's ride on the 29th and if you are headed to Barbers this year keep an eye our for me and the 550.
thanks again,
Chris
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