Author Topic: 1976 CB500/550 Project "Squirrel" (Read 279230 times)

riverfever · « **Reply #150 on:** December 15, 2013, 11:52:09 AM »

I started playing around with where I want to mount the plate today. This is what I'm thinking about.

The plate the "plate" will mount to will be curved and the same size. License plate will mount to it. The tab at the top is where the led will mount and I'll create a small "hood" and weld it around the top of that to hide the light and keep it shining down. Thoughts?

riverfever · « **Reply #151 on:** December 17, 2013, 06:16:54 PM »

Got some work done on the plate bracket today.

I thought a lot about how to mount this thing. I chose this route because I really wanted it to seem like it was floating. Once that bolt is tight the bracket doesn't move around so I don't think there will be any issue with it going into the spokes but I may weld on some small tabs underneath just to be safe.

I still need to work out the mount for the led but I'm waiting for it to get here before I start on that.

dagersh · « **Reply #152 on:** December 19, 2013, 10:44:08 AM »

River,

Beautiful work so far, the bike look s great!

After all that gorgeous work on the tank - do yourself a favor and seal it with Caswells or similar to pretect the inside, especially with today's ethanol levels in fuel. Its easy as pie and when done right is bulletproof (as far as protecting against corrosion - not bullets...)

Oh, and SUBSCRIBED!!!

Gersh

rb550four · « **Reply #153 on:** December 19, 2013, 02:09:02 PM »

Will you be running with a chain guard? Does it fit? Weld tabs on that bracket sounds like it should be done, definitely, only one mounting bolt that can act as the swivel point if it gets loose. No one wants to see the bracket in the spokes.

riverfever · « **Reply #154 on:** December 19, 2013, 04:49:56 PM »

Thanks Gersh…I'll look into the sealer.

RB…I will have to trim the chain guard ever so slightly to make it fit. I'll plan on welding some small tabs for insurance. I've learned a lot doing this project but I'm still pretty naive and continue to pick up things along the way. Like…wiring. My original plan was to make something simple to hold the led in at the top so it shines down on the plate. I was going to run the wires underneath the plate to the bottom of the bracket and then bring them along the swing arm securing them with some zip ties and then up into the electrics. Now I'm not so sure. Should have thought this through better. Maybe I'll end up putting the plate back on the fender but I really wanted it in this spot.

rb550four · « **Reply #155 on:** December 19, 2013, 06:23:10 PM »

I've never done that kind of licence plate holder in that position. But if I were to do one exactly like yours , I would consider soldering or brazing a piece of flexible metal tube from the top of the bracket at the light, attach it to the radius behind the plate, add a offset solid tab to be held in place by the mounting bolt w/lock washer, continuing the run either on the side or underneath the swing arm to a hard bend just past the swing arm bolt and into the V in the frame . This is all for housing the wires, I would probably make a small bracket and attach it to the front chain guard bolt on the swing arm instead of a zip tie, paint it black and run wire through it. But that's me shooting from the hip. You have problem solving skill , why give up on your design so quickly? No pressure here, you have time, see what you can come up with.

rb550four · « **Reply #156 on:** December 19, 2013, 08:48:39 PM »

Maybe some shinny new brake line as the tube? Stainless? Still thinking about it.

riverfever · « **Reply #157 on:** December 20, 2013, 03:42:25 PM »

That's exactly what I was thinking about RB….brake line. It'll be super small, hardly noticeable, and easy. LED showed up today. After winter break, I'll get that all buttoned up.

riverfever · « **Reply #158 on:** December 23, 2013, 02:34:12 AM »

Today I painted the master cylinder, sanded and polished out the lever, and installed new grips in lieu of the rock hard ones that came with the bike.

calj737 · « **Reply #159 on:** December 23, 2013, 05:58:59 AM »

Looks beautiful. Don't forget the headlight bucket now that the bars and controls look so darn pretty!

riverfever · « **Reply #160 on:** December 23, 2013, 07:59:36 AM »

It's amazing what a little elbow grease will do. The headlight bucket and top triple tree are probably next.

riverfever · « **Reply #161 on:** December 24, 2013, 05:31:40 PM »

This is a hideous seat cover.

My kick ass wife took careful notes and ordered me a new cover from David Silver Spares. She also let me install it today. It was a PITA. Looks so much better now. The loose area in this photo is on both sides and is because the foam was broken down a little from the stock strap. I can live with it. My new mirrors showed up today and those went on too. It's really starting to come together.

I also got out for a bit today and did some fly fishing. This is one of the most lit up Bows I've seen in a while. Gorgeous. Happy Holidays everyone.

riverfever · « **Reply #162 on:** December 27, 2013, 12:50:15 PM »

Nothing new to post yet but I did pull the top triple tree, headlight bucket and the ignition bracket off and the paint is drying right now. Looking at the head tube got me thinking. I haven't ridden this bike much at all but once (right after it died and would not restart) I was coasting it back down to my house (I was at least smart enough to ride uphill although I didn't plan it that way). This is going to sound really stupid but I'm gonna present the situation/question anyways. I know this is not smart to do and I don't plan on doing this but I let go of the handlebars and the front end almost immediately started to shimmy and get worse until I grabbed the bar again. This would not happen as long as I had at least one hand on the bar (again…this is not routine but now I was trying to figure out if there was an issue). I may have been doing 15mph when it happened. I have had the bike up to maybe 45 and never experienced anything like this (although I keep both hands on the bars). The only reason I am asking is because if there is an issue, I want to get it addressed this winter. I do not feel any play in the steering bearings but I had planned on swapping to tapered ones before the spring. I have heard of a tank slapper and just don't want there to be any issues like this while riding safely. Should I be concerned?

riverfever · « **Reply #163 on:** December 27, 2013, 03:19:03 PM »

The paint on the triple tree was hideous from the brake fluid leak.

I removed it, the headlight bucket, and the ignition bracket that I made and painted them all up. This picture is horrible but just a little elbow grease went a long way here.

calj737 · « **Reply #164 on:** December 27, 2013, 03:45:08 PM »

It's possible that your shimmy comes from a badly balanced tire, bent forks, or other front end steering/suspension ailments. While you're replacing the stem bearings, look over the forks really well, check the rim for true-ness and be sure the tire is balanced. To properly check the steering bearings, the front end should be off the ground, bike supported elsewhere. Then give it a mean old "yank" forward and aft, and have someone hold the bars and check for lateral play as well.

Should not have behaved that way, especially at 15 MPH.

riverfever · « **Reply #165 on:** December 27, 2013, 03:51:10 PM »

OK that's what I thought too. While there is a weight on the rear wheel, there is nothing on the front. It wouldn't doubt me if the guy I bought it from opted to not balance the front. The motor didn't match, the carbs did need going through and the front tire is on backwards. I'll probably wait a while though because I was hoping to get new tires before I really started riding it. Thank you.

riverfever · « **Reply #166 on:** December 27, 2013, 09:12:26 PM »

Cal I never asked but wanted to know if you painted that orange tank with spray can or with an actual paint gun?

calj737 · « **Reply #167 on:** December 28, 2013, 04:48:30 AM »

Neither, that's the factory paint. I knocked some dents out of it for another forum member, then wet sanded and buffed the paint back to a really nice gloss. It's ask Bly offered as a color reference when you were asking about sunrise orange.

Regarding your tires, they should be replaced if they're older than 5 years. Look on the sidewall for a manufacture date. Bias ply tires dry rot and lose their sidewall integrity. Don't only refer to the tread depth for usability. Watch the dates!

riverfever · « **Reply #168 on:** December 28, 2013, 07:52:35 AM »

Oh those tires are ancient. The front is a Sears tire. I'll let you know what the dates are just for grins.

riverfever · « **Reply #169 on:** December 28, 2013, 07:58:53 AM »

Someone that recently looked at my bike said they thought the license plate would look better if the bracket was bent a bit more so that the plate (even though curved) more closely matched the angle of the shock. Said he thought it would flow better. I hadn't noticed it until he mentioned it. As I've gotten into this project and started making changes, I always wanted things to end up being more minimal and I think it's going that way. With the plate, I also don't want to attract law enforcement. I think the view of the plate from the back is perfect right now. I worry that bending it that way will make it more difficult to see. It would also make the bracket more complicated and I like how it's simple. I just need to come up with a light before I ride at night (which could be a while). Right now I am reconsidering the light mount and thinking about putting it under the plate. This would keep the top clean. I just have to figure out how to make a simple box to house it. This would also make it easier to hide the wiring. Thoughts?

calj737 · « **Reply #170 on:** December 28, 2013, 02:33:26 PM »

Use the LED mounting bolts. Serves both purposes...

robdrobd · « **Reply #171 on:** January 01, 2014, 08:58:14 AM »

Very nice work!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

riverfever · « **Reply #172 on:** January 01, 2014, 05:31:48 PM »

Thank you.

So, once again, my lovely wife has come through and offered to buy me something for the motorcycle. Gauges. These are the ones I've been looking at from Dime City.

The tach:

This is the speedo.

Now...I was going to order side covers from DCC as well because one of mine is destroyed (cracked in about 5 places and held together with Duct tape). But...I may hold off on that for a bit. Now I think it would be smarter to order a left hand control so that I can do all the wiring of the new gauges and horn (need to find one), try to get the high beam working, etc. all at once so I don't have to take the headlight bucket off again.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #173 on:** January 01, 2014, 07:46:09 PM »

Quote from: riverfever on January 01, 2014, 05:31:48 PM

Thank you.

So, once again, my lovely wife has come through and offered to buy me something for the motorcycle. Gauges. These are the ones I've been looking at from Dime City.

The tach:

This is the speedo.

Now...I was going to order side covers from DCC as well because one of mine is destroyed (cracked in about 5 places and held together with Duct tape). But...I may hold off on that for a bit. Now I think it would be smarter to order a left hand control so that I can do all the wiring of the new gauges and horn (need to find one), try to get the high beam working, etc. all at once so I don't have to take the headlight bucket off again.

Good idea in sticking with wiring/electrical/gauges. Why have to open up the rat's nest again? You can always do side covers later.

riverfever · « **Reply #174 on:** January 03, 2014, 08:04:13 PM »

So I live about 15 miles from some extremely good fly fishing water that I spend a lot of time on in the summers. One section of water has pullouts every so often on a paved road and I've been thinking about whether I could ride the motorcycle there. I need to be able to carry boots, waders, net, and backpack. I know I could throw a milk crate on the seat but I'd like it to look good. Would it be possible to mount a set of aluminum cases to the sides of the bike? Anyone seen this done?

News:

Author Topic: 1976 CB500/550 Project "Squirrel" (Read 279230 times)