Author Topic: 1975 CB550K Cafe Conversion - Runs on Blood (Read 5384 times)

ScottyCB550 · « **on:** February 15, 2014, 09:56:16 PM »

Hey everyone,

I am a new member here. I am new to any sort of motorcycle building. I had an introduction page over here:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=133927.0 if you haven't read it yet. So, I'd figure I would start with my project thread today.

I finally got around to working on the bike today only to find out I had less time than I anticipated. I got some tools moved in to were I am working and only got about an hour in before I needed to head out.

You can see pictures of the bike I picked up in my introduction thread and you can see a time lapse of today's work in the video below, enjoy:

My camera stopped about half way into this video, I was able to get my front light and turns out as well today, but that's about it.

I also got some Yoshimura pipes today in the mail. Chris at GP Motowerks sold me his display one, saying he didn't plan on making anymore this year until maybe next winter. Lucky, lucky me

More videos to come.

As always, you can follow me on Instagram, Tumblr and Vimeo.

- Scotty

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2014, 07:02:00 AM »

Day 2 Video Posted on Vimeo.

Had some time to kill the other night.

De-badged the tank, removed the brackets
Stripped the paint with some paint stripper
Removed the primer and (hardly) any rust with the angle grinder (80/120 grit flap discs, wire cup)
Soaked the petcock in some pinsol
replaced filter and o-rings on the Fuel tank bung side
Polished everything with the dremel.

Then I couldn't bring myself to hammer in the knee dents. The tank was just so damn good looking. I will soon.

Next steps:

Weld in some filler on the tank bracket areas, grind em out to shape.
Electrolysis the tank
Paint.

Done with the tank. Onwards elsewhere.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2014, 07:38:42 AM »

Got a template I made by cutting a brown paper bag then cover it in painters tape.

This gave me straight lines where needed. I then "keyed" it by taping some flag points that had marks on them for the corners of the tank and edges to be used for both sides so I could make it as symmetrical as possible.

You can see in the end of the video my outline drawn on the tank, came from my template

Might cut them and swap and have a friend TIG them, but most likely will just hammer it. But I want as little filler as possible.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2014, 10:02:35 AM »

Well I hammered in some knee dents.

That was boring/stressful.

But it all came out great over time.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2014, 06:58:02 PM »

Very nice work on the knee dents.

Trad · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2014, 07:22:05 PM »

I agree with Don. They look great!

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 02, 2014, 09:15:20 PM »

So that's were everything's hidden...

I did not see that coming.

Some more work today, but not much. Was snowed in most of the morning. No new video but I will have an update with one of those real

Oh, and when in doubt... Tin snip it out. This piece was so on. So far, it's the been the only thing I had to destroy to get out. That and I snipped one wire between the front indicators.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 03, 2014, 04:50:39 PM »

I didn't get a chance to physically work on my bike today, so I toyed around with this idea.

Thoughts?

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2014, 06:44:04 PM »

Quote from: calj737 on March 03, 2014, 05:23:59 PM

Are you planning on sticking with stock forks and geometry? If so, I like it. I'll pass along the advice of many others, if you rebuild the forks, consider emulators from Racetech. The upgrade is rumored to be significant.

On the front edge of the clamp, have you considered where/how you will mount gauges? May not want to recess that edge if you haven't.

I have the Racetech package (springs and gold valve emulators) on the GL1000 front end on my CB750K7. Combined with a Telefix fork brace, it is outstanding compared to stock.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 03, 2014, 08:27:28 PM »

Quote from: calj737 on March 03, 2014, 05:23:59 PM

Are you planning on sticking with stock forks and geometry? If so, I like it. I'll pass along the advice of many others, if you rebuild the forks, consider emulators from Racetech. The upgrade is rumored to be significant.

On the front edge of the clamp, have you considered where/how you will mount gauges? May not want to recess that edge if you haven't.

Don't think I will be running gauges, have not decided. I can thicken up the chamfered edge, for now, I just liked the angles for running some threaded LEDS right there.

Will keep stock suspension I believe.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 15, 2014, 06:58:53 AM »

Well, I have

Some notes on this breakdown. When I was removing the suspension. I loosened all the triple tree bolts but left the wheel on for balance while I finished something up. When I realized that my bike was a but wobbly on my stand I lowered it to fix my ratchet straps and center it. I unknowingly put weight on the front wheel, which in the unbolted state and only having the lower triple tree, it bent the ever living holy hell out of the clamps. Totally cashing out the lower tree. A stupid newby mistake.

Also I got super lazy and tried to remove the engine with the oil filter housing on and the front engine mount brackets still on. So you'll see me struggle and make a mess for a second.

Other than that. The whole bike is broken down. A couple of parts in various buckets soaking now to clean up.

Next up. French my taillight and turn signals into the frame loop. Started with making my own wiring harness but that's just been buying wire and connectors and measuring and drawing. I'll post a wiring diagram to get double checking soon.

Thanks

-Scotty

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2014, 07:22:38 AM »

Those were some crusty headstock bearings!

dagersh · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2014, 01:08:36 PM »

Your videos are awesome!

Nice work so far!

SUBSCRIBED!

Gersh

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 15, 2014, 04:53:42 PM »

As much success as people had with electrolysis, I hate it. That or my setup was just flimsy. It also didn't work the best for me. But oh well. I reverted to shaking the ever living hell out of it with a handful of hardware tossed inside.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2014, 01:51:57 PM »

I chopped my frame down in a

Frame trimmed down

Dipped then soda blasted the carbs (Spare Junkyards for comparison)

Picked up a new top tree from CognitoMoto

Follow Me On Instagram/Tumblr for more pictures!

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2014, 05:53:10 PM »

Nicely done, SS! Cool video, too.

jtran000 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 04, 2014, 12:33:51 PM »

wow, this is great...love the vids! keep em coming please

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 12, 2014, 11:53:20 AM »

Have been so busy at work, haven't been regularly working on the bike. But last night I stayed up til 3am reassembling my carbs. Having a junkyard set of carbs was insanely helpful. I left them in the picture, which basically shows the quality of the before and after. Luckily, my junkyard carbs have #100/#40 jets in case I need to try a different tune (#115/#38 in my rebuilds (Pods/4-1 Yoshi Exhaust (Shut up, I don't want to hear it about pods, plenty of people have gotten them to run fine))).

From disassembly, soda blasting, cleaning and soaking, scrubbing, rebuilding, it probably took me 8 to 10 hours. This is the first time I had ever worked on a carburetor, besides spraying down my outboard motor with carb cleaner... I learned a lot from it, really glad I carried through with it.

Also, I got a nice little package in the mail.

Statenheimer · « **Reply #18 on:** April 12, 2014, 03:57:25 PM »

Where is that gauge from?

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 12, 2014, 06:30:11 PM »

Quote from: calj737 on April 12, 2014, 05:47:54 PM

Looks like a Speedhut gauge. They're very cool devise, fully customizable, and extremely well-priced.

Correct, order was custom with a few emails. They ran 25% for the month of March.

10k Tach/ 120 MPH GPS Speedo. No Turn signals.

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 23, 2014, 07:23:14 AM »

Haven't been updating as much as I'd like. Recently has just been a lot of time with wire-cup brushes, CLR and other crap cleaning up the bike.

I did cut a rear light slot into my frame loop and made a special spring clip bracket to house an LED rear tail light. this slips into place and then is backed in on the backside of the loop with some M5 screws and whiz nuts to get from backing out.

I did press some arcylic lenses, but I could never get them in and molded well enough to the small area that is the slot for the tail light. So, I went a different route and pressed the flexible LED all the way out in the loop the best I could. I don't have a picture so I made an MSPAINT drawing, but there is a minor gap between the light and the loop. I would LOVE to get this gap as flush as possible (and then tinted to match the black of the frame). Anyone have any advise for a resin or clear body filler or something I can use to fill the gap would be appreciated. The gap isn't much, I am just a perfectionist. Also it would help seal my light a bit to keep water from getting into the frame, even though I backed the light itself between the spring clip with a rubber gasket.

Here's a side view of the loop.

KrautKoffin · « **Reply #21 on:** April 23, 2014, 05:24:56 PM »

following you on IG, cant wait to see the progression of this bike!

ScottyCB550 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 23, 2014, 09:23:12 PM »

Quote from: calj737 on April 23, 2014, 05:16:17 PM

will the frame hoop be exposed, or will the seat cowl cover it? If the cowl covers it, cut an opening for your light bar in the cowl, then, from the backside, push your clear lens through. Drop this unit over the frame with the light. Weatherproof, clear lens, custom fit. You could also run some silicone around the frame cutout to seal in the light and the weather out.

Yeah dude thanks! I am going to try that clear silicone method first. The cowl will not cover it, I can always drop in a lens later. However, the slit is pretty small and I am having a hard time finding a thin enough piece of arcylic that bends that to that angle very well.

I am gonna do the gel method on a spare piece of metal tomorrow. Thanks!

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Author Topic: 1975 CB550K Cafe Conversion - Runs on Blood (Read 5384 times)