Author Topic: 1975 CB550K1 - Stock-ish Restomod - More Mods (Read 153906 times)

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #150 on:** August 17, 2014, 04:40:07 PM »

This bike is so much stinkin' fun to ride. So light and easy to flick from turn to turn. I took a great ride up and down the coast through Venice, Palos Verdes, San Pedro and Long Beach today. Great twisties through Rancho Palos Verdes.

This frame is going to make for an excellent platform when I get around to stuffing a 650 big bore into my spare 550 frame!

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #151 on:** August 17, 2014, 04:59:54 PM »

Quote from: calj737 on August 17, 2014, 04:57:57 PM

I'm glad one of us got to ride today... Or yesterday. Or the day before. Looks like Tuesday before I get to road test the 550. Only been waiting a week for F's sake

I guess the "silver lining" is that the roads will be empty on Tuesday!

sixthwisconsin · « **Reply #152 on:** August 17, 2014, 05:07:42 PM »

Empty and nothing but twisties... that Va... loved riding there.

sixthwisconsin · « **Reply #153 on:** August 17, 2014, 05:26:20 PM »

I rode to Winchester in 2012. Spent the weekend shooting black powder (hint as to where my screen name comes from!) before continuing south to Front Royal. Took Skyline to Blue Ridge Parkway down to Roanoke. Amazing ride and after the leafers so we had good riding with not too much traffic that needed to be dispatched. I will admit that this trip was on a modern sport touring bike and not an sohc.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #154 on:** September 01, 2014, 02:08:50 PM »

An absolutely epic 6-hour ride today through the Malibu canyons -- including a stop at the Rock Store. I pushed the little 550 hard and it delivered some serious fun!!

The Snake on Mulholland, Stunt Road, Tuna Canyon Road, and Latigo Canyon Road -- all "must" rides for anyone who makes it to SoCal.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #155 on:** September 02, 2014, 10:22:35 AM »

A few impressions from riding the 550 hard in the canyons:

(1) The rebuilt forks with Race Tech emulators and the fork brace provided good feedback and stability;

(2) Even with a dual rotor set up with braided steel lines and stock calipers, braking power was sufficient but I did get a wee bit of vibration that unsettled the bike once when trail braking into a hard corner.

Performance is all relative. When I jumped off the 550 and onto a modern bike, I could ride much faster, brake much later, accelerate faster, etc.

For as flickable as the 550 is, I think a modern front (something I'm going to try on my next build) will rectify these issues.

flatlander · « **Reply #156 on:** September 03, 2014, 05:05:29 AM »

that's a good report, thanks!
indeed, a modern off-the-shelf bike would be faster overall but.... where's the fun in that?

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #157 on:** September 03, 2014, 09:08:05 AM »

I will definitely leave this bike in its stock-ish configuration, but for spirited riding, I'm looking forward to using a modern front end. The bike had a nasty little moment getting settled entering a turn.

rtbmrgl · « **Reply #158 on:** September 05, 2014, 04:41:00 PM »

Quote from: CB750 Cafe Racer Fan on July 19, 2014, 12:32:29 PM

The bike looks great, love the green and the pipes

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #159 on:** September 06, 2014, 01:45:48 PM »

Some photos on the Snake (near the Rock Store) from last Monday's ride:

_D8C1650-ZF-9139-90318-1-001_zps6d453aae by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

_D8C1669-ZF-9139-90318-1-003_zpsadb75081 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

albertaboy · « **Reply #160 on:** September 06, 2014, 10:44:42 PM »

Awesome photos!! That green is a great color too.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #161 on:** September 06, 2014, 11:21:51 PM »

Quote from: albertaboy on September 06, 2014, 10:44:42 PM

Awesome photos!! That green is a great color too.

The photographer must have had a very quick cycling flash.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #162 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:26:39 PM »

Opinions?

I have some pretty good rust pitting on my stock front DID wheel rim. I have a spare, BUT I was debating whether to swap it for an aluminum hoop (Excel or Sun). But then I will need to rebuild both wheels to match. Potential winter project: polish and PC wheel hubs and rebuild with new hoops.

OR I could just focus on my next 750 build, and address the 550 wheels in the future if and when they really need it.

Tews19 · « **Reply #163 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:28:46 PM »

If the rust hinders the ride fix but I would leave it as is and move on to the next project. Yet again you have year round riding.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #164 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:34:20 PM »

Quote from: Tews19 on September 23, 2014, 02:28:46 PM

If the rust hinders the ride fix but I would leave it as is and move on to the next project. Yet again you have year round riding.

It doesn't really have any effect -- other than aesthetics. I notice it since I see details. I think the ROI is minimal. From a logical perspective, I should probably wait a few years to do it, upgrade the wheels to aluminum, and maybe swap my forks for the spare set of 1978 forks I have (polished lowers and new fork tubes). Then I can run the Tarozzi brace with the fender, which looks more period correct than the current Tkat brace.

First world problems.

That said, I've notice the nights are getting cold -- down to the low 60s in the middle of the night. Brrrrrr!!

Tews19 · « **Reply #165 on:** September 23, 2014, 02:57:33 PM »

That said, I've notice the nights are getting cold -- down to the low 60s in the middle of the night. Brrrrrr!!
[/quote]

Oh that's grimey! We hit 60 now and we are happy!

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #166 on:** September 23, 2014, 03:05:33 PM »

Quote from: Tews19 on September 23, 2014, 02:57:33 PM

That said, I've notice the nights are getting cold -- down to the low 60s in the middle of the night. Brrrrrr!!

Oh that's grimey! We hit 60 now and we are happy!
[/quote]

Yeah, but you have Cycle X, the Packers (STILL no NFL football team in LA), lots of German food, mid-West farmers' daughters and cheese. All good! We just have blazingly hot women that have attitude and/or are head cases.

Except for my girlfriend, of course!

Tews19 · « **Reply #167 on:** September 23, 2014, 03:10:08 PM »

Quote from: CB750 Cafe Racer Fan on September 23, 2014, 03:05:33 PM

Quote from: Tews19 on September 23, 2014, 02:57:33 PM

That said, I've notice the nights are getting cold -- down to the low 60s in the middle of the night. Brrrrrr!!

Oh that's grimey! We hit 60 now and we are happy!

Yeah, but you have Cycle X, the Packers (STILL no NFL football team in LA), lots of German food, mid-West farmers' daughters and cheese. All good! We just have blazingly hot women that have attitude and/or are head cases.

Except for my girlfriend, of course!

[/quote]

Farm girls?

? Sigh...... Only if you knew.

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #168 on:** September 23, 2014, 03:13:09 PM »

Quote from: Tews19 on September 23, 2014, 03:10:08 PM

Quote from: CB750 Cafe Racer Fan on September 23, 2014, 03:05:33 PM
Quote from: Tews19 on September 23, 2014, 02:57:33 PM

That said, I've notice the nights are getting cold -- down to the low 60s in the middle of the night. Brrrrrr!!

Oh that's grimey! We hit 60 now and we are happy!

Yeah, but you have Cycle X, the Packers (STILL no NFL football team in LA), lots of German food, mid-West farmers' daughters and cheese. All good! We just have blazingly hot women that have attitude and/or are head cases. Except for my girlfriend, of course!

Farm girls?

? Sigh...... Only if you knew.
[/quote]

What?! The Beach Boys lied!?

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #169 on:** September 23, 2014, 04:17:23 PM »

I don't know about the no make up, etc. I just thought they were sweet, pretty, down-to-earth girls!

Free Booter · « **Reply #170 on:** October 15, 2014, 10:52:41 PM »

Have a TKAT fork brace on my 750. I love it!

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #171 on:** October 18, 2014, 04:19:19 PM »

I'm trying to rid the bike of speed wobble that seems to come on at about 80-85 mph. Very unsettling.

The bike has new roller bearings in the steering head and wheels (front and back), and new bronze swingarm bushings.

The only thing not replaced were the bottom bushings for the shock mounts.

Any other ideas??

Tews19 · « **Reply #172 on:** October 18, 2014, 04:23:45 PM »

Is it possible the fork fluid is uneven? Or possibly the tire needs to be trued?

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #173 on:** October 18, 2014, 04:26:46 PM »

Quote from: Tews19 on October 18, 2014, 04:23:45 PM

Is it possible the fork fluid is uneven? Or possibly the tire needs to be trued?

Fork fluid is even -- checked when the forks were rebuilt with new RaceTech internals.

I'll lift the wheel and spin it to verify for trueness.

It's strange that it only comes on at the "frequency" of that higher speed.

Tews19 · « **Reply #174 on:** October 18, 2014, 04:30:35 PM »

Is it possible maybe the wheel itself moved on the rim?

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Author Topic: 1975 CB550K1 - Stock-ish Restomod - More Mods (Read 153906 times)