Topic: 1975 CB550K1 - Stock-ish Restomod - More Mods

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don, the blasted engine covers turned out really nice. Seat profile looks super. Are you happy with it now?

Yes finally!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Back at it with the 550K1!

After a setback a year or so ago trying to develop a hydraulic clutch actuator and the slave cylinder not providing sufficient throw, I decided to go with a proven solution -- Godffery's Garage's Oberon-Hydraulic clutch conversion cover.

Jeff aka Godffery starts with a CB500 clutch cover (yes, a CB500 cover for a CB550 clutch), mills a hole in the center and attaches an Oberon slave cylinder to a plate (that is tig welded into the inside of the cover) and has the cylinder actuate the clutch pushrod.  And (for added functionality) mills a second hole into the lower right potion of the cover for an oil sight glass.  Here are some progress photos of the cover coming together.  To say I'm excited about it is an understatement.

Milled cover, Oberon slave cylinder and mounting plate
CB550 HCK V.3 3093 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Cover milled for sight glass (check out that sweet machining)
DSCN3893 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Sight glass mocked up and ready for tig welding
DSCN3895 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

[PeWe]

This is for your beatifully modified CB550 with really good brakes?
Yes, when brake hand has a fantastic life while riding, why not the clutch hand?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

This is for your beatifully modified CB550 with really good brakes?
Yes, when brake hand has a fantastic life while riding, why not the clutch hand?

Exactly.
This also provides a smooth and lighter clutch lever action.

[seanbarney41]

amazing how you keep finding ways to improve that bike!  Could it possibly be the best street 550 in the world today?

[PeWe]

I had this smoother clutch design in my mind today during a ride with hard clutch, Barnett CB500/550 springs in my blue CB750.
Left hand excercises.

[Blackfin5]

Very cool modification, Don.  I think I have a spare blue anodized clutch reservoir by Rizoma if you want it.  I may even have a bar mount, but if I do its 22mm.

[Blackfin5]

Yup..same as this

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Thanks, Kevin. My buddy Philippe already gave me a Beringer clutch MC to use although I might need to adjust the size to match the Oberon slave cylinder.

PeWe: that was the exact reason. With Barnett heavy duty clutch springs, it makes the clutch lever action much heavier.

[grcamna2]

subscribed 
Jeff does good work.

[PeWe]

I'll look around how to make the existing clutch hydralic.
I do not want clutch slip, so the hard springs are probably needed. Barnett CB750 springs are softer.
On some longer rides I do not use clutch when shifting up, work fine without.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Jeff aka Godffery back at it!  Sight Glass and Slave Cylinder mount all tig-welded in place. 

Untitled by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Untitled by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Untitled by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Untitled by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Next comes Glyptal sealing. 

[PeWe]

Look really good!
Fine craftsmanship to admire!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hydraulic Clutch Cover from Godffery complete!

DSCN3913 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

New silver glyptal coating

DSCN3914 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

Can't wait to install this and see how it works!!

[grcamna2]

Don,that turned-out very nice.I hope it is as smooth and progressive as can be and makes shifting great. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don,that turned-out very nice.I hope it is as smooth and progressive as can be and makes shifting great. 

Me, too!!

[RAFster122s]

Very unique bit of kit and nice work.

[PeWe]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

[grcamna2]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

These are installed on your bike with the 550 engine,do you have that engine pumped-up ? 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

These are installed on your bike with the 550 engine,do you have that engine pumped-up ? 

This motor is fairly stock.  I was getting some clutch slip at higher revs.

[algophobe]

nice one Don, always taking it a notch or two up!

[PeWe]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

These are installed on your bike with the 550 engine,do you have that engine pumped-up ? 

This motor is fairly stock.  I was getting some clutch slip at higher revs.

-Slip with motorcycle wet clutch oil?
I often used car oils in the 80's.
It got Mobile 1 I thought should be good.
When I slammed in 5th gear at WOT, it slipped. Reduced throttle a little, WOT again it sounded like shifting to a needed 6th gear

A few years earlier (mid 80's) Castrol GTX2 that worked fine. Engine took some oil when riding fast all day long on Autobahn.

Easier today thanks to Internet making it easy to improve the knowledge and read others experiences.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

These are installed on your bike with the 550 engine,do you have that engine pumped-up ? 

This motor is fairly stock.  I was getting some clutch slip at higher revs.

-Slip with motorcycle wet clutch oil?
I often used car oils in the 80's.
It got Mobile 1 I thought should be good.
When I slammed in 5th gear at WOT, it slipped. Reduced throttle a little, WOT again it sounded like shifting to a needed 6th gear

A few years earlier (mid 80's) Castrol GTX2 that worked fine. Engine took some oil when riding fast all day long on Autobahn.

Easier today thanks to Internet making it easy to improve the knowledge and read others experiences.

Without getting into an oil discussion, I am using appropriate spec oil.  I was getting some slip at high revs under heavy load, so I swapped to HD springs and replaced the plates.  The pull of the cable clutch (yes I lubed the cable) is someone stiff so I wanted to do the hydraulic actuator.  I'm getting Godffery's new clutch cover/slave cylinder today or tomorrow, so I'll be installing it this week.

[grcamna2]

I like that too, will look as stock for non CB550 people.
A bolt on kit for more bikes would be fine. Or a gearing mechanism making a hard clutch softer.

With the Barnett springs on my 550, it's a pretty stiff pull.  It's manageable but not as easy to feather.

These are installed on your bike with the 550 engine,do you have that engine pumped-up ? 

This motor is fairly stock.  I was getting some clutch slip at higher revs.

-Slip with motorcycle wet clutch oil?
I often used car oils in the 80's.
It got Mobile 1 I thought should be good.
When I slammed in 5th gear at WOT, it slipped. Reduced throttle a little, WOT again it sounded like shifting to a needed 6th gear

A few years earlier (mid 80's) Castrol GTX2 that worked fine. Engine took some oil when riding fast all day long on Autobahn.

Easier today thanks to Internet making it easy to improve the knowledge and read others experiences.

Without getting into an oil discussion, I am using appropriate spec oil.  I was getting some slip at high revs under heavy load, so I swapped to HD springs and replaced the plates.  The pull of the cable clutch (yes I lubed the cable) is someone stiff so I wanted to do the hydraulic actuator.  I'm getting Godffery's new clutch cover/slave cylinder today or tomorrow, so I'll be installing it this week.

Don,are you going to have a larger piston in Godffery's new slave cylinder,and I imagine that will be a better ratio for your clutch master cyl. piston size(12 or 14mm?)to give it usable travel plus less resistance.