Topic: 500/550/650's that followed me home

[RAFster122s]

Rb, what color was the base before the orange went on? Wondering if a silver or a white base could change the outcome to make the orange pop more to a likeable color. If you have any left it would be worth a test on something to see.
The blue looks good.

Calj does nice work, don't think that would be throwing you under the bus, just throwing un-welcome work your way...you always can say no...decline.

David

[calj737]

I'd never say "No" to Tews. But I'm not sure my schedule would allow a near-term painting. I do have to re-paint the tank and seat and fender on my 550 since my boy ditched it, but that's not until Sept.

[rb550four]

RAF, I shot the metal flake orange lacquer on light grey primer, didn't have a solid color ( like white) in lacquer to shoot first. With some other non lacquer paints ( also in the orange family) that I've used I've shot a bright yellow coat first, that makes the top color coat   pop.
  I always wanted to try a 60's old school large metalflake  paint job like on the old funny cars and dragsters  but on a motorcycle I feel that there just isn't enough body surface to balance the size of the flake tastefully. but I still like that style even so.
 Sorry Tews, sorry calj, seemed like a good fit to me , thought it could benefit both of you, it was an idea that just didn't take considerations for anyone's schedules.
 

[calj737]

Easy, I was just busting chops. 

[rb550four]

I was sidetracked by daughter #1 last week. She got a hold of a Honda Twinstar in very poor condition that she wants to be her first bike, she's tired of riding the b1tch seat on her boyfriend's Harley and wants to drive.
As luck would have it, I was strolling down a flea market lane , just minding my own business, when this absolutely filthy, and maybe a little rusted 1700 miler blue Twinstar called me from  the corner of a tent. Well , what else could I do, so I asked the man what he wanted for it, he said $350 stearnly, I said  I'll give you a hundred, he said it cost him 150, I said I'll take it for 160, he said yes. On the trailer it went.
 took it home , washed it and removed minor surface rust, cleaned the carb , the petcock, and removed mouse nest in the air box. Changed the oil. 6v battery on order today. in search of missing rectifier, both side covers , and ignition but when the battery arrives I'll hot wire it and see what it does. This darn thing looks like it's brand new with just a washing. I was amazed.
 Once it fires up and I can play with it , just to test it out ya know, then I'll be back on the 550/650.

[rb550four]

And so, I was redirected once more to another project that was hiding out in the corner that I've been threatening to finish for a while. The Sidecar.
  For those who kinda remember the Camo Bike , a sweep the floor type of rebuilt engine project that was to be a sidecar project too but I never got around to it. Well the time has come and I am. This is the paint job this afternoon on the Velorex Sidecar that will be attached to the 550 Camo Bike.

 All sanded, painted with a spray can for a change (it's kind of fun...no clean up) Army green , drk forest green , khaki, and brown. All in flat . Then topped off with a duplicolor clear with a multicolor metal flake that makes it look like a rainbow over the paint in the sun. I like it.

 I've been putting some of the trim parts back on it.

so it looked like this  before dinner.
After dinner I installed a windshield and camo'd a Shoei hard  box for  rear storage on the grill. It's been a fun day.
For those who don't know the project,

This is where I left it.
 The 550/650 is getting done inbetween  other things at this point, but it will be finished soon.

[riverfever]

The sidecar project looks awesome RB. What's the plan with that? Are you gonna keep it? How different is that to ride/maneuver?

[rb550four]

I don't know how it's going to handle yet , I haven't had it attached yet. I found suitable exhaust for it on my last parts bike score and it's just been waiting for me to get to it.
 As for what to do with it, I was going to put a potato gun on the nose of it..... but I heard if I drop the barrel down to an inch and a half from 2" I can shoot citrus, it's supposed to fly further and cause less damage.
 When life hits ya with 550's...hit em back with lemons! or however the saying goes....yeah , that must be it.

[rb550four]

The daughter's Twinstar ....battery,points, carb clean,new seat  and small backrest and rack. runs great getting tires on it this week so I can get it the hell out of here.
This should be fun, teaching 28 year old daughter how to ride, i kinda wish that she had a dirtbike when she was young so it isn't so strange to her, I'm a little worried about this whole thing.
  Meanwhile I 'm trying to fit some accel wires on the 650 coils ,  but it will probably run like sh1t  with them on. It's my first time changing plug wires to other than stock, I really like how they look. Has anyone else done this and did it right? Any pointers?

[Bankerdanny]

Ah, another Johnny Dangerously fan, excellent.
On the job outright cursing is a no no usually , but  it is acceptable to slaughter the English language like that , get the point across, and lighten up the mood a little....How bad can that be right?

I painted something for a friend once....ONCE!

[calj737]

I painted something for a friend once....ONCE!

Ah see, I don't have that problem as I have no "friends". Makes it easier to do favors for people. Just do it because you can or want to, no "friendship" to get in the way.  Problem solved.

[rb550four]

So, This Saturday's plan was to finish up this 550/650. I have some odds and ends to deal with , nothing big, and I am waiting for the UPS guy to show up with some parts that I might want to drop into the mix, but he hasn't shown up yet.
  On the way to work, pouring 10 seconds of sugar in a cup of coffee,  a man that works at the local car wrecker yard tells me that something showed up at the yard. Something that might interest me, and they are holding it for me til I get there. Well , that was almost all I could think about all day. Luckily , today is Friday and I usually leave a little early on Fridays because I've put in a week of 9 hr days and all of them sucked.
But today was different...no , it still sucked, but this something of interest has got my goat and there's just no way that I'm not getting to the junkyard before it's closed, so I got in the truck and down the road I went.
I get there and it's a 79 650, looking kinda sad, and lonely, and I don't have a 79. So I asked the man what he wanted for it just for fun. You know that I have been trying to curb my addiction and haven't been purchasing new projects... Anyways he says , here's the keys and the title....a hundred bucks. And before you could say Bob's your uncle, I already laid down the hundred and said put that motherf****r on the truck.
   Yeah, I fell off the wagon, I'm backslidin', left rehab...screw it.
Here's the next,next,next project

[Stev-o]

It does look kinda sad, like a lost puppy dog.  Don't blame ya for saving it. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Steal of a deal - $100!!!   

[rb550four]

So here it is , Saturday, around 3:30. The piddly little things I planned to finish up on the 77 550/650 F didn't happen. I was in the garage ready to start and my eye kept drifting toward that 79 650. Sad looking  for sure, in fact, it was so sad looking I couldn't take it anymore....just because it came from a junkyard doesn't mean that my barn should look like a junkyard too. 
  There was some extra lacquer left over from the last spray, and this poor bike needed a facelift, even if it'll be sitting in the corner by itself all winter , it was so ugly and rusty that it was bad for morale. Something had to be done, so I stripped the tank down , sanded the side covers and removed the obvious rust.


 There, now it can sit quietly in the corner for a while.
Oh , and if someone has a spare decent 79 650 seat, I'd like to talk to you. Thanks.

[Stev-o]

Instant transformation, not sad anymore. 

[Tews19]

Rb I am curious about a few 550/650 parts and if they are interchangeable. 550 frame with possibly the 650 front end? Will it work and most importantly does it function better then the 550 front end? Also in the thread you mentioned you punched out the frame to take a 650 swing arm. What benefit does this have?  Sorry if you covered this but I reread the thread again tonight and didn't see anything mentioning the advantages. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The front should be a direct swap. Depending on the model, the 650 forks may be longer. They include air pressurized forks on some models. The brakes are better. 

[Mcwilliams570]

Nick the 650 swing arm is a bit longer than the 550 also most 650 forks are longer than the 550 as cb750 racer fan said.

Matt

[Bankerdanny]

The later model 650's also use leading axle forks in addition to the extra length of the tubes.

[rb550four]

The 650  swingarm is about an inch and 3/8 longer than the 550. The inside curve happens  a little later toward the  mounting bolt, I like it because I can get a little wider tire in there with no clearance issue and I also think the ride is improved , especially if the 650 shocks  are used. I also like to use the 650 spoked wheel , not the 650 custom , those are comstocks, not a big fan.
 The entire front end is a direct fit from 550 to 650 on the lower tree and neck, uses the same bearings....I use the entire front including the  original 650 wheel, brake, and axles.
 I think I used an 81 custom once and although it had comstocks , it had longer air assist forks and dual front disc brake. The 650 ,with spoke wheels did not come with dual disc front brake and the forks (that I have ) aren't as long as the custom model.
 Note: mixing and matching 550 wheels onto 650 forks big PITA , could work but you'll be making a custom axle. There is no easy dual front brake . The non custom 650  spoke wheel will not allow you to put on a second disc on it as you could do with the 550 wheel.  So if you are looking for a dual front disc, you will be going with the 81 custom (I think off hand) front end or the 550 with a custom machine axle, but I think it'll get even more involved when it comes to calipers and mounting....can't say how much more involved as I haven't done that route yet. I've seen other members try but don't remember the outcome.
  I find the 500/550 to be a nimble but semi harsh ride . The 650 parts , I find, make the ride less harsh, which I feel besides being more comfortable ,  it feels like a safer more control-able ride, which makes it even more nimble.
All of this will not change the fact that with a stock 550 engine /trans /sprockets , you still won't be able to do the ton.... but I think it makes it a better ride with no aftermarket parts, and I wouldn't do it if there wasn't a "parts" 650  in the garage.

[Tews19]

Thanks for the great write up RB! This is what I've been eye ballin for over a week.

I'm not sure if the paint is factory. I like the pipes. Solid and no rust. Curious what will the 650 get to in speed? This is an 81. I read 113 tops. I never plan to ride that fast just curious as I'm dying to do a 550/650 build.

[2strokeTrush]

I'm not sure if the paint is factory. I like the pipes. Solid and no rust. Curious what will the 650 get to in speed? This is an 81. I read 113 tops. I never plan to ride that fast just curious as I'm dying to do a 550/650 build.

Im Dying to watch you do a 550/650 build!

[Stev-o]

I'm not sure if the paint is factory. I like the pipes. Solid and no rust. Curious what will the 650 get to in speed? This is an 81. I read 113 tops. I never plan to ride that fast just curious as I'm dying to do a 550/650 build.

Im Dying to watch you do a 550/650 build!

I'm dying to see Tews finish his 550 build. 

[Tews19]

Lol.