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

[rb550four]

No cutting, the engine will slip right in.
The electrics can be a different story, I  use the 650 wiring harness and all the goodies that go with it, it is a tight fit with a stock 650airboxand the 650 battery location.... Although ScottS did the switch a couple years back and used the 550 harness, he also upgraded to a Pamco  and Pamco Pete installed it as I recall, Scott said he had to add a wire but didn't know where and to what,I haven't had a need to try the 550 harness yet but I don't think it'll be a mind bender to use it ( and less expensive electronic crap to replace  and install), perhaps I'll go with the 550 harness next time but I usually switch the entire 650 donor to the 500 or 550 frame.

[rb550four]

Don,
I'm sorry ,I haven't done a parts number check on those parts so I can't give you an answer on that, perhaps another member would know offhand.

[Tews19]

I have a 78k frame. I thought that is the same frame as any F?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I have a 78k frame. I thought that is the same frame as any F?

I know the 74-76 frames differ from the 77-78 frames, but I heard that the K and F frames have a difference where the exhaust hangs on the F bikes on the right side of the frame.  I'm not sure about this, though.

[rb550four]

Tews,  it is similar , not the same, the side covers on the 78 k is longer much like the earlier Ks The 76 and 77 F have the  shorter, more rounded and compact look about them

I'm thinking the top brown side cover is from a 78 like yours, the bottom left is from a 76 F and the one on the bottom right is the early K ... if that helps.

Would this be more or less your 78?

Because I was just thinking that this may be a 77 according to the seat and that bike is at another location right now so I can't check

[rb550four]

Don , I have discovered that the rear peg/ exhaust hanger mount are in different places between the f and the k, the 650 pipes hung on the orange 500 frame was a direct bolt in  and the same pipes on the 77f misses by around an inch and requires alternative methods of hanging.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don , I have discovered that the rear peg/ exhaust hanger mount are in different places between the f and the k, the 650 pipes hung on the orange 500 frame was a direct bolt in  and the same pipes on the 77f misses by around an inch and requires alternative methods of hanging.

Thanks, RB.  Are the exhaust hanger mounts in the same location for the 74-76Ks and the 77-78Ks?  The frames are definitely different as to the passenger peg brackets.  The bigger question is whether my 82 650C 4-2 exhaust will mount up to my 78 550K frame.

[rb550four]

Don, I can't tell ya, I haven't had an 82 650 yet. It could be as simple as making new triangular rear brackets to the  mounts, it shouldn't get any harder than that in any case .
 Oh , and since you have both bikes there , the question that I don't have a confirmed answer for is the front sprocket, do the 550 and 650 interchange on the output shaft? the chain sizes are different you know and I haven't had a chance to see if they are interchangeable or if the rear sprocket is also interchangeable... maybe I should just go outside and look now... I'll check in when I get back.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

True. It shouldn't be any big deal. 

[rb550four]

Okay , I'm back. The rear sprockets will not interchange. I don't have a 650 opened up in the barn right now so I can't confirm a front sprocket switch.
Will you be using the 650 swingarm and rear wheel for this project? If so you'll be better off with the stronger 650 chain too.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'll be using a boxed style swingarm. Will need to turn spacers for the rear wheel.  I may use the 650 rear hub.

[rb550four]

So it's Saturday,it's been raining for a change, and I've swept out the barn. Then  thought, What better kind of day than this to trailer the next project  to the one clean space  left in the work area. That way, I can disassemble it and paint it before it gets too cold. The plan with this one , is to unchop the semichop.
  I built it a few years back when I wanted a chopper look but didn't want to cut the frame    ( a good thing to do if you think you may grow out of it), and I grew out of it.
 It has very extended forks, extended a 3 inch swing-arm , Kawi pipes, and I made a single seat (that is now on a different machine), and a dark metalflake green frame, and a metalflake greenish gold body color . These things will be going back to stock, I think, except for the exhaust...I kinda like that.
  Here's what it is in the garage.It's the gold bike. Oh, and there's a where's Waldo shot too.



Well, now that it's here , I can start stewing about it while I work on the 77. Oh oh , shaky pictures, I think a gin and tonic may be in order.

[Stev-o]

Is that Waldo with the cig in his mouth?!

[rb550four]

Yeah

[rb550four]

For those wanting three extra inches...
Of course we all want it, but not on the swing arm . Handling is effected a little more than slightly, again, you can get used to it and it's fun to show it off, but as any lady will tell you, if it doesn't improve performance, then it really isn't necessary.
That's why the swing arm is being changed to the slightly longer , stiffer , 650 swing arm.

Few items can be as sexy as a 650 swing arm on a 550.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Nice selfie.

[Tews19]

Is that Waldo with the cig in his mouth?!

Seriously funny comment!

[rb550four]

So I took an hour off from work and shot home to play with the semi chopped 75 550, the gold one,I've been playing with it for 3 hours , switching the extended forks onto the donor. Then doing a seal change , change the forks til the engine comes out and general tear down. The 650 swingarm (replacement) has been stripped and has a protective 1st coat on it.
  I'm hoping to have the engine out and have a nice trip to the carwash so's I can degrease and blow some dust off it tonight. Doesn't look that chopperish anymore.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

So just to recap, this will be a 550 frame and forks, and 650 motor and swingarm bike, right?
Or is it a hybrid motor?

[rb550four]

This one is even simpler than that. I built this one a few years back,the rebuilt stock engine is very good. I did some other than black frame paint, extended the swing arm 3 inches and added long forks. The forks will be going back to stock, the frame goes back to black, the swingarm will be a 650's with 650 shocks, engine will get fresh paint , the chopped painted fenders will be back to chrome, a 2 up seat, some fresh paint and a general cleaning up.
   Not an earth shaking project.... but it's on the bucket list, and it's getting done. The next project  after that will be an even more boring freshening up the stock 650, that's on the list too.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

This one is even simpler than that. I built this one a few years back,the rebuilt stock engine is very good. I did some other than black frame paint, extended the swing arm 3 inches and added long forks. The forks will be going back to stock, the frame goes back to black, the swingarm will be a 650's with 650 shocks, engine will get fresh paint , the chopped painted fenders will be back to chrome, a 2 up seat, some fresh paint and a general cleaning up.
   Not an earth shaking project.... but it's on the bucket list, and it's getting done. The next project  after that will be an even more boring freshening up the stock 650, that's on the list too.

Solid. The 650 big bore in a 550 frame is my project after my next project.

[rb550four]

I haven't upped the cc's on a 650 yet, sounds allot like  stuffing a 750 into a 550 without the weight. Cool ! I would like to see you do that, sounds interesting, and fast. Cafe? or sleeper?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I haven't upped the cc's on a 650 yet, sounds allot like  stuffing a 750 into a 550 without the weight. Cool ! I would like to see you do that, sounds interesting, and fast. Cafe? or sleeper?

I'm planning on using the Dynoman 674 kit. You can use stock 650 sleaves with it. Not a huge displacement gain but better compression. That and a ported head. Still trying to figure out the rest of the build. It will have a GSXR front. Maybe a cafe but I like the idea of a street tracker.

[rb550four]

I'm not totally up on the lingo street tracker , so I googled it,  what I got out of the pics  was a street bike ... a cafe strip down....with a  flat track seat , bars, and possibly number plates ? Is that about right? Cool. I think I like it better than a cafe, looks more rider friendly .
   Got to the carwash last night. A light sanding. Hung the fame off a long beam attached to my pick up truck 's rack infront of the garage instead of shooting it in the loaded garage, 3 dripfree coats of gloss black done.      Great day for a ride.     Didn't turn  the ride  facing the door last time,so I had to back it out of the garage.  I was distracted by a ringing phone on the way out.
  Yeah,  backed it right into the hanging frame...messing up the paint and new T shirt...guess I sand the shirt fuzz off the paint and give it another shot tomorrow.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'm not totally up on the lingo street tracker , so I googled it,  what I got out of the pics  was a street bike ... a cafe strip down....with a  flat track seat , bars, and possibly number plates ? Is that about right? Cool. I think I like it better than a cafe, looks more rider friendly.

My interpretation is a flat tracker for the street.