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Author Topic: 550F/K Free Bird The FINAL STRETCH mark  (Read 11862 times)

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Offline Restoration Fan

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #50 on: August 31, 2015, 03:02:08 AM »
Never seen a motorcycle carrier that attaches like that to the trailer hitch.  Pretty cool.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #51 on: August 31, 2015, 06:49:02 AM »
First time you tow like that it's Nerve Racking. The bike has a tendency to lean into corners...... And that just freaks me out.
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #52 on: August 31, 2015, 07:52:28 AM »
Quote from: straat-toe on August 31, 2015, 06:49:02 AM
First time you tow like that it's Nerve Racking. The bike has a tendency to lean into corners...... And that just freaks me out.

I don't know if I'd be so comfortable seeing that.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #53 on: September 01, 2015, 03:01:47 AM »
Yes. I nearly Shat myself the first time. Definitely better to be riding the bike than towing it.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #54 on: September 18, 2015, 03:11:55 AM »
Quick little update guys.

The short has been fixed. The sparky's couldn't find it either, so he redid a bunch of stuff and now the fuse is no longer popping. Still need to finish the seat up before I can take it out and give it a test run. I also took the opportunity to paint my air-box with Rustoleum plastic paint. Checked the Carb boots for damage. Found none. I ordered Honda S clamps for the boots. Hopefully that stops the jump to high revs when I shift into N. 

I also managed to get the old seat-lock working. So i'll be refurbing the Plunger to attach to my new Carbon seat pan.

So here's my first ever attempt at mold making and laying up. . 

It came out pretty good in the end. Don't judge me too harshly on the top of the pan.....all i can say is if you think you have enough releasing agent in the mold...give it another 3 layers of wax. I had to break the mold off so it's a bit messy. But that will get foam over it anyway.  It fits really well and weighs a 3rd of what the metal pan did. 

So now with Carbon-fibre lessons learnt I will be tackling a shorter fender to fit under the Tarozzi brace...Hell I might get carried away and make a carbon rear fender! But i'm going to try not to. ha ha.

Parts on order from Honda:
 Missing Seat rubbers.
Carb boot clamps.
New Rubbers for Seat lock plunger.                                           

PS. Screw Fiber Glass.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2015, 03:15:53 AM by straat-toe »
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #55 on: September 18, 2015, 05:54:38 AM »
Thanks for the hint Cal.
 I think I'll do that where the hinge bolts and plunger mounting points are. Is it to late to lay some more carbon for support on the underside now that it's cured?
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #56 on: September 21, 2015, 12:13:46 AM »
Cool. I'll get onto strengthening it up a bit more before I get it recovered.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #57 on: November 27, 2015, 03:27:50 AM »
Hi all.  Just a quick update. I have reinforced my C/fibre seat pan and had the bike running and getting the idling dialed in again. Just waiting for the last few bits from Honda(for almost 2 months already :( ) before I get the seat redone.

I ordered the seat rubbers and a new seat lock plunger and original S clamps for the air intake rubbers. I should just have ordered from the 4into1 store. Would have had the parts a month ago already.

Goddamn you HONDA!   
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #58 on: July 10, 2016, 06:01:25 AM »
Ok so I'm probably the most infrequent poster on here.

So on the 550.... I finished the seat but didn't measure the distances correctly.So there was a huge gap between the seat and tank that was keeping me up at night.mI've fixed that now with some brackets at the bottom of the seat so I can move the seat lock and hinge to get the right placement. The seat also came out with a bit of a fuller figure than I wanted. But it's been growing on me.

I upgraded the front brakes with some phenolic pistons from Godferrys Garage. Braided hoses and a double banjo bolt/switch combo. Bike stops on a penny now.

On the front fender I have been trying my hand at shaping ABS plastic. I just haven't been able to get it  just right. So I sourced a old Suzuki fender that I started cutting. Just need to finish that and I'm of to the races. I have figured out a system for mounting the fender under the Tarozzi brace.

I also had my Exhaust and Caliper's ceramic coated. Woop.

And I'll be giving her a fresh lick of paint in the next month or so....and when I say me I mean a professional painter.

Here's some pics.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2016, 06:21:29 AM by straat-toe »
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #59 on: July 10, 2016, 10:45:58 PM »
So here is the new and improved seat position.

I can sleep at night. I do think the hump on the back of the seat is too pronounced though....
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #60 on: July 11, 2016, 11:05:15 AM »
The seat looks good. Well done.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #61 on: July 11, 2016, 01:06:14 PM »
Thanks. I'm finally kinda happy with it.
Onwards and upwards. I'm waiting on a Ignition system from Honda-man for the 550 currently.
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #62 on: July 13, 2016, 10:59:51 AM »
3 Posts in 3 days.
I'm setting personal records here.

So I bobbed my Fender. Just need to clean it up a bit now and get it mounted on the fork brace.

It doesn't look half bad....even if I say so myself.

All Hail DREMEL! 
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Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird
« Reply #63 on: July 13, 2016, 11:07:29 AM »
That turned out very nice. I am not a fan of the no-fender look.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird The FINAL stretch mark
« Reply #64 on: July 13, 2016, 11:22:18 AM »
Yeah Totally. I'm not a fan of my brake hoses and speedo cable chaffing against the tyre either.

I really wanted the fork brace. But the 76's fork lowers are the short kind. So the stock fender wont fit under the Brace. Hence ABS experiments and finally the Suzuki fender that I cut. I wasn't keen on cutting the original 550 fender as it is still in pretty good nic. I'm thinking of making a bracket out of some alu for the two hoses to mount to top of the Fork brace. I kinda drilled and tapped 2 holes into it for mounting the fender before I came to my final solution. 

Coming along nicely now.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2016, 11:32:37 AM by straat-toe »
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Offline straat-toe

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Re: 550F/K Free Bird The FINAL STRETCH mark
« Reply #65 on: July 17, 2016, 01:28:58 PM »
Update

So I have successfully mounted the fender. It clears the tyre and the brake lines clear the sidewalls. It all lines up rather nicely. I think it looks the tits. Just need to clean up around the edges a bit more and clear coat the cuts holes and underside to prevent rusting.

On a side note. I scratched my fork-brace during mouunting so I'm going to have to repaint it now...maybe a gloss black....
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