Topic: Spare time cb550 cafe build

[RobbyD]

Some of you may be wondering were this build thread went...  Lol lets just say it involves me leaving my cell phone on the coffee table, phone still on and on my build thread and a 1 and 2yr old playing with it. 

So here's the second build thread on the same build lol

Quick back ground on me.

My name is Robby and this is my first bike and first time actually having the chance to build something like this.  Truthfully I never liked motorcycles until I stumbled upon the "cafe style".  I like the bare essentials, 2 wheels, a motor and wheels looks.
This bike will be sold shortly after it's complete (sadly).  I'm a buy and sell buy and sell kind of guy unfortunately and anytime I have a chance to turn a profit Ill sell it.  I think I really enjoy building it and seeing all these thoughts in my mind come to life more then I do hanging onto something. 
My wife and I have 4 young children and I work 6-7 days a week so it leaves little time for this build hence (spare time)
Anyways...  I'll post what pics I have in as close to in order as possible.

Starting with the day I bought it



Happy owner of a saweet purple cb550 in unknown running condition



Carbs were off the bike and gunked up worse them any carb I've ever seen
Cleaned them up and rebuild



Ordered a seat from Ian over at caferacerseatandtank.com



Got some clip ons




Shaved down the mounting bosses on the upper tripple at work



Bike loaded up for the move into our new house




Right after we moved into the new house, got the bike running and right after this pic started tearing it down



No motor



Fabbed up a battery box, ordered some parts









Detabbed frame



Tail light-eBay china special



More parts




Sandblasting for paint.  Used appliance export on all gloss black painted parts



Painted parts




Frame, swing arm, top triple and wrong caliper powder coated candy blue over metallic silver





Nasty motor


 
Little better..



Finished cleaned, painted and in the frame



Roller



More parts



Checking tire clearence, looks gooooood



More parts




Header wrapped.  Not crazy over how it turned out, looks decent...



Motor back together.  Had a leaky head gasket, base gasket and other random seals.  All replaced.
Running a mls head gasket from cycle x,
Also went ahead and put new valve seals in it while I was in there

[RobbyD]

Fast forward to today...

Got my tank and seat back from my buddy and the look great!!! 

Was starting to get discourged with the progress I was making in the build but I've found some time here and there to get some stuff done.

Taking the weekend off for work to get some more done. 

Anyways, sorry to all that was following.  Lol I've for sure learned my lesson on leaving my phone out in the reach of a house with 4 kids lol




Not sure how I feel on the Honda wings yet

[Trad]

Looks sweet man! I dig the Honda wing logo on the tank.

[RobbyD]

Thanks trad.

I was thinking of just peeling the wings and leaving the Honda.  We'll see

This damn thing is getting to the point were it looks to good to sell lol

[RobbyD]

Well today has been a great day

Got my seat, tank and headlight bucket back, ordered my gauge faces and float bowl o rings and I just picked up parts from the powder coater

Had the correct caliper done, all 4 float bowls and carb tops.  Sorry for the crappy pictures

[Tews19]

Nice progress!  Your PC guy must love you!

[RobbyD]

It's scary having a guy that PC less then a 1/4 mile from my house lol.  Everytime I walk out to my garage I start thinking about all the thing I could get powder coated. 

[arncruz]

Welcome back RobbyD,
I thought I was going crazy looking for your thread cuz I wanted to see the tire and wheel set up.  I was going to do something similar for my rims.  I have 19x1.85 and 18x1.85 new rims for $50 each from david silver spares.  I wanted to paint them black and put on similar tires.  When you used the epoxy appliance paint, did you use rustoleum self etching primer on the chrome?  Also I know you had used shinko tires can you tell their sizes again- I planning on ordering the same ones. 

Thanks again

aRnold

[RobbyD]

Thanks man

When I painted my chrome wheels I bead blasted them to etch the chrome and give more bite for the paint to stick to.  I didn't use any primer, with the paint being an epoxy there's really no need for it.  The appliance epoxy looks great and is tough.  I put those carb float bowls that have been powder coated gloss black next to some stuff I used appliance epoxy on and it has the exact same amount of gloss just a little less black

Tire size is 100/90/19 and 120/90/18.  I've read with the fatter back tire they are known to get squared off, but at 50$ a tire I'm not worried about it.  Both are shinko 712's btw.

[RobbyD]

On a side note, my 3 day weekend of getting stuff done has started off slow.  I've been sick all day along with some of kidos.  I've messed around with a few things on the bike but nothing to call home about.

Trying to cram all my electronics into this...

[vonvendetta]

Should have gone with the deep pan!

[RobbyD]

I would have if they were being made when I ordered mine... #$%* happens, I'll make it all fit one way or another

[RobbyD]

Well today I feel like I actually made some progress.  Trying to stuff all this wiring an such into this electronics pan has had me a little aggravated but I think I have it figured out.  Gotta grab some wire and make an extension starter wire. 

Tomorrow at work I'll get the tabs welded on for the shifter and brake linkage

[Ravie]

Awesome progress. You ought to do a blue seat pad...  haha..  I have a sick mind for that.

[RobbyD]

Awesome progress. You ought to do a blue seat pad...  haha..  I have a sick mind for that.

Thanks Ravie.  I'm not far from firing this thing back up.   If I knew someone local that does upholstery work, I was considering black leather with blue stitching though

[Ravie]

Awesome progress. You ought to do a blue seat pad...  haha..  I have a sick mind for that.

Thanks Ravie.  I'm not far from firing this thing back up.   If I knew someone local that does upholstery work, I was considering black leather with blue stitching though

That would look killer.

Sent from my HTC One V using Tapatalk

[RobbyD]

Welded up and bead blasted

[arncruz]

RobbyD,
Sorry if I asked this question on your previous thread but what size wheels and tires are you running?  Where did you buy from.  Revzilla sells for about $50-60 each. 

thanks
Arnold

[RobbyD]

100/90/19 on the front and 120/90/18 on the rear.  My wheels are stock, they were bead blasted then and painted

[arncruz]

RobbyD
Thanks Again. 

[RobbyD]

No problem at all buddy

[RobbyD]

Today is a day of celebration!!!  I have to extend a couple wires still but this thing fired right up.  I have a smile that can't be wiped off my face!!!

http://youtu.be/om9cFEYMPQE

Only leak I see that I have is the oil pan gasket... Maybe I pinched it, idk.  I'll pull it off this weekend and take a look.  Oh and the smoke in the video is the header wrap

[arncruz]

What an awesome feeling to have the engine that you rebuilt start right up.  Nice work!  Hope mine does that too. The engine sounds strong. 

[RobbyD]

It was an awesome feeling.  I've never had to dig into the inside of a motor before so I was nervous for the first start up.

On the to do list for the weekend:

Finish wireing
Rebuild master cylinder and bleed brakes
Put new gauge faces on
Possibly make my seat pad
And let'er rip tater chip

[Tews19]

Welded up and bead blasted

Looks good. I need to fab something like this for my 550