Topic: Patina Hyena - 550/650 674cc Hybrid Cafe Build

[calj737]

I'm not sure I agree with your belief that continuity is a better indication of circuit health. It takes virtually nothing to get continuity. Resistance on the other hand is a measurement of the quality of the signal and will indicate shorts, corrosion, poor connections, etc.

The Key switch does need to be grounded itself via the mounting hardware. The handlebar switches are also grounded via their mounting to allow power (from Black, BR/WHT, etc) to be transferee and delivered to a component.

Dave, I think your earlier measurements indicate a poor quality switch.

[DaveBarbier]

I'm not sure I agree with your belief that continuity is a better indication of circuit health. It takes virtually nothing to get continuity. Resistance on the other hand is a measurement of the quality of the signal and will indicate shorts, corrosion, poor connections, etc.

The Key switch does need to be grounded itself via the mounting hardware. The handlebar switches are also grounded via their mounting to allow power (from Black, BR/WHT, etc) to be transferee and delivered to a component.

Dave, I think your earlier measurements indicate a poor quality switch.

Yes, I agree that the switch is poor quality. On order is a Honda switch from an earlier bike because it's small like the crap one I have so I can put it in the same place. It's used, but off a low mileage bike, the seller says.

Resistance seems like a better test but I don't know what's acceptable. Is .6 ohms too much resistance? Should it be closer to .2 or something? Or do I have a good ground already?

Thanks for the input.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Maurice]

I'm not sure I agree with your belief that continuity is a better indication of circuit health. It takes virtually nothing to get continuity. Resistance on the other hand is a measurement of the quality of the signal and will indicate shorts, corrosion, poor connections, etc.

The Key switch does need to be grounded itself via the mounting hardware. The handlebar switches are also grounded via their mounting to allow power (from Black, BR/WHT, etc) to be transferee and delivered to a component.

Dave, I think your earlier measurements indicate a poor quality switch.

Cal, I mean that when chasing a short you will have a hard time on resistance alone. Most times shorts are intermittent and only show up when a wire touches something else. Resistance will be infinite when you happen to be measuring, most times. Besides there's no specs on what resistance usually is between most points, except when you're testing inductors.

Most times I find them (luckily not have to do often) by visual inspection and process of elimination...

Hope Dave finds his quick.

[DaveBarbier]

I actually don't think I do have a short at all. I'm pretty sure it was the key switch and the loose high/low switch. I will still sand off some paint on the clipons but I think the controls on the bars are/were functioning normally (other than the aforementioned high/low switch).

I did describe my bike going dark when I turned on the high beam but I'm thinking that was a coincidence. It was also a bumpy road which could have vibrated the key switch shutting down the bike temporarily. I didn't blow a fuse and turning the key off and back on fixed the problem. While continuing to ride I was able to play with the high/low and it didn't shut down the bike...but it did turn the headlight off temporarily.

Thanks guys


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1978 Honda CB550K

[DaveBarbier]

Ok, so got the '76 550 key switch. There are three positions: off, on ignition (red dot), park (black dot). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

When the key is turned to "on ignition" there should be continuity from red>black, from red>brown and from red>brown/white, correct?

I just measured and I only get continuity from red>black and then from brown>brown/white. Doesn't seem right to me. I'm asking because when I hooked it up everything works but my tail light, though the brake light works. Now if I "jump" red>brown/white or red>brown on the back of the switch the tail light turns on. Is this key switch not compatible with my '78? Is this switch bad?


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Maurice]

Switch is normal. Red to black and brown to brown/white respectively. Black feeds back to brown/white (then brown) through light switch. Park just switches red to brown (tail only). When you switch to on you should have 12v at brown/white, check that.

[DaveBarbier]

Switch is normal. Red to black and brown to brown/white respectively. Black feeds back to brown/white (then brown) through light switch. Park just switches red to brown (tail only). When you switch to on you should have 12v at brown/white, check that.

Ok, I'll check that tomorrow morning. What do you mean by light switch? The high/low?


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Maurice]

Switch is normal. Red to black and brown to brown/white respectively. Black feeds back to brown/white (then brown) through light switch. Park just switches red to brown (tail only). When you switch to on you should have 12v at brown/white, check that.

Ok, I'll check that tomorrow morning. What do you mean by light switch? The high/low?


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1978 Honda CB550K

Yes Hi/Lo. That is where black goes to brown/white. According to the wiring diagram brown/white also goes to the instrument lights, your hi/lo switch might require some cleaning.

[Maurice]

Actually, I took another look at the wiring diagram, on your 78 there should be a black going to headlight bucket and connecting to brown/white directly, NOT through the hi/lo switch. If that's missing or corroded or barely hanging the bike will work ok except for taillight, instrument lights and markers (turn signals always on which I suspect you didn't connect). Anyway, trace the black to brown/white for the source of your woes.

Tail light fuse should be good since it works when you jump re to brown.

HTH

[DaveBarbier]

Ok, I'll check that out. But I don't see what you're describing in my diagram. I do see black>brown/blue via that yellow tube black tube jumper...which leads to the fuse block and then goes to brown/white. Either way, I do see that if that's not connected or corroded then the brown and brown/white would be getting no power.

Actually, thinking about it and looking over the diagram I'm thinking my tail light fuse IS blown. I may have misled when I said everything turned on...everything except the backlight for the speedo (I stupidly and confusingly hooked up the gauge backlights differently. Speedo to brown/white and tach to black. I'm going to change that.) This way the tail light could still light up when jumped via red by going direct to the brown wire. Does that sound right?


Thanks!


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Maurice]

Yes sounds right. That yellow/black tube is what connects tail light and instruments. It's the same as the '78 750 seems like.

That's why I said "trace" because your wiring may be modified, your bike sure is. And the way the wiring is on the diagram yes you could simply have the taillight fuse out. Hope it's that simple.

Ride on.

[DaveBarbier]

Yes sounds right. That yellow/black tube is what connects tail light and instruments. It's the same as the '78 750 seems like.

That's why I said "trace" because your wiring may be modified, your bike sure is. And the way the wiring is on the diagram yes you could simply have the taillight fuse out. Hope it's that simple.

Ride on.

Got ya. But, if it did blow, trying to figure out why will be another story.
Thanks Maurice


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1978 Honda CB550K

[Maurice]

If they're the old glass fuses, sometimes they blow just looking at them. Utter crap. Replace with modern blade ones with holder from HondaMan.

[DaveBarbier]

If they're the old glass fuses, sometimes they blow just looking at them. Utter crap. Replace with modern blade ones with holder from HondaMan.

I tossed those things away when I got the bike, haha. I have a blade holder that I got off eBay.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[DaveBarbier]

Blown tail light fuse. Not sure why it blew in the first place, though.

Thanks for all the help!


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1978 Honda CB550K

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Dumb Question: Any unshielded wiring coming/going to the taillight (near grommets, etc.)?

[DaveBarbier]

Dumb Question: Any unshielded wiring coming/going to the taillight (near grommets, etc.)?

Nope, all wiring is very well shielded with good crimped and soldered connectors and all holes in sheet metal (custom electronics tray) are rubber grommeted. I'll just play it by ear and see if it blows again. Not a dumb question at all. I get caught doing stupid things all the time, haha.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[DaveBarbier]

Seat update. I originally made a two up seat, but since I'm so alone and scared and sad and cold...sssoo ccoold, I decided to make a single "rump bucket" seat. 1/4" round bar skeleton, 16 gauge sheet steel for the seat pan and 18 gauge for the hump and front part, closed cell and open cell foam for padding with leather upholstery, patina'd to match other tins.

Making frame:



Welding pan:


Coming together:


Wheeling up the hump:






Welding hump (nervous! Don't want to eff it up!)




Welding the seam and grinding it back down:



Finished grinding. Not perfect, but patina will hide a lot:



Painted all but the hump:


Foam:


Leather parts traced out with chalk then cut out:



Sewn together:


Finished. Stretched on with some spray adhesive and pop riveted the underside:



Happy with the result!


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1978 Honda CB550K

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like the metal fab work. The upholstery is very impressive - you may try to tighten some of the corners so it takes in some of the small slack areas. Better than anything I could do!!

[DaveBarbier]

I like the metal fab work. The upholstery is very impressive - you may try to tighten some of the corners so it takes in some of the small slack areas. Better than anything I could do!!

Thanks! Yeah I know it's a little baggy in some areas. I've upholstered things before but with less "shape" than this. My old seat was pretty plain. A learning experience for sure.


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1978 Honda CB550K

[calj737]

Dave - what are you using for a rear muffler hangar? Picture is too far for my old and worn out eyes...

[Maurice]

Dave - what are you using for a rear muffler hangar? Picture is too far for my old and worn out eyes...

Was going to ask the same. What's the header?

Impresive work, man, looks great.

I'm asking that but sadly time to sell the 550...

[DaveBarbier]

Thanks guys. The hangar is hard to see...almost impossible to see in this picture...but it's a piece of steel going from the clamp bolt up to where the brake actuator is. Held in place by another nut and bolt.
I know having the hangar more towards the end would provide more support but it's fine as is. Very sturdy.

The header...I don't know, haha. Came with the bike. I think it's a MAC? That's just something others have said when I asked. It was full of holes and pretty rusty, but I had it welded up and then wrapped it because it looked like a pile of garbage. But it's good now!


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1978 Honda CB550K

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I like the metal fab work. The upholstery is very impressive - you may try to tighten some of the corners so it takes in some of the small slack areas. Better than anything I could do!!

Thanks! Yeah I know it's a little baggy in some areas. I've upholstered things before but with less "shape" than this. My old seat was pretty plain. A learning experience for sure.

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1978 Honda CB550K

I hope that didn't come off the wrong way.  The form of the seat is excellent.

[DaveBarbier]

I like the metal fab work. The upholstery is very impressive - you may try to tighten some of the corners so it takes in some of the small slack areas. Better than anything I could do!!

Thanks! Yeah I know it's a little baggy in some areas. I've upholstered things before but with less "shape" than this. My old seat was pretty plain. A learning experience for sure.

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1978 Honda CB550K

I hope that didn't come off the wrong way.  The form of the seat is excellent.

No, not at all! Thanks for the compliment!


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1978 Honda CB550K