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Offline ggrant

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ggrants 78 550
« on: September 15, 2014, 08:19:03 PM »
Hello all,
Long time listener first time caller.

I bought this bike just over a year ago for a few hundred dollars. The bike wasnt running and the wiring harness was a disaster. I cobbled together a bare bones harness and cleaned the carbs and got the bike running.

Over the next little while i tore the bike down and built it up to the point we are at now. Last week I picked up a set of front forks, rear swingarm, rear wheel (180mm), brakes (front and back calipers, rear rotor) etc from an 06 cbr600 f4i for 100 bucks. That purchase as well as the completion of school and the end of the riding season (Canada) has kicked this project in to gear. That said...dont hold your breath.

Ill do a photo dump here so we can see what we are working with.


IMG_7054 by thergcameron, on Flickr




IMG_7059 by thergcameron, on Flickr



Comments / Questions / Advice much appreciated.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2014, 09:25:45 AM by ggrant »
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2014, 08:39:23 PM »
Definitely interested.  Unfortunately, some of your pictures failed to post, so you might see if you can sort that out, so we can have a better idea of the status of the bike to date.
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1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2014, 05:40:00 AM »
Yea this is the spot I am at now right? Whats the best/easiest/safest way to go about this. I know what i'd like to achieve, now how to go about that.

The section of the swing arm at pivot point is cast, and i've heard that i should be weary of modifying that or more specifically welding that. The reason being that if it is heat treated this could mess with the structural integrity? Maybe i should look into that side of things.

This is why i posted the project at this point right?
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2014, 06:16:54 AM »
Right, machining the faces of the swing arm could be the easiest solution. Then it just becomes a question of making new bushings etc. I dont know if i have enough material to machine off 1/2" on each side as i'm assuming it might be hollow? Maybe not.

The frame changes he makes in the that thread could possibly allow for more clearance for the chain around the frame. Thats an issue i havent run into yet so not worth worrying about now.

I've measured the faces on the f4i swing arm to be 10 1/8" and the clearance between frame rails at the rear cradle, as well as the inside pivot face to be 9 1/4".

The frame swing arm holes will have be opened up to the f4i swing arm bolt size. Which is easy enough.
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2014, 07:41:53 AM »
Yea, ill look into getting it machined.

Here's a better shot of the swing arm at the front near the pivot.

2014-09-14 21.19.28 by thergcameron, on Flickr
« Last Edit: September 16, 2014, 07:54:52 AM by ggrant »
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2014, 05:24:18 PM »
Change of plans - just got the cb550 modified swing arm back. Clearance for the tire is good. Issues with clearance around the frame.
Pics soon.

EDIT:

So here is the modified cb550 swing arm, Essentially the only parts left from the original arm are a few inches of tube near the plates for the rear axle/ shock mounts and the tube for the swing arm bushings. These are crummy phone pics, when i take it back off ill try to grab some more/better photos. Just mocking it up.

2014-10-08 17.57.27 by thergcameron, on Flickr

Here you can see how much room their is between the 180 tire and the swingarm. You can also somewhat see how close the arm is to the frame. It will need to be modified on the right side to take care of that interference.

2014-10-08 17.56.34 by thergcameron, on Flickr
« Last Edit: October 10, 2014, 07:37:33 AM by ggrant »
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2014, 09:57:05 AM »
Rear Caliper was ordered. On its way -  should be here monday.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2014, 09:16:21 AM by ggrant »
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2014, 09:24:57 AM »
DSC_7728 by thergcameron, on Flickr

DSC_7719 by thergcameron, on Flickr

DSC_7742 by thergcameron, on Flickr

Most recent shots posted above...

I don't know whether I will redo the swing-arm or just keep it notched (obviously fill it in) and also brace it on the bottom.

Waiting on the rear caliper to play with the rear end spacing. If anyone has any tips or tricks for that , in terms of properly lining up the wheel in the frames center line I would be happy to hear them.

The engine is torn down to the block, there are broken studs in the block. I don't know if i want to have them taken out. The price by my machinist was $200, and for that price i can probably find another block. I just don't feel comfortable building an engine with heli-coils for the head studs.
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2014, 12:55:55 PM »
No big deal about helicoils. They will hold fine even with HD studs.

Swingarm looks interesting. Not sure about that notch even with a fill. Can you simply redo the bends on the right side? I would brace it either way.
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1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Lostboy Steve

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2014, 06:58:09 PM »
That notch is scary... maybe slug it and then grind down the slug so at least its solid. I think you could redo the bend on that side to avoid the frame, which would be your best option.
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Offline ggrant

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Re: ggrants 78 550
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2014, 08:15:38 PM »
Yea, I mean I was never planning to run that without some serious work on the notch. However I think I'm going look at it again - thanks everyone for the concerns.
 I will probably try this current one just to see if I can get the spacing
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