Author Topic: Seeley 519  (Read 46333 times)

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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #175 on: May 10, 2015, 10:03:15 AM »
Thanks very much. I really like the balance of the 550 package.
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 jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #176 on: May 10, 2015, 10:06:55 AM »
I have had a CB550 dreamed up in my head for a while now. 
Maybe one day I will get to make it a reality.

For now I will just keep playing with the first CB550 I ever lusted after.
My chopper

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #177 on: May 10, 2015, 11:02:14 AM »
I have Road Riders on my Z1 and BT45's on my K4, like them both very much. 

I agree with Mick, don't count out Continental, I plan to get a set. 
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #178 on: May 25, 2015, 05:10:34 PM »


In sitting down to write this post I am not sure if I should start with some fortune cookie line about how it takes a big man to admit being wrong.  Or wax poetic about how all of these projects are a journey and they take turns.  I will however cut right to the chase.  This project just got a much needed boost and really has been kicked into gear.  A tone of parts are currently in the mail and more are being ordered this week.  Will update another time as to what they are and why they were bought.

I went into this project feeling that it would be not that much different then building up any other CB750.  Most are behind the eight ball when starting with a basket case, but my plan was to get a solid parts bike and swap stuff.  Easy peasy.  Well for those that have been following along that didn’t go as planned.  Mostly it was my own failings.  I was extra cheap and lazy, never a good thing.  The parts bike I bought was far from running, and had a whole lot of ugly on it.

So I ended up getting a MUCH better parts bike and redoing much of the work I had already done.  I can not thank ATMCycles for the parts bike enough.  He offered me a parts bike when I first got this project and has been nothing but helpful throughout this build.  This bike was exactly what I needed.  The new parts bike was a 76 K.  Frame didn’t have a title, and the forks were bent.  But the stuff that was important to me was in good shape.  Not perfect, but that’s actually more what I wanted.  It has just the right amount of “patina” for this project.  The bike retained it’s original airbox and had a solid wire harness.  First push of the button the engine jumped to life and settled into a nice idle.  Didn’t even open the carbs or touch the points.  I also have to send a huge thank you to chewbacca5000 for taking the time out of his day and extending his trip home to drop off the bike to me, it was a huge help and time saver.  Also it is always fun to put faces to names and shoot the breeze for a bit with people.   

So now the bike, because we really are here for pictures.



The wheels on the parts bike cleaned up well enough to make me rethink running the Lesters……for a few minutes at least.

Much nicer then this.

Also I found that the lower bolt hole for the points cover was so soft that it broke off! 
So anyone need one semi rotten CB750 engine and one untitled frame?

The great thing is that I am now back on a good track.  I have a complete (what I need) bike that runs, and runs well.  The theory still remains that if it runs in the stock frame it should be no big deal to make it run in the Seeley.  Fingers crossed that I have a running Seeley very soon.  Most will not understand how excited I actually am about that.

Unfortunately I lost some time.  This work happened before Memorial Day.  I had to go to Detroit for a week and lost some time.  Not a big deal, just more bummed not being in the shop working on junk.  Hope this week I get some time.

« Last Edit: May 31, 2015, 09:15:13 AM by jaguar »

Offline 01Thomas

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #179 on: May 26, 2015, 12:29:50 PM »
Hi
Your Seeley frame is red-ish. Is that painted on, or powdercoated? What are your plans, leave it, re-do it or change the colour alltogether?

regards
Thomas
1971 Honda CB750 Four K1 [Engine: CB750E-1113521 / Frame: CB750-1113838]
1977 Seeley Honda CB750F (F1) [Engine: CB750E-2551214 / Frame No: SH7-655F]

'96 Yamaha YZF750SP & '81 Moto Guzzi SP1000 & '80 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans II & '82 Bimota KB-3 [Frame No 49] & '66 Ducati 50 SL/1 & '53 Miele K-50 & '38 Miele 98

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #180 on: May 26, 2015, 12:45:29 PM »
Yeah it is a redish color.
I assume that it is the original "stove enamel"

My plan is to do ZERO as far as aesthetics for now.  Just get it running and shake it down.
Then in a year or so strip it and make it look nice.

Offline 01Thomas

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #181 on: May 26, 2015, 01:57:07 PM »
OK. A red frame doesn't look too bad and compliments many different base colours. Just take a look at the Telaio Rosso (sp?) Moto Guzzi 750s of the early seventies. They had a red frame with a green bodywork.
1971 Honda CB750 Four K1 [Engine: CB750E-1113521 / Frame: CB750-1113838]
1977 Seeley Honda CB750F (F1) [Engine: CB750E-2551214 / Frame No: SH7-655F]

'96 Yamaha YZF750SP & '81 Moto Guzzi SP1000 & '80 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans II & '82 Bimota KB-3 [Frame No 49] & '66 Ducati 50 SL/1 & '53 Miele K-50 & '38 Miele 98

Offline chewbacca5000

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #182 on: May 28, 2015, 05:45:25 PM »
Glad to hear that engine fired up nice for ya!  Can't wait to see it in the Seeley frame.  Can you do tapered head bearings in that Seeley?  What about the swing?  I would just get everything bolted up good and run it. 

Make it look nice over the winter.

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #183 on: May 28, 2015, 06:20:59 PM »
I think I have the steering head bearings figure out.
Have not looked at the swing arm.

Motor fired right up and sounded great.  Very happy with it.
Plan remains to just get it functional and work the bugs out of it before thinking about making it look nice.

I actually love the ridden hard and put away wet look right now.  Very used and forgotten race bike.

Offline atm cycles

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #184 on: May 28, 2015, 06:53:02 PM »


I actually love the ridden hard and put away wet look right now.  Very used and forgotten race bike.
[/quote]

+1

Offline chewbacca5000

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #185 on: May 30, 2015, 04:28:36 PM »


I actually love the ridden hard and put away wet look right now.  Very used and forgotten race bike.

+1
[/quote]

+2 My bike has some nice paint, but the engine is mean and nasty.  Don't plan on changing that.

Offline chewbacca5000

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #186 on: May 30, 2015, 04:29:55 PM »
Can you get me some measurements on that Seeley seat front and back seating area?  Thanks.

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #187 on: May 31, 2015, 08:31:54 AM »
Can you get me some measurements on that Seeley seat front and back seating area?  Thanks.

Do you want that in measurements of mid sized cars?  Or how many times you can land-takeoff-land a J3 cup on it?

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #188 on: May 31, 2015, 09:15:27 AM »
Well this is now take two on the great Seeley engine swap of 2015!
First thing was to take the old hunk out of the Seeley.  Every person that has ever taken a motor out of a factory frame would be AMAZED how easy it is to get the motor in and out of the Seeley.  I know that you can remove the head with the engine still in the frame, so I assume that extra room makes the world of difference.


Dog being the ever helpful hand.

And now stripping down the stock bike.

I am getting good at this part.

No pictures of the stock bike 100% stripped down.  Honestly I was just in a zone of getting junk done so didn’t take many pictures.

Just dropped the Seeley right over the engine and presto! Right in!



Much nicer engine.



Now that the heavy lifting is mostly out of the way I need to get all the lines, wires and bolts installed so that I can then run the engine in the Seeley frame for the first time.  Might even get extra ballsy and run the bike on the Seeley tank too.

Either way the project is marching forward nicely

Offline Stev-o

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'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #190 on: June 02, 2015, 05:35:30 AM »
WOW!


Offline Humble Pie

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #191 on: June 03, 2015, 12:52:04 PM »
Very Nice

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #192 on: June 03, 2015, 01:14:25 PM »
Very Nice

Glad you stopped in to take a look!

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #193 on: June 07, 2015, 06:39:17 AM »
Nice short and simple update.
I bought an oil cooler for the Seeley.

Seems to be leak free.  Has the needed amount of junk and wear for this project too!

Figured that this bike would benefit from some cooler oil.  I tend to not have much mechanical empathy so this can only be a good item to have.  The long block will remain basically stock, and honestly I have never had a problem with a SOHC overheating so maybe it is overkill.

Either way I won it fairly cheap on eBay and it is going on the bike.

Need to figure out some lines and how to best mount the cooler.
Is there anything crazy to know about running one of these?  I have never used one.  They seem very straightforward.

About how much more oil would you think this would add to the system?  Any need to “prime” the loop or something?

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #194 on: June 13, 2015, 07:51:27 AM »


Part of the fun of this project, for me at least, has been doing research and learning the history of this bike and others like it.  Well while doing some digging on this project I stumbled across some old pictures of my bike that the PO had posted when they found it.  Nothing ground breaking as far as information, but very cool.

The bike was found in much the same condition I got it in.  The motor that was in the frame was a locked up K1 engine.  The bike also had alloy wheels.  18 inch front and rear.





Not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but I was told that the rear hub is from a CB550.  I do not know why that would have been done.

The side stand is a known weak point on the Seeley frame.  Many owners have talked about the tab breaking off.  Mine clearly had done the same at some point.  The PO removed the sleeve from the frame before I got it.


Just a little slice of the history of the bike.  Like I said, nothing crazy.
Nice to have as much info as I can find together with the bike.

Have been lucky to get some other leads on the original history and right now working on getting more information.  Will be sure to share it as soon as I have something firm.

Offline Roach Carver

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #195 on: June 13, 2015, 08:43:13 AM »
I remember those. That was when he was wanting to trade for a running cb. I kick myself now. :)

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #196 on: June 13, 2015, 12:17:01 PM »
I remember those. That was when he was wanting to trade for a running cb. I kick myself now. :)

I even helped post it around in VinMoto and such.  Figured someone would snatch it up.
Was listed for a while, but it ended up with me.

ATMCycle ended up with the wheels and the forks after I bought the frame/tank.

Offline BPellerine

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #197 on: June 13, 2015, 01:33:02 PM »
finding out where they came from is cool,sometimes a great story,old school stuff on the road soon!bill
1978 CB 750K ard and webers
another anfob

Offline jaguar

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #198 on: June 13, 2015, 07:35:43 PM »
finding out where they came from is cool,sometimes a great story,old school stuff on the road soon!bill

Think I saw on FB that you got an RC set up to replace your ARD?

Offline atm cycles

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Re: Seeley 519
« Reply #199 on: June 15, 2015, 04:45:40 AM »
I remember those. That was when he was wanting to trade for a running cb. I kick myself now. :)

I even helped post it around in VinMoto and such.  Figured someone would snatch it up.
Was listed for a while, but it ended up with me.

ATMCycle ended up with the wheels and the forks after I bought the frame/tank.
I also have the polished rockers and old school electronic ignition for that bike. Rockers I need can probably be talked out of ignition.