Topic: The Hot Mess - 1975 CB550F1 Frame/1981 CB650 Engine

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Don, I always find it tough parting with bikes, but we all get to that point. If I was 30, filthy rich & had time to ride, no back problems, and there were no police to grab my license I'd snatch that RC from you!!

It's a good plan. When bikes aren't ridden crazy #$%* happens to them anyway.

I keep hanging on to the RC because I have never seen one as clean as mine (every other one I have seen has MUCH more wear and abuse), but then I don't ride it much because I've been riding my other vintage bikes.  I will probably regret letting it go, but if you don't ride it more than a handful of times a year, how much will you miss it?  Yes, I know it's an HRC bike and yes I know it has all kinds of Honda race pedigree, but I do not own a museum, and Brent is right.  If you don't ride bikes, crazy stuff happens to them anyway.

[MRieck]

Don, I always find it tough parting with bikes, but we all get to that point. If I was 30, filthy rich & had time to ride, no back problems, and there were no police to grab my license I'd snatch that RC from you!!

It's a good plan. When bikes aren't ridden crazy #$%* happens to them anyway.

I keep hanging on to the RC because I have never seen one as clean as mine (every other one I have seen has MUCH more wear and abuse), but then I don't ride it much because I've been riding my other vintage bikes.  I will probably regret letting it go, but if you don't ride it more than a handful of times a year, how much will you miss it?  Yes, I know it's an HRC bike and yes I know it has all kinds of Honda race pedigree, but I do not own a museum, and Brent is right.  If you don't ride bikes, crazy stuff happens to them anyway.

Don....you should see my 2000 RC-51 (#33 off the line).....under 4,000 miles.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Where you been, Don? Moderate a couple of threads then disappear? Or, too busy getting liquored up in MX? By the way, what were you drinking down that way that struck your fancy??? Any good rum?

I'm limping on 3 cylinders right now. Got sick before NYE and then caught a cold after my "day" ride up to Morro Bay and back, to visit my buddy Ian.  I should be back at full speed soon.  I just got the 650 head from Mike!!

Word is that Supercross may be cancelled this weekend due to the flooding at Angel Stadium, and incoming rain on Saturday night.

My travels did not take me to any distilleries, but drinkwise, I do like a good bourbon (Willet, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden or even Bulleit).  Rum-wise, I like Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 (from Guatemala).

[FunJimmy]

Where you been, Don? Moderate a couple of threads then disappear? Or, too busy getting liquored up in MX? By the way, what were you drinking down that way that struck your fancy??? Any good rum?

I'm limping on 3 cylinders right now. Got sick before NYE and then caught a cold after my "day" ride up to Morro Bay and back, to visit my buddy Ian.  I should be back at full speed soon.  I just got the 650 head from Mike!!

Word is that Supercross may be cancelled this weekend due to the flooding at Angel Stadium, and incoming rain on Saturday night.

My travels did not take me to any distilleries, but drinkwise, I do like a good bourbon (Willet, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden or even Bulleit).  Rum-wise, I like Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 (from Guatemala).

Sorry to hear you're under the weather.
Have you tried Eagle Rare 10yr yet?
Great in Manhattens too.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Where you been, Don? Moderate a couple of threads then disappear? Or, too busy getting liquored up in MX? By the way, what were you drinking down that way that struck your fancy??? Any good rum?

I'm limping on 3 cylinders right now. Got sick before NYE and then caught a cold after my "day" ride up to Morro Bay and back, to visit my buddy Ian.  I should be back at full speed soon.  I just got the 650 head from Mike!!

Word is that Supercross may be cancelled this weekend due to the flooding at Angel Stadium, and incoming rain on Saturday night.

My travels did not take me to any distilleries, but drinkwise, I do like a good bourbon (Willet, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden or even Bulleit).  Rum-wise, I like Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 (from Guatemala).

Sorry to hear you're under the weather.
Have you tried Eagle Rare 10yr yet?
Great in Manhattens too.

Always interested in trying a new one!  It cannot be as "rare" as Pappy Van Winkle. 

[FunJimmy]

It cannot be as "rare" as Pappy Van Winkle. 

That's a bit above of my pay scale but I can see why you might need to sell a couple of bikes. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It cannot be as "rare" as Pappy Van Winkle. 

That's a bit above of my pay scale but I can see why you might need to sell a couple of bikes. 

You need Cal-money to drink Pappy! 

[Camrector]

Pappy is all hype and marketing. Mediocre in flavor. Overated.
Eagle Rare 17 blows it away!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Pappy is all hype and marketing. Mediocre in flavor. Overated.
Eagle Rare 17 blows it away!

I wouldn't know. I haven't tried either.

I agree there's a lot of hype about Pappy, but is it truly mediocre? That's a rather bold critique.

[Camrector]

Mediocre might be a little overboard. It's good but there are far better.
I own a craft bar and at my price it's $60 a bottle for the 15 yr. But it's "rare"
Which is BS. If you can find Weller its the same thing just less age.And retails for $30
It's all just supply and demand that drive the price. Everything is basically owned by The Sazerac company.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Mediocre might be a little overboard. It's good but there are far better.
I own a craft bar and at my price it's $60 a bottle for the 15 yr. But it's "rare"
Which is BS. If you can find Weller its the same thing just less age.And retails for $30
It's all just supply and demand that drive the price. Everything is basically owned by The Sazerac company.

It would be tragic if something so bloody pricey as Pappy was swill!  I'll never know.

I find there are a wealth of great quality bourbons and ryes priced in a sweet spot between $40-50.  I haven't seen Weller, so I'll have to add that to my "try" list.  Bourbon is the devil.  I love it going down, but I find it takes more out of me to process it than just about any other booze.  It must be the sugar content.  I think its the only spirit I've had in the last 10 years that can give me a hangover. 

[Camrector]

Yea that's the thing it should retail for $90-$100 tops. I sell it for $25 for two fingers.
It's a $60 btl my price. Come to Buffalo and we will have some! Loving your build btw
So remember guys if I ask you to fab something for me or for a part I can't find, I can pay in rare and vintage spirits!!!!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Behold! And Mike worked his magic upon the head, and it was GOOD!

image_zps3g4zv902 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

image_zpsyllzfh9k by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

image_zpsplmcjwz4 by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

image_zpskwd7tiho by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

image_zpscebnii9k by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

The personal touch!

image_zpsffn8lgns by Donald Leonhardt, on Flickr

That folks is a Stage 2.5 1980 CB650 head ported to perfection.  Some heavy work on the intake and exhaust ports and some subtle work on the combustion chambers.  A thing of beauty.

[Retro Rocket]

It is indeed a thing of beauty Don, Mike's work is second to none...

[flatlander]

that looks good! bet you can't wait to slap it on.

[MRieck]

 The 650 head has a nice intake port to begin with. The valve is also the right size. Honda got that one right.

[Trad]

Such a beautiful job on that head. Wowza

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The 650 head has a nice intake port to begin with. The valve is also the right size. Honda got that one right.

Thank you for the beautiful work, Mike!!

[MRieck]

The 650 head has a nice intake port to begin with. The valve is also the right size. Honda got that one right.

Thank you for the beautiful work, Mike!!

You are more than welcome Don. 

[scunny]

Mike, what makes the 650 valve the right size. I know from riding my 650 the power is much more linear(if that's the term) than my 500's were.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I think Mike is inferring that the stock 650 valve is well-matched with the head, whereas the 550/750 heads benefit more from oversized valves.  A good thing, since nobody makes turn-key oversized valves for the 650 head!

[Tews19]

The head looks immaculate!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Here you go, Don. You're next project inspiration: http://flip.it/qeWiP

Damn you, Cal!!! Don't tempt the addict.

Obviously, I'm a fan of the RC51.  There are things I like and don't like as much about this particular custom.
Likes:
I do like the Ohlins forks.  These appear to be retrofitted to the bike, since Ohlins only made its Road and Track forks commercially available for the RC51, and those were sold out (Dan Kyle sold his last pair) a few years ago.  These have the newer, MotoGP style nitrogen-charged reservoirs. 

I also like the carbon fiber Rotobox wheels.

The engine upgrades are a plus (Ti valves).  The RC comes with ram air.  They probably upgraded/upsized the airbox to carbon fiber model.  I think its funny when they say the donor was already a race-spec bike.  Who would do such drastic mods to a race bike, UNLESS the motor was in dire need of a rebuild and the bike was crashed.

I am mixed about the carbon-ceramic brake discs.  They take a some heat to get up to proper operating temperature.

I am NOT a fan of the wire rod-mesh body pieces.  Yuck!  All that improvement taken away from a completely non-aerodynamic design feature.  I don't really buy bikeexif.com's assertion that wire rod density is varied to direct air where needed.

I do like the aluminum bodywork pieces (gas tank and parts of the fairing).

The wristwatch compartment is silly, other than to get a TAG marketing tie-in.  The designer says there is no watch-maker tie-in with motorcycling.  Obviously, this guy has never heard of Nicky Hayden's Tissot contract.

[Restoration Fan]

There's a lot I like about it too.  But the wire mesh is FUGLY, IMO.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

There's a lot I like about it too.  But the wire mesh is FUGLY, IMO.

I don't buy its claimed functionality for a hot second.  It just creates drag and it IS FUGLY.