Author Topic: CB 550F Adventure Bike (Read 24624 times)

MD · « **Reply #100 on:** November 10, 2016, 06:28:07 PM »

Took the day off from deer hunting. Adjusted the chain so that counting from the back of the bike forward, the hash mark is slightly to the rear of the 4th mark. There is still travel available in the axial hole in the swing arm but the tension bolts are almost bottomed out. Took the opportunity to oil the chain. I know different counts of links affect the rear tire position. I am curious what your preferred rear tire position is?

It continues to be unseasonably warm. It must have been near 60 today. Went for a thirty mile run to test the chain tension.

-MD

RAFster122s · « **Reply #101 on:** November 11, 2016, 01:10:47 AM »

Sounds like you might need a new chain and sprockets. What do the sprockets look like? Or, you might have too many links in the chain.
Care to share a picture of the rear sprocket? If it is looking worn then the front is probably even worse. Unless of course you have replaced them.

Std length chain is 100 links on the 550.

MD · « **Reply #102 on:** November 11, 2016, 03:00:51 PM »

RAF,

New chain with about 1200 miles on it. Bike has 21000 miles. I don't have a good picture of the rear sprocket and won't be able to get one till next week. I would guess the sprockets are original. Not sure what the life expectancy of sprockets are.

Honda-man has mentioning about going up one tooth count in the front. I'll have to find that thread again. To see what the advantage and disadvantage of doing so.

-MD

RAFster122s · « **Reply #103 on:** November 11, 2016, 03:07:15 PM »

C.) Add 4 teeth to the rear sprocket. This raises the RPM a little, which shifts the lower-than-normal torque curve downward a little to a point where the torque-vs-acceleration is not so noticeable.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=7276.msg65999#msg65999

Odds are you confused the CB750 advice about going down a tooth and up a few in back...post 21.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,7401.msg68537.html#msg68537

Probably needs a new set of sprockets. But, with these bikes you never know how old they are if the owner can't tell you and even then skepticism is advised.

Check the front one as it is often neglected but your recent adjuster problem could have been compounded by a sprocket needing changed. If the teeth are rather pointed and not rounded at the tip with a nice radius then you are going to need a new sprocket. Generally a lot of people will replace sprockets at the same time they change out the chain.

David

MD · « **Reply #104 on:** November 21, 2016, 05:49:59 PM »

Quote from: RAF122S on November 11, 2016, 03:07:15 PM

C.) Add 4 teeth to the rear sprocket. This raises the RPM a little, which shifts the lower-than-normal torque curve downward a little to a point where the torque-vs-acceleration is not so noticeable.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=7276.msg65999#msg65999

Odds are you confused the CB750 advice about going down a tooth and up a few in back...post 21.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,7401.msg68537.html#msg68537

Probably needs a new set of sprockets. But, with these bikes you never know how old they are if the owner can't tell you and even then skepticism is advised.

Check the front one as it is often neglected but your recent adjuster problem could have been compounded by a sprocket needing changed. If the teeth are rather pointed and not rounded at the tip with a nice radius then you are going to need a new sprocket. Generally a lot of people will replace sprockets at the same time they change out the chain.

David

Finally got the picture of the rear sprocket but not before winter arrived.

-MD

RAFster122s · « **Reply #105 on:** November 22, 2016, 02:29:41 AM »

Looks like the rear is good, you don't have rounding of the edge of the teeth to the point of making them sharper and sometimes really worn ones will appear very sharply pointed and hooked.

A check of your front sprocket is also a good idea. Just to be certain. Odds are they are in good shape. The service manual gives some guidance if I recall correctly.
The chain measurement is best done off the bike and that is difficult unless you are linking a new chain to the old to feed it over and around the front sprocket without disassembling more things. You replaced the chain so it is all good.
The chain is measured for wear by compressing it to its shortest length for a foot and then pulling it to see how much it expands...that shows the wear on the bearing surfaces of the chain links.

Here's a Youtube video a quick search showed for how to determine if you need new sprockets:

If the tops of the teeth are very pointed then you need to replace them as they should have a flat on the top like when new. The other wear pattern is a pronounced hooking on one side of the sprocket. That will wear your chain if left as well. The chain will start to show signs of grooves cut into it as well.
The edges of the teeth will also wear instead of being square shouldered.

I am betting that your front sprocket is good if they cared for it as well as the rear.

Good idea to change the oil in the bike before tucking it away for winter given the acids and other junk in the oil that form from operation. No need to give that stuff time to work on the internals.

David

MD · « **Reply #106 on:** November 24, 2016, 05:50:45 PM »

Quote from: RAF122S on November 22, 2016, 02:29:41 AM

Looks like the rear is good, you don't have rounding of the edge of the teeth to the point of making them sharper and sometimes really worn ones will appear very sharply pointed and hooked.

A check of your front sprocket is also a good idea. Just to be certain. Odds are they are in good shape. The service manual gives some guidance if I recall correctly.
The chain measurement is best done off the bike and that is difficult unless you are linking a new chain to the old to feed it over and around the front sprocket without disassembling more things. You replaced the chain so it is all good.
The chain is measured for wear by compressing it to its shortest length for a foot and then pulling it to see how much it expands...that shows the wear on the bearing surfaces of the chain links.

Here's a Youtube video a quick search showed for how to determine if you need new sprockets:

If the tops of the teeth are very pointed then you need to replace them as they should have a flat on the top like when new. The other wear pattern is a pronounced hooking on one side of the sprocket. That will wear your chain if left as well. The chain will start to show signs of grooves cut into it as well.
The edges of the teeth will also wear instead of being square shouldered.

I am betting that your front sprocket is good if they cared for it as well as the rear.

Good idea to change the oil in the bike before tucking it away for winter given the acids and other junk in the oil that form from operation. No need to give that stuff time to work on the internals.

David

David,

Thanks for all the good info. Yea the bike is due for an oil change.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #107 on:** November 24, 2016, 06:11:00 PM »

Projects sort of have an order to them. I wanted to park the bike in a horse trailer for the winter. (The trailer has never been used for horses but was a tool trailer that my grandfather purchased in the 70's.) I had to move it first. Before I did that I had to get a culvert and some screened pit run. After it was delivered I had to spread it out, let it settle and smoothed it some more. Well Friday the snow came and I had not gotten the trailer moved. So I smoothed out the dirt before it froze. Monday I moved the trailer with my ATV. I used ATV because I wanted the door to be pointing towards the driveway and I could not get the truck out the parking spot easily if I used it. I did not have much in the trailer and I was worried that the slope would be a little too much for the ATV's brakes. Moving the trailer in went well. I placed ramps to the door and started the bike and slowly walked the bike over ice an snow to get to the trailer. With the front wheel on the ramp, the rear slid and I dropped the bike on the left side. When I tried to pick up the bike the left handlebar end bent at the bar clamp. After getting the bike righted, I parked it outside the trailer. Today I had my son help me push it into the trailer. Good news the bike still will start. I just got a lot of work to do before next spring. I have posted in the parts wanted that I am looking for 1977 bars. I want the bars to be a little higher yet.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #108 on:** December 30, 2016, 05:48:23 PM »

New bars have arrived. I have not got a chance to work on the bike. Here is how the bars currently look.

-MD

kpier883 · « **Reply #109 on:** December 30, 2016, 07:08:52 PM »

Tough luck on the drop, but at least you were already wanting different bars!

MD · « **Reply #110 on:** December 31, 2016, 03:43:03 PM »

Quote from: kpier883 on December 30, 2016, 07:08:52 PM

Tough luck on the drop, but at least you were already wanting different bars!

Thanks for the reply.

7 degrees this morning. We received 4-6" of snow last night. After it warmed up a bit this afternoon, I warmed up the battery with a charger for an hour and started the bike. During the winter I like to run the bike once a month. I let it run until the exhaust is no longer foggy.
-MD

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #111 on:** December 31, 2016, 03:51:59 PM »

Quote from: MD on December 30, 2016, 05:48:23 PM

New bars have arrived. I have not got a chance to work on the bike. Here is how the bars currently look.

-MD

Yep. Those won't "buff out."

RAFster122s · « **Reply #112 on:** December 31, 2016, 06:59:24 PM »

Sounds like those bars might have been a bit rusty inside, at least this wasn't a problem found after rebuild. Glad the tank and side covers didn't get beaten up...

What style handle bars interest you?

David

MD · « **Reply #113 on:** December 31, 2016, 08:48:31 PM »

Quote from: RAF122S on December 31, 2016, 06:59:24 PM

Sounds like those bars might have been a bit rusty inside, at least this wasn't a problem found after rebuild. Glad the tank and side covers didn't get beaten up...

What style handle bars interest you?

David

Stock bars are fine. I was looking for a set with a little more vertical height. I ended up getting an OEM equivalent from 4into1.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #114 on:** February 18, 2017, 01:45:40 PM »

Temperature got into the high 40s today. I took advantage of the warm weather to start the bike and temporarily mount the new bars.

I am not happy with the shape of the new bars. I am left with two choices that I can see. One get different bars or two get different risers.

-MD

BLAC · « **Reply #115 on:** February 18, 2017, 01:49:05 PM »

Quote from: MD on February 18, 2017, 01:45:40 PM

Temperature got into the high 40s today.

yowza. I stay indoors when it gets into the low 60s

Los Angeles has made me soft I guess.

MD · « **Reply #116 on:** February 18, 2017, 03:29:39 PM »

Quote from: BLAC on February 18, 2017, 01:49:05 PM

Quote from: MD on February 18, 2017, 01:45:40 PM
Temperature got into the high 40s today.

yowza. I stay indoors when it gets into the low 60s Los Angeles has made me soft I guess.

I wimp out when the windchill gets -20F while grooming ski trails. Here is a picture of my winter rig from early December.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #117 on:** February 25, 2017, 02:42:33 PM »

I decided to go with Rox 5" Pivoting Bar Riser. The difference between the original handle bars with the 2" riser and the new handle bars and with the 5" risers should be an inch to the + side. Presently my plan is to keep the risers in plain with the forks.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #118 on:** April 01, 2017, 02:23:11 PM »

Warmer weather is being promised so I go the bike out of winter storage to start repairing the damage that happened while putting the bike away for the winter.

Got the old handlebar wiring, clutch, throttle, and brakes removed. Did a test fit of the Rox riser.

After pulling/pushing the wires in the new handlebars I was able to get the throttle and clutch mounted.

The brake line is definitely too short now. I measured the original at 15" and have requested an 18" line.

After plugging all wires back together, the bike started, horn, turn signals, and head light are functioning. I do have an issue with the tail light. It works in Park but not while running. The front indicator lights are not on either. I have started a thread in the technical question section about this issue.

I am hoping to be able to take a ride in a week.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #119 on:** April 03, 2017, 04:37:40 PM »

I found the cause for the dark lights. In unplugging the harnesses coming from the handlebars, I also unplugged a jumper wire. The Brown w/Blue stripe wire with a male fitting under the gas tank plugs into a female black 3 way.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #120 on:** April 08, 2017, 03:27:51 PM »

Work kept interrupting my attempts to work on the bike. Earlier this week I tried adjusting the valves. I only found 1 or 2 that had any play. During the first attempt I realized after doing 2 intakes that was using hundredth instead of a thousandth. Got the correct gauge and got interrupted by work.

This morning I finally got some uninterrupted time and go the valves set and cam tension-er set. The bike got a new oem style air filter, new left hand grip, and speedometer cable installed. This afternoon the longer brake line arrived. Got the old removed, installed the banjos on the new line, and installed with new crush washers. After bleeding the brakes, the right mirror got reinstalled.

After firing the bike up, pulled the clutch and dropped the transmission into first gear. Clunk. Adjust the clutch again. This time shifting into first did not kill the motor. Took a quick circle in the drive way, the bike is moving under its own power again. Drive to the gas station to fill the tank and warm the oil. The bouncing needle on the speedometer has disappeared.

During the oil change I discovered a problem with the MAC Exhaust. The oil filter cover was wider than the gap between the 2 and 3 pipes. After much trial and error I found a little prying between the cover and the pipe would get the filter out.

The bike is now rid-able again.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #121 on:** April 14, 2017, 03:26:32 PM »

Got the wind shield back on the bike.

The higher bars have eliminated the flexing of glass towards you while riding.

-MD

MD · « **Reply #122 on:** April 22, 2017, 06:47:50 PM »

Added a bike to the collection, 1985 GL1200A.

With this addition some of my plans for the 550 are changing. The ammo can panniers will move to the far back burner and may never appear on the 550. I am currently planning to use a sissy bar bag and tank bag for storage options. The 550 will remain the preferred bike for gravel roads.

-MD

http://markdconsulting.com/images/CB550/Clara%20Lake%20Rd%2004%2022%2017.jpg

RAFster122s · « **Reply #123 on:** April 23, 2017, 01:46:32 PM »

What action camera are you using? The little S__5000 that is inexpensive?

David

MD · « **Reply #124 on:** April 23, 2017, 02:18:18 PM »

Quote from: RAF122S on April 23, 2017, 01:46:32 PM

What action camera are you using? The little S__5000 that is inexpensive?

David

David,

On boot up the camera says Explorer Pro. It was a less than $100 model I got from Amazon using reward points. It does not have Bluetooth or external mike input. It does allow me to take some action shots with road and engine noise. I have not set up a "studio" to do voice overs so it is primarily for me play with the concept of a "motolog" before getting a serious action cam.

-MD

PS I did pickup a carb-sync gauge set. I am slowly getting many of the things you suggested done.

News:

Author Topic: CB 550F Adventure Bike (Read 24624 times)