Topic: '77 CB550 - New member, new project

[BoilermakerFan]

Wanted to introduce myself.  New member from Southwestern Indiana.

Scored a 1977 CB550 and a 1981 CX500 in a trade.  The CX500 is being built up as a sport cruiser along the lines of a Brat Style bike.

The CB550 will be getting a CB650 engine and Murray's Carbs.  I haven't decided how far I'll take the resto-mod on it, but I'm not planning to go full cafe racer on it.  I'll be swapping in a CB650 swing arm initially, then I'll shorten the wheelbase with a CB750 swing in the future.  I'll be upgrading the suspension and converting to dual disc front brakes because I weigh over 200 pounds and I know my wife and kids will want to go for rides too.  Not going to switch to an inverted fork though, I like the look of the traditional forks on these bikes, but I might swap in an early Yamaha R6 fork that is not inverted but will give me the dual discs with a Cognito Moto front hub.  Rims will be a little wider, but I'm not going to go wider than a 130 or 140 on the rear.  The front will be a 100 or maybe a 110. 

Anyway, here's pics of the babe as she sits.  Sorry they are blurry, I didn't take them and I will share better pics once she's home and cleaned up:

[FunJimmy]

Welcome aboard. I also went with conventional (R6) fork for the same reason. Check out the Cafe Interceptor build.

[Stev-o]

Welcome.....looks like she has had a rough life. Kudos to you for bringing her back.

[BoilermakerFan]

Welcome aboard. I also went with conventional (R6) fork for the same reason. Check out the Cafe Interceptor build.

Thanks FunJimmy.  Your Cafe Interceptor is the reason I went with the conventional R6 fork!  I've been lurking for a while and waiting to make sure my buddy could get a new title for the CB550.  Once he said it was a go and we're just waiting on the state to reissue a title, I hopped on here! 

Welcome.....looks like she has had a rough life. Kudos to you for bringing her back.

Stev-o, I think she's mostly just dirty.  The rear shocks, chain, guard, and forks are too far gone, but the rest of the rust isn't as bad in person.  I was already planning to replace those parts anyway so it wasn't a big deal to me.  I'm just hoping the tank isn't rusted too badly.  It still has fuel sloshing around in it so we're optimistic that it won't leak.  I'm planning to flush the tank and seal it with POR15, but if it is too far gone, I have some non-Honda alternate tanks I can fit on it. 

[Stev-o]

Caswell makes a nice product to seal the tank too, I just did my Kaw tank that had a pin hole.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400975837693?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[BoilermakerFan]

Cool.  Thanks for the recommendation Stev-o. 

[BoilermakerFan]

Oh, I'm going to keep the original blue color.  If the tank cleans up well enough, I may even just shoot it with either matte or gloss Cerokote. 

Otherwise, I'll repaint it, then add a little white&black racing stripes and a few touches of red.  Haven't decided if I'm going to do the frame in red or Midnight Blue.  The forks will be glass bead blasted then Cerokoted matte clear.  I'll add a little nickel or chrome accents too, but still haven't decided how much. 

[BoilermakerFan]

Hey Guys

Haven't been on in a while... just busy...

A small update, I ended up trading for a lot of bikes!  I kept the CB550 and CX500, but also scored a CB350 and GL1100 along with a wrecked VF500R and two Viragos.  The Viragos were traded off for two more donor bikes, a CB650 and KZ440 plus two more CB650 engines, a CB750 swing arm, GL1000 heads and covers, and a mint VF700R front fork.  I kept the wheels, brakes, and swing arm from the VF500R, the rest of the bike was trashed, like beyond salvage. 

So my CB550 is getting the VF500R swing arm and rear wheel plus the VF700R front end.  The engine will be the popular CB650 crank, rods, head on the 550 block with the overbore CB750 pistons and sleeves.  Keeping the factory blue and the CB550 Four side covers since I love the way they look.  Tank will be repaired and modded to have knee pockets by Speakeasy.  If the VF500 swingarm won't work, I'll use Kinetic Motorcycles monoshock conversion kit on the rear.  I'll be running Kinetic's 550 exhaust.  It's going to be a complete rebuild from a bare frame, so I don't think I'll have it wrapped up for at least a year.  The GL1100 is my first project and my time and funds this year are going to it.  Hoping to have it done in time for Barber in October. 

The CB350 is going to be my son's high school 4H project.  He's in fourth grade so I have plenty of time to gather parts for it.  He'll be paying for half the build, but we already have a plan for it.  It's a resto-mod rebuild.  I'm moving the CB550 fork to it and adding the second disc brake.  He'll have a say in the color, but it will be a factor original scheme. 

The CB650 is being restored except for the seat and carbs.  I'll put Murray's Carbs on it and get a custom seat for it. The engine will be unmolested though. 

I have the CX500 running!  Not well, but it runs.  I need to replace the throttle cable and clutch cable, then have my local guy help me get it fine tuned.  I have to rebuild the front fork too.  Have the parts, just need to get the time to get it done.  I need to order Murray's headers for it as well.  I'll have it finished by mid-spring. 

Once things get under way on the CB550, I'll start a build thread. 

Cheers!

- BoilermakerFan

[tool14]

welcome aboard