Topic: The Barn Find 1976 CB550

[dragon15130]

So I had started a topic some time back (2012) and not much has changed on the old Honda. Its a 1976 Honda CB550k. It currently has roughly 14k miles. I rescued it from a life of waste in a barn. When i got her she had maybe 7k miles. The first year I had her she got a new battery, spark plugs, oil changed, and the fuel tank was red coated. The next year I put a new chain and sprockets set on. The year after nothing was done to the bike except riding. Last Year I bought new Front and Rear tires (Avon RoadRiders), tubes, and rim strips. While attempting to remove the rear tire i dented the rim. I then decided to pay someone to change the tire,tube, and rim strip. I reinstalled and road until late season when I lost the rear Tube. At the beginning of this year I installed a new battery. SO this year my list of things i want to do are: Fix a oil leak between the head. I'm looking for new rims. I prefer to find some tubeless spoked rims, but will settle with some black rims and spokes. Fix the front caliper. I seem to have a wiring issue with the left controls so been deciding on replacing them with remans or rebuilding. Being 6'3" tall, I'm not always comfortable with the foot pegs and control locations and have been deciding on doing rearsets. I could really use some advice and help locating parts and even coming up with ideas. I'm very mechanically minded (currently fix Semi Trucks and Trailers and previously worked at my dads auto repair shop). I really like FunJimmy's bike and would like to go for his nice clean build. Any help will be much appreciated.

[Restoration Fan]

Nice bike.
Is there such a thing as tubeless spoked rims?
 I would think the air would leak from around the spoke nipples.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Great looking bike.

Yes, there are tubeless spoked wheels.

There are kits for using special, highly-adhesive tape to the rim to seal the spoked rim.  There are also rims made specially for this purpose, where the spokes do not penetrate through the rim surface but are laced above the rim.  Kineo is one manufacturer of these wheels:

[Trad]

Nice bike.
Is there such a thing as tubeless spoked rims?
 I would think the air would leak from around the spoke nipples.

There is, you use a liquid sealant. It's used in the bicycle industry all the time. Search "Stans No Tubes" in google

Congrats on the find to the OP. This bike should clean up well.

EDIT: I missed Don's post 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Outex makes a kit in which you cover the spoke end and apply sealant tape around the inside of the rim.  I'm not sure how much I'd want to trust this conversion, but I guess it works.
http://www.ronin-cycles.com/product/27

[calj737]

I prefer to find some tubeless spoked rims, but will settle with some black rims and spokes.

Tubeless is pointless, as even very good tires are made for use with tubes. The Kineos Don posted are extremely nice, but extremely expensive (like +1,200 per wheel, and then you'll have to swap your front suspension...)

I seem to have a wiring issue with the left controls so been deciding on replacing them with remans or rebuilding.

Z1 Parts (and others) offer reproduction units that will plug and play mostly.

Being 6'3" tall, I'm not always comfortable with the foot pegs and control locations and have been deciding on doing rearsets. I could really use some advice and help locating parts and even coming up with ideas.

Rear sets may help. It will depend entirely upon how you mount them. Moving your pegs back, but keeping them low (not using the passenger holes to mount to) will increase your comfort. Bear in mind, as the pegs go back, the reach to your bars and weight distribution on your wrists changes some. So different bars might also be needed to create a comfortable posture. And changing bars might necessitate changing cables and brake lines...

I really like FunJimmy's bike and would like to go for his nice clean build. Any help will be much appreciated.

You have great taste!

[dragon15130]

Thanks guys on the advice and compliments on the old girl. Just ordered my gasket kit and rubber seals to stop the oil leak. About to order some carb kits so i can tear them apart and clean them up. Was thinking of going to velocity stacks. What jets should i switch to for the 4 into one and velocity stacks??? I also found new handle bar controls for a fair price. Now looking for some new rims to do up. Decided to just keep the tubes for now but still want to get a new set of rims. Looking to keep stock sizes, black, with black spokes. Also need to repair the front brake. Got it to bleed but sticks when used and then i have to lightly tap on it to get it to free up. I also found some reproduction side covers to replace the missing ones. I have found that if I put my feet on the passenger pegs, my knees tuck in and feel like I'm in a better riding position but haven't tried riding that way to find out due to not liking to have my feet away from the controls. What are some options for rearsets???

[calj737]

If after bleeding a new piston/seal you're still sticking, it might be the pads. Many new pads are painted on the edges and its just enough to hang without retracting. Remove the dynamic pad, and gently sand the edges where the paint is. The pads should slide in and out of the caliper freely.

If that's not it, double-check the MC and be certain the return hole (smaller one) is fully cleared. When actuating the lever, fluid should almost burp back in the MC. (Brake fluid is very hostile to paint, so take some care when operating the lever and the MC is uncapped).

As for rear sets, some people use a relocating bracket like this:
https://cognitomoto.com/collections/cognito-moto-originals/products/cb550k-cb750k-rearset-brackets
Then the rear set is positioned back far enough and low enough.

[dragon15130]

I believe the caliper is due for a rebuild.

[calj737]

Sorry, I thought you had recently purchased a new piston and already rebuilt the caliper. Different thread, my mistake. But do heed the warning about new pads 

[Godffery]

I believe the caliper is due for a rebuild.

I can hook you up with a rebuild if you'd like:
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/album03/Godfferys-Garage-123/Parts+and+service/

[dragon15130]

Sorry guys. Been busy and unable to get on. Got parts in yesterday. Hope to be able to start work on it this coming week.

[dragon15130]

So I tore apart my handlebars and pulled both of the controls out and replaced. Still don't have blinkers or High Beam but now have a working starter button (not that I needed it). Not sure what the issue is yet.

[grcamna2]

Sort of FYi  I know the Honda CMX450C Rebel 450 had spoked tubeless rims/wheels stock from the factory,possibly a few other Japanese bikes may have done this also and if you research a few of them you could conceivably swap-in a pr. as long as the hubs are compatible w/ what you want.The Rebel 450 has the spoke adjuster nuts in the hubs;it would be a lot of work to swap those wheels onto your bike though..