Topic: Newbie in search of CB550 rear tire suggestions!

[Cafemoto]

Hello to all I just joined up after being told about the forum by another member/builder Adam over at Phoenix cycles here in Massachusetts. I'm located just south of Boston and have been interested in building a bike for a long while now! I recently fell in love with a photo I saw on Instagram. It was of a cafe style CB750. I didn't get too much detail, but I did start doing my own interweb searches and that led me to finding & purchasing a one owner 1978 CB550k with 7,300 original miles. Since I have purchased it 2 weeks ago I have really only started getting my shop space prepped. I built a 7'x2'x38" welding table & have cleaned lots and lots to make room for a motorcycle lift I still have yet to purchase. My plan for the bike is to keep it cafe style but also run a mono shock with a bit of modern sport bike bits. I'm really stuck on what rear wheel I should run and or would be the best route fitting a 150mm tire. I even have a local bike builder/machinist already lined up to help center the wheel and figure out sprocket alignment, axel modifications & spacers. Some input on what some of you have done with going to a wider rear tire/wheel while running factory swingarm would be great! I'm excited to see what some of you have already done.

I'll post some photos of the bike I purchased and some bits I have already purchased.


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[Cafemoto]

The day I got her home.



 






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[Cafemoto]

I found some 2006 gsxr front end locally and jumped on them literally 24hrs after purchasing the bike. The guy threw the front wheel in as well. I also got a matching rear brake caliper/master(not pictured)


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[Cafemoto]

No I don't plan on running either gsxr front or rear wheels. The front wheel came with the package deal on the forks & will help as a roller until I find a Harley narrow glide wheel to be fitted an axel/spacers made. I'm already planning on the mono shock fabrication but stuck on what rear wheel would be ideal. Would love to find someone who has used maybe a Harley factory wheel with custom axel/spacers/sprocket & rotor adaptors.


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[Cafemoto]

Yeah there is a good possibility that the original swing arm gets cut up and re-worked, I already had planned on cutting out the factory stamped sheet metal from the forward side of the swingarm to make space for the bottom shock mount and also some reinforcing so it's still up in the air. I was wondering if anyone els had any luck using a factory takeoff but it's not looking like it the more I search so I think what the next step I need to take is to find a set of wheels I like with a rear wheel that has a 3.5/4.25 width. I'm going to dig a bit more into the bike this weekend so once I get the rear wheel & swingarm off I'll have a better idea. Here are some photos of what I got done Sunday in all of 2hrs. I was amazed at how clean everything really was. Wiring harness was never molested, I disassembled tagged and bagged literally everything. Wiring harness was pulled since the photos too but I did manage to brake the tach output flange on the head but all in all a solid amount of progress given the time.










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[Stev-o]

Only a 150mm rear tire?  Why not go 330 like this guy?!

[Cafemoto]

no thanks!  I'm really confused by the torch bottles shoved in the swingarm lol


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[Stev-o]

no thanks!  I'm really confused by the torch bottles shoved in the swingarm lol

I think he was too!  Didnt mean to thread jack but this bike always comes to mind whenever someone wants to put a wide tire on the back of their bike!

PS. You should start a new thread in the Project Shop area, will get more views...

[Cafemoto]

It's all good! I am a fan of the comedy, I also figured I would be getting a bunch of #$%* for wanting to go wider & also mono shocking the thing. Hopefully I won't get banned for retro fitting a 04 zx10r taillight


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[Cafemoto]

It's still up for debate but I'm basically going with the flow. I still haven't cut a section off of the frame anyone know the wall thickness?


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[Cafemoto]

Awesome thanks. This weekend I may try and get the bike stripped completely so I find someone locally to sandblast it while I wait on parts and figure out what wheels I need to buy. Just came home to a few items at the doorstep, very pleased with the cognitomoto tach! My fork conversion bearings are on backorder but shouldn't be too long until those arrive. The eBay cone filters are not the best quality but they were cheap so if I don't like how they fit once I get the carbs back I'll revisit my other options. I think Its time to start a build thread so I can document everything I can properly.

Pulled her from the shop to snap some photos in the mid strip stage & my roommate walks over says "you are sitting on the oldest chair on earth working on the oldest bike on earth".



Couldn't be happier with the tach!






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[Cafemoto]

Oh damn whys that any past issues with the products? They definitely were not the most expensive parts I checked out.


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[Stev-o]

 Emgo = CCC = cheap chinese crap

Plz, no CCC on your Japanese high quality bike

[Cafemoto]

I had no idea it was a china brand thanks guys! I literally bought it because of color/size. I'll check out some other options. Any web sites to recommend?


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[Cafemoto]

Does the cb500t have an in tank filter as well? I ordered a 7:1 I believe for the tach.


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[Cafemoto]

Pulled the left side case cover and found some white powder. Not too sure what it is but it was surely focused on the oil pump & oil pressure switch. Maybe some dissolved plastic from the original pressure switch?








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[Cafemoto]

Possibly, the oil pump is incased behind the case in its own area separate from the sprocket, maybe water just accumulated after it sat. Last night after seeing the condition of that switch I found one online for short money and also a gasket set for the oil pump. I'll pull it off clean it up swap out the switch and reinstall with fresh seals. I cut that chain off with bolt cutters I don't think I've ever seen a chain so stiff lol. I may be looking at a offset front sprocket depending on the rear wheel I run witch is still up in the air. I'm struggling to purchase wheels. Leaning towards a 16x3 rear 40 spoke Harley wheel. Planning on running a 16" up front as well.






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[Stev-o]

Have you considered Sun or Excel?

http://www.buchananspokes.com/categories/rims.asp

Whenever I get a bike with a Harley rim I cut it off!

[RAFster122s]

Buchanans has a wm14 x 16in shouldered chromed Aluminum Sun ri that is on clearance for $132...  that is 8.5 inches wide...it would be one fat tire or slick on back...  setup for a HD

[RAFster122s]

Sorry, typo...wm14 is 5.5" not 8.5"...still very wide for a motorcycle an 8.5would be car sized wheel widths

[Cafemoto]

Have you considered Sun or Excel?

http://www.buchananspokes.com/categories/rims.asp

Whenever I get a bike with a Harley rim I cut it off!

I just checked them out with that link thanks. I have ran excel wheels/hubs on my kx450 but that was a different fitment. I'm probably going to just run with the original idea of a 4.25x17 and or 18 in the back. I just spoke with a guy here locally who will be making me the rear axel/spacers as needed. (He owns a local machine shop and motorcycle shop) I'm dropping the bike off to his shop tomorrow morning basically for his input on what I need to order for a wheel considering the original swingarm is set up for a 25/32" axel shaft and I'm not too sure if I can order a wheel with bearings that will match that or have to alter both new wheel with different bearings & potentially the rear dropouts on the swingarm. I would like to use as much of the factory swingarm as possible. I think I'm over complicating it a bit but truly just want to avoid ordering a wheel that won't work at all,so by having him just go over it and telling me what he needs to make it happen will be much easier plus he needed the bike anyways so I'll keep everyone posted on what he suggests.


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[Cafemoto]

I'm coming up with 19.8mm witch is 25/32 axel diameter & 19.9mm for bearing


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[RAFster122s]

If you ordered a bearing that size and could get it it would not fit.  Needs clearance...

Cal is right almost always and when he is wrong you won't be there to see it.

It is a metric bike and it has JIS fasteners, not Phillips crosspoint.

[strynboen]

is it the Harley hveel ??..messurings are made on??.
.ands nice kokaine behind the cover...some are just Lucky...

[Cafemoto]

I measured the factory axel and factory wheel bearings. Raf not following the JIS fasteners and or may not know them by that term


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[Cafemoto]

I measured the factory axel and factory wheel bearings. Raf not following the JIS fasteners and or may not know them by that term


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The point is: metric screws, bolts and measurements. 0.2mm is 0.007 thousandths. Do you realize this so far within the spec of accuracy that it's not worth disputing 19.9  or 20?

The advice you are receiving is aimed at helping you bending a familiarity curve with a 40 year old metric Motorcycle. Choose to accept it or discard it; it is your bike and your project. But experience on this forum has saved hundreds if not thousands of "new owners" $10,000s of dollars from "motorcycle shops" performing unnecessary and subpar work. Not disparaging your guy, but trying to educate you so you can make an informed decision.

Good luck-

You were dead on and I understand the tolerance and was not trying to dispute anything. I have no idea if I can order a wheel that will accept this axel or not. This being my first bike to begin with and given the fact regardless of if I find a wheel/hub that does accept that OD axel it still needs spacers made, sprocket spacer made & wheel to be centered in the swingarm both I have never done. This guy has the experience and is willing to help so I'm choosing to accept the help at a cost but the end result will be worth it only because i will learn from it & it will be correct & correct the first time.


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[Cafemoto]

I don't see why you are confused. I'm junking the hub with a brake drum and want a wider wheel. It's a must to run a much cleaner rear brake caliper & rotor to match the modern front end. I'm well aware of what needs to be done to run a mono shock.


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[Cafemoto]

I never said anything about simple. You are like the king of Debby downers brother but regardless if the mono shock doesn't work screw it I'll scrap it and try again big deal. I'll send you the failure as a keepsake.


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[calj737]

Au contraire, I'm merely attempting to help you by advising you upfront of the myriad of things that are effected by your choices, since you don't appear to have a lot of experience. But as I said, I'll stay off your threads in hopes of removing any cloud of doubt so you can pursue your project.

And when you fail, best you keep it as a reminder that "all that glitters is not gold".

[flatlander]

why not get the bike up and running really well and reliably first, before starting work on these more extreme mods?
that would put you on a much better learning curve as you could book some success, start riding and getting to know the bike, and build up experience.

[Cafemoto]

Au contraire, I'm merely attempting to help you by advising you upfront of the myriad of things that are effected by your choices, since you don't appear to have a lot of experience. But as I said, I'll stay off your threads in hopes of removing any cloud of doubt so you can pursue your project.

And when you fail, best you keep it as a reminder that "all that glitters is not gold".

Why are you deleting posts? I'm also assuming from your previous post criticizing Blac's mono shock basically calling it a failure before it's finished you would consider meyerbuilts mono a failure or all others who attempt it the same? Sounds personal. Also just because I have yet to familiarize myself with one bit of this bike doesn't mean I'm not capable of building it exactly how I envisioned.


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[calj737]

Yet again, you are mistaken. I'm quite impressed with BLAC's bike (and rather friendly with him). I pointed you towards his thread for reference as I said so you could familiarize yourself with suppliers, research and products. But that was before I realized you were so well aware of whats required.

I removed my other posts to eliminate any perceived negativity you were experiencing. I'm off now-

[Cafemoto]

I was mistaken. My original plan was to do exactly what meyerbuilt did the the CB550 I have seen and fell in love with blac's duplicated what they have done as well.


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[Tews19]

I had no idea it was a china brand thanks guys! I literally bought it because of color/size. I'll check out some other options. Any web sites to recommend?


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I have a set of K and N in box still for a 550 that I don't need if interested.

[Cafemoto]

I had no idea it was a china brand thanks guys! I literally bought it because of color/size. I'll check out some other options. Any web sites to recommend?


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I have a set of K and N in box still for a 550 that I don't need if interested.

I'm interested if you can shoot me photo


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[Tews19]

Sure. Check your pm