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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cafemoto]

The day I got her home.



 






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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!






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cafemoto]

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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cafemoto]

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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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?








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cafemoto]

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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk