Topic: CB550 Fender to Downpipes Interference and Fix

[kwinabram]

I’m wrapping up things from the below thread where I realized my front fender was interfering with my downpipes during hard braking.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,158585.0.html

I made a short video showing the fix.

You can see the interference in the attached picture.

[Yamahawk]

You raised the forks in the front triple tree to install the clip handlebars above the top triple... that's why they hit. If you wanted to do that, you should get CB750 forks, they are longer, and would allow that to be done with no interference or at least not as much...
Charlie

[754]

Did you weld the lip or flange back on the head end of the pipes ?

[kwinabram]

Yamahawk,

Thanks for the tip on the 750 forks.  I was trying to keep as much original hardware as possible and I really liked the look of the 1” lower front end.  Luckily it didn’t cause a crash before finding a fix to the locked steering during breaking.  I think all’s good now.

754,

I forgot to time-lapse the installation of the flange inserts.  In short, they were a hard press-fit (hammered in) so I didn’t need to weld them.

-Kwin

[crazypj]

You raised the forks in the front triple tree to install the clip handlebars above the top triple... that's why they hit. If you wanted to do that, you should get CB750 forks, they are longer, and would allow that to be done with no interference or at least not as much...
Charlie

Thats exactly what I did, except I only sed te 750 fork tubes and springs (stock 550 front is way too soft)
I also fitted a reproduction Suzuki GS750 front mudguard as it was 'flatter' profile (plus I could have it custom made for free)

[754]

What I see is lower brace hitting, removing that and shortening fender may have done the job.
BTW it looked like the problem pipe was too long on the collector end when it was assembled.

[kwinabram]

Yep, shortening the gender and removing that bracket probably would have fixed the issue.  But, I really like the look of the fender in its current form (just personal pref).  So it was worth the extra effort to make it work for me.