Author Topic: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)  (Read 5789 times)

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Offline itzjoker

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How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« on: September 13, 2018, 03:54:55 PM »
Looking to purchase this CB550 as my first bike. Current owner bought recently in June 2018, is selling to buy  equipment for a garage he just bought (he's a mechanic).
I was told by him that the previous owner had it for 3 years and took care of the bike very well. It was rebuilt and supposedly bored out 3mm.

Details:

-Bike runs very very well will fire on first kick
-recent oil change
-Good tires
-doesnt leak a drop
-overall a very solid bike, by no means a show bike but a very nostalgic cafe racer.
-new headlight bucket
-gas tank cleaned and coated with original cafe racer paint job done in the 80's
-tank has a few scratches and isn't perfect but it's a rider not a showroom bike
-18,000 on odometer
-changed handlebars, brat style seat, speedo, brakes, calipers, wheels, suspension

The bike is what I am looking for. Just curious what you guys think I should offer? Owner is asking $2000. I'm located in Midwest, and all the CB's around my area are asking $2,000 for your average stock CB, up to $3500 for rebuilt/very clean.
Should I be worried about buying a rebuilt, bored out bike? Since the build is complete and the bike seems to be running well (from what I am told, haven't seen it in-person yet), that shouldn't matter right? I also don't mind doing minor work to maintain this bike, I'm not mechanically inclined, but I have some experience working on cars.

Pictures (top bike, ignore the bottom): https://i.redd.it/sikd55xdcvl11.png
« Last Edit: September 13, 2018, 03:57:07 PM by itzjoker »

Offline ekpent

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2018, 04:05:05 PM »
 Pretty low end cheap looking build. Be nice if it came with all the stuff that was taken off. I'm not going to assign a value as these are not my thing but it does not look very high end. Does he have an asking price you would want to divulge ?

Offline Scott S

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2018, 04:59:57 PM »
 That's not a CB550. At least, not a SOHC4 550.  Nighthawk, maybe? A **SWEET** Nighthawk in stock form is an $1800-2500 bike.
 I wouldn't pay more than $1500 for that with the flat seat. The tractor seat is fugly.
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Offline przjohn

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2018, 05:16:15 PM »
Find a nice used Ninja 250 as a first bike. Get a bike you can ride all day and not work on all night as a first bike.
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Offline jaytee-nz

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2018, 05:43:03 PM »
As per his post, he's looking at the bike in the top pics - not the other bike in the lower pics.

Offline itzjoker

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2018, 06:21:34 PM »
^ What he said.

I felt like you guys didn't even read the post lol.

The bike I am referring to is the CB550 in the top of the picture. The bottom one with the tractor seat is a CB750k, ignore that one.
Owner is asking $2k.

I'm pretty set on a 70s CB550, I'm not interested in other bikes.
$1500 seems really fair for the CB550, but I don't think the owner will budge on that. I might offer $1600-$1800, I just wanted your guys opinion because I don't want to be over paying or ripped off. The CB550 has the look I'm going for so price is a bit more justified for me personally.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2018, 06:25:20 PM by itzjoker »

Offline 540nova

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2018, 07:20:19 PM »
I personally would not pay more than $600 for that beater.

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Offline CB_Dan

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2018, 07:32:02 PM »
In my opinion, top would be $1200-$1500. The bike's been hacked quite a bit and doesn't sound like it comes with the original parts that were removed, i.e. handlebars, seat, exhaust, stock airbox, battery harness, etc. These things will affect your resell, if/when that time comes.

But I'll tell you something that the PO of my bike told me, "it's all about selling to that right person". So if you're that right person, and you have cash to spend (now and certainly in the future), I'm not sure there's anyone here who will sway you.

Offline ekpent

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2018, 09:42:50 PM »
 What part of the Midwest, in Michigan by chance ? Just finishing up this project that I am probably going to be selling next. Next little project is getting a CB500 ready.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2018, 09:45:47 PM by ekpent »

Offline calj737

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #9 on: September 14, 2018, 03:40:41 AM »
I don't think the bike pictured in the top (blue tank, red strip) is worth $2,000.

It appears to be a fairly stock CB with a brat seat pad (cheap, maybe $100), donor clip ons (terrible handling and interference with the tank ($50), a cheap MAC exhaust with pipe wrap ($100) plus stock suspension, no rear sets, and rusty fork tubes (notice the rust at the lower triple???).

Whether the motor was bored 3mm or not (hard to prove, but I'd like to see some detailed pictures of the motor and screws to determine what's been touched, what has not been before I'd accept that idea. Pods make it look cool, but probably jetted badly and no performance improvement. The 3mm piston kit is probably a CruzinImage kit that runs $120, and lowers the compression in the motor. I'd suspect a stock cam.

The brakes appear to be stock, speedo looks like a stock unit (wheres the tach???).

$1200 if you want it badly, because you'll need some money left over to get it to run right. Like cleaning the carbs, replacing leaking gaskets (guarantee it leaks somewhere) and performing the complete 3,000 Maintenance Service.

If its your first bike, clip-ons with stock pegs is about the worst riding posture you can create. Uncomfortable, poor geometry, and overall a hodge podge. The 550 is a decent bike to learn on, but you want different bars and rear sets, and for God's sake, ditch that skateboard seat!!! It is not comfortable, terrible for handling, and overall a very likely interference with the rear tire  :o

Not trying to put a pin in your balloon, but merely trying to help educate you on the finer aspects of First Bikes, Used Bikes and Vintage Bikes.
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Offline Jooky

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2018, 07:37:30 AM »
Find a nice used Ninja 250 as a first bike. Get a bike you can ride all day and not work on all night as a first bike.

Like przjohn and Cal say, a CB550 isn't a bad first bike, but you will definitely spend way more time wrenching on it than you will riding; trust me, my first bike is a 75 CB550. I love my 550 and I've put a lot of work into it, but not having a lot of saddle time over the course of the last year has been disheartening and downright maddening at times. My 75 is largely original, but I can imagine it'd be more of a puzzle trying to piece together or diagnose issues on someone else's cafe project. If you are set on a cafe style bike, I wish you luck with this one; otherwise, I'd strongly encourage you to look for something closer to stock that the manual and fine folks here can help you with. Or better still, something a bit more modern that will give you more saddle time as that's what it's all about anyways, right?

Offline flybox1

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2018, 10:58:05 AM »
$400
'78 750K (F3 engine) PD42b's, Modified airbox w/K&N  filter, 40/110 jets, 1 needle shim, IMS@ 1 turn out. Kerker + Cone 18" QuietCore

Past Bikes
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Offline low-side

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2018, 02:00:06 PM »
Whatever your budget is, consider that you will want to add at least $500 in parts to make it rideable.  You will want bars, a different seat, and a front fender at least.  Probably an airbox too.  No one thinks they will need a front fender until they get caught in the rain or run down a gravel road or drive, and then they get one.  It looks like all the mods have been done as cheaply as possible and it has bone stock suspension, so I would expect tro replace some of this as well.  If it ran decent and I was really enamored of it I might offer a grand, but more likely $750.

Offline Scott S

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2018, 03:00:51 PM »
 I notice that it has  Motion Pro or dirt bike style throttle. Is there a kill switch? That's usually in the RH control. What about the starter button?
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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2018, 04:17:42 PM »
I think $600 would be top of the mark.

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #15 on: September 15, 2018, 07:08:38 AM »
As a frame of reference in July I sold this one in Chicago for $1,800.
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Offline itzjoker

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #16 on: September 15, 2018, 12:40:19 PM »
Thanks for the input guys! I learned a lot about the value of these CB's. I will try to get it under $1500 as long as it runs as good as he says it does.

Offline 540nova

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #17 on: September 15, 2018, 01:29:52 PM »
Looking at it again,  I'd consider that a parts bike. Useful because it has a running engine,  a frame,  and 2 wheels. Other than that, everything needs a do-over.  The things that are done, don't look like they were done well at all. 
You can do MUCH better for $1500. Be patient and shop around. 
  $600, tops.

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Offline Greaser Greg

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #18 on: September 15, 2018, 06:39:31 PM »
I paid $999 + 300 shipping off eBay for a '74 with elctronic ignition and a 4-1, unknown miles and only had to clean the pilot jets and buy a tach.  Needs a tank now as after a cleaning it developed a pinhole bubble on the side. Doesn't leak though, thanks to the thick epoxy paint job! Ride it all the time and other than above, just basic maintenance. Keep looking!
« Last Edit: September 15, 2018, 06:43:04 PM by Greaser Greg »
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Offline evinrude7

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2018, 09:53:56 PM »
i bought my 750 k6 for $400.  it's now a reliable bike.  didn't take that long.  if i knew that i was doing it would have taken a couple weekends but at the time i had no clue.  that's a $500 bike tops.  keep looking. 
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Offline itzjoker

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #20 on: September 16, 2018, 11:20:33 AM »
Yeah after much thought, I may hold off on that one.

What do you guys think about this one? https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcy/d/vintage-honda-cb-550/6686212181.html

Offline calj737

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #21 on: September 16, 2018, 11:42:23 AM »
Two questions jump to mind: why the “rejet” on the carbs with a stock airbox and exhaust? Two, why doesn’t the electric start work if a Reputable Vintage Repair shop just went through it?

It’s a much better bike in its condition, and probably worth $1,500 all day long from a picture,maybe a tad more in person. End of season up your way, use that to your negotiating advantage.
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Offline Scott S

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #22 on: September 16, 2018, 11:51:42 AM »
 If you get that one, PLEASE keep it original. Maybe a handle bar change if you like, but please don't chop it up.
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Offline 754

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #23 on: September 16, 2018, 12:01:58 PM »
The orange bike rocks.. at full price way better deal than the other.
 You are now at the time of year where prices are lower, and its easier to negotiate.
 Most people that want to sell won't hang on to get a higher price  this time of year.,...in the spring they will.
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Offline Scramps

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Re: How much should I offer for this 76 CB550 Cafe? (Midwest)
« Reply #24 on: September 16, 2018, 12:27:45 PM »
I second what Cal said about the starter, I can't think of a reason why someone would skip that portion. Otherwise, the bike looks very nice. Near stock and very clean from the pictures, I'd go for it! If you can haggle a couple hundred or so off the asking price with the 'riding season's over' angle, then all the better!

Best of luck