Topic: LOWERING weight cb550f

[burrpenick]

Would like to lighten it up- but not spend a fortune. Thinking the rear fender/taillight as one prospect, maybe the headlight gauges and fenders? Rear pegs and grab rail. Figure a plastic seat pan would help, but thats probably not cheap and my current cover is good. Has stock 4-1 F model header, which I think is heavy, but replacements dont seem cheap. Any used around? What else is easy and obvious?

Yes, thats me w/my first and only new bike purchase- a 1975 550F

[540nova]

The center stand weighs a ton.
I removed roughly 60 lbs from my last two builds, a CB450  and a CB350. Every little bracket and tab add up. The factory exhaust is very heavy. It's double and triple walled. A ss  custom exhaust will really help shed weight.

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[seanbarney41]

"...not spend a fortune..."   There is really very little on these bikes that you can just get rid of and not miss their absence.  Sure, many have and many will learn to live without, but most of the gross weight offenders have to be replaced with something, and something lighter is always going to cost more.

So it's a process. the length of which is determined by how much money you are willing to spend.  That lead/acid battery is working good now, so no reason to throw it away.  But it will not last forever.  Spend a more on a lighter new tech version when it is time to replace, and it will not feel so expensive.  Perhaps your exhaust condition is useable but deteriorating and it finally gets further damaged in a garage mishap?...replace it with something lighter. 

And you have to learn how to build parts yourself or be able to persuade others, with more tools, equipment, and knowledge to help as often the best performing light weight part is just not available for your bike.

[dave500]

alloy rims are a must,wont be cheap though.

[754]

 Or mags.. and tubeless helps.

[DaveBarbier]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

[robvangulik]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

Cheapest way is to lose weight yourself.
And will 10 pounds less really let you ride any faster?

[Deltarider]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

Cheapest way is to lose weight yourself.
And will 10 pounds less really let you ride any faster?

Well, Rob, believe it or not, I can always feel the difference when the tank is near empty...

[robvangulik]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

Cheapest way is to lose weight yourself.
And will 10 pounds less really let you ride any faster?

Well, Rob, believe it or not, I can always feel the difference when the tank is near empty...

And that doesn't speed you up, but slows you down, or you won't reach the next fuel selling point!

[Stev-o]

Buy a 750!

[scottly]

Replacing the stock exhaust is probably the easiest, and possibly the cheapest, pound per dollar way to shed weight. If your exhaust is in good condition and you don't intend to restore the bike to original, you may be able to sell it to someone doing a restoration, off-setting the cost of an aftermarket exhaust.
The center-stand on a 750 weighs about two pounds, much less than a ton. Don't cut off any of the mounting brackets or tabs. You will want to be able to re-install the center-stand for servicing the bike. There are better ways to remove weight that don't involve an angle grinder.

[dave500]

alloy sprockets,ditch the starter use kick only?plastic mudguards,buzz the fins off both hubs.

[Deltarider]

You will want to be able to re-install the center-stand for servicing the bike.

Yeah and it's done in a jiffy... 

[754]

Where did the OP go ?
 Got more for him, if he comes back..

[DaveBarbier]

You will want to be able to re-install the center-stand for servicing the bike.

Yeah and it's done in a jiffy... 

Not sure if that’s sarcasm or not, but it is done in a jiffy. Just omit the spring.

[754]

Well a lot of guys remove it, then reinsert only when working on the bike, then remove again.
 I don't think spring is hard to get off, just hard to reinstall.

[scottly]

You will want to be able to re-install the center-stand for servicing the bike.

Yeah and it's done in a jiffy... 

Not sure if that’s sarcasm or not, but it is done in a jiffy. Just omit the spring.

I have a piece of tubing the same OD as the stock pivot, but several inches longer. I insert it from the left side, so the aftermarket 4-1 exhaust isn't in the way. Takes maybe 30 seconds..

[BomberMann650]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

Cheapest way is to lose weight yourself.
And will 10 pounds less really let you ride any faster?

Picked up 5hp on a diet plan!  Leafy greens are good for you!

[DaveBarbier]

Kind of touched upon in another thread, but could you stand to hop on the treadmill?

Cheapest way is to lose weight yourself.
And will 10 pounds less really let you ride any faster?

Picked up 5hp on a diet plan!  Leafy greens are good for you!

I thought they give you diarrhea...

[DaveBarbier]

You will want to be able to re-install the center-stand for servicing the bike.

Yeah and it's done in a jiffy... 

Not sure if that’s sarcasm or not, but it is done in a jiffy. Just omit the spring.

I have a piece of tubing the same OD as the stock pivot, but several inches longer. I insert it from the left side, so the aftermarket 4-1 exhaust isn't in the way. Takes maybe 30 seconds..

That’s exactly what I used to do. But now my 4-2-1 interferes so I got a paddock stand.

[scottly]

That’s exactly what I used to do. But now my 4-2-1 interferes so I got a paddock stand.

On my FT Ascot, there wasn't clearance for a long pin, so I made a two-piece pivot pin. One gets slid into the stand, then with the stand lined up in the mounts, the second is inserted through the mount, pushing the first pin through the other side.

[dave500]

I deleted the centre stand so long ago,i just re-slot the tube affair etc for chain service,not so hard.

[Deltarider]

Had to remove the centre stand once to have it welded by a friend. Actually this
was right after one of the occasions my bike fell over. All of a sudden. Metal fatigue turned out to be the cause. Fitting the centerstand back on again was uh... quite an experience. Definitely worth a video if somebody knows how to do it, fighting that spring I mean.

[540nova]

Had to remove the centre stand once to have it welded by a friend. Actually this
was right after one of the occasions my bike fell over. All of a sudden. Metal fatigue turned out to be the cause. Fitting the centerstand back on again was uh... quite an experience. Definitely worth a video if somebody knows how to do it, fighting that spring I mean.

Throw that piece of crap away, use a paddock stand or a flat motorcycle jack.

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[540nova]

This one

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