Topic: Cold Garage, New Project

[jreich]

Just picked up this '75 550. It has a '71 500 motor in it, which is supposedly bored out to around 626, however I imagine that it is closer to 600. It is quite apparent that someone has done some work on the engine, as all of the philips bolts were replaced with allen bolts (thank goodness!)
It has a set of kerker 4-1's on it as well, which I'm stoked about. They have a few rust-through's on the tail end, but I will be going through and patching holes and re-packing before I spray and/or wrap them.

The chopper package is soon to be coming off as well. Just got the forks off, and am putting the stock forks back on, which are in very good condition surprisingly.

It may be a sacrelige, but I am considering repainting the tank and sidecover black.

It also needs new rubber. The rear rim is a 16, so I am thinking I might try to put a 130/90 H16 Spitfire on there, with a 100/90 on front. I'd like to go skinnier on the rear, but am not having any luck finding something of lesser width (and lesser cash) for the small 16 rim.

Well, just wanted to share with everyone. Nice to have a project to get me through the rest of the Minnesota winter!

Cheers!

[Einyodeler]

Looks to be a nice start for a project. As far as the 16" wheel, it`s probably a 3"Harley rim respoked to the Honda hub which would call for a 130/90 tire due to wider rim.
That tank looks pristine, I would look around for a dent free tank and sidecovers with a bad paint job at a salvage yard or e-bay and put the tank and covers up on a shelf in case you ever wanted to return to stock. They are becoming  more and more difficult to find with a nice stock paint job.
I`m running a Kerker on one of mine and sound is pure bliss above 6000 rpm.
Keep posting the progress pics.

[burmashave]

Just picked up this '75 550. It has a '71 500 motor in it, which is supposedly bored out to around 626, however I imagine that it is closer to 600. It is quite apparent that someone has done some work on the engine, as all of the philips bolts were replaced with allen bolts (thank goodness!)
It has a set of kerker 4-1's on it as well, which I'm stoked about. They have a few rust-through's on the tail end, but I will be going through and patching holes and re-packing before I spray and/or wrap them.

The chopper package is soon to be coming off as well. Just got the forks off, and am putting the stock forks back on, which are in very good condition surprisingly.

It may be a sacrelige, but I am considering repainting the tank and sidecover black.

It also needs new rubber. The rear rim is a 16, so I am thinking I might try to put a 130/90 H16 Spitfire on there, with a 100/90 on front. I'd like to go skinnier on the rear, but am not having any luck finding something of lesser width (and lesser cash) for the small 16 rim.

Well, just wanted to share with everyone. Nice to have a project to get me through the rest of the Minnesota winter!

Cheers!

Paint it black, as the Keith Richards said.   There are really no rules, as it's your bike. Good luck on getting her running before spring.

[gerhed]

Looks like a great project!
Do things still happen at Dulono's Pizza on Thursdays?
I lived on 25th downtown in the early 90's.
Drove my 3-wheeler over there on Thursdays-great crowd!
A lot of Ducatis.

[starion88esir]

I want the 16" rim for my CB. What size front is it running?

[jreich]

Yeah, Dulono's is rocking, however we usually go there on Friday's or Saturdays for the live tunes....very nice three-wheeler by the way; I dig.

As far as my new bike goes, I'm running a 19 on the front starion88esir. Should be a good setup once I get some new rubber on there.

I'll think I'll eventually go ahead and repaint everything in the long run. I want it to be my own personal canvass, just like any bike should be. The tank/sidecovers aren't mint by any means, so I guess that will have to be my justification for redoing the stock paint!

Now I'm trying to research some techniques for patching up that kerker exhaust. I don't have a torch setup, so can't do any brazing. Maybe I'll patch it up from the inside somehow after I give it some thought.

Have a good one all!

[ChevelleSSLS6]

Haha, I live in Michigan.  The big ol blizzard where it was about 0 degrees was the week just following when I got my 77 CB550.  It's blue, and just like the one in my avatar except it has the gold stripe yet.  MAC 4-into 1 pipe, and a trunk on the back.  I'll prolly take the trunk off unless I need it (then I'll just put it on for the day) and use the little luggage rack and a bungee net to hold stuff down.
-Matt