Author Topic: Honda 550 Four F 1976?  (Read 5228 times)

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Offline Calvete29

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Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« on: October 20, 2020, 02:17:20 AM »
Hello everyone, I am new to restoring motorcycles and more to Honda motorcycles.
I recently had the opportunity to buy a Honda 550 four that had been idle for 30 years. the bike is in an average condition, neither good nor bad.
The seller told me that the motorcycle did not start that a fault had arisen trying to start it, to my surprise when the motorcycle arrived it had the electrical installation cut and it was seen that someone had tried to bridge the cables without much knowledge of it.
With a little patience and knowledge I made a provisional installation and to my surprise the bike started.
Now I am in the process of redoing the electrical installation and looking for parts, since the motorcycle was used for racing and is missing many of the important parts.
I think the color of the tank is not original since the inside side covers are orange like the super sport model, the exhaust has been changed.
The bike cost me 500 euros and in Spain, where I am from, this model was not marketed, so it is somewhat scarce and the investment is worth it.
First of all, I would like to know if there are replacement watches that are the same as those of another motorcycle, since 550 are difficult to find and those I find are at a very high price.
I don't know what to say about the bike, it sounds incredible, it's quite small and I've fallen in love with it, it already has a hole in my garage next to my Guzzi Le Mans and the Yamaha RD350 ...
I leave you some photos(i dont know how to put the photos) of how the motorcycle arrived and I accept opinions and advice, since it is my 1 restoration ...

Offline Erny

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2020, 02:21:39 AM »
Welcome on forum!
I think you need few posts before you will be post some pics - see forum rules

500 eur sounds really cheap for Europe, BTW
CB750K K7 USA model (1977)
CB550K1 USA model (1975)

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2020, 03:35:12 AM »
yes sounds good depending on the shape - we need pictures  8)
some nice stable mates as well, with the guzzi and the yammi.

gauges do come up sometimes. even on here in the sales section i've seen them, even very recently. getting them from a member in the US and shipping them to spain can sometimes still be better than paying european prices. not sure how important details are for you, but if you want to do a correct restauration it's good to know that the colour of the face plates changes with model series/years.

Offline newday777

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2020, 05:40:06 AM »
Welcome aboard! Sounds like a fun project you have and the 550 is a fun bike to ride.

This tells you why you haven't been able to post pictures yet. 5 posts are required so reply to or start some more posts then you add pictures to this of your bike and stable mates.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,9351.0.html
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2020, 02:24:29 AM »
thank you very much to all!
As you say, the prices in Europe are a real madness, I recently got some watches in MPH in England with indicators, support and cables for 80 euros and it was the cheapest I have found.
My intention is to restore it as best as possible, without being a competition, but rather that the bike looks good but with the years it has on it.
for example the handlebar is going to be a clubman and the pineapples are not original but everything else I intend to leave stock.
The photos I will try to publish 3 more posts in the forum to be able to publish the photos.
As you say, the price of the motorcycle has not been excessive considering the European market, the problem is that there are many missing parts that are very expensive here, such as the stand, turn signals, headlight bracket, headlight, handhold, striders ...
From what I have been fixing, I think the motorcycle was used for racing since the electrical installation was removed and an alternative was made, that is already corrected, I have made a whole electrical installation with the diagram, a lot of free time and many anger HAHAHAHHAA

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2020, 02:33:20 AM »
as you say you have to register at link
but it doesn't let me, it makes me feel like the page is down. I will wait a few days to see if it is because I do not have enough public, but I am sorry not to be able to put the photos since that way the thread looks very bland.
by the way I don't know if I have said it but the bike after making a provisional electrical installation when arriving at the garage was to put battery and start at 1! when my Guzzi can start or not being restored and running hahahahaha Italians who do things their way.
The watches I have a list that I found through this same forum where I put exactly the color of these and also the color of the tank, which I'm not very sure is the year of my motorcycle, in documentation it says that it is from 76, but you know How's this going? My Guzzi says it's from 85 and the bike is from 79, what happens is that it was imported to Spain that year.
The chassis number of the Honda is this CB550F-1021639 and the engine number exactly this CB550E-11324 ... if someone knows exactly what year it is, I would appreciate it, because of what I searched on the internet and I interpret the motorcycle is from 1975 , and it would help me to know for when I have to paint the tank and caps, and especially when I change the dials of the watches

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2020, 04:27:52 AM »
it will be impossible to tell the exact date of manufacturing. you can send the frame and engine numbers to honda, they can give you a range.

here's what they told me about my CB550F1, which is frame no. 1019537:
this type was produced from 25 april 1975 to 10 september 1976.

that one is commonly referred to as "1976 model" although according to honda, production and sales already started in 1975. just shows you that they didn't go by year but by model number - which is how you'll be able to find the correct parts in the partslist as well.

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2020, 12:14:55 PM »
the truth is that reading about sending the numbers to Honda for now seems like an inopportune expense.
The truth is that I just wanted to know the year because of the orange color that the deposit has, since I know that there are 2 types and I think the difference is in the brightness or something like that (I can only tell from photos, since here in Spain this motorcycle is nothing common)
Today I have been finishing the electrical installation, since I have done it all from 0 and it is a real headache because of adapting some generic pineapples (it is my plan as long as they do not give me the registration as historical, as soon as the motorcycle has a registration I plan to leave it all original except for the handlebar)
Another thing that I forgot to comment on is that it has an exhaust, I think it is handmade that looks like a Yoshimura, and that the truth is like the trumpets of Jericho hahahahaha
Let's see if by posting a little I can upload photos.
Another thing I need and in Spain there is nothing in stock is the central stand with the leg, I suppose that whoever has a breakdown of several Honda Fours is not an item that is usually sold a lot of 2-hand, since I have rarely seen breaking a trestle and a leg.

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2020, 12:25:50 PM »

I have found a way to put the photos and video before anything else, the video is from the 1st day that I arrived doing a provisional electrical installation.
the motorcycle started at 1 which is the most incredible

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ioawd4g4deCLWrBcSmvedaQqaoCW8C54?usp=sharing

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2020, 11:12:24 PM »
well the expense is only an email to honda spain... so in money it's 0.
for parts like centre stand, if you don't find anything on the usual online sites or locally in spain, you can ask the guy who runs this place: https://www.blauweplaat.nl/
he has a huge amount of stuff and shipping from netherlands won't be that much.

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2020, 03:18:20 AM »
Well, I will contact Honda Spain to see if they give me the exact model and year. If it's just sending an email, I don't think about it :)
As for the replacement, thank you very much, I will look to see the prices on the page and if you have 2-hand products, the shipping from there would be more or less 20 euros if I am not mistaken

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2020, 08:05:21 AM »
Welcome from Texas to the Blue 550 F Club!   A lot of us use flickr.com to store and post pics, it makes it simple.

Here is a pic of your bike...


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And mine...



'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2020, 02:21:05 AM »
ok guys if it's picture time, then here's my blue 550 f-er  8)


Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2020, 03:13:07 AM »
what beautiful machines! I'm envious of seeing them like this and seeing mine that looks like a junkyard walking hahahahaha
The truth is that the original covers of the motorcycle are orange on the inside, I think someone painted it that fantastic blue, now that I see your frames in the sun, I wonder if it is orange or blue ... but that is what I think. last thing I'll think about 😅

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2020, 02:48:21 AM »
Hello everyone, today continuing with the restoration of my Honda I have encountered a problem or a big problem. I have been looking at a side stand for my motorcycle and when I have gone to look at the support I have found that it is not there, or at some point it broke or someone cut it with malicious intent. Now I don't know what to do to put a side leg on this motorcycle, I have seen that there are K models that have it in front but I don't know if it is of origin or it has to be adapted, I don't know if someone has a useless chassis of the F model to cut this bracket to be able to weld it to mine on the chassis. I come to you because the problem already overwhelms me or I am saturated.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/191064899@N08/shares/yz53g4

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2020, 04:06:41 AM »
f had it mounted at the back of the cradle for cleaner looks. k had it at the front because of the pipes.
you can make up your own mount quite easily and weld it on. the tricky part is that the frame tubing is very thin. so you (a) need enough support for the mount so it doesn't twist the tube and (b) be careful that you don't burn through the tube when welding.

i got pictures of this somewhere in my build thread. will look it up when on a bigger screen.

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #16 on: November 11, 2020, 04:30:50 AM »

From what you tell me and I have seen in your Honda, by the way very beautiful, you have the leg elsewhere and not the original. When you can and you have free time, if you can tell me how you have done, I would like to know, since the safest thing is that I mount it where you have it, welding seems like a pretty bad solution since I would not trust the welding to leave 200kg on it ...
I've been looking at your thread but the page does not load the images well, I suppose it will be saturated.

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #17 on: November 11, 2020, 06:05:47 AM »
mine is an F model, where the kickstand what mounted at the rear of the cradle. like yours.
here some pics of the original mount.





note how it's not a flat piece of steel but a curved profile which gives it more lateral stability. also you'll see how the frame tubing is reinforced where the mount is attached. this reinforcement is still present on your frame.
so if you want to replace the mount in the same position on your frame, make sure you attach it to this reinforced part.

next, here's where i attached my new mount. this is more forward on the cradle, close to the position of the K models. the engine hanger is also here, helping to add stability.



here's the mount that i made up, after it's welded on. i think if you click the picture it might open bigger.
you need to do some planning to get all the angles right: length wise, so that the stand swivels up and down to the correct positions. and side wise, so that the bike leans at the proper angle.
for fine-tuning, i ran a tap into the stand and put a screw through it, with which i can adjust the position that the stand rests at in the "up" position.



the mount is relatively long to distribute weight over a larger area. also, if you look at it from the front or back (sorry, no pic) it's a Y shape made up from 2 steel plates that are hugging the frame tube.
a bit like this:

O - frame tube
Y - mount

that's because the tube is not reinforced here, i added this to create enough stability.

and here's a slightly crappy picture with the spring attached.



hope this makes it a bit clear. i did this mod 3 years ago, the bike's been constantly used since an even with full camping luggage, the side stand's been strong enough for anything.

lastly, here's my original post describing this but it actually has much less detail: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,134863.msg1907761.html#msg1907761
« Last Edit: November 11, 2020, 06:08:46 AM by flatlander »

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2020, 03:34:37 AM »
Thanks for the photos of both side legs. I have seen where you have put yours and the truth is that it has been great and it looks more than resistant.
The truth is that I am thinking of making a plate on the original anchor and thanks to your photos I have references of how it can be.
First I want to finish assembling the whole bike and ask around the forum if someone has a chassis to dispose of that has the leg anchor and that I can cut it and send it to me, clearly paying for everything

Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #19 on: November 16, 2020, 03:54:18 AM »
cool. good luck with it further!

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #20 on: November 20, 2020, 09:55:35 AM »
Hello everyone again, I have been tinkering with the brakes and I have found that I am missing the bushings that hold the caliper bracket to the fork, I have been looking online but I can not find the exact measurement of this. If someone can do me a favor and pass the measure to me, I would appreciate it since the brakes are something important ... so I could go to the turner to make me some.
the piece would be the one in the link photo marked in red
https://flic.kr/p/2k8BacS

Offline Scott S

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #21 on: November 20, 2020, 10:55:36 AM »
 It's not a bushing. It's a screw and a spring,  used for centering the floating caliper.
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Offline flatlander

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #22 on: November 20, 2020, 11:27:24 AM »
correct. no need to have something custom made. you can just order these by parts number. the screw has a unique head, a generic one won't fit.

Offline Calvete29

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #23 on: November 20, 2020, 02:48:28 PM »
Thanks for the information, I thought it was a bushing not a spring with spring as I am seeing from some photo.
what I can't find is the part on ebay or elsewhere and the truth is that I would need 2 ...

Offline Stev-o

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Re: Honda 550 Four F 1976?
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2020, 02:53:21 PM »
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........