Topic: Squirrel 3.0

[river]

This is where we left things off after the last round of mods that saw the 500t tank installed, custom seat, and Hagon shocks.

5502 by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Like most, the last year has not been fun. Right before COVID we had to say goodbye to one of our dogs and then my wife was diagnosed with cancer. I decided to take a new job so that's been interesting (I walked out of the classroom and took an administration position which I never had any desire to do). Due to life getting in the way, I hardly touched the bike over the summer. I briefly listed it for sale in the fall and then had a change of heart and realized I have enjoyed the build process and all that I've learned along the way every bit as much as riding it (probably a little more if I'm being honest). So now I'm ready to do a few more upgrades to the bike.

Right now the plan calls for a wider rear wheel and tire (purely aesthetics if I'm being honest). I'm planning on using Cognito Motos wide wheel kit (4.25" rim). I thought long and hard about whether to keep my stock hub or go all in with Devin's aftermarket hub. I've decided to meet in the middle and I'll be using the hub, caliper, and rotor from the 1975 750F. Master cylinder will be from a GSXR and I'm also installing Cognito Moto rearsets (also on the way). I'll need to wait until everything is here but the first hurdle I see is that I do not have the stabilizer bar that ties the caliper to the swingarm. I suppose I have several options here. I could make one and tie the front of it in somewhere on the rearsets. I could buy the stabilizer and then fab a mount and weld it onto my stock swingarm. Or I could buy a 750F swingarm and swap it in or cut off the mount and use it on my swingarm. Not sure how I'll skin this cat but I do have a 750 swingarm on the way (including the stabilizer) so I can at least see it for myself. I'll post pics of things as they arrive but I'd love to know everyone's ideas and thoughts on what they would do.

Here's the caliper and rotor.

750 brake parts by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

[Stev-o]

Hey Riverman... good to hear you're not selling.  I may have told you that you would regret it?

I've also wanted to install a wider wheel on my 550, I'll be following along.

[wolf550]

which cognito moto rearsets?
tshrey is using a set that the kickstart wont clear the peg.
I had the same problem with the C looking rearset and made a set that barely clears the supersport kickstart.
I also had trouble with my 4 in 1 exhaust system hitting my rearset lever but yours looks to be tucked inside enough.

so far I just used all the 750f rear assembly with aftermarket M/C, rearsets and brackets and waiting for my new brake line and the 3an adapters to arrive. I had to get a longer chain since the 550 100 link wasn't long enough.

I used brakecrafters rebuild kit without the pistons and everything fits for 50

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-1976-HONDA-CB750F-SUPER-SPORT-REAR-BRAKE-CALIPER-REBUILD-NEW-SEAL-KIT/322928576979?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
they have the kit with the pistons for 100 but went ahead and used mine again.

[river]

Hey Riverman... good to hear you're not selling.  I may have told you that you would regret it?

I've also wanted to install a wider wheel on my 550, I'll be following along.

You are wise Steve. I would have regretted it. Thanks man.

[river]

which cognito moto rearsets?
tshrey is using a set that the kickstart wont clear the peg.
I had the same problem with the C looking rearset and made a set that barely clears the supersport kickstart.
I also had trouble with my 4 in 1 exhaust system hitting my rearset lever but yours looks to be tucked inside enough.

so far I just used all the 750f rear assembly with aftermarket M/C, rearsets and brackets and waiting for my new brake line and the 3an adapters to arrive. I had to get a longer chain since the 550 100 link wasn't long enough.

I used brakecrafters rebuild kit without the pistons and everything fits for 50

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-1976-HONDA-CB750F-SUPER-SPORT-REAR-BRAKE-CALIPER-REBUILD-NEW-SEAL-KIT/322928576979?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
they have the kit with the pistons for 100 but went ahead and used mine again.

I ordered the folding pegs. I would like to still have the kicker functional but know that I may have to bend it a bit in order for that to happen. I'll be curious how many issues I run into that I don't see right now. Do you have a link to your build?

[wolf550]

most of my build has been put in the "what did you do to your bike today" thread.
I quit my build thread on my bike pretty early after I got my second 550 and started riding it.

but any pics you need I can get some shots in the light up for you of what it all looks like.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Squirrel 4.2 will be the CB650 engine transplant!

[river]

The rotor cleaned up pretty nicely. It needs paint still but it's a start and it was nice to get into the garage (even if it meant working with one arm).

750 Rotor by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

I started cleaning up the caliper as well. This side went fine. I used some very fine steel wool and got all the crusty's out.

750 Caliper 2 by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

This side was a little different. There's a strange issue by the hole where the fluid enters. There are no cracks on the back side of the caliper. At the moment, I'm thinking of rebuilding it and seeing how it performs. Would love to see the internals of another one to compare. 

750 Caliper by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Thank you to Don for sending this 750 hub which should clean up nicely.

750 Hub by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Very excited to have these Cognito rearsets in my hands. They are stunning and I cannot wait to get them installed.

Rearsets by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Rearsets 2 by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Right now I'm waiting on a tool to show up so I can ask a neighbor for help to remove the retainer and bearings and get the hub shipped to Nils so he can do his thing.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Stop by again and I will show you then lend you my little inexpensive homemade retainer remover. Piece of aluminum bar from Lowes and a couple bolts and nuts.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Wow! Those Cognitomoto rearsets look great -- a little more refined than the Tarozzi's.

[Shtonecb500]

new parts feel so, so, good.

[Stev-o]

and get the hub shipped to Nils so he can do his thing.

Hey Riverman...have you touched base with Nils?  Someone mentioned he was closing up shop.
I've been meaning to contact him...

[river]

I did recently speak with him. He's good for a bit longer but put me in touch with someone to get my questions answered (about how far the hub needed to be apart and an estimate).

Reach out to Cody at cody@restocycle.com

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I did recently speak with him. He's good for a bit longer but put me in touch with someone to get my questions answered (about how far the hub needed to be apart and an estimate).

Reach out to Cody at cody@restocycle.com

I see Skittles in your future, Chris!

[river]

Seriously? I love Skittles!

[river]

With the power of an air impact, I was able to get some stuff done today despite having the right arm in a sling. I got the brackets and rearsets roughly installed just to see what the peg position was going to be. I think they are going to be very comfortable and they are gorgeous.

Rset Rough Right by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Rearset Rough Left by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Position by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Next I got the swingarm and wheel pulled.

Torn Down by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

I'll get this all cleaned up tomorrow and probably take advantage of this opportunity to grind off the center stand mounts.

Dirty by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

The 75 750 swingarm showed up tonight as well. It's a bit more than 1/2" shorter than the 550 one. I was going to either just use the 750 one or remove the mount off it for the stabilizer bar and weld it onto the 550. At the moment, I'm thinking of using the 750 but I'm open to suggestions/criticisms.

SA by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

After I get things cleaned up and ground down tomorrow I'll be able to mock things up.

[calj737]

Don’t swap the 750 in. Being shorter it will effect your handling. Just fab the bracket for your 550

[Shtonecb500]

keep your 550 swing arm and weld what you need on it. Dont use the 750 swing.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Being only 1/2" shorter will it be that length difference or the position of the axle that really matters? Using the same chain the axle position should be the same?

Are the shock mounts equal distance?

[river]

Spent some time today getting the center stand mounts ground off the frame and cleaning up a royal mess.

Clean by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

The jury is still deliberating on the swingarm debacle but I'm in no hurry.

[RAFster122s]

Merry Christmas everyone...

River,
Glad to see you working on the bike and next phase. So sorry to hear of your wife's cancer. Hope she is (and you are) adjusting and coping with the diagnosis, care and recovery for that cancer. Cancer is a nasty disease and affects the whole family, much more than the medical aspects. Support her as much ss you can. Only positive coming out of cancer usually is the couple grows much closer and intimacy in the relationship (it not just being a physical intimacy but a broader concept) grows greatly if they work to do so.
Hang in there.

Uh, unless you talked to Nils and he said send them you better call him. Resto-Cycle is shutdown/closed as his former business partners asked him to take over his former marketing/advertising company (?) In NY and he accepted that task. So, he has wrapped up the restoration and was only selling what IKONS he had in stock. They had 4 (or was it 3) CBX and a CX500 on the lifts working on repairs and restoration.
Nils is keeping the space for himself but business is closed at end of year 12/30.
David

A little Christmas and COVID humor attached...

[river]

Hey David! Thanks for the words man. Heather finished chemo, had a double mastectomy, reconstruction, then radiation. She finished radiation last week. Right now she's in a lot of pain and it looks like she fell asleep for three days on the beach with only the left side of her torso exposed. It's super burned. She does have to get infusions for the next year because the pathology of the tumor changed (supposed to be rare for that to happen).

I did speak with Nils and chat with a guy who is still working at Restocycle and it looks like I'll just meet the deadline. Love what appears to be Santa taking a leak!

[river]

I was able to get a bit of work accomplished over the last week. This is the mock up of the back end.

Mock by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Next up was trying to get the rear hub all apart so that I could get it sent to Restocycle so that it and the rear caliper could be vapor blasted. The retainers looked determined.

POS retainer by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

This was after soaking the retainers and using heat on the hub. I did not have the proper tool so I used 2 solid steel rods I had laying around and a 15" pry bar. It broke all the holes. I drilled new holes and those quickly broke.

Carnage by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

At that point, I broke out a mini sledge and a big chisel and it took about an hour for each retainer to very slowly back out. Afterwards, I got the seals and bearings all pulled and the hub cleaned up nicely. Threads on both sides look perfect.

Victory by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

I was also able to get the shifter side rearset installed.

RS by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

RS2 by Chris Neumann, on Flickr

Waiting on the hub and caliper to come back and then I can have them coated and start rebuilding them.

[Stev-o]

Nice job effin up that retainer!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Guess my tool wasn't sufficient haha