Topic: Squirley cb550 cafe racer

[squirley]

Hello all,
I apologize for not documenting this build very well...it was done in small parts and pieces over the last year and a half.  After getting rid of my last cb550 long ago, I wanted to recreate it with better parts and better build quality.  I had a few parts remaining that I did not get rid of with the first 550, primarily the yoshi headers as I couldn't part with them.  Anywho, this latest build shares many qualities with my first build, but learned from my mistakes. Here's a few pictures, sadly, most of which are the finished product.

Specs:
cb550
Monoshock conversion (worked with hyperpro to build the shock, great company!)
Front GSXR coversion
Cognito hubs front and rear mated to 17" wheels
Motor is basically stock plus a little porting and matching
New rear back half of subframe holding electronics
All rewired with motogadget hardware

[squirley]

And here were the latest pics of the finished build. Since these pics, painted the front fender and still awaiting the seat pan back from the upholsterer.

[wolf550]

yes very cool.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Great chassis mods. I love the trellis swingarm, mono-shock conversion and rearset mounts.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Squirley,

Please post that you "accept" the Bike of the Month Nomination in the following thread:  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,180400.0.html

This will qualify your bike for voting in the next Bike of the Month poll.

Don

[Sigmund]

Beautiful! Very well done.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[Godffery]

 Got some real nifty bits there Man!
You build that swingarm?

[Shtonecb500]

Your original 550 has been an elusive bike for me as far as finding pictures of it on the internet. The one floating on the homepage has pretty much been the only one I've had to look at until last night. I found a Euro bike blog that had some high resolution photos of it, I just think its funny you are posting the upgraded version of that bike as I finally find high res pics of the first, lol.

This thing looks great. Are all the 750s you are building customer bikes?
I have a handful of parts that I know Ill never sell, I like the exhaust as well, Ive considered chopping yoshi replicas and welding on a reverse.

[squirley]

Godfrey, yes I built the swingarm.  It's the stock swingarm that added to with some bent tubing.  I am doing the same thing for the cb750 build I have in motion right now.  I can post some better pics there as that one is still in progress.

Shtonecb, appreciate the words.  I have a few pics of the old bike somewhere if you are looking for some.  These bikes aren't for customers...they wouldn't like my multi-year turn time haha.  I am building the cb750 for a good friend as a thank you gift.  I get the enjoyment from building bikes, you can only collect so many.

[Godffery]

Godfrey, yes I built the swingarm.  It's the stock swingarm that added to with some bent tubing.  I am doing the same thing for the cb750 build I have in motion right now.  I can post some better pics there as that one is still in progress.

Shtonecb, appreciate the words.  I have a few pics of the old bike somewhere if you are looking for some.  These bikes aren't for customers...they wouldn't like my multi-year turn time haha.  I am building the cb750 for a good friend as a thank you gift.  I get the enjoyment from building bikes, you can only collect so many.

Well that's very nicely done! I'll have to look up your 750 build thread.

[Sano]

 Very nice, I really like all your design choices, flowing lines, nice finishes and nothing distracting.  I think updating these bikes and not destroying their vintage look is hard to pull off.  Is your tank a modified stock 550 tank?  If so did you do the fabrication yourself.  I am thinking about tackling a steel tank mod but a bit apprehensive.  Any advice or lessons learned you would be willing to share?