This bike is my first bike (4 years ago) - my bottom #$%*, my boo. I learned on her, she almost killed me, and she taught me what freedom on two wheels really is. I get on other bikes but I still don't feel what i feel when I climb on her. Here is the first video I took of her, that was the first time I started it on my own lol, I was nervous I was gonna blow it up. I tore this bike apart before I learned how to ride or even took a lesson.
I did a 550 swap a little while later, 74'550, the frame is a 73'500. I've swapped three motors in and out of this bike, over the years I couldn't afford a rebuild nor had anywhere to do it, it just so happened I was able to buy 550 motors for 100 bucks on craigslist...so I was just swapping motors to keep me on the road.
I never sunk any kind of "nice part" money into this thing, just emergency repairs and paint and what not....Here are a few pictures of what it looked like the first 3 years and then some pictures of it now. Last year I spent some money and bought a truck lite head light, and some knock off LSL for ears from ebay, I also purchased a used exhaust set up, headers to muffler from ebay as well. The picture of it in the shop looking the roughest it has ever looked is less than two years ago when I repainted that motor, I sent the frame out for powder coat, installed the painted motor, installed a new wire harness, electronic point ignition, new plugs caps and rubbers.
The picture of it looking hella rough in the shop is right before I broke it down for new powdercoat, there is a picture with an 18" rear and a 16" hog wheel. I have a couple pics of the bike in font of lake Michigan when i rode to Chicago
LETS GET TO THE GOOD STUFF:
I reached out to forum member Blackfinn because he just upgraded his entire CB550 to all GSXR and cognito moto hardware. Idk if you guys followed any of his builds but he went all out of some beautiful classic vintage looking top of the line parts.
We struck a deal, and those parts took flight from San Diego to Detroit, MI.
Let's just say that Christmas came early, these parts are beautiful, I would never be able to afford this quality of parts if I purchased full retail, with that being said. Thank you blackfinn, for your generosity. The last pictures are ones I just took of the bike, sitting out under the parking shed, It was under a tarp all season but the lawn guys came buy and used their leaf blowers and covered in dirt.
The motor is leaking at the base gasket, runs and rides great but it oozes oil. Now that all of the wheels have arrived, its time to take this to the shop, pull the motor for a top end rebuild, swap in the front end and front and wheels.
Ive always wanted to make my 550 really nice, im finally on that path.
The wheels on my blue bike are going to a project 550 sitting in a corner in my garage, one the parts are on that bike, im sending it off to have the subframe finished....then I can complete that build.
Im excited.
