Topic: short 550 rebuild thread - facelift

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Slap a gauge on that bike and the BOTM nomination will come!

[flatlander]

Slap a gauge on that bike and the BOTM nomination will come!

... and maybe some carbs as well 
but indeed, looks good!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Slap a gauge on that bike and the BOTM nomination will come!

... and maybe some carbs as well 
but indeed, looks good!

Carburetors shown on last post - and that he's ridden it.

[Shtonecb500]

carbs are back on, breadbox is installed, I totally forgot to buy a new petcock for this tank and still need to secure the side covers, oh yeah this bike needs a new battery as well...wont be riding it this weekend. ...might replace the ignition switch with oem as well.

[Shtonecb500]

Great looking tasteful bike!  Looks fun to ride.

thank, bro. I underestimated how many little things still remain but the major stuff is completed.

[flatlander]

carbs are back on, breadbox is installed, I totally forgot to buy a new petcock for this tank and still need to secure the side covers, oh yeah this bike needs a new battery as well...wont be riding it this weekend. but its whole again....might replace the ignition switch with oem as well.

good stuff!
a tip: if you can, take some higher quality pics that shoe how shiny it is. we like to see them... and they'll be of good use if it ends up in the botm show-down 

[Translations]

The bike looks great, what a beauty! I stripped and polished my Triumph tank as well and got it powder coated high gloss clear, might be a good idea to protect it from rust and its fairly inexpensive to have it done by a shop?

[Shtonecb500]

I looked at the bike  and decided I didnt want to look at those busted switches anymore so I ordered a repop kill switch and im trying to figure out if im going to buy the other nos repop signal switch from that one ebay seller, or use the oem one I have....the one I have is sandblasted so I would have to paint it.

The ebay one is going to be 60 bucks shipped...the kill switch was 43 bucks. The bike is only going to get a tach and I still havent decided on which dummy lights I want to utilize, i have the motogadget sign or can use the stock indicators...I would just use some 3m tape and stick the motogadget indicators to the handle bar because of how small it is. This bike also needs an led headlight unit up front, was thinking about getting the new unit sold by revival because its much, much lighter. I would then swap the truck light unit in my 750 over to the 550 and put the revival unit in my 750...I want the lighter unit on the touring bike.

S0, im gonna swap the switches for new ones, mod a bracket and install a tach, rebuild the petcock, install dummy lights, check front wheel bearings and or re-bleed front brakes cause it not completely free rolling, polish side covers and tank one more time and clear the tank, sync carbs, new chain and possibly sprockets.

Srry guys, looks like I have another week at least before this is all tightened up.

on a good note, the gold cb500 and my 750f frame were titled in my name this morning...my K1 title has the PO's signature on it but he never put it in his name...im gonna have to get him up to sos and complete the process, wish me luck with that #$%*.
edit: polished a dummy light clamp, indicator light mount thing, installed on bike.

[Shtonecb500]

The carbs were synced today and the motor sounds good, polished and installed new oem turn signal switch and almost melted the horn button polishing it, installed new repop starter switch, dummy lights harness, replaced the bad starter solenoid and found a bunch of other stuff that needs fixing or completion. The rear running and brake light are not working, the play in the rear brake lever is too much so maybe i need a new spring? Need an electronic flasher relay, replaced my pull cable, my oil light doesn't turn off after its in gear,  need to fab a bracket for the tach.

I took the bike down the road and shifted through all gears but took it easy since there is no tach and with the new pistons rings, wanted to keep it down below 4k rpm.. hope i did. The bike didn't feel like it pulled very hard so I'm thinking tuning is necessary for this breadbox. I think im going to ditch the breadbox though because its in the way of the clutch cable at the motor and it prevents my choke from fully opening, plus it should really be on a bike with the open space under the seat....no point if its just getting covered up by side covers. Also found another cb500 gas tank so it will get polished out and the one currently on the bike is getting painted but idk the color yet, both will be done at the same time so i can clear at the same time.

[Shtonecb500]

I've never installed one of these early tail lights so was unaware of the isolated ground spade to hook to, brake light and running light are now working, secured the side covers but ill be coming up with a better way than what i chose, welded on a bracket i found and mounted my tach and ill buy a cheap dart shield to cover up the back of the tach and cable. Headlight is working low and high...here are some pictures and another video of it running.

[Shtonecb500]

stock air box is installed again, I finally got the front wheel off the ground holy #$%* does that wheel NOT roll, lol.  I pulled the calipers apart, cleaned behind the piston o ring, but the wheel just doesnt roll.....when the bike is back on the ground it rolls a little easier than before but ya...hard roll. Will have to confirm a different way to secure the side covers now that the stock airbox is back in.  I was looking at the the mounting bracket that is holding the tach and instead of chopping the sides off of it im just going to use the entire thing and use it for a flys screen or small fairing...should do well for that.

edit: The secondary side caliper is the culprit as of right now, the stock side caliper allows the wheel the free roll but near the end of the day I lost all pressure and called it quits.

Ill try again next week.

[Shtonecb500]

new valve cover is installed, I need new rear brake shoes, If  I swap on a taller bar on the k1 750  i can take the shorty 4into1 throttle cables on it and install on this 550 and buy new stock length for the k1.

Started the bike up at the every end but then i lost spark for some reason, Ill check it out later.

[Little_Phil]

I like the tach in your face style. But the cable run to the straight input tach is a bit obtrusive.

[Shtonecb500]

I like the tach in your face style. But the cable run to the straight input tach is a bit obtrusive.

the bike is going to get a dart screen, or fly screen, some kind of small sport fairing on the headlight to cover it up....THINKING about punching a hole in the oil galley plug under the points and running a pressure gauge as well up there since its gonna be covered up.

[Shtonecb500]

pulled the electronic ignition out and put stock points in to check and see if that was the culprit but it wasnt. I think i had a bad connection somewhere or a loose wire (black and white) but the bike is back to running very well, checked timing again and its good to go. Back to the brakes.


tossed the gold body kit on for fun while the cb500 is getting fixed.

[Shtonecb500]

rebuilt top end base gasket up, new piston rings
billet lower triple - stock top triple - Bike comes with match top billet triple clamp and joker clip ons.
new shorty throttle cables from 4into1
nissin MC
Godffrey dual disc drilled and thinned rotors with phenolic caliper rebuild
Godfrey speedo delete mod
SS brake lines
NOS cb550 seat
new aftermarket starter switch housing
polished oem turn signal switch housing - all switches function as they should
stock tachometer - this tach broke and needs to get replaced.
led headlight
excel 18" front and rear Winged aluminum rims with Buchanan spokes and nipples
new rear Vesrah brake shoes
new brake fluid
new Castro motorcycle oil (non synthetic)
new o rings at fuel T's on carbs
wire harness replaced 2 seasons ago
tarozzi front fork brace with modified front fender
LSL fork ears
motogadget rear turn signals
new aftermarket blank side covers
timed, carbs synced, valves adjusted.
NOS finned points and alternator covers
extended side stand
mac 4-1 header, unkown midsection, cycle-X slip on muffler.
frame powder coated 2 seasons ago

[Shtonecb500]

going to list this so i can fund the 750's

4k obo. I'll officially list it when the windscreen is delivered and installed with the silver tank.

[Shtonecb500]

i was gonna slap this on there and call it done to cover up the obtrusive tachometer, the identical one u can get from china has more a brushed steel look to the lower portion and is cheaper but says "hondgpa" on it....

Will replace the tail light with one that has good chrome instead of dealing with paint on my rusty one.


edit: carbs are drained petcock not attached.

[Shtonecb500]

Ive got those white reproduction side covers coming in from ebay  for 40 bucks, anyone use those before?

What color should i paint this bike? i just want to put some ok paint on it so its easier to sell this spring....Im keeping the aluminum side covers.

[Shtonecb500]

right hand side cover showed up broken, there was no protective wrap or anything in the box and the plastic is a harder plastic than I would like.
I initiated a return, for some reason I need to wait until 14th if the person doesnt respond and then ebay will get involved...seems like bull#$%*.

I wouldn't buy these if you are looking for reproduction covers, I guess the black ones from 4into1 are the better buy even though they cost 110 bucks.

[RAFster122s]

frankenstuff makes great covers

[wolf550]

Ive got those white reproduction side covers coming in from ebay  for 40 bucks, anyone use those before?

What color should i paint this bike? i just want to put some ok paint on it so its easier to sell this spring....Im keeping the aluminum side covers.

the thing I used for the side covers are these steel bracelets with a screw connector. works pretty good but would get a thicker and shorter on with less play.

[wolf550]

a velcro strap with also do maybe even better if it is a velcro strap
cut slots on the top wouldnt be too bad looking like the 350f covers but thinner and only one.

[Shtonecb500]

Im leaning towards a plain gloss black paint job with decal like this one here pictured, side covers to match in order to sell the bike. Ive got a decent set of stock fenders that may look better on this, the chopped black rear fender on the bike right now isnt sitting well with me...the stock fenders with the dressed up wheels might look good.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

right hand side cover showed up broken, there was no protective wrap or anything in the box and the plastic is a harder plastic than I would like.
I initiated a return, for some reason I need to wait until 14th if the person doesnt respond and then ebay will get involved...seems like bull#$%*.

I wouldn't buy these if you are looking for reproduction covers, I guess the black ones from 4into1 are the better buy even though they cost 110 bucks.

I believe that 4into1 sells covers made by Low Pressure Mouldings.  These are very good quality and very stout.