Author Topic: CB550 gauges  (Read 496 times)

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Offline craz1

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CB550 gauges
« on: February 10, 2024, 08:35:46 AM »
Hey guys In selling my 1974 CB550 on eBay and I had someone ask about the gauges. He thinks they are a bit of mis match of gauges. Im pretty sure they are original but have been rebuilt by CB gauges in the Netherlands but Im more of a Kawasaki guy. So what would your opinion be
74 CB550,73 Z1900, 74 Z1900, 75 Z1900,
72 XS2650, 73 RD350, 2013 FJR1300, 84 XJ550 YAM

Offline Kelly E

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2024, 09:42:59 AM »
Here's the gauges on my 74' CB 550 K0. It is a really early 550, it's number 449. The sun fading has turned them almost blue. They are ND not Nippon Seki.
Never Give Up - Never Surrender

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0                                            1971 MGB/GT
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport                          1972 MGB/GT
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD                                   1985 GMC S15
1978 Kawasaki KL 250
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda VF 700S Sabre
1984 Honda VF 1000F Interceptor
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans
1994 Kawasaki Concours ZG 1000A9
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy

Offline newday777

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2024, 09:54:27 AM »
Just the new faces that Marcel made and put on are new, very similar to what they were new other than he put the wrong brand on them unless you have pictures of how they looked before you sent them to Marcel??
Tell the prospective buyers they were rebuilt with new repop faces and show them Kelly's picture of his gauges.
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 jlh3rd

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2024, 06:13:26 PM »
no 550 instrument faces colors are listed for the '74 KO. The '75 K1 is dark green. The '76 K2 is light green.
Also no colors listed for the cb 500 K2.
USA bikes. Those are marcel faceplates . His are grainy compared to stock honda. Plus his letter spacing is smaller.
Either Nippon Seiki, or Nippon Denso could be supplied with the bikes.

Offline Kelly E

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2024, 06:19:43 PM »
Tell the prospective buyers they were rebuilt with new repop faces and show them Kelly's picture of his gauges.

Go for it. 8)

I bought mine as a roller with a bare steel tank and the motor on the floor in 3 pieces. It was was rough. ;D
Never Give Up - Never Surrender

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0                                            1971 MGB/GT
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport                          1972 MGB/GT
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD                                   1985 GMC S15
1978 Kawasaki KL 250
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda VF 700S Sabre
1984 Honda VF 1000F Interceptor
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans
1994 Kawasaki Concours ZG 1000A9
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy

Offline Deltarider

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2024, 04:04:58 AM »
Slightly oftopic: I have never seen that info sticker about the break-in period (left gauge) before.
CB500K2-ED Excel black
"There is enough for everyone's need but not enough for anybody's greed."

Offline jlh3rd

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2024, 04:28:51 AM »
It is a dealer applied item. It is not a honda part. It does not come with NOS speedometers. At least in the U.S.. When I purchased my '76 550F in '76 it had one, which I immediately took off and threw away.
My current unrestored original 550 F still has one on it.

Probably a U.S. Honda warranty mandate for dealers.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2024, 04:51:48 AM by jlh3rd »

Offline newday777

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2024, 05:18:00 AM »
It is a dealer applied item. It is not a honda part. It does not come with NOS speedometers. At least in the U.S.. When I purchased my '76 550F in '76 it had one, which I immediately took off and threw away.
My current unrestored original 550 F still has one on it.

Probably a U.S. Honda warranty mandate for dealers.
US DOT requirements 😪
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 Kelly E

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Re: CB550 gauges
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2024, 04:38:28 PM »
The first thing I did with new bikes is remove that sticker and the sticker on the gas tank before it has a chance to become sun faded. Then when/if the sticker is removed you can't see where it was. 8)
Never Give Up - Never Surrender

The Rust Bros. Garage Collection
1974 Honda CB 550 K0                                            1971 MGB/GT
1975 Honda CB 400F Super Sport                          1972 MGB/GT
1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD                                   1985 GMC S15
1978 Kawasaki KL 250
1980 Suzuki GS 1100E
1982 Honda CB 900F Super Sport
1983 Honda CB 1100F
1984 Honda VF 700S Sabre
1984 Honda VF 1000F Interceptor
1990 Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans
1994 Kawasaki Concours ZG 1000A9
2005 Harley Davidson Fat Boy