Topic: Barn find CB 550 awakening

[denward17]

I think the color is actually called Candy Garnet Brown.

This is what mine looked like when purchased.

[Deltarider]

I think the color is actually called Candy Garnet Brown.

This is what mine looked like when purchased.

All CB550K2s were Candy Garnet Brown.

[bryanj]

Not in us they wernt

[Deltarider]

Not in us they wernt

AFIK the CB550K2 (AKA CB550K76) was a model for the US market only. The only color this model came in was Candy Garnet Brown. You can check the parts list, page E4 where the various tanks are listed: https://www.honda4fun.com/dwnload/Part-List/CB550/CB550-K0-K1-K2-Parts-List.pdf
We can't rule out the same model has been exported to markets which had a parts list in a different alfhabet, but so far we have seen none.

[jlh3rd]

all U.S. 1976 model 550 K's were candy garnet brown.

[radcb550]

New low bars and wiring...

So I pulled the wires out of the tall bars, man, what a nest of wires, hope it all goes back together well. 

In pulling the wires out of the left-hand side, the outer casing, the wire cover is nicked up. I am fairly certain that it did happen when pulling the harness out, I lubricated both holes liberally and the bundle came out with little drama, there was a little bit of tugging but not a great deal of strain. 

Should I just go back into the new, lower bar with the harness with these little nicks it is or strip off the casing and retape the wires...? Happy to know I can reuse that side.

The right hand switch is toast inside so the new NOS is enroute.  Oddly enough, the right-side harness came out easily.   Of course...



I also think I may have purchased too low of a bar.  The reach is comfortable, just not what I expected from the OEM (reproduction) Super Sport bars.
 


Thanks,
Rob

[newday777]

That looks to be the European bars. I have them on my K5 750.
Did you heat the old bars with a heat gun before pulling out the wires? Heat softens the hard plastic sheath of the old controls.

[radcb550]

That looks to be the European bars. I have them on my K5 750.
Did you heat the old bars with a heat gun before pulling out the wires? Heat softens the hard plastic sheath of the old controls.

I can live with the Euro bars...  I did heat a little. 

[radcb550]

You need to de-burr the holes especially on the underside. When pulling wires through they will for certain gouge the insulation.

Exactly.  The installer of the wires through the ape hangers did not deburr the holes and the casing shows it. I had to gently "bend" the harness around the openings when pushing so that the pulling would come easier.   

When I pulled and pushed with lubrication I was quite concerned with pulling too much without have advances from the pushing side.  I don't "think" I felt any fetching up or tearing of the outer casing but who knows really. 
All things considered, it went well. 

I'll clean the holes in the new bars quite well prior...

Thanks,
rad

[Stev-o]

I gonna bet that OEM pipe set and cans would cost more than I paid for said 550...!

Great find. Your bike is a great candidate for a set of re-pop pipes...

[Sw1ssdude]

You can easily replace the outer sheath of the cables, just search for 'bougietube'.
(Bougie is french for spark plug, and bouger is french for move/maneuver. Its not completely clear how this tube got its name..)

Its like a shrink tube without the shrinking, i prefer it over tape (if there is no big plug at the end of the wires).

Hard and brittle sheaths chafed and cut my wires more than once, especially around the steering neck.

[CycleRanger]

I got some new PVC sleeving from https://www.vintageconnections.com/collections/sleeving-and-wraps-tape-heat-shrink-braid

The sleeving on the controls for my CL350 was absolutely petrified.
A little wire pulling lube can help sometimes as well. Something like "ClearGlide".

[RAFster122s]

There is a braided polypropylene tubing that can expand or contract around the wires you can use for custom wiring. Just use shrink wrap over the ends of it to gather it to the wires and keep it from unraveling.

[radcb550]

Great find. Your bike is a great candidate for a set of re-pop pipes...

It is a great survivor, I am happy to have rescued the 550.  So a re-pops, like the Delkevic that I have been seeing mention of here...?
I am going to make sure the engine is good and it proves itself before I spring for a set...

Thanks, Stev-o
rad

[radcb550]

I got some new PVC sleeving from https://www.vintageconnections.com/collections/sleeving-and-wraps-tape-heat-shrink-braid

The sleeving on the controls for my CL350 was absolutely petrified.
A little wire pulling lube can help sometimes as well. Something like "ClearGlide".

Could I ask which size PVC Sleeve you found worked for say a five to six strand wire bundle...?  I need to recover the left side switch bundle.

Thanks much,
Rob

[Stev-o]

Great find. Your bike is a great candidate for a set of re-pop pipes...

It is a great survivor, I am happy to have rescued the 550.  So a re-pops, like the Delkevic that I have been seeing mention of here...?

Thanks, Stev-o
rad

Yes, exactly....

[radcb550]

Let the fun begin... 

Hey all,
Been stoopid busy with several other commitments, just like everyone else.   I am finally able to get back onto the CB550, swapping the bars and all that.

New right hand switch to go in as soon as I prep the holes in the bars.



As a cool bonus, the seller found the original owner's manual and sent it to me.  Last registration, inspection sticker and insurance card. 



More later,
Rob

[newday777]

Very cool that he found those for you.

[CycleRanger]

I got some new PVC sleeving from https://www.vintageconnections.com/collections/sleeving-and-wraps-tape-heat-shrink-braid

The sleeving on the controls for my CL350 was absolutely petrified.
A little wire pulling lube can help sometimes as well. Something like "ClearGlide".

Could I ask which size PVC Sleeve you found worked for say a five to six strand wire bundle...?  I need to recover the left side switch bundle.

Thanks much,
Rob

I used the 11mm sleeving for the right hand control and 9mm for the left.
Both were a little tight but worked.

Very nice that you got the owners manual. Those go for a few bucks by themselves.

[HondaMan]

Wow, with the tool kit, too! What a find...that skinny-top sparkplug wrench ought to be worth $100 of today's dollars for removing sparkplug #3.
The wiring in the headlight: while I am speaking from lots of experience here, it is possible to 'layer' the wiring inside the headlight bucket in these bikes so it looks like someone meant it to be that way. BUT...this I speak only after having assembled so many of them out-of-their-crates that I lost count along the way....and if you add in something (like I did in my 750) like relays to reduce the loads on the switches, it gets ugly again. 

[Deltarider]

[...]
As a cool bonus, the seller found the original owner's manual and sent it to me.  [...]



More later,
Rob

Hello Rob,
Our international SOHC CB Four community is dependant on the willingness of members in all countries to share their Honda documents like: Shop Manuals, Owner Manuals, Parts Lists, you name it. Although there is lots, thanks to the voluntary contributions by all of us, the Owner Manual of your specific model, the CB550K2 also known as CB550K76 is still missing in our collection. We strive to complete the collection as much as possible. Since I myself have contributed documents for the benefit of all, I dare ask if you would be so kind to scan your Owner's Manual and upload it to either the manuals section of this here forum, or to www.Honda4fun.com (contact: Tums). You can also contact me (PM) and I can take it from there. Usually we use Wetransfer (free) for transfer.
Thanks in advance.

[radcb550]

Hello Rob,
Our international SOHC CB Four community is dependant on the willingness of members in all countries to share their Honda documents like: Shop Manuals, Owner Manuals, Parts Lists, you name it. Although there is lots, thanks to the voluntary contributions by all of us, the Owner Manual of your specific model, the CB550K2 also known as CB550K76 is still missing in our collection. We strive to complete the collection as much as possible. Since I myself have contributed documents for the benefit of all, I dare ask if you would be so kind to scan your Owner's Manual and upload it to either the manuals section of this here forum, or to www.Honda4fun.com (contact: Tums). You can also contact me (PM) and I can take it from there. Usually we use Wetransfer (free) for transfer.
Thanks in advance.

Deltarider,
Of course, more than happy to scan this manual for the document repository.  Isn't that odd that there is not a copy of this particular manual already.

I'll go take a look at the format of those manuals in the collection and try to replicate them.

Later this weekend.  I am glad to be of help.

Best,
Rob