Topic: Honda CB550 Spark Plug Wires

[Deltarider]

You can do it. I mean, who am I? I myself have rode my bike without resistors for some years. Actually the situation with a patrol car within a meter distance has once happened to me. Although they didn't bother to stop me, I didn't feel comfortably those 20 seconds.

[Deltarider]

I remember that, when I was in South East Asia, lots of people had those plugcaps on their mopeds that flash red. I wonder if they're still around and if they have any resistance.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116024396771?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-172491-733675-6&mkcid=2&itemid=116024396771&targetid=4580840336933251&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=151864&poi=&campaignid=485821585&mkgroupid=1235852137858282&rlsatarget=pla-4580840336933251&abcId=10039625&merchantid=3584547&msclkid=7784c67a6a211df2dfcdaed964e2410c

[jlh3rd]

generally speaking, I believe there is a "grandfather" clause related to most older items, including vintage bikes.
If my vintage bike didn't come with resistor ignition components, then it gets grandfathered in.
If my vintage car had no seatbelts or shoulder belts, then it isn't required.

[kyle750]

Slightly off topic. Once embedded in the local CB community you get some interesting offers.  I was offered this CB500 lower engine case for free today.  Delivery from Bangkok would be about $20.  I really have no idea what I would do with it and it would just end up taking up floor space 

[kyle750]

generally speaking, I believe there is a "grandfather" clause related to most older items, including vintage bikes.
If my vintage bike didn't come with resistor ignition components, then it gets grandfathered in.
If my vintage car had no seatbelts or shoulder belts, then it isn't required.

😎👍

[MauiK3]

If the engine casing is whole and in generally ok shape it may come in handy some day. I'd wonder why it's been left that way if it's ok.

[HondaMan]

I'm a really old timer decades behind in the adoption of the latest technology . . . but . . .

Who still listens to AM radio?
Who watches TV with an antenna?

Late Edit:  I just did a quick check and emergency vehicle responders and law enforcement personnel do not use AM radio for communication

We do both in our household! I listen to AM radio nearly all day, every day while I'm working around the house or garage. While I have a rooftop antenna for my wife (she has TV on all day and night, helps her with keeping track of timing her insulin for the diabetes) she uses smaller portable antennas for the little TVs she has in different rooms in the house.

[kyle750]

We do both in our household! I listen to AM radio nearly all day, every day while I'm working around the house or garage. While I have a rooftop antenna for my wife (she has TV on all day and night, helps her with keeping track of timing her insulin for the diabetes) she uses smaller portable antennas for the little TVs she has in different rooms in the house.

I'm glad to hear the old media is helping both you and your wife maintain your health and well-being.  Perhaps I'm a little strange but instead of listening to Radio or watching TV I prefer to read your book 

[kyle750]

peek-a-boo

I see you sleeping in there.  After 50 years of hibernation do you want to come out and fire up the CB750?

[kyle750]

Quick Update -  a final decision has not been reached but right now I am leaning toward:

Original NOS Honda Nichiwa non-resistor 2 sets of 4 plug caps for both the CB550 and CB750.  Nichiwa was the original manufacturer of the caps for Honda and was later bought out by NGK

Original NOS non-resistor NGK spark plugs for both the CB550 and CB750

D7ES for the CB550
D8ES for the CB750

[kyle750]

"Even if only one product in a thousand is defective, the customer who buys it has a 100% defective rate"

Magoemon Ezoe - first president of Niterra Co., Ltd (NGK)

[Deltarider]

The old D8ES was later replaced by the DES-L, a better and very popular sparkplug which has been on many, many bikes. Honda France called them auto-nettoyante selfcleaning. It had a tip that protruded a fraction more and so stayed cleaner in a wide rpm band.

[kyle750]

I'm bringing in this quote from @HondaMan from a very long time ago and another thread.  I hope it is OK to post it here:

The D8ES was a "Super-wide heat range" sparkplug. The EPA made NGK discontinue these in the early 1990s. Their replacement was the D8EA, a colder plug by about 1/4 heat range step.

[kyle750]

Vintage NOS Packard 440 AC/Delco high performance spark plug wire.   7mm Ø with tinned copper core and EPDM and CPE (insulation and jacket - synthetic rubber)

[Deltarider]

I'm bringing in this quote from @HondaMan from a very long time ago and another thread.  I hope it is OK to post it here:

The D8ES was a "Super-wide heat range" sparkplug. The EPA made NGK discontinue these in the early 1990s. Their replacement was the D8EA, a colder plug by about 1/4 heat range step.

That's not how I remember it. The DES-L was the wide heat range plug. It was immensely popular and applied on a wide range of motorcycles. In Europe even many CB500/550 owners had the D8ES-L in theirs. Honda France recommended them for the CB500/550 and so did dealers in Holland. The '7' was regarded as the plug for break-in period only. Generally the assumption is that the D8EA is just the renamed D8ES-L.

[Stev-o]

I am VERY HESITANT to buy used 50 year old ignition components   

I can understand that.  But, that said, I would not be hesitant in using what appears to be in a good condition coil and wires, but not spark plug caps.  Of all the SOHC bikes I have owned over the years [15?], I have never experienced a coil failure.

[kyle750]

I am VERY HESITANT to buy used 50 year old ignition components   

I can understand that.  But, that said, I would not be hesitant in using what appears to be in a good condition coil and wires, but not spark plug caps.  Of all the SOHC bikes I have owned over the years [15?], I have never experienced a coil failure.

Thanks Mate.  Very good to know.  I'm looking forward to inspecting and testing the coils but I want to have everything that I know I will be needing here and ready to go.  Wires, splicers, plug caps, and spark plugs. 

[kyle750]

Keeping it Simple

I'm sure there are many upgrades and updates that might improve the performance or reliability but this is as close as I can find to how Honda originally intended the bikes to run.  I am very concerned that I will find some of these really old, original parts are compromised, cracked, degraded, and no longer usable. But newer is not always bettter!   I bought the same for both the CB550 and CB750 with the only difference being the spark plugs. Nothing fancy here!

Here are the components:

Original NOS Honda Nichiwa Plug Caps (Set of 4) 2 at 120 degree and 2 straight
Original NOS Honda TEC (Toyo) points plate
Original NOS NGK spark plugs (D7ES for the CB550 and D8ES for the CB750) 
NOS Packard 440 copper core spark plug wire
New NGK wire splicers 

[kyle750]

Is this the reason why Honda quickly redeveloped the CB500 and introduced the CB550?

[Deltarider]

The answer: more or less. The competition couldn't think of anything else than offer more, which in some societies is taken as better. I have seen many examples of this. I don't know if you have ordered yet, but I'd prefered the D7EA over the old D7ES. I can't prove it, but I don't rule out that NGK has done the same trick they did going from D8ES to D8EA: a slightly more protruded tip, so there is less risk of fouling. 

[Stev-o]

Is this the reason why Honda quickly redeveloped the CB500 and introduced the CB550?

Yes, they needed to compete with the other manufacturers.  Plus, the CB500 had a sub-par clutch system, Honda changed it for the 550 [there will be one guy that disputes this, though!]

Not sure if you've read about Kawasaki, but they were about to introduce  a 750 four cylinder "Superbike" in the late '60's but Honda beat them to the punch, they went back to the drawing board and came out with the Z1 900 a couple years later.
Fascinating story...

https://www.cycleworld.com/kawasaki-z1-motorcycle-history-cycle-world-classics-remembered/

[kyle750]

[there will be one guy that disputes this, though!]

. . .  there is one guy who disputes EVERYTHING!

Thanks for the link - reading it now. I absolutely love the Z1.   If I ever see a Z1 for sale at a reasonable price I'm fairly certain it would end up in my garage 

1972 SUZUKI GT550J STUNNING RESTORED EXAMPLE THOUSANDS SPENT COLLECTORS ITEM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/286761880294 

[kyle750]

The Kawasaki Z900RS SE is made in Rayong, Thailand only 20 minutes from here.  Very reasonably priced especially for a big bike.

Late Edit:  Made in Thailand is disputed    . . .  perhaps Assembled in Thailand is more accurate. 

[Stev-o]

[there will be one guy that disputes this, though!]

. . .  there is one guy who disputes EVERYTHING!

Thanks for the link - reading it now. I absolutely love the Z1.   If I ever see a Z1 for sale at a reasonable price I'm fairly certain it would end up in my garage 

1972 SUZUKI GT550J STUNNING RESTORED EXAMPLE THOUSANDS SPENT COLLECTORS ITEM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/286761880294 

Yes, he does!    [he will dispute this too!]

As much as I love my Hondas, I absolutely love my Z1.

And BTW, I have a couple of Suzukis, and really wanted a GT550. Saw one listed for sale in my area and went and checked it out.  Handicapped, amputee guy was selling, it was a non-runner and he wouldn't negotiate, and the bike seemed very bulky compared to my CB550, I was turned off and havent wanted one since.  And I'm guessing you know, it's a 3 cylinder two stroke engine.

[Kelly E]

I'm with Stev-o, I love my KZ 1000, it's my favorite bike of all the bikes we have.