Topic: Your input before I buy...

[De La Nooch]

Hey everyone, I'm new here, I posted my introduction in the intro forum earlier.

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this sort of thing.  If it isn't then I ask that the mods please move it to the correct forum, Thanks!.

I have never owned a motorcycle and don't know very much about them.  I am looking to buy something here shortly so that I can learn to ride and turn wrenches on this Summer.  I am currently looking at a '75 CB550K a few hours from me.  I have been in contact with him a lot over the past couple weeks and here is the info I have on the motorcycle:

-1975 Honda CB550K
-~23,000 miles

NEW LAST FALL
-Rear Tire
-Battery

NEW ~2 YEARS AGO
-Front Tire
-Chain
-Fork Bearings
-"Complete Engine Tune/Haul" (Have yet to ask him for a list of what this entailed)

 AFTERMARKET
-K&N "Air Pods" in place of stock air filter
-4 into 2 Exhaust
-Handlegrips
-Sissy Bars
-Highway Bar

BAD NEWS
-Missing the right side, side cover
-"Very slight oil seepage once bike gets really hot with older oil. Can ride months without actually noticing a loss/drop of oil amount."
(I asked him about this and he said: " Not 100% sure where it is coming from, but its somewhere on the #1 cylinder stack (not sure of actual name at moment) I  think..")
-Also, when I asked him about gas mileage he said he typically gets between 70 and 90 miles before switching to the reserve.  Is this good or bad gas mileage for this bike?  Doesn't sound too great to me...

He says that he has put over 10k miles on it personally, used it as a daily driver last Summer, and has already ridden it 200 miles this Spring.
He also has some other parts hes throwing in: windshield, extra turn signal, original manual, service manual, etc.
He is asking $750 and I haven't tried haggling him yet.  What do you guys think?
To me it sounds like a pretty good deal but I'm hesitant about the oil leak and the gas mileage.

Please voice your input.  I don't have a lot of money to spend and I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but right now I want something that runs reliably and doesn't need a lot of work right from the get-go.  Thanks again!

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Jordan,

Welcome to the insanity! 

Hard to say if the price is right without seeing it.  Engine condition, compression, valves, etc are difficult to asses without tools and know-how.  One thing you can check is if all four header pipes heat evenly as the motor warms up.  If the bike is ridable (sounds like it is) and the seat isn't torn-up and chrome all looks fairly rust free, then I'd say $750 is in the ball park.  Milage sounds about right (my '77 550K will hold 3.0 gallons between full and reserve and I switch around 90 miles.)

Below is a list I've been working on since I was a new cyclist/wrench turner (seems like only last year!  )  This might give you some ideas what to look for when you inspect the bike and also what you are getting yourself into!


- the brakes suck, don't ride past your ability to stop
- don't let fuel leaks go unattended, especially above the engine (don't ask how I know    )
- pull the plug caps off the plug wires.  If there is any green in there, shine up the spike in the cap and trim the wire back to clean copper.  Don't cut too short tho!!
- Double check that you have the right plugs.  Your caps have resistance, your plugs shouldn't.
- 15-amp fuses --- don't leave home without some!
- a bad fuse can "look" good.  If you suspect it, replace it.
- The 550 has a habit of "melting" it's fuses under the cap where you can't see it.  If this happens to you, search the forum for the solution
- watch your tire pressure close
- New tires need to be scuffed up or ridden about 100 miles before they are 100% trustworthy on a sharp corner or stop
- you have a "wet" sump and "wet" clutch (i.e motor oil rests in the bottom of your engine and is supposed to be in the clutch)
- oil level is measured with the dip stick set in the hole, not screwed down
- Chain lube that doesn't fling off the chain and onto your pants hasn't been invented yet
- Old School is COOL! (heard that somewhere)
- exhaust megaphones are WAY over priced!
- SeaFoam (gas additive) is awesome! (pause while those that disagree roll their eyes)
- death, taxes, and SOHC/4 oil leaks
- OEM gaskets are the only way to go (yes, still available via Honda )
- for better battery charging, run your engine at or above 3000 RPM
- HondaMan and TwoTired are God's!  Glad to have them as members here as well as the rest of the clan!
- The moderators are way under appreciated!
- Crotch rockets hurt my back just looking at them
- downshift, throttle, bubye!
- Cagers (vehicles with 4 or more wheels) are not to be trusted
- A helmet and a leather jacket are instant cool!
- Any distraction (radio, iPod, cell phone, beautiful girl) can mean death on these machines.
- Only a motorcyclist knows why a dog loves to stick it's head out a car window
- forget about wheelies, front or back
- High side, low side, super man --- I'd rather avoid the crash all together.  (your safety class will explain this, and DO take a safety class!!!)
- the rear wheel adjustment notches aren't accurate.  Measure from rim to swing arm on both sides to align the rear wheel
- don't expect three-digit milage.  These bikes weren't built for fuel efficiency.  Anything above 40 is great!
- the speedometer will read about 5 MPH over your actual speed
- wiring, especially the connectors, need TLC.  Spend a day shining and packing them with dielectric grease
- don't let moisture get into your points!! if the gasket is bad, a little high-temp grease will get you back on the road while you wait for/make the replacement.
- if you have the under-seat tool kit, don't leave it on the shop bench when you ride!
- if you don't have an under-seat tool kit, get one or assemble one of your own
- keep the greasy side down and the leathery side up!
- no matter how long you have ridden, you are never fully prepared
- know your limits and the limits of your machine, respect them both!
- reasonable engine breaking (downshifting) is not going to hurt anything.  With as bad as these brakes are, practice it.
- practice panic stops too!  May save your life some day
- your front brake is 80% of your braking power
- don't take your bike to the auto wash if you plan to ride it home (again, don't ask how I know!   )
- a novice rider is a dangerous thing, so is a novice mechanic.  Doubly so when they are the SAME person!  I know this because that describes me!  Hook up with an old timer mechanic, someone who has actually HEARD of points!  Let them give your bike the once over twice so that all those subtle yet deadly things you and I might miss will get caught.
- You can park almost anywhere
- If you pack them in carefully, you can get 6 bikes in the garage space where your car used to be   
- you almost never walk away from your car - backwards.
- Nobody wishes they were you when you ride in your car
- We are a community, with our own language, and we wave at each other when we pass by
- Oh, the conversations you will get into when some old-timer walk up as says "I used to ride one of those!"
- Getting lost on your bike only means you get to ride more
- Car drivers never say "Man, I'm really ON today!"
- A motorcycle is it's own roller-coaster, any YOU control the thrills
- the painted lines and figures on the road are very slippery when wet.  Don't stop on top of any if you want to keep your paint in good shape.

[csendker]

My '75 550K gets about 30 mpg, or about 70 miles to reserve (stock sprockets).  It's low, and I know I'm running rich.  Side covers can be had off e-buy; of course, patience and price being inversely proportional.  Pods vs. OEM airbox are sure to cause some discussion.  I prefer the stock airbox, but that's just me.  I got mine for $350 in economically-depressed-Buffalo, after chewing him down from a $500 asking price.

Working on the carbs will likely bring your milage up, but don't expect 70 or 80 mpg, 550's seem to average in the 40's or so (several threads discuss mpg).

Working on these are a blast, and this forum is a god-send for noobs like me.

Oil seepage is probably more common than one would hope.  Of course, seepage is a relative term.

Once they are running, it seems bullet-proof and parts are cheap and readily available.

[Jv550]

Sounds good to me - I got a 75 550k last year in similar condition and am still loving it. I've had two bikes before and am not much of a mechanic, but the work I've put into my CB has actually been enjoyable and the help provided on this board has been invaluable. The only problem is that now I want a whole fleet of Hondas!

[TwoTired]

here is the info I have on the motorcycle:

-1975 Honda CB550K
-~23,000 miles

Not much concern about this if the cam cover checks out OK. The mileage is about right to check for cam cover wear:

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=20408.0

NEW LAST FALL
-Rear Tire
-Battery

NEW ~2 YEARS AGO
-Front Tire
-Chain
-Fork Bearings

You mean fork seals?  Were these professionally done?

-"Complete Engine Tune/Haul" (Have yet to ask him for a list of what this entailed)

Do ask.

AFTERMARKET
-K&N "Air Pods" in place of stock air filter

This is a good brand.  But, these are NOT one time replacement items.  As they are used, the clog up and CANNOT be cleaned to "as new" condition.  This will make performance and gas mileage worse as time goes on.  Make sure you can afford replacements if you want to keep this modification.

-4 into 2 Exhaust

This may or may not have effected the gas mileage.  Not enough info.

BAD NEWS
-Missing the right side, side cover

It's just money.  Bike will run without it.  What the value to you?

-"Very slight oil seepage once bike gets really hot with older oil. Can ride months without actually noticing a loss/drop of oil amount."
(I asked him about this and he said: " Not 100% sure where it is coming from, but its somewhere on the #1 cylinder stack (not sure of actual name at moment) I think..")

As a guess, it's probably the oil passage oring at the head gasket interface.  These can slowly weep without any performance impact.  It will eventually progress in severity to oil your leg while riding.  The engine will still run fine as long as you keep oil in it.
My 74 has been slowly weeping since 1985 or so.  It IS starting to annoy me though.

-Also, when I asked him about gas mileage he said he typically gets between 70 and 90 miles before switching to the reserve. Is this good or bad gas mileage for this bike? Doesn't sound too great to me...

3.7 Gallon tank 1.1 Gallon reserve.  So, it's getting between 34 and 26 MPG.  On the open road cruise, in fifth, will stock intake and exhaust components, they get usually 45-50 MPG.  You should probably find out if it has the stock 17/37 sprockets for the chain.  Time spent in lower gears and high power settings diminish the mileage, as will out of tune and air filter problems.  Of course, you get best acceleration in lower gears.  So, the rider may chose to trade off fuel economy with thrills.

He says that he has put over 10k miles on it personally, used it as a daily driver last Summer, and has already ridden it 200 miles this Spring.

This is good and bad.  Check the chain carefully. If has not been maintained properly it and the sprockets could be bad. On the other hand the fuel system stays nice and free flowing with routine use.

He also has some other parts hes throwing in: windshield, extra turn signal, original manual, service manual, etc.

Seems most on this list will simply spit on your windshield.  But, I like 'em.  I can ride many more hours behind them than without.  But, if you're 18-30 years old, you may have excess saliva issues.

He is asking $750 and I haven't tried haggling him yet. What do you guys think?
To me it sounds like a pretty good deal but I'm hesitant about the oil leak and the gas mileage.

Please voice your input. I don't have a lot of money to spend and I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but right now I want something that runs reliably and doesn't need a lot of work right from the get-go. Thanks again!

There is no mention of brake servicing!  Extremely rare for these bikes.  Dragging brakes can rob MPG, too.  Look in the master reservoir.  New fluid is clear.

If $750 is all you have to spend, then I'd say no.  If you haven't got at least and extra $300 to spend on the bike for miscellaneous repairs after you get it, you won't be happy.  The bike is over 30 years old and catching up on 30 years of missed or neglected maintenance is NOT free.

The pods and pipes scream "take the cheap way out" to me.  And this translates to missed and neglected maintenance.  In person viewing and inspection may, of course, tell a different story.  $750 may well be a decent deal.  Won't hurt to offer less.  These are really sweet bikes when in good nick.

Cheers,

[De La Nooch]

Thanks for the input everyone!

I posted up the pics that the owner provided me.

TwoTired, (or anyone) please look at the last picture in the gallery.... is that the end cap that needs to be removed to inspect for rocker shaft wear?  I'm going to email him back, ask him about the fork seals, what the engine overhaul entailed, brake work, and to see if he will take off the cam cover end cap and snap a pic.

Thanks again!

[FunJimmy]

That bike looks real nice. I'll take it for $750.00 if you pass it by.

Just a personal suggestion. Ditch the sissy bar.

Cheers
Jimmy

[mrbreeze]

Old School..........dug your post......I've heard some of it before but not all. Its long but alot of good info....even more so for newbies.

[TwoTired]

TwoTired, (or anyone) please look at the last picture in the gallery.... is that the end cap that needs to be removed to inspect for rocker shaft wear? 

Yes, that's the end cap to remove.  However, if he won't take closeup pictures of both ends, then get one taken of the left side.  3 out of 3 of the worn cam covers I've found were the worst on that left side.

The bike looks reasonably cared for, average.  It has a CB750 speedometer on it.  My 74 does, too, at the moment, so it works okay.  But, it is highly doubtfull the miles shown are actual miles on this bike, because of the speedometer change.

Did you notice the right muffler damage?  The bike was on its right side at some point.

The pod filters are pretty dark.  I thought K&N's were white or at least light grey when new.  Been a very long time since I've seen a new one.  Were it mine, I'd replace them ASAP.  In fact, I'd find the stock airbox and plenum setup and then put a UNI foam filter inside it.  Probably improve the mileage a great deal.

Cheers,

[eurban]

Un oiled KN pods will be white element with a screen mesh over top.  KN oil is purple/pink ish  red and they do need to be oiled but not over oiled.  I clean them with a solution of Simple green and hot water and then rinse and let dry.  Oil the filter and then connect it up to your shop vac to suck out excess oil and to distribute the oil evenly throughout the filter fabric.   I have PODs on my bike for looks not for all around performance.  If didn't like to tinker with carb tuning (or didn't know how) then I would probably ditch the pods for the stock air box. . . . . . .

[De La Nooch]

TwoTired (I almost wrote 'TwoTires' which would also make a good handle  , how do you know that the Speedo is off of a 750? Do 550 stock speedos not go up that high in mph?  Also... according to the sohc/4 550k model guide, the 550k1 stock guages are dark green.  Does that mean that the Tach is off of another bike as well?  I wonder if he even knows these things?

I did notice the right muffle damage... but I just now realized that that is probably why there is no right side cover. DUH!

Yes the pod filters look pretty dirty, but brand new ones are a dark gray color, I was pricing K&N filters to see what they would cost to replace: http://store.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=RC-0844 $135 for 4 little filters!    I will ask him if he still has the stock airbox.  If he doesn't... how much do they go for?  Would I have to purchase one from a member or eBay or could I still get one from Honda?  Gas mileage is something that I think will be important to me with this bike.

Man I really wish I would have discovered all of this before contacting him.  Now we've gone back and forth a dozen times via email and I have yet to bring up any of these points.  Oh well, I guess its never too late to bring this stuff up.  I'm going to email him in a bit and ask a TON more questions. I may be driving out there this weekend with my girlfriend's dad's truck to check it out/ buy it.

[De La Nooch]

Alright I just emailed him again with a huge salvo of questions.  There should be a ton of answers and hopefully rocker arm pics on the way. 

I feel like all of the things you guys have pointed out have given me a lot more confidence and a larger arsenal of info I can use to haggle with him on the price!

I'll let you know when he responds.

[De La Nooch]

Alright... I got an expedient reply.

Here is the list of what was done professionally by a shop ~2 years ago (says he has documentation on most of the work):

-install and lube new chain
-battery recondition (have installed a new one since this was done)
-adjust valve clearances (intake and exhaust)
-dress points
-set point gap and ignition timing
-clean and lube air pods
-syncronize carbs and adjust idle speed
-change oil and filter
-repace plugs, wires, caps, and set gap
-set cam chain adjustment
-lube and adjust throttle cables
-lube and adjust clutch cable
-test charging system
-check swingarm bearings
-brake inspection (front was adjusted a few times at shop)
-replace headstem bearings (this is what I believe you were referring to)
-test electrical system
-lube pivot points
-mount and balance new rear tire w/new tube

He claims that neither him nor the previous 2 owners swapped speedos and "a lot of parts on 550's and 750's are the same."

K&N and Exhaust mods were done by PO. He does not have the stock airbox.

He's never dumped the bike.  However he DID drop it on its LEFT side once while walking it down his driveway.  Side cover fell off while on road trip and is unrelated.

He thinks the bike runs a bit lean under 3K due to the air pods.

He also wants to know if he will be met with any fluids when he takes the end caps off?  I'm assuming no but I wanted to make sure as to not piss him off.

He is being very nice and responding well to all the questioning.  Unfortunately he won't be home this weekend so I can't head over there.  I'm going to wait to respond til I get an answer about the end cap question.  Thanks!

[Jinxracing]

Yesterday I went with my neighbor to pick up a '78 CB550K that he was inspired to buy by seeing me work on my project. It's complete with little rust, but doesn't run, probably due to the fact that it had been sitting in someone's yard for the past 10 years  . Paint is badly oxidized, motor turns over with the kickstarter and doesn't make any funny noises, seat cover has been destroyed by the sun, stock exhaust is rust-free but has a ding or two. He paid $600 for it and I don't think he got ripped off.

If you've found a '75 in the condition you describe for $750 OBO, it sounds like it might be time to just pull the trigger and take it home.

[csendker]

I've seen airboxes on e-buy, they seem to go for a reasonable amount.  One up now for $25 BIN:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-Honda-CB550-CB-550-Air-Cleaner-Box-Airbox-OEM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35595QQihZ006QQitemZ160112530226QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-Honda-CB550-CB-550-Air-Cleaner-Box-Airbox-Boots_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35597QQihZ006QQitemZ160112530244QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I got the UNI drop in foam replacement, a can of cleaner & a can of oil, I think it was $30-40 for the whole mess.  The swap back to an airbox can be made anytime, so the cost will be a function of your patience.  But once back to stock, then the OEM carb set-up specs will be much more applicable (exhaust, etc notwithstanding...), allowing you to address the lean condition with some confidence.  And running lean means running hot.  Too lean is too hot and BOOM.

The gauges are NOT the same between 750's and 550's.  Not to say a swapped gauge wouldn't work, but they are different.  Trust TT when he says it's not the stock gauge (look at  his handle, he's got 10-15 of these bikes). 

A lot of the work that was done seems to be general tune-up stuff and not rebuild stuff.  Things you'll want to get familiar with anyway, but at least someone took some sort of care.

The sidecover can be had off e-buy too, again price vs. patience.  I keep an eye out for them and collect the ones that slip through cheap.  Then it's more a function of color.

And the bike looks nicer than mine did when I bought it.

[Carbine]

how do you know that the Speedo is off of a 750? Do 550 stock speedos not go up that high in mph?  Also... according to the sohc/4 550k model guide, the 550k1 stock guages are dark green.  Does that mean that the Tach is off of another bike as well?  I wonder if he even knows these things?

     The speedometer is off of a '76 750F Super Sport. It has the trip meter on the bottom of the face, as all the F's did. K speedo's have the trip meter on the upper side of the speedo face. The light green face means 1976. As well, only the 750's had the speedo that went to 140 MPH.

   The tach on the bike pictured is the original '75 550 part. It would not be hard to find the correct spreedo for your 550, if you chose to buy the bike. The '76 750F speedo on the bike is a saleable part, there are many F owners here who I am sure would pick it up. You could fnd the correct speedo first, then sell the spare. All good................

[TwoTired]

CB750 speedometers have marked numbers to 140.  Cb550 speedometers have marked numbers to 120.
In fact, the left light green gauge face color on that bike is unique to the 1976 model bikes.  Honda color matched the gauge faces.  It is, beyond any doubt, NOT original to the bike.  Since it contains the odometer, its reading is unlikely to match the actual miles on the bike.  If the speedometer change was not documented as to mileage, the actual mileage of the bike is now unknown.  All this means is that you will have to evaluate the bike condition without knowing the actual mileage.

How do I know?  Well, I have several CB550 as examples.  See Sig below.  And, I have several 550 owners manuals that have pictures of the gauge faces.  Page 164 of the Honda shop manual also depicts the 550 gauge face, albeit the F model or "Super Sport".  

Further, the 550 speedometers from 74-76 had the trip meter reset knob on the back of the gauge rather than the side like the 750s did.

I'm not certain of the tachometer.  It looks the same as the one on my 75.  Though I can't guarantee it hasn't been replaced before I got the bike.  The redline is marked for the Cb550 and it looks good.  Not much reason to complain about it, even if not original. IMO

The cafe racer fashion trend leaves a lot of the stock airboxes available for restoration and performance improvement efforts.  Be patient, one will show up either on this list or ebay.  

The K&N can be cleaned,  I have one.  But, the crossed fiber element type can't be cleaned as new each time.  Eventually, it will become restrictive and need to be replaced.  I can't really evaluate the effective condition of the ones on that bike from here.  I just noted that they look pretty dark.  If you are happy with them, that's fine.

That's a pretty good maintenance list.  Only a couple of red or yellow flags.
1) Engine tuneups are due every 3000 miles.  If he has driven 12000 miles since the last one, what does that tell you about maintenance care?
Stock air filters are REPLACED at 6000 mile intervals.  At the very least, you know that tappets, points, timing, cam tension, air filters need servicing NOW!

2) They replaced spark plug wires? They are molded into the stock coils.  Were they replaced, too?

3) The list shows that real care was given to the bike.  All my bikes came to me non-running and grossly neglected.  It's very nice to see someone actually caring for these nice old bikes.

He also wants to know if he will be met with any fluids when he takes the end caps off? 

Possibly an oil drip.  Don't take them off while running the motor.  These caps block the bore holes for the rocker shafts, which are splash oiled when running.  There are o ring seals on the plug for each bore.  If the seals are old and hard, there is a possibility they won't reseal properly, and slowly weep thereafter until replaced.
It is a fairly important prebuy inspection, as a new cam cover from Honda is $300.  Though, you can probably get a used one off Ebay for $75-$50 if you are patient.  Covers that are severely worn also damage the cam and cam followers.

The inspection is worth 4 new o rings, even if you provide them for him.

Cheers,

[De La Nooch]

Thank you everyone for your amazing input!!!!    I am a member of several car forums and have NEVER been met with this kind of feedback and hospitality.  Everyone seems to put so much thought and time into their posts and legitimately care... and it's awesome!

Trust TT when he says it's not the stock gauge (look at  his handle, he's got 10-15 of these bikes). 

I believe TwoTired and everyone else on this forum, I did not mean to sound questioning of anyones' knowledge.  I was merely quoting his response when I brought the Speedo issue up.

Thanks for all the advice on OEM airbox and speedo.

I feel comfortable with this bike due to all of the feedback.

I think I am going to tell him to wait on removing the endcaps.  And if TT, or someone can instruct me on where I can find orings (and how much they cost), and a basic walk through for removing the caps and refitting the orings, I may try to do the inspection myself when I go to look at the bike.

Also, can someone give me a little more info on the "UNI" foam replacement that everyone is talking about? Thanks.

[dusterdude]

yea,we are like allstate,your in good hands.

[csendker]

Uni --> http://www.unifilter.com/online%20catalog/streethonda.html

O-rings --> http://www.crotchrocket.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?category=Motorcycles&make=Honda&year=1975&fveh=2948

Buy them there or get the part number and buy them ar your friendly neighborhood Honda dealer.

[TwoTired]

The end cap orings are 6x3 mm.  If you don't have a metric oring supplier nearby, the Honda dealer may be your easiest source.  
The Honda P/N is: 91319-323-000 from my Fiche.  You'll need two for each end.  The end cap comes off with a single crosspoint screw.  Bring a #3 Phillips screwdriver with you to avoid buggering up the screwhead.  The cap then pulls/wiggles straight off to the side of the engine.  Did you find the picture of what to look for inside?  
A strong safety pin or a narrow machinist scribe will help remove the old oring.  I check the oring beforehand with my thumbnail.  If soft and supple, it's reuseable.  If hard, brittle or cracking, it's worthless.

The Uni filter for the stock airbox is NU-4055.  $23-$30 depending on where you buy.  Google search on Uni 4055.  I have a new one in the garage still in the package if you really need a picture.

Cheers,

[De La Nooch]

Well, I bought the bike for $700.  He was very firm on the price and claimed that he had it listed in a local paper for more and only asked such a cheap price because he sort of knew me through the car forum we are both members of.  Also, I ended up spending about $160 total in gas and trailer rental so I felt pretty committed before I ever even saw the bike and I think he knew that.  Oh well, I'm not upset about what I paid.

We made it home safe and had absolutely no problems with hauling it (which I was afraid of).  I also felt a lot more comfortable loading and unloading it from the Uhaul motorcycle trailer instead of the bed of the raised Dodge Ram 1500 Extended Cab that I used (also the reason I spent so much in gas!).

Now here comes the bad news.  After getting home last night, despite being sleep-deprived from the night before, and generally tired and worn out from a ~9 hour drive, I couldn't contain my excitement enough to not take it for a slow-speed test drive around my yard (3 acres).  I have 0 experience with motorcycles (except for the last 2 days) and such I felt that a little cruise around the yard to feel things out would be safer then on the street.  I suppose I ended up getting a little rambunctious because I somehow dumped the bike in my front yard.  The bike sustained minimal injuries (enough to piss me off this morning) and I am fine except for being a little sore, and was primarily just stunned/in awe of what had just happened.

I didn't have him check the rocker arm because I never got around to picking up new orings in time, and I haven't checked yet either because the screws were too tight to get out easily and I am still recovering and too tired to deal with it just yet.

I also haven't gotten a chance to upload any more pictures of the road trip or the damages yet.

I'm expecting some flaming for this post but I figured that since I plan on becoming an active member on here that I might as well be truthful.  All I can say is that yes, I know it was stupid, and hopefully lessons learned.

[medic09]

Congrats on your purchase!  Welcome to the community.

If you're feeling silly after a little drop in the yard, you don't need us to rub it in.  We won't....much.     Hey, I've dropped my 750K in my own driveway.  Actually, I turned into the driveway and didn't complete the turn and went over the edge into the grass where the sudden added friction made me drop the bike.     My wife, of course, had to witness it as well.   

You've got some real pros here (you already met TT).  Folks will be generous with their knowledge and sometimes more; don't hesitate to take advantage of the good will.  Soon enough you'll be offering up answers to someone's questions.

Ride it in good health!

[KCs76Cafe]

Below is a list I've been working on since I was a new cyclist/wrench turner (seems like only last year!  )  This might give you some ideas what to look for when you inspect the bike and also what you are getting yourself into!


- 15-amp fuses --- don't leave home without some!
- a bad fuse can "look" good.  If you suspect it, replace it.
- The 550 has a habit of "melting" it's fuses under the cap where you can't see it.  If this happens to you, search the forum for the solution

^^^^ excellent advise right there......and the rest of the post too. Good info oldschool. My 750 melted an endcap on the main fuse and had me stranded scratching my head for about an hour. After taking the fuse out for the 3rd time noticed it was discolored inside the cap. Replaced it and I was on my way......along with my Dad being on the way to haul me home  

Congrats on the buy.

 Let me guess........you goosed the throttle in the grass and the back in came out from under you. "Almost" been there done that. After getting mine running I was cruising around the yard and just about did the same.

TT knows his stuff when it comes to electrics. He got me going after finding out my 76 750K had 73 controls on it. During the rebuild.......I couldnt get the wire colors to match up while re-wiring inside the headlite bucket. He gave me cross reference list as to what color to hook to what to get everything to work like it should.  Which reminds me.......I need to make a few copies of that info so the next owner of my bike (hopefully my son) wont have to go thru the same thing.  Arent POs a peach 

Welcome to the madness.....and the forum.

[KCs76Cafe]

Just noticed the pics of the bike...ie.. the one showing the gauges.

What a trip....my bike has the matching speedo to yours and you have mine. Would offer to trade ya but the trip knob is missing on mine.