Topic: CB550 Cafe Interceptor - Gentleman's Roadster

[tweakin]

Everything looks great Jim!

[Stev-o]

Why no insurance?   

[FunJimmy]

Why no insurance?

Vancouver winters are typically long and wet so ride days are few and far between.
Combined with sky high insurance premiums (approx. $100/month for basic converge) it just doesn't make sense to have it insured more than 7-8 months of the year.

[calj737]

Combined with sky high insurance premiums (approx. $100/month for basic converge) it just doesn't make sense to have it insured more than 7-8 months of the year.

Jimmy does your Homeowners cover your bike if its in the "lab" while road uninsured? I only ask because my garage just collapsed due to snow, and here, Homeowners doesn't cover vehicles. I was wicked fortunate that 3 bikes survived, 1 completely unscathed, 2 gently bruised. As complete as the GR is, with all the handwork, I'd be as nervous as a cat on a porch of rocking chairs about Comprehensive coverage for your beauty.

[FunJimmy]

Jimmy does your Homeowners cover your bike if its in the "lab" while road uninsured? I only ask because my garage just collapsed due to snow, and here, Homeowners doesn't cover vehicles. I was wicked fortunate that 3 bikes survived, 1 completely unscathed, 2 gently bruised. As complete as the GR is, with all the handwork, I'd be as nervous as a cat on a porch of rocking chairs about Comprehensive coverage for your beauty.

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear that Cal. How many bike where in the garage then the top dropped in?

Home owners insurance doesn't cover our bikes either. We have to purchase storage insurance from our auto insurer seperately.

[akabek]

Why no insurance?

Vancouver winters are typically long and wet so ride days are few and far between.
Combined with sky high insurance premiums (approx. $100/month for basic converge) it just doesn't make sense to have it insured more than 7-8 months of the year.

I pay $550 per year for the CB550 in Ontario.  The insurance companies here smartened up and apply 95% or the insurance amount to the 7 month riding season.  If I cancelled my policy in Oct I may see $50.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

I'll post up a video of the signals in action in a day or two Don.

Thanks, Jim.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

All good things to note about re insurance.  It's also good to re-assess coverage as you add value to your bike.  A stated value amount may raise your premiums, but otherwise, the insurance companies use bluebook values which do not account for all of the work and parts put into a full build.

[calj737]

And as I'm learning, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, and more receipts. 

[FunJimmy]

And as I'm learning, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, and more receipts. 

Built not bought!

Most of the work on the Interceptor involve one-off hand made parts and assemblies so a professional appraisal is essential to obtaining adaquate coverage. The trick is finding an appraser with experience in this arena.

[Camrector]

And as I'm learning, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, receipts, and more receipts. 

Truth!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It will look like the stock passenger peg mount.

[GV1390]

I love this thing.

[RAFster122s]

OUCH Cal...sorry to hear that awful news about the bikes and the roof collapse...
I have dropped everything but comprehensive coverage for cars while off the road for rebuilding motors or other long term projects that were going to take a couple months...
It is smart to do what Jimmy has done... Some folks in Buffalo and other lake effect snow areas where lots of salt is put down have winter beaters they use and the nice car is either kept in the garage or they have a storage unit to swap for the cars...then they can keep the nice car out of the elements and away from salt until it has washed off the roads and no snow is flying. They are able to extend the life of their cars and will not have to worry if snow and ice causes an accident.
David
David

Combined with sky high insurance premiums (approx. $100/month for basic converge) it just doesn't make sense to have it insured more than 7-8 months of the year.

Jimmy does your Homeowners cover your bike if its in the "lab" while road uninsured? I only ask because my garage just collapsed due to snow, and here, Homeowners doesn't cover vehicles. I was wicked fortunate that 3 bikes survived, 1 completely unscathed, 2 gently bruised. As complete as the GR is, with all the handwork, I'd be as nervous as a cat on a porch of rocking chairs about Comprehensive coverage for your beauty.

[RAFster122s]

Have a beer and eat a snickers bar jimmy, quick before you pass out!
You arent you...

Zappoteca

[calj737]

Bored and playing with Photoshop Express for iOS.
Now I know what my new bike project will look like!.

FTFY 

There's great dignity in making another beautiful bike, Jimmy while leaving this magnificent ride be. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Bored and playing with Photoshop Express for iOS.
Now I know what my new bike project will look like!.

FTFY 

There's great dignity in making another beautiful bike, Jimmy while leaving this magnificent ride be. 

With all of the development work on the Cafe Interceptor, you'll move like a hot knife through butter in building a second bike!

[Trad]

That was a nice photoshop. I agree, that orange looks so good! Your bike looks as dialled as they come my man.

[FunJimmy]

With all of the development work on the Cafe Interceptor, you'll move like a hot knife through butter in building a second bike!

Thanks Don,

It's nbeen a culmination of cabin fever, OCD and Moto Therapy that got me this far.
Now I need sunshine.

[RAFster122s]

Had a lengthy reply I binned...
I saw the color as more of a root beer than an orange...guess I was not seeing the color correctly.
I like the sunrise flake candy of the original 550s... It just has that little zing to it.  A creamsicle orange isn't bad either...
Some good orange sherbet would be tasty...but a raspberry dark chocolate chunk is my favorite followed by a creamy pistachio, then I would have to say it would be butter pecan and then rocky-road...
No ice cream in the house...


Jimmy, feel free to vent your needs here...we'll listen...  Wednesday and Thursday's forecast here in NE Tennessee is for temps in the mid-70 Fs ...UNBELIEVEABLE!
Can you believe that...so come on down and enjoy a few rays before scooting down to Tail of the Dragon and back home...

David

[Stev-o]

Why no insurance?

Vancouver winters are typically long and wet so ride days are few and far between.
Combined with sky high insurance premiums (approx. $100/month for basic converge) it just doesn't make sense to have it insured more than 7-8 months of the year.

Wow, $100/month?  So there is 1 reason not to want to live in BC.

I just renewed, cost was $91 for 3 bikes for a year (basis liability coverage).

[FunJimmy]

Now you know the FZ6 was equipped with the R6's fork but more importantly had top triple with  support for handle bars (riser is a nice height. I have a couple top triples,  gave one to scottly to study. Then the transition to late FZ6 saw the addition of the 4 pot nissen caliper for stadard forks before they went to upside down forks. Added bonus is it bolts right up! So, it is easy to  have great brakes with only one side unless you want the excitement of twin front calipers & ability to do stoppies by a handful of brakes...
 Then you can pick up a 650 motor for MRieck to do his magic on a Stage 3 head to feed that sexy Hindle exhaust. M-unit to handle the electrics with some bling in the marker and turn signals with those great bright LED lights.
The frame mods will be quick to implement and you can  rely on plenty of advice and knowing what you have learned with the Cafe Interceptor it will be great fun. You can anodize to your heart's content...
Sidetrack...
Apple did a nice Orange anodized case on several of their Shuffles and Nanos, i had an orange Nano until it was stolen one holiday. Still have my orig. Orange shuffle and had to replace the battery late last year. Here in TN everyone roots for UT and their colors happen to feature predominately Orange.

Return to tracks
So, lay the foundation for flooring us with another epic creation out of Fun Jimmy's Lab!!

Starting to hit close to home David. I always thought I'd build a 750 but like the feel and agility of the Interceptor so much that it hasn't inticed me to pull the trigger. Don's 550/650 hybrid "The Hot Mess" has me periodically searching eBay for 650 engines and dreaming of the possibilities that offers though. I've also been sketching a few interesting bodywork concepts. Might be just the ticket. Laura's going to kill you David. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Now you know the FZ6 was equipped with the R6's fork but more importantly had top triple with  support for handle bars (riser is a nice height. I have a couple top triples,  gave one to scottly to study. Then the transition to late FZ6 saw the addition of the 4 pot nissen caliper for stadard forks before they went to upside down forks. Added bonus is it bolts right up! So, it is easy to  have great brakes with only one side unless you want the excitement of twin front calipers & ability to do stoppies by a handful of brakes...
 Then you can pick up a 650 motor for MRieck to do his magic on a Stage 3 head to feed that sexy Hindle exhaust. M-unit to handle the electrics with some bling in the marker and turn signals with those great bright LED lights.
The frame mods will be quick to implement and you can  rely on plenty of advice and knowing what you have learned with the Cafe Interceptor it will be great fun. You can anodize to your heart's content...
Sidetrack...
Apple did a nice Orange anodized case on several of their Shuffles and Nanos, i had an orange Nano until it was stolen one holiday. Still have my orig. Orange shuffle and had to replace the battery late last year. Here in TN everyone roots for UT and their colors happen to feature predominately Orange.

Return to tracks
So, lay the foundation for flooring us with another epic creation out of Fun Jimmy's Lab!!

Starting to hit close to home David. I always thought I'd build a 750 but like the feel and agility of the Interceptor so much that it hasn't inticed me to pull the trigger. Don's 550/650 hybrid "The Hot Mess" has me periodically searching eBay for 650 engines and dreaming of the possibilities that offers though. I've also been sketching a few interesting bodywork concepts. Might be just the ticket. Laura's going to kill you David. 

Join the 650/550 hybrid club, Jimmy.  You can pick up a running, stock 650 engine CHEAP; it's the rebuild that'll get you!  I am certain that if you embarked on such an endeavor, you would take it to a new level.

[jaycox]

Excuse me for my ignorance, but why bother with swapping a 650 into the 550, why not just use the 650?  Is the geometry so much different, or is the frame really heavy?

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Excuse me for my ignorance, but why bother with swapping a 650 into the 550, why not just use the 650?  Is the geometry so much different, or is the frame really heavy?

Yes, the geometry IS that different. 
The 650 -- especially years 1980-82 is essentially a cruiser.  The 550 handles much better.  The 650 engine however has an approximate 15+ hp increase plus torque stock -- that's cheap power -- with the same weight.  This can be increased with an overbore kit, porting and a cam.