Author Topic: CB550 Cafe Interceptor - Gentleman's Roadster (Read 339302 times)

MRieck · « **Reply #175 on:** December 18, 2009, 07:26:19 am »

Congrats sir. I'm very happy I had a hand in it.

Ryan 550k · « **Reply #176 on:** December 18, 2009, 09:15:25 am »

YES! Jimmy you and your bike RULE!

cdoggy81 · « **Reply #177 on:** December 19, 2009, 12:28:16 pm »

She sure is a sweeeet ride!

FunJimmy · « **Reply #178 on:** January 16, 2011, 06:48:19 pm »

Been awhile since I've updated the build, but I've been to busy riding until now.

I've got a few things to work on this winter and this is the first.

With most modern fork conversions the speedo gets lost in the process because it’s near impossible to get the mechanical speedo drive to fit the new larger axle.
Some have found that bicycle computers with their magnetic wheel sensors work well and the display units are very inconspicuous on the bike.
My original plan was to mark the tachometer at the two most commonly (50 KPH & 90 KPH) posted speeds and leave it at that, until the penalties for speeding here in B.C. where elevated to crazy levels.

That, plus the fact that I like to find secondary roads when ever possible got me thinking about a GPS.
Now some of you might think it’s just wrong to mix modern electronic gizmos with analog gauges on a vintage bike, but consider it era-fusion not confusion.

The tach is an early ‘80s VF750 electronic unit and the GPS is a Garmin Nuvi550.
The Garmin Nuvi550 is a waterproof GPS ment for the scooter market and has excellent mapping and a nice moto specific dash.
The tach housing and all the mounting hardware are aluminum items that will soon be anodized black and silver.

HedNut · « **Reply #179 on:** January 17, 2011, 04:54:22 am »

I really dig that! Great idea..and You've done an excellent job of making it look good in there too!
Cheers!

I want one! ahah

bwaller · « **Reply #180 on:** January 17, 2011, 05:22:20 am »

It is a nice fit and better still weather proof.

Is that a 12mm Brembo master, how do you like the feel?

FunJimmy · « **Reply #181 on:** January 17, 2011, 12:15:06 pm »

Quote from: bwaller on January 17, 2011, 05:22:20 am

It is a nice fit and better still weather proof.

Is that a 12mm Brembo master, how do you like the feel?

Bwaller

That Brembo is a 13mm and with the single R6 caliper I find it a bit firm for my liking. I prefer a more progressive (softer) feel at the lever, so I’ve ordered an 11mm Brembo that should be here soon. I also have a 15mm on my stock CB550 with dual disc brakes and that combination is perfect.

Thanks for all the positive feedback on the GPS integration guys. I appreciate it.

bwaller · « **Reply #182 on:** January 18, 2011, 09:48:51 am »

I agree Jim, the 15mm masters work nicely with dual calipers. I have a 12mm Brembo I'm going to use on the race bike, I hope it's a good choice.

Syscrush · « **Reply #183 on:** January 18, 2011, 09:49:11 am »

FJ, thanks for bumping this thread, I really love your bike and it's been a great read seeing all of the care and thought that has gone into it.

Nice work on the GPS placement - as others have said it doesn't look out of place - maybe partly because it's nestled into the most modern-looking part of the bike with that billet triple and the R6 forks protruding.

I ran those same forks on my old SV and they are a DREAM.

If I may, I'd like to throw out 2 small suggestions. Of course, it's your bike and I'm just a joker on the sidelines, so take this for what it's worth.

1) It would not take long to remove the caliper mounts from that left fork leg, and it would significantly clean up the front end. It just looks a bit unfinished on a bike where everything else is finished, polished, and perfect.

2) That monobloc caliper works awesome, and the anodized blue does fit in with other elements on the bike - but that blue is such a distinctive modern Yamaha signature item that IMO it looks a bit out of place on a vintage Honda. It really draws the eye and is a bit discordant. Again, this only comes up because the bike is built to such an incredibly high standard overall. I suggest that if the blue part was blacked out the caliper would blend into the background and look more like it belongs on the bike.

Again, fantastic and inspiring work - thanks for sharing so much of the process with your devoted ~~readership~~ fan club.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #184 on:** January 18, 2011, 12:55:44 pm »

Syscrush

Thank you for your suggestions, they and ALL the suggestions are greatly appreciated. I can’t tell you how often I just sit with beer in hand and look at this bike contemplating balance and proportions, colours and style. Ultimately my goal is to build a very well balanced vintage bike with modern elements seamlessly sewn into the build.

Several items including the Attack triples are currently getting anodized to better blend into the overall package, (especially that pesky gold nut on the steer tube!) and it would certainly be a good time to remove the caliper mount, but you’ll have to wait and see if I get there this go round. I agree with your comments on the blue caliper caps too, unfortuanlty I don’t have the special tool to remove them and re-anodize in a different colour, but paint works well too. Stay tuned.

The other item that has been needling me over the year is the 550Four decal on the side covers. I with I had the painter do the outline in the gold and the font fill in charcoal or black. They could also be positioned a bit better too. The angle just isn’t quite right, but now you get a glimpse at the ~~anal~~ fussy side of me.

All good points.

Thanks
FJ

gsnorcal · « **Reply #185 on:** January 18, 2011, 06:49:00 pm »

Hi Jimmy,

Just curious... since you got the Attack adjustable triples, have you adjusted the geometry at all? Looks like they have an eccentric stem for adjusting offset.

BTW, I'm gonna try my best to repeat your great R6 conversion on my 400.

Thanks,
Dave

FunJimmy · « **Reply #186 on:** January 18, 2011, 08:16:01 pm »

Flattery will get you everywhere Dave.

No I haven’t tried different offset setting because the spot that I have it at now already increases trail over stock and the other setting just increase it more.
Don’t need anymore trail than what I have.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #187 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:30:37 pm »

I just love getting back from the anodizer.

Time to put the front end back together.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #188 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:32:52 pm »

Hi Jimmy, were there many options for gold, i have seen so many different gold anodised finishes i just had to ask....

Mick

FunJimmy · « **Reply #189 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:37:57 pm »

There probably are, but the guy I use (beer for anodizing) mainly does silver and black, the basics.
I think he also has gold, green, red, orange and purple, but those don’t run as often.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #190 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:55:15 pm »

Here are a couple of pics of the gauge mount and the tach housing.
There are little rubber grommets to isolate the tach and GPS from excessive vibration.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #191 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:30:19 pm »

With a little break in the weather I took the bike out for a couple photos to see how the black triples fit in.

brettster26 · « **Reply #192 on:** January 26, 2011, 04:51:56 pm »

Jimmy,
I am sure you have heard it several times before, But your bike is AWESOME! That is insperation for maybe my next build depending on how well this one goes! Great work!

FunJimmy · « **Reply #193 on:** January 26, 2011, 07:59:13 pm »

I've never been that successful with getting the stock carbs to work well so lets see how these do.

Zaipai · « **Reply #194 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:23:49 am »

Dude,
I was so drooling before now I am just speechless.. That bike is going to be killer!!!! Hope the exhaust and CR's go on with no issues. What makes them limited production S.S. 's?

.: Scott :.

Syscrush · « **Reply #195 on:** January 27, 2011, 06:32:45 am »

Jimmy, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, man.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #196 on:** January 27, 2011, 03:04:05 pm »

It was suggested on the “High Performance & Racing Forum” that straight runners from the carbs to the intake valves is a lot more efficient than having bends in the intake tract.
With that in mind, I ordered the CR26 carbs spaced to match the intake ports on the head.
That meant I needed to make intake manifolds to mount them.
Not having a welder or experience using one, I decided to bolt an adapter to the head and then use rubber intake manifolds from a Kawasaki KZ550.

Here are the adapters rough cut and drilled on the drill press.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #197 on:** January 27, 2011, 03:08:25 pm »

After a bit of Dremel time to match the ports, the KZ intakes will be bolted on and some final shaping can be done to the adapter plates.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #198 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:01:41 pm »

Quote from: FunJimmy on January 27, 2011, 03:08:25 pm

After a bit of Dremel time to match the ports, the KZ intakes will be bolted on and some final shaping can be done to the adapter plates.

good idea there, i am curious if you have researched how the added intake tract length will affect torque/hp curves.

FunJimmy · « **Reply #199 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:18:08 pm »

Quote from: seanbarney41 on January 27, 2011, 05:01:41 pm

i am curious if you have researched how the added intake tract length will affect torque/hp curves.

Actually the intake tract is approx. 20mm shorter than the stock intake tract using this setup, and I think that moves the power up the RPM range slightly. Moving the carbs a bit closer to the engine will also provide that little bit of extra pod clearance in #1 & #4 too.

Will let you know soon enough.

FJ

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Author Topic: CB550 Cafe Interceptor - Gentleman's Roadster (Read 339302 times)

Ryan 550k

gsnorcal