Author Topic: Was this 550 a good buy? (Read 3831 times)

altf4 · « **on:** April 08, 2008, 09:19:27 PM »

So I was driving down the road and saw this 78 CB550F "K" sitting in a driveway for sale. The sign said 9000 miles, doesn't run...

The guy said he bought it from an old guy at church, and it hasn't run in about 5 years. I kicked it to make sure the motor wasn't seized, and it was good. He tells me the tank had some rust in it so he filled it with Kerosene (I guess thats ok???). I pop the lid to confirm. All else seems to check out ok...

Asking price: $375
Final sale price: $325 (he talked himself out of $50)

Was this good? I figured I couldnt go wrong for $325. BTW - those are factory pipes...

76 cb550 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2008, 09:24:00 PM »

check the price on those pipes and ask yourself that. Probably needs a battery

EDIT: it will need a battery but there is a chance that is why it won't run

BlindJoe · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2008, 09:28:14 PM »

Umm ......... yeah, he could have easily gotten $1000+ for that, good find!

jason teamshralp · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2008, 11:06:32 PM »

i paid $800 for mine running but practically the same bike. good find.

narcoticrex · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2008, 11:12:58 PM »

Ill give you 100 right now for the pipes, speedo and badges, just think of all the cash you could get parting the rest out!

Ryan 550k · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2008, 11:21:12 PM »

Uhm....ya, I payed 1000+ for the same bike in super good condition AND I just sold the same exhaust that's on that 550 for a little less than what you for the whole bike. I'm no expert like a lot of the guys on this site but your bike looks great! Nice work dude.

Peterbylt · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2008, 03:02:03 AM »

I'll give you $400.00 for it.

Peter

andy750 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2008, 05:05:04 AM »

I think you know you`ve had a great deal ;-) Well done!!!

cheers
Andy

altf4 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2008, 06:04:12 AM »

Ha-ha thanks guys. I really couldn't believe it when he told me. Guess he just didn't know what he had. Well, it will be a great bike for me and the little woman to ride around on. I'm excited to get it back on the road.

goon 1492 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2008, 06:48:40 AM »

man that's a find! and a great price too!

I still have a crush on your bike in the avatar, did you get to start a thread on that sled yet? I went to the website you got the frame from and i think i am getting bit by the bug and want to build one like that but with a 836 motor so I can scare some stop lights

.... and people in between the lights too.

altf4 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2008, 06:52:46 AM »

Quote from: goon 1492 on April 09, 2008, 06:48:40 AM

man that's a find! and a great price too! I still have a crush on your bike in the avatar, did you get to start a thread on that sled yet? I went to the website you got the frame from and i think i am getting bit by the bug and want to build one like that but with a 836 motor so I can scare some stop lights .... and people in between the lights too.

Thanks, I think you would be happy with their stuff. They really do make a quality frame. Mine is the standard 30-0 frame. It's amazing how this little 350F sounds with pods and open exhaust! Sounds like a little Indy car! But an 836 would sound great in there too, I'm sure.

goon 1492 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2008, 01:08:21 PM »

thanks for the info altf4 i have been waiting to see a full report on your build with that bike, it has inspired me so much that i am now saving my pennies to build one myself in the next year or two... I hope...

Sheik Yerbouti · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2008, 02:02:59 PM »

I'll give you 500!

DJ_AX · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2008, 02:25:00 PM »

Hope · « **Reply #14 on:** April 09, 2008, 02:35:51 PM »

No. you certainly didn't get a good buy. I'll take it off your hands for $400

wink wink wink

76 cb550 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 09, 2008, 04:08:18 PM »

don't sell it and definitely don't part it out...I look forward to learning why it won't run. I'm still betting it's the battery

I paid $450 for a bike in a lot worse condition than yours.

altf4 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2008, 04:33:43 AM »

Thanks guys, I'll make sure and keep you up to date on getting it running. Right now I am getting the motor back together on my CB350, so that is taking up most of my time. I still want to do a write up on that bike, so watch out for that one too. Thanks for all the help!

Quote from: Sheik Yerbouti on April 09, 2008, 02:02:59 PM

I'll give you 500!

Nice try! But I think I'm hanging on to this one. I thought I read in another post that you are in Cincinnati? Small world, so am I. I actually just graduated from UC a few years ago. Let me know when you get your bike, if you havent already.

Quote from: 76 cb550 on April 09, 2008, 04:08:18 PM

don't sell it and definitely don't part it out...I look forward to learning why it won't run. I'm still betting it's the battery

That is probably the second place I'll start (after cleaning out the rusty gas tank). Any particular battery you guys like?

andy750 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2008, 04:34:57 AM »

[/quote]
That is probably the second place I'll start (after cleaning out the rusty gas tank). Any particular battery you guys like?
[/quote]

AGM battery all the way! Check out the AGM battery thread by Greg (Ofreen) for more info.

cheers
Andy

Hope · « **Reply #18 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:04:06 AM »

Quote from: altf4 on April 10, 2008, 04:33:43 AM

That is probably the second place I'll start (after cleaning out the rusty gas tank). Any particular battery you guys like?

There are tons of threads on AGM batteries. Get you a good AGM style battery and you will be good to go.

altf4 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:06:05 AM »

Got one scoped out already!

donny

Hope · « **Reply #20 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:29:53 AM »

You might want to drop the bowls on the carbs before you put that battery in & put gas in your newly cleaned tank.

altf4 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:37:02 AM »

Quote from: Hope on April 10, 2008, 07:29:53 AM

You might want to drop the bowls on the carbs before you put that battery in & put gas in your newly cleaned tank.

Ya you're absolutely right. I didn't mean to make it sound like that is all there is to do to ride it. I plan to go through the carbs, change the spark plugs, tension the chains (cam and primary), check out the brakes (front is seized up, back works fine), change the oil/filter, etc.

I may take a look at the fuel lines too, never know what they may have sitting in them.

Any other suggestions? (I haven't done any searches yet, but I will be soon enough)

donny

Hope · « **Reply #22 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:48:37 AM »

Quote from: altf4 on April 10, 2008, 07:37:02 AM

Ya you're absolutely right. I didn't mean to make it sound like that is all there is to do to ride it. I plan to go through the carbs, change the spark plugs, tension the chains (cam and primary), check out the brakes (front is seized up, back works fine), change the oil/filter, etc.

I may take a look at the fuel lines too, never know what they may have sitting in them.

Any other suggestions? (I haven't done any searches yet, but I will be soon enough)

donny

I think that when you run down that checklist you rattled off that if there are any more problems, they will probably present themselves. One thing about these old bikes, if/when you go in to address 1 issue, others are likely to rear their ugly heads!

altf4 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 10, 2008, 07:51:27 AM »

words of wisdom, I'm sure you are right.

ChevelleSSLS6 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 10, 2008, 08:31:25 AM »

steal of the year, without actually stealing.

News:

Author Topic: Was this 550 a good buy? (Read 3831 times)

altf4

76 cb550

Ryan 550k

altf4

altf4

76 cb550

altf4

altf4

altf4

altf4