Topic: 1977 CB550K highway rider?

[keener]

Well I have my bike out today for the first time and I am wondering if the 77 550K is a highway bike, I know it only has 5 gears but the revs seemed high for me on the high way doing 60 65 mph. they were around 5K rpm. is that normal? is there any way to lower my rpm at highway speed so I can do some distance driving without changing the gears?? the bike runs strong though otherwise. my throttle cable is very tough too and at idle climbs so I need to hold it cranked closed, anything I can do or just grease it up?? Thanks


Chris

[Shenanigans]

The 550 should have plenty of go for the highways. 5k in what gear, 5th? Make sure your clutch is not slipping and check to make sure you have stock sprocket sizes.

[gold72]

I bomb on the highway on my cb500 all the time, my bike is happiest past 5k rpm

[Gordon]

You're just not used to a small, 4 cyl engine.  It needs to rev high, and it's supposed to.  As long as the engine is in decent shape you can run it all day long at 70mph (or more) with no problems. 

[nilsey]

actually i'm having teh same problem with the idle climbing, i ahve to hold the throttel down or it will go up to 2000-3000 rpm.

what;'s the usual diagnosis for this? anyone?

[Gordon]

actually i'm having teh same problem with the idle climbing, i ahve to hold the throttel down or it will go up to 2000-3000 rpm.

what;'s the usual diagnosis for this? anyone?

1.  Throttle stop screw set too high, or throttle cable set too tight.

2.  Carbs out of synch.

3.  Carb vacuum leak. 

There are other possible explanations, but in my experience those are the most common, and in that order. 

[keener]

Any risk of over heating with the air cooled on the high way for 3 or 4 hrs?

[Gordon]

Any risk of over heating with the air cooled on the high way for 3 or 4 hrs?

Assuming your engine is in good shape and tune and you're not carrying more weight than the bike is meant for (and you're not riding through Death Valley in August, not much.


Admittedly, though, that's a lot of assumptions.

[alltherightpills]

It took me a while to get used to the high rpm's too.  Then I figured 5k is about halfway to redline, and at highway speeds my Civic is about halfway to redline, so it should all be okay. Not that there is any correlation between the two, just that halfway to redline seemed reasonable for cruising.

[martino1972]

took me abit too to get used to the high rev,was even thinking of changing sprockets..
but now i learned to like the high rev,just give her hell,she'll love it....