Topic: 74 550-Ninja Hybreed-Coming Out Pics

[Soos]

Actually yes.

A few in fact.


If you use the cb650 head, you will need to use a cb650 exhaust as well.
Unless you want to choke the new head you just put on.

Another is if you go with the cb650 head you will want to use cb650 pistons.
With the 60mm GPZ600 pistons and the 650 head will result in lower than stock compression  by a bit. (mabey 8:1 or so... good turbo pistons with a 650 head?? isn't 9:1 stock?)
But they could be checked and the CR calculated I guess.



It all depends on what you want to spend your money on.



Porting the 550 head will probably gain as much as the stock 650 head will give you i'm guessing.

Running with the 650 head means you don't have to port, but you need pistons and exhaust.



If going on a budget....
I'd do just the 60mm pistons and a cam or something. Probably carbs as well.
You already got the cam, carbs can be had for under 100 on fee bay, cb750 carbs are easily cleaned and in running order for cheap. Even with rebuild kits.
I bought my set and got rebuild kits for about $80.
And you already know the price for the 60mm pistons... a song pretty much


If I had the cash...
I'd go with a turbo, port job on the 650 head, 650 cam(perhaps the 550 cam would be better for turbo?? or a reground 550 cam with a turbo profile), as well as the GPZ pistons.
Turbo would need custom exhaust, a big carb, and intake plenum.
Just checked, yup, megacycle cam #126-x1 is a turbo profile for the SOHC 500/550's.
 $$$$ for this setup i'm thinking.



l8r

[moham]

If you use the cb650 head, you will need to use a cb650 exhaust as well.
Unless you want to choke the new head you just put on.

Another is if you go with the cb650 head you will want to use cb650 pistons.
With the 60mm GPZ600 pistons and the 650 head will result in lower than stock compression  by a bit.

Yeah, after reading this I remembered you talking about that earlier. Got too many different build threads running in my head. Plus, in case you haven't been able to tell yet, this is my first break-down/re-build; still learning. I appreciate your feedback. Here is what I have so far:

1. cylinders bored for 60mm pistons
2. 650 camshaft
3. ported head
4. 4-1 exhaust

and  items I'm unsure about:

5. electronic ignition
6. different carbs

So. That's basically the budget $ list you just gave me so...

[Soos]

Another option for carbs would be cb650 carbs.
I believe they are a bit bigger in diameter than a stock 550's

However unless the ones you get are in good condition, the re-build of them is considerable higher.

Just for the air cutoff diaphragms, pumper diaphragm and rebuild kits for them, my 650 carbs cost more to properly re-build than buying 750 carbs with full rebuild kits.

About $150 is what i spent for parts on the 650 carbs, yet under $100 for my 750 carbs, and thats buying the carbs and rebuild kits.
I already owned the 650 carbs.


You can always change your carbs in the future if you want as well.



l8r

[moham]

Another option for carbs would be cb650 carbs.
I believe they are a bit bigger in diameter than a stock 550's

However unless the ones you get are in good condition, the re-build of them is considerable higher.

Just for the air cutoff diaphragms, pumper diaphragm and rebuild kits for them, my 650 carbs cost more to properly re-build than buying 750 carbs with full rebuild kits.

About $150 is what i spent for parts on the 650 carbs, yet under $100 for my 750 carbs, and thats buying the carbs and rebuild kits.
I already owned the 650 carbs.


You can always change your carbs in the future if you want as well.



l8r

Yea, quite a few sets for sale on-line. I did just re-build the stock carbs, so I might just start there. I just need some time away from work to do some REAL work...

[moham]

Found a shop to bore the cylinders, Ken @ Total Engine (Bloomington)...In researching a shop I found one shop's website that included the following helpful information:


  "We will call you when your job is done. Please do not call us for a "STATUS REPORT" or a "PROGRESS REPORT", etc. That will just slow us down. If you feel you must call before we notify you that your work is completed:
Status Reports               $2.00 each   Progress Reports          $2.00 each"



That's freakin hilarious...

[Soos]

Well I have the fixture made to hold the pistons while machining the valve releifs.

Mabey another week at most before I can ship.


I wish I had a lathe and mill at home, I could have had these done and out in a few hours.


l8r

[moham]

Awesome. Can't wait to get to the next step.....

[moham]

Well, I got lucky today (I think) and picked up a set of new/old S&S 4-1 exhaust pipes for this 550 project. I wasn't sure how much they'd go for, but apparently I was the high bidder with a not very high bid. I'm not too familiar with S&S but at least a couple people have said they are good quality. If anybody has input on these pipes, I'd love to hear it. If they are crap, I still paid less than a cheap MAC set, so how bad could it be? As far as I know they're not made anymore so they might have a teensy bit of historical value...Anyhow, I think they'll do just fine for this low-brow, low-budget build...

[moham]

After checking around to try to find out more about S&S, I emailed the company and they replied with this...

    "We sold the S&S motorcycle line to Jardine Headers about 1980 & he sold out to Inter Am. The only bike headers we make now are Private Label for other companies. We also make Mini-Sprint headers for Circle Track Cars with bike engines."


So, there you have it...

I have heard of Jardine but not Inter Am. I don't know that Jardine's reputation for quality was/is stellar, but maybe somebody else could comment on that...

[moham]

After sorting out the new pistons I dropped off the cylinders and pistons today at Total Engine Services in Bloomington, MN. It's going to cost a little bit more than I was hoping for but with such a strong economy and bright prospects for the near future, I thought why not?

[Sporkfly]

Those are some nice looking pipes. Can I ask how much you paid for them?

[papp101]

They're selling another one on ebay. just search for 550 pipes.

[KB02]

Okay, what's going on here, you changed the thread name but gave us no information on it? Ninja Hybred? I think we need a bit of information with a title like that. 

[Soos]

Okay, what's going on here, you changed the thread name but gave us no information on it? Ninja Hybred? I think we need a bit of information with a title like that. 

I think it's 'cause he is using 60mm kawasaki ninja pistons as an overbore kit in his cb550.



BTW Moham, you mind me asking... how much they pegging you for the bore/hone job?

I paid nearly 200(175.00+tax) for my cb650 to be taken out to 61mm.
The shop I took mine to had to hone out the entire 1.2mm.
Their boring bar was unfortunately about 5 mm too big to fit in the hole, so the 175.00 instead of the quoted 100.00.
After riding it a few thou miles.... it's WELL worth it.




l8r

[moham]

Soos:

The guy I talked to was saying that the boring was no problem but doing the finish hone was the issue, again with size. He thought he might have to do it manually, which was getting it over $220. The only other shop I could find (everybody's only interested in hot rods) that did bikes wanted $60 per hole and this was the guy that said he would charge you $2.50 for calling him before the job was done. I went with the less dickish guy.  The shop for me is convenient (very near my work) and the guy was pretty cool so I don't mind paying a little more. He seemed halfway interested in what I was trying to do so that helps. I've sure some places do this work cheaper but I don't know who or where they are...

KB02:

Like soos said, I am using 60mm ninja pistons. The new displacement will be 573cc.

[KB02]

KB02:

Like soos said, I am using 60mm ninja pistons. The new displacement will be 573cc.

Oh, okay. I thought you were going to be putting a bit more swapping work into it liek I'm doing with my K8 and a Katana. 

[moham]

KB

Just the heart of the beast. This build for me is all about the motor. The aesthetics, while I have some very distinct ideas in mind, will be secondary.

[smpls70]

MOHAN.where in Bloomington did you get your boring/honeing done? whats the name? ,im in mpls and I need some work done over the winter on my 750. Ever heard heard of a place called Headwerks,they are in Bloomington as well.

[moham]

smpls

Total Engine Services on Humboldt, just west of 35W off of 98th. Headwerks were the guys that referred me to Total. They weren't interested in my project. Neither were about 6 other shops. The only other place I found was Bill Bune Enterprises. That guy sounds half-bent, tho (see a few posts back on why). 


sporkfly

$250 shipped. There is another set up for auction. Read back a few posts for some details on S&S (all I could find)...

[Soos]

KB02:

Like soos said, I am using 60mm ninja pistons. The new displacement will be 573cc.

Oh, okay. I thought you were going to be putting a bit more swapping work into it liek I'm doing with my K8 and a Katana. 

haha... no that one is me.
The kawasaki ninja those pistons came from is getting its front end grafted to a '82cb650 frame of mine, along with the rims... so 3 disk brakes in all... 
The 16" rims gives a definitely different look to its stance.




l8r

[moham]

I thought for a minute about picking up funjimmy's yamaha triple tree conversion kit for a front end swap but decided I didn't want to switch wheels...I like spokes.

[moham]

All I gotta say is mutha%&$# a 34-year old gasket.

[moham]

Working on gasket removal moves one to think of the zen-maintenance connection so, a few thoughts:

The physicist Richard Feinman was at a conference of philosophers and wanted to ask a question to get them thinking, so he asked "Does a brick have an inside?" He thought if they were able to answer this question then they would be qualified to work in their chosen field.

A young monk was making dinner with his teacher and asked, "Master, what is the nature of zen?" The older monk picked up his spoon and hit the young student in the head and said "That is the nature of zen."
 
     A haiku: 

     interior black
     vapidity belies strength
     labor carries on



The gasket has been removed.

[moham]

After removing gasket, I pulled the springs, valves, seals etc and took the head in to be boiled/blasted...

[moham]

Stopped by the machine shop today to drop off valves and saw the cylinders and head. Looks freakin great. They are just going to cc the chambers and pistons for me to calculate CR, do a light valve job and then it will be done. I should get everything back by Friday.

So, I've been thinking a lot about brakes and have a couple ideas but need some input from people who have done these mods before, so:

option #1: dual 550 calipers w/drilled rotors

option #2: upgrade to single 750 caliper w/drilled rotor

I figured staying with close-to-stock set-up will ease the $/work requirements and still provide improved braking ability. So, which set-up has the best stop/weight ratio?