Author Topic: 76 cb550k, from clapped out trike to two wheeler. new pics 1/25/10 (Read 11568 times)

byfbo · « **on:** April 18, 2009, 12:21:19 PM »

So my boss gave me her bike, a 76 550 clean title. It sat in her yard since about 2001, oh and it is a trike! Its not in too bad a shape for being all those years outside in upstate ny. It has what looks to be an old honda big red three wheeler front end on it. The rear i have no clue about, other than the stock swing arm was modified to work with what ever set up it is. I had to dig it out of the vines.

So I decided to tear it down. I hope to return it to two wheels. Things that I dont plan on using i hope to horse trade at my local bike graveyard for the stock front end and new swing arm and rear set up. I want to make my own wiring harness. It took several hours to tear down since alot of hardware was rusted up

After that was all done I started to tear down the engine. It looks really good, it turns over and everything. It doesnt look like its ever been opened before except for the chain guard, which im having trouble taking off.

Ive got it almost ready to split the cases. It doesnt look like i will have to replace much, other than new gaskets, clutch plates, and definatly hardware. I hope to paint it. As far as the frame goes Im not sure where I will go with it. Im stuck at the moment because i dont have a puller. Not bad for being in the open for all those years, and oh yeah it was free. I want to trade parts and get as much for as cheap as possible.

KB02 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2009, 06:43:28 AM »

I don't know, man, I'd almost say leave it a trike. Looks like it's going to be an interesting project.

manjisann · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2009, 07:11:42 AM »

+1 with KB02, if the Trike was well put together might be fun to keep that way, kinda unique. Although admittedly trikes aren't my thing, but still neat.

Either way, FREE BIKE WOOHOO, have fun, builds are always great!

Brandon

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2009, 07:17:36 AM »

As a trike, it might be fun for exploring Adirondack logging roads.

Bird76Mojo · « **Reply #4 on:** April 19, 2009, 10:28:34 AM »

Cool find! You can't beat free!!

Say, what's that white bike hiding in the shed in the background of the first pictures???

GB

byfbo · « **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2009, 12:20:44 PM »

Well the way its set up now isnt that great. Its got no diff so its always in a locked position so turning it would be a real pain in the ass. im definatly going back to two wheels with it.

Bird76mojo, that white bike hiding in the background is a 1980 ironhead sporty. The way it sits it might as well be a parts bike. It has got a hole the size of my fist in the right hand case. The engine is seized and its missing some parts. It belongs to a guy I work with. He would have to drop serious money and time into finding stuff for it.

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #6 on:** April 19, 2009, 12:58:29 PM »

MAN that thing is cool!
I'd keep it a three wheeler, off road only, knobbys and a sand rib!!! go out and just rip up the trails!!!

Whatever you do to it, that thing is gonna be a blast!!

Bird76Mojo · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2009, 01:30:41 PM »

Quote from: byfbo on April 19, 2009, 12:20:44 PM

Bird76mojo, that white bike hiding in the background is a 1980 ironhead sporty. The way it sits it might as well be a parts bike. It has got a hole the size of my fist in the right hand case. The engine is seized and its missing some parts. It belongs to a guy I work with. He would have to drop serious money and time into finding stuff for it.

My buddy just bought a 74 ironhead sportster about 2 weeks ago for a grand. His is locked too, but otherwise has some potential.

You just never know when you're gonna find the next undiscovered relic worth some good dough, tucked away in the corner of a shed. I had to ask. Thanks for the reply!

GB

Hush · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:13:33 AM »

Being a guy who just loves the unusual I thought that trike looked real trick man.....but hey a road worthy 550 is cool too.
Did you do a compression test on the motor before you tore it down, tells you a great deal about an engines condition.
Best of luck swapping the parts and at the very least you will have some pretty neat before and after shots for your project.

byfbo · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2009, 05:05:07 AM »

No Hush i didn't have anything to do that with. I wanted to tear it down and clean the whole thing and paint it. I had planned on replacing all the gaskets and everything anyways. It hasn't ran since 2001 but it turned freely. All the internals seem to be in great shape. I haven't gotten the cases split yet because of those pesky screws on the chain cover holding me up.

byfbo · « **Reply #10 on:** April 29, 2009, 07:25:12 AM »

Man, balancing wedding planning, work, going to the gym, a new puppy, and keeping my fiance happy makes it hard to work on the bike. Good thing the bike is at work with me. My boss lets me work on it here. I am ready to split the cases today and get to cleaning all the gunk out, refreshing what ever needs to be refreshed which doesnt really look like much at all, and paint the engine. Im also working on cleaning the carbs at the same time. They are all gunked up. I think that I will also paint the carb bodies. Might as well since they are all in need of refreshing and deep cleaning. Im a laser tech where I work at, and have been working in cad for a while. I plan on cutting out brackets and what not on the laser at work to make some nice one off stuff. My avatar i drew and cut, and hand shaped. I would like to make a dash for the lights and gauge clusters. I was also toying with the idea of making a manifold so that maybe i could mount up an s&s super e carb or something like that. Anyways I hope to have some pics and better up dates soon.

luder · « **Reply #11 on:** April 29, 2009, 09:17:08 AM »

I think a trike would look cool and different, great find..luder

byfbo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:14:59 AM »

Got my cases split. It wasn't as bad as I thought. Everything inside looked very good. It was a pleasent supprise.

I know everyone likes pictures. My carbs are rough. They have had gas in them for at least 8 years. The slides are stuck solid. Ive tried PB Blaster, next is heat. Searching for answers to my questions prevent me from asking stupid ones.

Ive tried out the soda blasting deal and it works quite nicely.

I still have the slide problems but like i said i will try heating them next. I'm also working on cleaning off the years of oil, grease, and dirt on the cases so I can paint em up and put everything back together. I'm working on refurbing on carb at a time. I think that I'm making good progress on the engine.

Flying J · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2009, 09:44:48 AM »

my slides were stuck too. I used a hair dryer for a while and they came out covered in a sticky gum of old gas.

byfbo · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2009, 10:56:13 AM »

Thanks for the tip. I think I can sneak out the fiance's hair dryer for a few.

Inkscars · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2009, 11:49:00 AM »

I had to use a heat gun to get mine unstuck. I tried to keep away from using the linkage to turn it, i heated it directly into 2 (my statonary carb) and then stuck a soft ended trim prybar in there and pushed it up. I then waited for it to cool and sprayed pb blaster and simple green in there. I then pulled the caps off the top of my carbs and did the same thing with the heat, used the linkage to push them back down.
two or three times and I had it to where they were clean and they would snap back into place on their own.
You'll get it, just be careful not to mark up the slides!

byfbo · « **Reply #16 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:36:15 PM »

Thanks. Sounds good to me. Since they were so neglected I already had it in mind to tear em all the way down and see how the slides looked. I don't have a heat gun but maybe a hair dryer will work or maybe I can put em in a toaster oven on 100 degrees or so. I'm sure that it will end up working though. The carbs seem to be the worse part on the whole bike, besides the ugly ass front end on it and the cobbled together trike end

tarule · « **Reply #17 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:54:57 PM »

WOW! that thing is seriously awesome! i usually kinda hate trikes but if i were you i would seriously think about keeping that thing a trike. i would in your position.

dont listen to me and do with it what you like, afterall it is your 'canvas', but that sure is one unique piece of equipment. i mean just think, you could do some sort of dirtbike/quad/atc theme on it, or really mess with everyone and try and make some sort of café trike bastard child! the possibilities are endless!

cool find and good luck with it whatever you decide.

Flying J · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2009, 01:41:47 PM »

I really like the idea of a cafe style trike. I have never seen that before and it could look really cool.

Hush · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:16:16 PM »

You sound like a busy guy byfbo, balancing the rebuild with all your other resonsibilities is gonna be a mission, the great thing about 30 year old bikes is that you can put them aside and go back to them later if you have to as they have waited this long already.......good luck.

byfbo · « **Reply #20 on:** May 09, 2009, 04:00:50 AM »

Yeah that all sounds like good stuff to do to it, but it's going to be a two wheeler. I will upload the trike rear end and show you all how crappy it is. If I were going to do a trike with it I would make a proper rear for it. I just don't want a trike for my first bike ever. I've never had the money to buy one and well free is for me. I'm trying to do everything on the real cheap with it. Yeah I'm a busy fella, its never ending it seems. Your right the bike waited this long whats a few more months?

byfbo · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2009, 11:05:50 AM »

Nothing really new to add. Can't seem to find time to work on the bike. Drew up some brackets in cad and laser cut em to make a crappy engine stand.

Ended up using a hot iron to un-stick my carb slides. It worked out alright. Just have three more to do now.

I haven't gotten to do anymore but I have been soda blasting the cases and its turning out nicely.

Oh and here is a few pics of that cobbled together trike rear end that I'm not going to reuse.

Hopefully next weekend I can finish cleaning the cases up and prep them for paint then get ready for reassembly.

Flying J · « **Reply #22 on:** May 15, 2009, 11:27:39 AM »

What front end was on that thing?

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #23 on:** May 15, 2009, 11:29:48 AM »

Quote from: byfbo on April 18, 2009, 12:21:19 PM

It has what looks to be an old honda big red three wheeler front end on it.

Flying J · « **Reply #24 on:** May 15, 2009, 11:38:01 AM »

that might be good for that big oversized tire look the "brat" style bikes are going for.

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Author Topic: 76 cb550k, from clapped out trike to two wheeler. new pics 1/25/10 (Read 11568 times)

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