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Author Topic: Belated Introduction 1974 CB550K Gorham, ME  (Read 1295 times)

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Offline OldSkool

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Belated Introduction 1974 CB550K Gorham, ME
« on: March 22, 2009, 05:22:17 PM »
Just wanted to introduce myself. Looong time lurker, recently joined as a member and just picked up my first CB550, a 1974. Motorcycle has been stored in a garage for almost 30 years and still has what I believe to be the original Bridgestone tires and just under 3900 miles on the odometer. Looking forward to the reconditioning process and spending more time here not only acquiring info but maybe helping out when I can.



It's pretty dirty right now, everything needs to be cleaned well and the chrome could use a good polishing. Looking forward to this project!

RJ
« Last Edit: March 04, 2010, 11:57:15 AM by OldSkool »
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Offline fmctm1sw

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2009, 05:27:06 PM »
welcome aboard! 
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Quote from: 754
Dude is that a tire ? or an O-ring..??

Quote from: inkscars
This is not a pod thread
This is not a #$%* on my vacuum gauges thread
This is a help or GTFO thread.

1973 CB350F
1973 CB350G
1975 CB550K
1983 GL650I
1973 CB750K3 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=92888.0)
1984 Kawasaki KLT-250 (AKA 3 wheeler of death)
1994 Honda TRX300
1999 Honda TRX250

Offline Popwood

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2009, 05:43:40 PM »
Looks like a wonderful project. Don't let those years of "storage" worry you-- yet at least. Could be in really great shape. Good luck!
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Current Rides:
1975 cb550K
1975 cb750K
1967 Bridgestone 350GTR

Past Rides:
1988 400 Hawk
195? Schwinn Whizzer

Offline OldSchool_IsCool

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2009, 05:46:49 PM »
Welcome To the group!  Gota love the name!! ;)
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Can I have a motorcycle when I get old enough?
If you take care of it.
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Lot’s of things. You’ve been watching me.
Will you show me all of them?
Sure.
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Not if you have the right attitudes. It’s having the right attitudes that’s hard.

Offline Sweep

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2009, 06:02:17 PM »
Hey dude.  Welcome.
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'76 cb750K Wiseco 836|ape crank/head|Carillos|CR29s|Dyna 2k|Kerker
'74 Norton Commando Fastback w/belt and bells

Offline bwaller

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2009, 06:25:33 PM »
It's a beauty, you've come to the right place!
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Offline Old Scrambler

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2009, 07:01:08 PM »
Welcome to the group!  Next time you fnd one that clean give me a holler!
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Dennis in Wisconsin
'64 Triumph Cub & '74 Honda CB750 Bonneville Salt Flats AMA Record Holder (6)
CB750 Classic Bonneville Racer thread - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,135473.0.html
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'66 CL77 Red
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Offline Don R

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2009, 10:09:15 PM »
looks like you might have found a good one. With the low miles may have been kind to the wear items. I owned a K2 model 500 it was a fine bike. I loved the rpm band.
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Offline OldSkool

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2009, 10:33:56 PM »
Thanks for all the welcomes! Unfortunately the 550 takes a back seat to some work I'm doing in the house right now but I did have a chance to get in the garage for a few hours tonight and really assess the bike's condition. Found all of the previous owners registration paperwork in the owner's manual compartment under the seat. He had written all of the mileage and maintenance data in the last page of the book and it looks like he put on a couple of hundred miles every year he rode it until it was put in storage after 1982. It also looks like at some point the bike was given a generous coating of wax without it being properly rubbed off. I took my thumb and really rubbed into the chrome with it and this coating of wax started to rub off revealing some nice shiny chrome underneath. 

I suppose I'll start a thread in the projects section when I eventually get around to tearing this apart to have items refinished, etc. I think I'm going to get it roadworthy for the summer and just spend a summer enjoying it the way it is.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2010, 11:58:06 AM by OldSkool »
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Offline OldSkool

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2009, 10:43:19 PM »
Just wanted to give an update on the work I've done so far. Sorry for not having in between photos, I'm really quite bad at documenting things. I'm sure in 30 years when my memory isn't nearly as good I'll have to start taking photos so I can remember basic things, like where I live, what kind of car I drive......

Anyway, I've been working pretty hard for the last 4 weeks or so when time permits. I've basically gone through every component of the bike at this point and she started and ran today for the first time.

A list of what I've done so far:

Tore carbs apart, cleaned them and replaced all of the rubber seals
Set carb float height
Adjusted valves
Changed spark plugs
Pulled clutch, cleaned friction plates and metal discs with fresh 10w-40 oil
With just 38XX miles sprockets looked great, replaced chain with a standard 530
Used electrolysis to remove surface rust on tank interior
Replaced tires and tubes with Bridgestone Supersports front and rear
Replaced fork seals*
Cleaned everything (Chrome) with Blue Magic polish
Replaced the stock handlebar with a Bikemaster Superbike bar (It's more comfortable for my long lanky arms)
Rebuilt the master cylinder with a Honda rebuild kit
Replaced brake lines with Goodrich braided stainless lines

Now for the trouble spots.......When I pulled apart the front caliper, the piston had a couple of 1-2mm pitted spots. Thinking this was terribly bad I went and ordered a new phenolic piston from the SOHC Forum member who sells them on E(eek)Bay. As soon as it arrives I'll put the caliper back together, throw it on the bike and fill the newly rebuilt MC and braided SS lines with some fresh DOT 3 fluid and bleed away.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling, here's a picture of where I started and where the bike is now:

Then:


Now:
« Last Edit: March 04, 2010, 11:59:43 AM by OldSkool »
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Offline Spanner 1

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2009, 10:51:15 PM »
Do you trust it?...ride it 20 miles, then look at the probs.......
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If your sure it's a carb problem; it's ignition,
If your sure it's an ignition problem; it's carbs....

Offline OldSkool

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Re: Belated Introduction
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2009, 11:04:36 PM »
Quote from: Spanner 1 on April 24, 2009, 10:51:15 PM
Do you trust it?...ride it 20 miles, then look at the probs.......

Not sure if I trust it yet, I want to post a video here of it running to try and figure out what the funky idle problem is, and I'm going to try and get a new set of throttle cables and some lube tomorrow morning and replace them as I think that is where my sticky throttle problem lies. Plus I have to sort out the problem with the right fork seal as it leaks pretty badly. I'm going to pull the leg off tomorrow and see if maybe the seal just isn't seated properly.
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