Topic: Questions regarding the best years for the Honda CB550

[edbikerii]

Sorry, but there's something wrong with your 550, or with your riding, if it wont cruise at 80+ all day long without a problem.  Are you short-shifting it all the time?  The bike doesn't even make any power at all below 4000RPM.  Headshake also indicates a problem.  Perhaps your steering head bearings are maladjusted, fork oil all leaked out, or your fork tubes bent or something?  I replaced the crappy, worn-out stock rear shocks with Koni's and the thing handles like it is on rails.  Not quite as good as a modern sportbike, but definitely acceptable, and way better than most cruisers.

Oh, I forgot about one real shortcoming of all 1970's bikes:  the brakes pretty much suck.  There are various ways to improve them, but they fall short of modern bikes by a longshot.

I agree about wanting another gear with my 550, though.  Of course, when you are cruising around at 80+mph you do feel like the engine is revving a little bit much.  You get used to it, though.

[anparkinson]

I have to disagree about the 60mph and under for the 550s. My K3 will sit all day at a real 75mph - 80mph (75 on my satnav is about 85 on the speedo).

I am running 1 tooth more on the front sprocket which raises the gearing about 7% which makes all the difference for cruising at this sort of speed.

Mine does have electronic ignition and I had the ports "breathed on" by a Weslake head specialist so it may produce a few more horses than standard but not that many more.

[CBGhia]

I "hit the ton" on my 76 550 this past weekend and never had a worry.  I can't imagine that bike wanting to go slower than 75 on the highway.   It asks for it, begs really. 

[turboguzzi]

...I don't know of any 70's 6 speeds out there...

Just to fill in a bit of knowledge, hehe.  RDs have a 6-speed transmission. 

Ken

or a 76' CB400.....

[TwoTired]

But man, what I'd do for some decent brakes!!!

Rebuild the caliper and replace the hoses with SS braided.

RE: the 700.
I also have a 700S. 10,500 red line.  It gains RPM so fast I cannot speed shift the trans fast enough to keep the engine in the power band.  I have to let off the throttle to get the next gear without over revving.  An amazing bike, really, even with 72000 miles on it.

[TwoTired]

If you add a disc (who knows what will satisfy you, eh), then you should also get another master cylinder from a bike that has dual discs.

I could squall the front tire on my 74 Cb550 with a single disk.  (Only using one hand!)  The brake lever never gets to the grip.

[masonryman]

I like my 74 better than my 76. the 74 is now in project stage and the 76 will stay stock as long as I own. I am not sure why I liked it better, just the small things, I guess.

When my front brakes seem to fade, I occasionally take a DA sander to the rotor and knock the shine off.

They will both run 100, according to the speedo . 100 on my 550 seems like 180 on the zx10 I sold last winter, thats why I sold it.

Mark

[TwoTired]

If you add a disc (who knows what will satisfy you, eh), then you should also get another master cylinder from a bike that has dual discs.

I could squall the front tire on my 74 Cb550 with a single disk.  (Only using one hand!)  The brake lever never gets to the grip.

Well, looks like I'll just plan on getting SS lines and a rebuild for the master cylinder. If you can lock it up, then I'd say it works. In the meantime, I'll just use both hands...

No, I can't lock it up.  That would make the front tire slide.  That would be bad, and cause much friction on other parts of the bike as they hit the asphalt.  I can make the old Continental on the front make some noise, though.  To me that's on the edge of losing traction, and about all the braking power I'd want up front.  I'm not so sure I could get a Metzler to squawk, with the newer rubber compounds.  But, I think it will still stop pretty darn well.  Never like a modern sport bike with wide rims and tires, though.  I've no interest is stoppies.  But, with the SS lines you definitely feel when the pads make rotor contact, and any extra hand squeezing makes the pads work harder, instead of making the old fatigued rubber hoses expand.

Cheers,

[BeSeeingYou]

I have a line on a CB550F, year unknown, that has been sitting for many years.  I have not seen the bike yet and the only info I have is from the brother of the women who has it in her garage.  According to the brother it has the stock exhaust but the original tank leaked so it has a K tank on it, but the F tank is still there.  I am debating at this point about going for a look as I really don't have the space for another.  I may be more interested in passing it on to someone else. I hate to see bikes wasting away in garages.  What is a rough idea of the worth of a non-running 550F?  Anyone interested in pictures if I go take a look?

[blake.irvin]

I have to disagree about the 60mph and under for the 550s.

I'm not saying they won't do it. I'm just saying I wouldn't plan on riding more than a couple hundred miles on my 550. If I planned on putting serious miles on my butt, I would just rather do it on something bigger than a 550. That's all.

That said, I can see this bike being a blast on the twisties. But man, what I'd do for some decent brakes!!!

All IMO of course.

Paul

I just did this route over the weekend on my '77 550F - lots of fun, though I agree it's not a touring bike.  Avoid the highways and you have more fun since the technical bits distract you from a sore arse.

[Laminar]

FWIW... I'd like to add that I'm 6'8"...

I'm sure that impacts my opinion on what makes a good touring bike 

Ouch. I'm 6'5" and I can baaaarely find pants that are long enough. And I'm already cramped on airplanes, buses, etc.

[Johnny-5]

Well thanks everyone who posted. I was looking around and decided I wanted to go with a 1977 CB550 since it was my birth year :p but with no luck and since I was itching to get one over that past weekend I jumped on a 1973 CB550 instead. Bikes a little beat up but I think its perfect for my Cafe Racer project.

Thanks again for everyones insight on things.

Great Forum!!!

[traveler]

1973 would be a 500 unless it was a LATE 1973...as the 550 didn't coime out until the 1974 model year, which would have started around september 1973.

~Joe