Author Topic: 1976 CB550 cafe done  (Read 3714 times)

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Offline cb550fcafe

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1976 CB550 cafe done
« on: July 13, 2009, 10:11:50 AM »
All done, ridden 100 miles. Project began March 2009. Started as a Craigslist $200 find. It spent its whole life outside, rusted & nasty. Benjie's cafe racer supplied the tank, seat pan, headlight bracket, gauge bracket, battery relocation kit, bars. R1 rear sets modded to fit. Buchanan spoke did the wheels, new rims & stainless spokes. New tires, tubes, brakes, tuneup, cam chain adjusted, valves adjusted. I wish I had Hondaman ignition. Rebuilt forks. Flycut upper tree and lower part of light cluster to have a clean look and keep lights. Everything powder coated, all brackets removed and ground off. I would have chronicled but I am so messy when working, I would have had to clean the garage before pictures. I shortened a 4 into 1 exhaust to have a more modern look, upswept a little and alot shorter, pod airfilters and a dozen re jets. Runs 90% perfect. All in all, I like this little bike. It has slowed me down from what I usually ride. Lots of compliments, people love it. It kinda cool.

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2009, 10:14:54 AM »
Another picture. I don't know how to properly size my pics and upload more than one. Sorry just a little slow.

Offline acteg

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2009, 10:50:58 AM »
Looks good.  Can't go wrong with Benjie.

Offline Bonafide

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2009, 10:58:09 AM »
Quote
1976 CB550 cafe done

very nice ... but they're never done.  ;D

Offline scartail

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2009, 11:44:44 AM »
Good looking project!
'89 Hawk GT, newly acquired, daily beater...
'76 CB550, was my daily beater... my cafe project...
'72 Yamaha R5, newly acquired project... donated to my buddy...
'67 Suzuki T20, still working on her too... Currently in pieces...

esw07

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2009, 07:54:48 PM »
Nice, real sharp lookin.

I'm working slowly on my '76 550 but have a few questions for ya...

The seat from benji, is that one of his sheet steel or glassed models? Also the front fender, did you cut yourself, find one fiberglassed, or what's it off of?

I'm looking into getting one of Benji's glassed seats and am thinking of a new front fender but not too sure as of now on the fender.

ateamsam

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2009, 09:01:28 PM »
this may be hard to calculate ... but whats was the final cost?

Offline cadaver

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2009, 09:09:22 PM »
nice bike ...looking good .. was wandering on the back tire ...what did you go with ?

Offline Industrial Cafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2009, 09:22:01 PM »
nice build!
These bikes are alot more fun than my friends old crotch rockets.
 I guess that's why they all ride old bikes now ;D

 got any pics of the other side?
everything I say is pure speculation and
I have no idea what I'm talking about  ._.


                                    Marla              .:71CB750:.CAFE

Offline Beans

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2009, 12:06:47 AM »
Hey do you have any pics close up of the rear sets and how they are mounted. trying to do this to mine here soon.
Keep it shinny side up.

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2009, 05:56:09 AM »
Nice, real sharp lookin.

I'm working slowly on my '76 550 but have a few questions for ya...

The seat from benji, is that one of his sheet steel or glassed models? Also the front fender, did you cut yourself, find one fiberglassed, or what's it off of?

I'm looking into getting one of Benji's glassed seats and am thinking of a new front fender but not too sure as of now on the fender.
Thanks for the compliment.

Seat is Benjie's metal pan, that was his call, he only does metal if you plan to relocate battery under seat.

Front fender was a stock one for the 76 550, just gave it a quick trim with tin snips, I was going to roll the edge but the slip roll wanted no part of it, so i just rounded the edge with a flapper wheel on a grinder.


Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2009, 06:11:13 AM »
this may be hard to calculate ... but whats was the final cost?

Well if a coworker did not throw away my front brakes, hand controls, fork springs, dash. I spend about 2800.00, the wheels accounted for a little over 800.00. So I'm very happy with the cost. The lost items killed me buying on evil bay. That was an extra 380.00.

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2009, 06:13:49 AM »
nice bike ...looking good .. was wandering on the back tire ...what did you go with ?

Thanks for the compliment. I went with Shinko Tour Master 130/90-18. I got it from Bike Bandit, not bad price I think around 65.00??

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2009, 06:15:41 AM »
nice build!
These bikes are alot more fun than my friends old crotch rockets.
 I guess that's why they all ride old bikes now ;D

 got any pics of the other side?

Yea I took a bunch but directly into the sun. I am a bad photog. I'll do some better ones this weekend. Any ideas on how I upload more than one at a time?

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2009, 06:16:40 AM »
Hey do you have any pics close up of the rear sets and how they are mounted. trying to do this to mine here soon.

I'll get some up this weekend. I stink at picture taking. The rear set pics were directly in the sun.

Offline Industrial Cafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2009, 01:48:19 PM »
post them to photobucket, then use the [imgee][/imgee] gimmick to post them on here.

without the -ee
« Last Edit: July 15, 2009, 04:29:53 PM by Industrial Cafe »
everything I say is pure speculation and
I have no idea what I'm talking about  ._.


                                    Marla              .:71CB750:.CAFE

Offline scartail

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #17 on: July 16, 2009, 12:24:13 PM »
I'm curious to know your carb settings. Do you mind sharing them?
'89 Hawk GT, newly acquired, daily beater...
'76 CB550, was my daily beater... my cafe project...
'72 Yamaha R5, newly acquired project... donated to my buddy...
'67 Suzuki T20, still working on her too... Currently in pieces...

Offline cb550fcafe

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Re: 1976 CB550 cafe done
« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2009, 07:15:55 AM »
I'm curious to know your carb settings. Do you mind sharing them?

Don't mind at all, I'm just about done tuning, working on timing. I'll post up this weekend on jet size, clip location, air bleed adjustment screw and timing. I'm close but still needs a little tweaking.