Author Topic: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.  (Read 43486 times)

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Offline fastbroshi

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #25 on: February 12, 2010, 08:33:33 AM »
Nice man, you added a lot inbetween posts there didn't you?  Are those Benji pipes?  Whatever they are, they sound great.  
Just call me Timmaaaaay!!!

Offline lordmember1969

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #26 on: February 12, 2010, 08:55:06 AM »
Great looking bike.. Want more :) :) ;D
1977 CB 750 SS Cafe
1977 CB 750 Basket case
1971 Mustang Grande
1928 Model A Pheathon Hot Rod
1977 Harley Custom FXE

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=70333.0

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #27 on: February 12, 2010, 10:15:34 AM »
Nice man, you added a lot inbetween posts there didn't you?  Are those Benji pipes?  Whatever they are, they sound great.  

Heh; yeah.  I'm not so good about documenting my progress.  I usually end up finished and think, "#$%*, I was gonna do a build thread this time...".

The pipes are a bit of a hodge-podge; they're re-pop Norton mufflers grafted onto a 4-2 system of unknown origin.  They actually sound better in person; the coal-fired digicam I used makes it sound like a top-fuel funny car.

Offline Industrial Cafe

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #28 on: February 12, 2010, 02:50:19 PM »
ooh, sounds good!
everything I say is pure speculation and
I have no idea what I'm talking about  ._.


                                    Marla              .:71CB750:.CAFE

Offline fastbroshi

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #29 on: February 12, 2010, 07:10:12 PM »
Damn the ear plugs, fire it up agane!!  Why does damaging your hearing sound so good?
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Offline Kemp

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #30 on: February 16, 2010, 06:23:42 PM »
What did you come up with for a front wheel. Axle size, hub, spokes/rim and machining? Looks pretty clean in the pix.

Offline fastbroshi

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #31 on: February 16, 2010, 06:53:51 PM »
Also, can we see pics from the front, say dead on and 3/4 view??
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Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #32 on: February 17, 2010, 01:56:50 PM »
Sorry guys, I’ve been on the road for work a lot the last few days and haven’t had time to get an update together.

The wheel I’m using up front is an OEM Harley narrow glide wheel.  If you plan on doing this kind of conversion, it’s important that you find a wheel from a 2000 & later bike as it takes the sealed wheel bearings.

I was hoping to get all tricky and track down an aluminum rim that I could lace to a Harley hub but the pickings were real slim on ebay, and I was getting impatient.  I ended up with a box-stock takeoff wheel:



Not as secksy as what I’d originally set out for, but it was a helluva lot cheaper.

Here’s what the bearing bores will look like when you have the right wheel:



I also picked up a set of rotors from a ’04 gsx-r; I figured that being the same year as my front end, I would be OK:



Once both the wheel & rotors showed up though, I discovered that I’d #$%*ed up.  I knew that I would need to have the rotors drilled to match the bolt pattern of the Harley hub, but when I got to looking at them, I realized that the slots that were machined into the rotor between each bolt hole were smack bad where the new holes would need to go.  These rotors were paperweights.

After doing a bit more research, I found that rotors from a ’99-’07 Hayabusa would be just the ticket.  Plenty of meat on there to have them drilled to match the Harley hub:



Since the ‘Busa rotors are 320mm’s in diameter compared to the 300mm diameters rotors that came on the ’04 gsxr-600, I also needed some 10mm spacers so the calipers would clear the rotors:



The next order of business what to figure what would need to be done to make sure that the rotors lined up correctly with the calipers.  I knew that the rotor spacing on center on the gsx-r was 132mm’s; mounted up on the Harley hub, the rotor spacing measured out at 130.5mm’s; too narrow on each side by .75mm.  I used .030 stainless shims under each rotor to get the correct spacing.

With that solved, it was time to get the wheel mounted up in the forks.  The other reason to use the Harley hub is that it accepts a 52mm OD sealed bearing; the same size bearing as the gsx-r uses.  For wheel bearings, I had two options:

GSX-R bearings (25x52x15)


OR,

Harley bearings (25x52x21)


Both options give me a bearing that will fit the hub and accommodate the Suzuki 25mm axle. The only real consideration at this point was if I wanted a wider or narrower bearing.  In the end, I went with the Suzuki bearing figuring that narrower would be better to keep the axle from sticking too far out from the fork clamps.

I also sourced the correct 25mm ID crush tube to suit the narrow glide wheel:



And that was it.  The true test would be if the spokes would clear the calipers once it was all fitted up and sure as hell, it all fit like it was meant to.



traveler

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #33 on: February 17, 2010, 08:46:04 PM »
I'm gonna jump ahead here for a bit, just because I'm so damn happy that the thing lives again:



I'll continue with the build thread after I've sorted through pictures & stuff.

Looks great.

How in the hell you can get it to start so easy with a kick....I don't get it.

what kind of pipes are those?

~Joe
« Last Edit: February 17, 2010, 08:48:57 PM by traveler »

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #34 on: February 18, 2010, 08:27:36 AM »
Looks great.

How in the hell you can get it to start so easy with a kick....I don't get it.

what kind of pipes are those?

~Joe


Thanks Joe.  It was plenty warmed up when I took that video; usually it takes a few kicks to get it to fire.

The pipes are an old 4-2 setup that I welded some merged collectors onto and finished off with some reproduction Commando mufflers.

traveler

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #35 on: February 18, 2010, 12:52:10 PM »
Ok...makes sense....When my original battery was about dead.....I couldn't get the motor to kick over and fire to save my life....Had to finally jump the old battery and use the starter.

These SOHC's are cold blooded little critters! ;D

do you have a source for the repro commando mufflers?  I'm really liking that peashooter look!

~Joe

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #36 on: February 18, 2010, 10:19:08 PM »
do you have a source for the repro commando mufflers?  I'm really liking that peashooter look!

Yeah, I got 'em from a guy on ebay; look up "commandspecialties".

traveler

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #37 on: February 19, 2010, 04:53:21 AM »
cool....thanks.

~Joe

Offline MyEvilTwin

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #38 on: February 24, 2010, 01:51:15 PM »
Looking really nice there.
 Any idea how long the rear frame hoop you added is? a measurement from the center of the upper shock bolts to the rear would really help me out. I have a hoop made up but looks too long. I would like to have it done once rather than building a seat pan and finding that I don't like it and starting all over.

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #39 on: February 24, 2010, 04:28:08 PM »
It's roughly 7.5" from the center of the shock mounts.

Offline fasturd

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #40 on: February 24, 2010, 04:37:29 PM »
I have to say that is one healthy sounding 550. Great set of ideas all rolled into a really cool bike.

Nice job.

13 in the garage and counting...

Link to my link...   http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=58422.0

Offline cosmo

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #41 on: February 24, 2010, 05:38:04 PM »
Sorry guys, I’ve been on the road for work a lot the last few days and haven’t had time to get an update together.

The wheel I’m using up front is an OEM Harley narrow glide wheel.  If you plan on doing this kind of conversion, it’s important that you find a wheel from a 2000 & later bike as it takes the sealed wheel bearings.

I was hoping to get all tricky and track down an aluminum rim that I could lace to a Harley hub but the pickings were real slim on ebay, and I was getting impatient.  I ended up with a box-stock takeoff wheel:

Nice write up, good to know how "easily" things came together.  I'm going to be using a Kawi front end (25mm axle as well) and this rim so this post was very helpful. 
CB550K4, XL125, C100, CB750F2, CB550F2

Offline Industrial Cafe

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #42 on: February 24, 2010, 06:08:31 PM »
a 16 huh?... watch for caliper clearances
everything I say is pure speculation and
I have no idea what I'm talking about  ._.


                                    Marla              .:71CB750:.CAFE

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #43 on: February 24, 2010, 06:16:02 PM »
Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing; is it a radial caliper front end?  I definitely look forward to seeing how it comes together.

Offline cosmo

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #44 on: February 25, 2010, 04:45:49 PM »
Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing; is it a radial caliper front end?  I definitely look forward to seeing how it comes together.
Regular mount, going to pick the parts up in a couple of weeks so I'll post up after I get everything up together.
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Offline ksmith0034

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #45 on: February 25, 2010, 05:10:40 PM »
I have a set of 900F shocks I am using on my CB750 cafe build as well.  Can you give a little detail on how you "…and dis-assembled, cleaned and applied a fresh coat of paint to the 900F shocks" please?  I've never messed with them so any info is GREATLY appreciated.  Thanks!!!
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Offline JAG

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #46 on: February 26, 2010, 04:47:47 PM »
Can i get a close up of the exhaust?

Headers/mufflers, bends, and welds?

Did you use stock headers and welded the muffler to it? Whats the diameter?
Cafe Racing is mainly a matter of taste. It is an atavistic mentality, a peculiar mix of low style, high speed, pure dumbness, and overweening commitment to the Cafe Life and all its dangerous pleasures. I am a Cafe Racer myself, on some days - and it is one of my finest addictions. ~H. S. Thompson~

Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #47 on: February 26, 2010, 06:16:19 PM »
I have a set of 900F shocks I am using on my CB750 cafe build as well.  Can you give a little detail on how you "…and dis-assembled, cleaned and applied a fresh coat of paint to the 900F shocks" please?  I've never messed with them so any info is GREATLY appreciated.  Thanks!!!

It's real easy; you just need to get the spring compresed enough so that you can get the upper retainer off.  I used a couple industrial zip ties and hoarked the #$%* out of em.  Once you have the spring loose, it's pretty obvious from there how they come apart.

If you're feeling really ambitious, I have a PDF somewhere that shows how to break 'em down to their molecular level and rebuild with new seals, etc. 

Offline ksmith0034

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #48 on: February 27, 2010, 04:38:42 AM »
I would love the breakdown so I can rebuild them.  Where did you get the internals?  Do you know if they are the same for the 1100 shocks? (I'm not sure if mine are 900 or 100)
It took 10 years but she's finally done!
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Offline Staggerlee

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Re: My CB550 Project - Updated. Finally.
« Reply #49 on: February 27, 2010, 09:29:04 AM »
I would love the breakdown so I can rebuild them.  Where did you get the internals?  Do you know if they are the same for the 1100 shocks? (I'm not sure if mine are 900 or 100)

Heh; here you go: http://www.cb1100f.net/Other/shocks/fvqrebuild.pdf

I thought about tearing them all the way down for about 15 seconds and decided my efforts would be better spent elsewhere.  Even with new seals, they'll still be 30 year old shocks; I think technology has improved a bit since they were new.