Topic: Nighthawk 550 Bobber/Chopper, kinda

[Laminar]

Awesome. Put up some pics if you get the chance.

[pikeymick]

Ok it's picture time.

Here is the progress I got to last night





I started tearing apart the wiring harness. Tearing is such a harsh term, it was more like gently manipulating the fragile plastic like a menopausal women so as to not create a bigger problem while trying to accomplish my goal of slimming the mess down, and removing unnecessary bits (read extra 20 yards of wiring and HUGE fuxe box in a terrible location).



Here are the controls, handlebars, and forks post fluid added.


The side view. I'm really excited about how it's coming along! I'm going to relocate the headlight down further. it looks kind of silly as high up as it is on the NH's. I also want to move the speedo and tach closer together, lower them, and flatten the plane their faces are on.

[Alan F.]

I'm liking the style you're after there. I'll agree that the headlight needs to be lower and maybe a little further foreward too. 
I can't wait to see more.  Oh and the ammo cans kick ass too.
-Alan

[pikeymick]

 

[Alan F.]

Yeah I dunno what he's about either.
How's the project?
-A

[bucky katt]

great looking project you have there. i think the silver is a super nice look on that bike.

[pikeymick]

It's going swimmingly! I did a bit of de-chroming this weekend. Painting the rear-sets and included pieces black. Worked on polishing the forks, rebuilding the mounting bracket for the tach and speedo. Remounting the headlight, and how exactly I want the brackets to work. I'm waiting for the rotors to come in and then the front end will be complete. I also took the calipers off and gave them a paint, but with just regular rattle can, so I'm going to have to be Uber careful when I'm bleeding the brakes, otherwise good buy $3.00 paint job.

Hmm what else. Oh yeah I got about 5 yards of unnecessary wiring out of the wiring harness (idiot lights). I have a list of things still to come, I should put that up here. I just have to find it now, haha.

[pikeymick]

great looking project you have there. i think the silver is a super nice look on that bike.

Thanks Bucky. I forgot one other update. I drove a flat blade screwdriver into my thumb. Not bad enough to need stitches but man did it hurt. A lot of nerve endings in the pad of the thumb.

[Alan F.]

I've done that too a few times in a few different spots, somehow I've learned not to pry things with screwdrivers anymore 

[pikeymick]

I now have all the parts for the front end. But it seems the wheel is a little too wide for the brakes at the rotor mounts. I the wheel off at the machine shop this morning to have the rotor stands taken down by 4mm on each side! Seems like a lot... but it wouldn't even fit in to the calipers.

More pics tonight!

[Alan F.]

I now have all the parts for the front end. But it seems the wheel is a little too wide for the brakes at the rotor mounts. I the wheel off at the machine shop this morning to have the rotor stands taken down by 4mm on each side! Seems like a lot... but it wouldn't even fit in to the calipers.

More pics tonight!

4mm is a good chunk of material, did you measure the disc to disc distance on the other wheel to arrive at that number?
-Alan

[pikeymick]

No... I'm kinda shooting blind because I don't have a wheel off of an 82 650... Only from my 550, and the DOHC 650. But knowing the discs thickness was too much for the calipers, and that with the wheel in place the small disc alignment tabs were touching the calipers that I should have plenty of room to work with.

The end result may be that I have to shim the rotors, or the calipers... I need some positive 8mm vibes....... or some kleenex.

[pikeymick]

The new meter bracket.

[Alan F.]

Lots of good fast progress Pikeymick, keep the faith you're doing very, very well.
-Alan

[Laminar]

Looks great, it's also nice to see someone that knows how to take a picture.

[pikeymick]

Thanks Laminar, though I have to admit a few of those had some focus issues.

Now for the weekend update!

Got the wheel back from the machine shop




The rotor mounts look good! Level and clean. The rotors mount up, but they're a little warped... I've emailed with the guy I bought them from and he said he'd refund my money. Meanwhile I got the bike all back together too see how badly warped they are, not sure if I'll feel it while riding.



The brake pressure/level feel feels perfect! The GSXR front brake MC feels like a perfect fit. The discs line up, and I now have a dual front disc setup! The final parts are a 1982 CB650sc fork and caliper setup, 1983-> 650sc front wheel, and 1993 CBR 600f2 rotors. The wheel mounts had to be ground down 4mm on each side, and I made a new wheel spacer for the right side of the wheel. The speedo is using the gear box from the original '83 CB550sc. I'm going to take it for a test ride tomorrow!

Here is a full list of rotors that will fit:
Part 194766 fits the following machines:
1983 Honda CB1100F
1983 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk
1984 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk
1985 Honda CB650SC Nighthawk
1984 Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
1985 Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
1986 Honda CB700SC Nighthawk S
1989 Honda CBR600F
1990 Honda CBR600F
1991 Honda CBR600F2
1992 Honda CBR600F2
1993 Honda CBR600F2
1994 Honda CBR600F2
1987 Honda CBR600F Hurricane
1988 Honda CBR600F Hurricane
1989 Honda GB500
1990 Honda GB500
1989 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1990 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1994 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1995 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1996 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1997 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1998 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast
1984 Honda VF1000F Interceptor
1984 Honda VF1100S V65 Sabre
1985 Honda VF1100S V65 Sabre
1984 Honda VF700F Interceptor
1985 Honda VF700F Interceptor
1984 Honda VF700S Sabre
1985 Honda VF700S Sabre
1983 Honda VF750F V45 Interceptor
1984 Honda VF750F V45 Interceptor
1982 Honda VF750S V45 Sabre
1983 Honda VF750S V45 Sabre
1986 Honda VFR700F2 Interceptor
1987 Honda VFR700F2 Interceptor
1986 Honda VFR700F Interceptor
1986 Honda VFR750F 750 Interceptor

[Laminar]

Love it, can't wait to see some daytime pics.

[Alan F.]

Very Cool!  Those are also the same rotors that are used on the 91-03 CB750 Nighthawk, when I was searching for compatible brake rotors I found this list:

[mystic_1]

Looking superb.  Has a nice tough look to it.  Wheels are uber cool.

mystic_1

[pikeymick]

Oggh two days worth of the two cylinder tango.... still trying.

[pikeymick]

Are the stator's on the 650 the same as the 550?

[pikeymick]

Ok they're not... I found a bikeyard with a 650 and a 550 engine but the stator's are gone out of both...

[Laminar]

Are the stator's on the 650 the same as the 550?

According to BikeBandit, they are. A search for the 550's Stator reveals this compatibility list:

1983 Honda CB550SC
1983 Honda CB650SC
1984 Honda CB650SC NIGHTHAWK 650
1985 Honda CB650SC NIGHTHAWK 650

I have the stator I pulled off of my 550 when I was trying to pinpoint my electrical problem if you want it, just make it worth my time to ship it.

[pikeymick]

Do you need any other nighthawk parts, I have quite a few kicking around, including a drag bar.

[Laminar]

Do you need any other nighthawk parts, I have quite a few kicking around, including a drag bar.

Well I just bought a CDI box off of eBay to see if that's what making the bike not run. Besides that my seat cover has a couple tears in it, I'm missing the cover for the fuse box, and my horn is broken. That's all I can think of at the moment.