Author Topic: 1975 CB550F Project Penguin. A.K.A. David (Read 88817 times)

Frankenkit · « **Reply #350 on:** May 14, 2010, 10:00:54 PM »

+1!!!

Zaipai · « **Reply #351 on:** May 15, 2010, 06:34:06 AM »

Thanks Kit and Captin, believe me I plan to. Any sort of work I do to it would be over the winter.. The only thing keeping me from riding it now is the electrical problem. I figured out what that was and plan to get what I need to fix it today.. Then on goes the seat and vrooooomm...

Well the rain could keep me off it today.. bah!

.: Scott :.

Frankenkit · « **Reply #352 on:** May 15, 2010, 08:58:18 AM »

oh they screwed you over on seat size/model too? "they" being "hondacollector31" in vietnam?

Zaipai · « **Reply #353 on:** May 15, 2010, 09:04:09 AM »

Quote from: Kit on May 15, 2010, 08:58:18 AM

oh they screwed you over on seat size/model too? "they" being "hondacollector31" in vietnam?

Yup, I even emailed them and asked if it would fit my 550f and if it would seat 2, they said yes to both.. My bad. I read stuff about these seats but it was in budget and really the only seat I could find so I took a chance.. If it fit I would be ok with it as its not a bad seat, the quality could be better but for the money its not bad. Oh well live and learn, I will just do the best I can to get it on the pan and live with it for now. I am going to work on getting my friends seat guy to work some thing out for me. Just means I have to take the bike over an hour north of here thru Milwaukee to have the work done, and I hate city traffic however I will live.

Too? Did you order one of these?

.: Scott :.

Frankenkit · « **Reply #354 on:** May 15, 2010, 09:20:40 AM »

Yeah. Mine is a CL350. I told them I needed a CL350 seat. They gave me a CB350 seat. I was kind of pissed, but I was able to score a nice CB350G tank and Paulages was cool enough to make up a bracket so the seat lock would work.

Zaipai · « **Reply #355 on:** May 15, 2010, 09:26:10 AM »

That is cool..One thing is my seat does not fit, I know the frame is F (I double checked) and Spikey said the tank is F for my year bike, so since I bought the stock seat I have off a guy on CL who may or may not know about these things I suspect I have the wrong seat so it could be if I do have the wrong seat that if I had the correct one the cover would fit better and the seat would bolt up on the frame correctly.

Did you post pic's of that CL350 with the CB tank and seat? I think I missed it if you did...

.: Scott :.

Frankenkit · « **Reply #356 on:** May 15, 2010, 09:30:32 AM »

here you go

Zaipai · « **Reply #357 on:** May 15, 2010, 10:12:25 AM »

Great looking bike.. I always loved those exhaust pipe's.. I remember the first street bike I was ever exposed to was that bike, my Dad brought one home in boxes and put it together. After several attempts to start it, finally it started and flames shot out of the exhaust. My dad was happy it started but conserned that it was firing thru the exhaust.. I thought that was the coolest thing and did not want him to fix it.. (I was like 8 or 9 at the time) it was Honda metal flake orange..

That seat looks great on your bike, if mine fit that nice I would be happy..

.: Scott :.

Zaipai · « **Reply #358 on:** May 16, 2010, 01:01:44 PM »

Ok here are the final images. There are a couple of touch up spots and I need to trim the seat cover to get rid of the folds but other then that she is done. I took her out today for quite the ride, she was almost flawless.. The idle was up some times and down some others. I figure I need to rejet however that will be some time over the summer.. She pulls strong and there are (so far) no leaks, runs, drips, etc.. The motor sounds great. My wife asked for a camera for her birthday so I should have some videos next weekend and some pictures of it out on the road. If I can find a way to mount her new camera I will take some videos of the twists and turns our back roads have to offer, the camera shoots upto 1080p..

Any way here are some quick picks.. Please be kind, and remember I only had a small budget to do this..

traveler · « **Reply #359 on:** May 16, 2010, 01:17:26 PM »

can you return the seat?

~Joe

Zaipai · « **Reply #360 on:** May 16, 2010, 01:25:14 PM »

Quote from: traveler on May 16, 2010, 01:17:26 PM

can you return the seat?

~Joe

I don't know because its a Vietnam company I don't think it would be worth the effort. I am going to see if some one around here can help me get it fixed up. We have lots of saddle makers around here. The materials are not so bad.. its just too long.. I also think I have the wrong seat pan. So I am looking a number of options...

.: Scott :.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #361 on:** May 16, 2010, 06:37:32 PM »

She'll look really sweet when you have the seat worked out...
I still vote (ha! like we can vote on your project...) for a chrome pinstripe at the bottom of the tank and chrome trim/silver trim strip along the bottom of the seat to complement and contrast the gold of the bike. The chrome of the fenders and other parts with the gold frame look really nice.
Your concept and execution for little dinero is what it's about I think.
The bike looks great...work the kinks out on the seat as you have time and learn what you can about upholstery. Doing things yourself as much as you are able is what bike ownership is all about. Separates the posers from the bike lovers who do it themselves.

Have fun on it and enjoy the ride and all the sweat equity invested!

David

Zaipai · « **Reply #362 on:** May 16, 2010, 06:47:47 PM »

Yup had her out a few times today. Just shake down runs making sure everything stays on her and she does what I wanted her to do. So far so good. I noticed now that it has a lower stance I have to use the stock kick stand that kinda bites since I like the one I have, however its just too long.. I am working on the seat, I have some ideas including yours. It turns out the chrome that came on the stock tank would work and if I follow that up with chrome trim around the seat it should look really good. Just some things I am thinking about as I ride her. She has gotten a lot of looks as I ride around town, including one cop that followed me for about 5 miles..

.: Scott :.

Irk11 · « **Reply #363 on:** May 16, 2010, 06:56:34 PM »

Small budget or not, you have a great build there!

75cb550 (kyle) · « **Reply #364 on:** May 16, 2010, 07:11:22 PM »

she's a clean unit, Scott.

Frankenkit · « **Reply #365 on:** May 16, 2010, 07:19:13 PM »

You sure you don't want to trade? Eh?

Zaipai · « **Reply #366 on:** May 16, 2010, 07:50:27 PM »

Thanks Irk11 and 75cb550 she is clean, I just need to take care of a few things. I don't really want to trade.. thanks tho.

.: Scott :.

Captainkirk · « **Reply #367 on:** May 16, 2010, 08:57:50 PM »

Scott, I cruised through Paddock Lake today on the Nighthawk S around two-ish; keeping an eye out for a black-n-gold Penguin, but no dice. We probably missed each other by a few scant miles!
Small world, ain't it?

Zaipai · « **Reply #368 on:** May 17, 2010, 05:45:19 AM »

Quote from: Captainkirk on May 16, 2010, 08:57:50 PM

Scott, I cruised through Paddock Lake today on the Nighthawk S around two-ish; keeping an eye out for a black-n-gold Penguin, but no dice. We probably missed each other by a few scant miles!
Small world, ain't it?

Oh man.. I was in my front yard taking pictures of the bike.. Err.. Where you here for the hog bike blessing? I guess there were quite a few metric bikes there with the HD's.. Dude, next time you do that call me.. I will PM you with my cell number..

Hope you had a good ride, it was a VERY good day for it.

.: Scott :.

Zaipai · « **Reply #369 on:** May 17, 2010, 06:47:43 PM »

I was ~~board~~ bored (corrected.. Thanks IC) so I did a before after so.....

.: Scott :.

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #370 on:** May 17, 2010, 06:49:56 PM »

you should take a pic of it exactly where it was sitting when you took the first one, and frame it up in the viewfinder the same way, with the same stuff in the background,

I can make an animated gif of it morphing from "blah" to "AAH!"

Zaipai · « **Reply #371 on:** May 17, 2010, 07:09:34 PM »

Quote from: Industrial Cafe on May 17, 2010, 06:49:56 PM

you should take a pic of it exactly where it was sitting when you took the first one, and frame it up in the viewfinder the same way, with the same stuff in the background,

I can make an animated gif of it morphing from "blah" to "AAH!"

I would love to, however the first picture was not in my garage and I can not get to that one any more. The owners moved. I guess I could do it in my garage.. Tho I don't have the center stand any longer..

.: Scott :.

Industrial Cafe · « **Reply #372 on:** May 17, 2010, 07:41:44 PM »

I could use any others from the way it was before and the way it is now in the same place/frame-up

Zaipai · « **Reply #373 on:** May 19, 2010, 01:39:34 PM »

Quick question, I drained my battery.. Probably from so many starts and so many short rides.. So how long would it take my charger ( at 6amps) to charge my bike's battery? Its a trickle charge so I would assume a few hours? I really never noticed before and it does not really tell me when the battery is fully charged. It just gets to 2 on the guage and stays there.

.: Scott :.

75cb550 (kyle) · « **Reply #374 on:** May 19, 2010, 02:21:54 PM »

hmm... i dont know how to check other than with a DVOM. i set mine done on the lowest amperage (2 i think) and let it sit all night with no problems. next morning was pretty close if not fully charge... as long as i ride mine every other day, i have no issues. its the 2-3 day gaps that make me have to rev it up and stop lights for the turn signals to work.

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Author Topic: 1975 CB550F Project Penguin. A.K.A. David (Read 88817 times)

traveler