Topic: 1975 CB550F Project Penguin. A.K.A. David

[Zaipai]

I will have to just keep an eye on it. The battery is pretty new and I only charged it once in April to make sure there was enough juice to start it. Even tho there was not enough juice to start it the turn signals blinked just fine once it was running. So I feel it is charging well tho I will have to search on here and see what is the best way to test that.

Thanks,

.: Scott :.

[theofam]

Scott, other than the three kilos of coke smuggled from Vietnam in the cowl of the seat, the bike looks AWESOME!  I think you did one hell of a job on it, regardless of budget.  Getting the seat sorted will just be icing on the cake.

Great work!!

[RAFster122s]

6A is a fast charge for a motorcycle battery. Trickle chargers are typically an amp or less for these size batteries.
A trickle charger will take a long time to top up a battery that's drained.
I'm presuming you have cleaned the battery connections and other connections related to the starter and ignition when you had everything apart.
Leaving your battery on a low charge for more than 24 hours is a good idea.
If you buy a Battery Tender you can hook it up nightly without any concerns of overcharging and it will keep your battery in good health. Deep discharges kill motorcycle or other lead acid batteries.

Sounds like your charging circuit isn't in good health or you may have a drain elsewhere in the system. But then again, short hops are murder on batteries.

An overnight charge is typically thought of as 14-16 hours.

If you have a cell going bad it will get worse until it fails. The 550 has a regulator so it is better than the Honda charging systems that depended on the battery for a load and proper operation. In those systems a low battery ends up compromising the ability to function.
Don't think Honda designed them thinking the headlight would always be running and all that. Modern MC laws smack up against vintage and classic engineering designs.

David

[Zaipai]

6A is a fast charge for a motorcycle battery. Trickle chargers are typically an amp or less for these size batteries.
A trickle charger will take a long time to top up a battery that's drained.
I'm presuming you have cleaned the battery connections and other connections related to the starter and ignition when you had everything apart.
Leaving your battery on a low charge for more than 24 hours is a good idea.
If you buy a Battery Tender you can hook it up nightly without any concerns of overcharging and it will keep your battery in good health. Deep discharges kill motorcycle or other lead acid batteries.

Yea the battery charger is actually at 4A not 6 as I thought.. Its the only one I have, it has a 4A, 10A, and 50A setting. So I will leave the battery on a charge for the rest of the night until I goto bed and then hook it up for a few hours Thrusday. I checked and the battery is no warm nor is it bubbling.. So I think I am good.  The battery is brand new and I think it only had one good charge since I got it.

Sounds like your charging circuit isn't in good health or you may have a drain elsewhere in the system. But then again, short hops are murder on batteries.

Yea, and really I hit the start button ALOT and only road around town in short 5min, 15min and one 20min time but have lot of the lights being on while I track down electrical issues.. so I should have charged it.. So I can't say its the charging system yet..

An overnight charge is typically thought of as 14-16 hours.

If you have a cell going bad it will get worse until it fails. The 550 has a regulator so it is better than the Honda charging systems that depended on the battery for a load and proper operation. In those systems a low battery ends up compromising the ability to function.
Don't think Honda designed them thinking the headlight would always be running and all that. Modern MC laws smack up against vintage and classic engineering designs.

David

Yea, I agree. I will say however my 75 only has low and high on the lights no off.. So I would have to think they enginered it to always be on however I could be wrong. I just don't know enough to say for sure.

Thanks David..

.: Scott :.

[Zaipai]

Scott, other than the three kilos of coke smuggled from Vietnam in the cowl of the seat, the bike looks AWESOME!  I think you did one hell of a job on it, regardless of budget.  Getting the seat sorted will just be icing on the cake.

Great work!!

Thanks theofam, I do get the looks from the HD and sport bike riders around here.. I just keep telling my self that its because it looks cool (and sounds it) and not because they think its goofy.. I did see some one, although I could not catch it a guy on a real old BMW that was a restore project.. It looked VERY nice.. It was the first older bike I have seen around here on the road that was near the age of mine.. 

The seat is an issue I am working on.. Should have it sorted out soon.

.: Scott :.

[Captainkirk]

Scott, I'd like to think I have a pretty good eye for classic bikes. And my bikes get looks as well. Your bike, to my eye, is stunning. There are still a lot of guys in our area that would spit on any Jap bike, much less a "little one", due to the whole Harley/Milwaukee thing. But take my word for it; you've done a great thing with the looks of that bike, and if some Harley riders can't appreciate it, well, they don't know what they're missing!
Hope to see it in person soon!

[Frankenkit]

They won't be that way if Harley follows through with their threat to leave milwaukee, but we'll see.     I know what you mean, though, Cap'n. 

[Zaipai]

They won't be that way if Harley follows through with their threat to leave milwaukee, but we'll see.     I know what you mean, though, Cap'n. 

Last I heard that is still an option they are thinking about. With sales down dramatically they need to do some thing. I have nothing against HD's other then they are so over priced and there are so many around here that you get tired of hearing them. Its as if every HD owner removes the baffles from the exhaust the moment they get it.

Any way thanks Captin.. I hope so also, I had no idea you live so close.. I am hoping to see Spikeys bike in person as well as yours.. However I seemed to have hurt my back again so for now it will have to sit in the garage until my back settles down. Really that is ok because I found some issues I need to address.

1) Sticky carb, the last left carb slider seems to get stuck.. I may have to take the carbs apart to fix it.
2) My forks seem squishy, I was thinking about it and I got these forks while the bike was apart, and I can't remember if I removed the old oil in them or if I even looked at it.
3) I may have a charging issue
4) I have some paint to toch up, as I got some brake fluid on them some how and the paint is peeling off.
5) The seat and rear fender.

.: Scott :.

[Little_Horse]

your list will get shorter ^^

Squishy front can also be worn springs. All I know is that putting progressive springs in my dad's 750 made a huge difference in feel and handling. They where $80 for the pair and if the seals are already good and so is the oil youcan just pop the caps and put the new spring in.

[75cb550 (kyle)]

Yea, I agree. I will say however my 75 only has low and high on the lights no off.. So I would have to think they enginered it to always be on however I could be wrong. I just don't know enough to say for sure.

Thanks David..

.: Scott :.

that's weird. mine has off, high and low

[Frankenkit]

+1 on the springs.  I replaced mine last summer and I kid you not, the original springs were at least 3/4" below the tops of the fork tubes. Wear= The Anti-Preload.

[Zaipai]

Ok.. I will look at the springs as well. I think I will have some time Saturday to do it. Its an easy thing to check and wont mess up my back. I need to check the oil because he forks I had on there when I got the bike had mostly water in them.. I just want to make sure the same is not true of these, no oil on the forks around the seals so either the seals are good or there is no oil in them.

It could be the controls I have are not the original ones, I find that most of the bikes parts have been replaced so they could also have replaced them. That could be why they don't have an off switch for the headlight.. hum...

One more thing to add to the list is the back shocks are too stiff, I have them on the highest setting, so just a matter of adjusting down until I get the feel I am looking for. Basically I would rather not feel bumps in the road as hard as I do in the back.. So I added it to my list but its an easy one to cross off..

.: Scott :.

[Spikeybike]

your year did not have a headlight off switch ...  the progressive spings make a BIG differance in the 550 .. you might want to look into just dampening the front.. i did it by simply installing fork dampeners from 750 (they're about an inch longer then the 550 version)... but it could also be done by stickin a piece of pvc tube in your forks ....  just food for thought 

[75cb550 (kyle)]

your year did not have a headlight off switch ...  the progressive spings make a BIG differance in the 550 .. you might want to look into just dampening the front.. i did it by simply installing fork dampeners from 750 (they're about an inch longer then the 550 version)... but it could also be done by stickin a piece of pvc tube in your forks ....  just food for thought 

mine may have been replaced. i wondered why i have two headlamp switches. Scott, your's are on the left, yes?

[Frankenkit]

Progressive springs up front are $60? $70? and the best freakin change for the money, I think.  Night and day difference with my 650, for sure.  I also bumped up to 10 or 15 wt oil. Bike feels like it's on rails.

[Zaipai]

your year did not have a headlight off switch ...  the progressive spings make a BIG differance in the 550 .. you might want to look into just dampening the front.. i did it by simply installing fork dampeners from 750 (they're about an inch longer then the 550 version)... but it could also be done by stickin a piece of pvc tube in your forks ....  just food for thought 

mine may have been replaced. i wondered why i have two headlamp switches. Scott, your's are on the left, yes?

Correct, its on the left and its just Hi/Low..

.: Scott :.

[75cb550 (kyle)]

your year did not have a headlight off switch ...  the progressive spings make a BIG differance in the 550 .. you might want to look into just dampening the front.. i did it by simply installing fork dampeners from 750 (they're about an inch longer then the 550 version)... but it could also be done by stickin a piece of pvc tube in your forks ....  just food for thought 

mine may have been replaced. i wondered why i have two headlamp switches. Scott, your's are on the left, yes?

Correct, its on the left and its just Hi/Low..

.: Scott :.

i have the hi/low on the left that i dont think works and then on my kill/start switch housing it has the off/hi/low.  must have been swapped out at some point... weird (sorry, totally off topic)

[Zaipai]

Progressive springs up front are $60? $70? and the best freakin change for the money, I think.  Night and day difference with my 650, for sure.  I also bumped up to 10 or 15 wt oil. Bike feels like it's on rails.

Hum.. On rails.? I do want some comfort, ideally it would be some place between a Goldwing and a sport bike.. Is that even possible? I don't ride real progressive. I have never done fork damper's before.. I am going to have to see what that takes.. I would rather replace the springs seems that would be easiest, however I am trying to keep costs down for a while we just paid some hefty bills and still have a move coming some time in the next year, when ever Fema gets around to doing the paper work.

Yea, two light switches is a bit odd.. I hear quite a bit about the starter buttons going bad, perhaps that happened to yours and they swapped it out with one from another year.

.: Scott :.

[Frankenkit]

figure of speech, Scott. It feels real solid, like I'm glued to the road.  Before, it felt like I was always diving into corners and hard braking had me sliding forward and almost onto the tank, the front dove so hard.

[Zaipai]

figure of speech, Scott. It feels real solid, like I'm glued to the road.  Before, it felt like I was always diving into corners and hard braking had me sliding forward and almost onto the tank, the front dove so hard.

Good sounds like what I am looking for. I am shopping around just in case I find a deal on the springs...

Thanks for the input all..

.: Scott :.

[fasturd]

Fork springs and good shocks can go along way on bikes this old. My 400 is set up perfectly for my 190+ pounds Fork springs and Konis, it handles as well as it can with out changing the forks completely.

[Zaipai]

I am going to revisit the forks as I am pretty sure I never did anything with them. I fixed up the forks that were on them but it turns out that the forks that came with the bike are from a 400, at least that was the general thought on another post I did. I did get the passenger pegs on and the chain guard.. However my back gave out so I can't do much at this time. I am hoping to get back out on her next weekend. I have a good video camera now and a mount so I want to get a good riding video of her as she sits today. Riding these lighter bikes above 55 takes some getting used to, I keep feeling like the thing is going to get blown off the road.. I just need to work the forks and play with the adjustments on the rear shocks and it should be set. So far the tank is holding up perfectly.. Good work Spikey!!

Current todo list:

1) Sticky carb, the last left carb slider seems to get stuck.. I may have to take the carbs apart to fix it.
2) My forks seem squishy, I was thinking about it and I got these forks while the bike was apart, and I can't remember if I removed the old oil in them or if I even looked at it.
3) I may have a charging issue
4) I have some paint to toch up, as I got some brake fluid on them some how and the paint is peeling off.
5) The seat and rear fender.
6) Need right side cover for F model.

.: Scott :.

[Industrial Cafe]

Current todo list:

1) Sticky carb, the last left carb slider seems to get stuck.. I may have to take the carbs apart to fix it.

.: Scott :.

mine were sticky until I added half a bottle of lucas fuel system treatment to a full tank.
worked like a dream.

[Zaipai]

Current todo list:

1) Sticky carb, the last left carb slider seems to get stuck.. I may have to take the carbs apart to fix it.

.: Scott :.

mine were sticky until I added half a bottle of lucas fuel system treatment to a full tank.
worked like a dream.

Thanks IC.. I will see if I can find one. I did squirt some WD-40 on the slider when they were off the bike and it was still sticking.. I will give this a try. If I have to live with it the way it is for now that's ok.. Its only a problem when I give it lots of throttle and even then its only when I let up, the RPM's stick around 3k at idle, I just have to reach down and push down on the linkage to get it back to where it should be. Takes only a second and it should get me thru the summer, next fall I can take the carbs off and fix it if this stuff does not work.

.: Scott :.

[Industrial Cafe]

that's what mine was doing, the slides still had some fuel goo that refused to come off, even under a wire wheel.

I added that stuff and rode around for a day, the next day I started it and they weren't sticky anymore