Topic: 1977 CB550 K cafe racer build

[78whiteorbs]

lookin good, I am curious to see how you modify the frame for theseat  pan. What kinda price did Sean give you on that tank> That is gonna be an awesome center piece.

[traveler]

550 BUCKS (polished)

[traveler]

Well, according to his website the price went up a bit.

Was probably stupid to spend that much money....but it's the look that really does it for me.  Otherwise, I'd never be happy with it...and I wanted a metal tank.

~Joe

[78whiteorbs]

Looks count !

All those polished tanks looks awesome but seems the upkeep would be a pain. You can't clear coat them . Seems like chrome would be the way to go or?

[traveler]

upkeep isn't bad...every week or so..."wax" the tank with polish and a clean soft cloth.

~Joe

[78whiteorbs]

Joe, whatcha gonna do with that stock tank?

[traveler]

Probably sell it, or trade for some stuff I want.

It's a perfect cafe tank, in all honestly.

~Joe

[nvr2old]

Ill will be curious as to how much that chokes the engine. How many less cfm will it flow then then a stock filter? I do love the idea.

Less cfm?  If anything, the motor will get MORE air, not less.

When I hold the box up and look through the rubbers, I can readily see daylight....meaning no restriction, and the factory velocity stacks in the airbox "straighten out" the airflow! 

As mentioned, I got the idea from another member, (nvr2old) who did this mod.

All this filter does, is work as a quick air filter before prior to hitting the velocity stacks inside the airbox.

~Joe

Your air box mod turned out really nice.  It's almost exactly how mine is done.  My filter is a little larger.  For those wondering, I can honestly say my 550F runs great with this set up.  Any Honda I've ever owned, has always seemed to run better with an air box.  Even the road racers I ran, still had air boxes.  This is just an alternative to an inside filter.  I haven't had to re-adjust the carbs in any way. It runs clean and strong..plus, it just looks so cool..

[traveler]

Okay....I decided even though it looks like this outside.....





That I am going to bundle up and go do some work.



The bottom tree just needed help



so, I cleaned her up






And prepped for paint



a good coat of Duplicolor engine paint with the ceramic additive







looks much better!  also hit the fork stop area on the frame, as it was RUSTY.  Once I take the front end apart later in the year, like early summer, I'll redo the trees, but for now I'm happy with the result.

I removed the gas tank, and what a surprise, more work!  The mounting points for the coils, etc. is rusty, so more restoration waiting~oh joy!



I removed the gauges, the top tree and some of the mounting bolts, and took them inside for restoration.

Lastly, I started figuring out the wring harness on the front half of the bike.


Will post more progress on the stuff I took inside...needless to say that was enough outside work.

~Joe

[Zaipai]

Man that is dedication.. However I know the feeling.. Keep going, lots of little steps means that much less to do in the summer!..

[Ryan 550k]

Just wanting to keep up with this thread

[78whiteorbs]

alright man, now you really haven't worked on a motorcycle until you have worked on one with numb digits! I admire your attitude , can't wait to see how that tank looks!  I really dig the stretched tank look .

[traveler]

Got some more done tonight.

Headlight bucket.  Before:



After.



I touched up the scratches with a black permanent marker, since this is a plastic shell, and polished it with Lemon Pledge.  Since the scratched areas are out of sight, being touched up, cleaned and polished on the areas that are visible, I can live with that.

Gauges.  MAN what alot of work!  got them all cleaned up!  Had to use this stuff on the chrome back AND chrome hardware!  Also polished all the chrome hardware that secures the top tree.



Here are some pics of the completed Tachometer.  The speedo looks the same except the back is dented and gouged.  However, the rest of the speedo looks like the tach..clean and polished, and ready to go, in my opinion.  I know the redline is faded, but hey, it adds character, I think .  I bought a back plate from a guy on here, Manny aka "spikeybike", and it's en-route.  It will look the same when I put it on.  This back plate was rusty!  Had to put a wad of this Nevr Dull on in the corners and push with a screwdriver to "eat" the rust off.

My fingers are pretty tender on the tips right now!





Anyway, just adding stuff as I go, for anyone who cares to see....I always like seeing builds with pics....relaxing to sit and have a scotch and pick up tips.  If people want me to continue, I will.  I am not the professional quality builder that some are on here, but I try!!!

~Joe

[traveler]

Okay, I guess some sort of guilt got a hold of me, so here are the pics of the speedo, minus the backplate that is en-route from the cool guy on the forum that sold it to me for 5 bones!  {EDIT, it's Manny, aka "SpikeyBike"  A+ guy right there!} Good to see a fellow enthusiast helping out another racer getting his dream 550 on the road in respectable form, I think....





In all honesty this gauge has 2 small little dents in the bottom of the black ring, but you can't see 'em....no worries, right?  gauge works, looks the "dog's bullocks" as Carpy would say, I believe, and the 2 "character bumps" are out of sight.

Anyways, the march goes on to "550K racerville"!

[Zaipai]

I could not agree more. Manny is a great guy.. helped me a lot.. Love his bike, if I were younger, I would steal the design from him! Still love seeing progress. Maybe cause I am also not a builder and like seeing work I can actually do! Also some of the smallest details provide idea's for the rest of us. For example I never heard of that metal polish you used, but it did such a good job I will be looking to get some. So thanks!

[traveler]

lookin good, I am curious to see how you modify the frame for theseat  pan. What kinda price did Sean give you on that tank> That is gonna be an awesome center piece.

Lest any of you think I forgot, or am just a jerk, I do appreciate all the kind words and encouragement.

I'm really just trying to catch up to all of you!  

My HOG is in the garage (Gorgeous 2005 Superglide, all modified, BTW), .........but this is my first racer...and I gotta tell ya, this bike is a hell of a lot of fun!)

(more fun than my custom rigid bobber I built ever was...I might be sold on Cafe bikes from here on out!)

~Joe

[traveler]

I could not agree more. Manny is a great guy.. helped me a lot.. Love his bike, if I were younger, I would steal the design from him! Still love seeing progress. Maybe cause I am also not a builder and like seeing work I can actually do! Also some of the smallest details provide idea's for the rest of us. For example I never heard of that metal polish you used, but it did such a good job I will be looking to get some. So thanks!

Thanks.  No problem on the info.

Sometimes I wonder if I am "breaking it down" a little bit too much...but I figure most guys that read this stuff are into all of this anyway, and once in a while I might be able to pass something on. The Nevr Dull can be found at O'Reilly, or any other parts store.

You should be proud.  Your bike is a real beauty!

~Joe

[Zaipai]

I could not agree more. Manny is a great guy.. helped me a lot.. Love his bike, if I were younger, I would steal the design from him! Still love seeing progress. Maybe cause I am also not a builder and like seeing work I can actually do! Also some of the smallest details provide idea's for the rest of us. For example I never heard of that metal polish you used, but it did such a good job I will be looking to get some. So thanks!

Thanks.  No problem on the info.

Sometimes I wonder if I am "breaking it down" a little bit too much...but I figure most guys that read this stuff are into all of this anyway, and once in a while I might be able to pass something on. The Nevr Dull can be found at O'Reilly, or any other parts store.

You should be proud.  Your bike is a real beauty!

~Joe

Thanks, it looked worse! I will check with our Autozone here in town, if they don't have it I will stop at O'Relly during lunch at work there is one right around the corner.. And really you can not get too detailed if you ask me.. It really motivates me seeing others finish stuff they are working on. For example that airbox mod was beautiful! I was going with Pods, till I saw that. At the very least its got me thinking alone different lines. I believe Hondaman told me once that the 550s for some reason have carbs that work with almost any air cleaner you throw at them. I was thinking of changing the jets because of the pods, he said don't worry about it, they really work with any thing with out moding. I have to say so far he was correct.

Well off to bed. Have a good evening and enjoy the scotch..!

[traveler]

Thanks!

Johnny Walker Red Label on the rocks and sore fingertips!

I really love what you're doing with the build.

Id say, if you want pods, then go with them!  I'm simply going the way I picked up from "nvr2old" here on the forum.

~Joe

[traveler]

Today was colder than yesterday!

So, bundled I up and went back at it!

I went down to my friends shop and used his sandblasting cabinet.  I sandblasted my modified electric panel, the bracket the holds the tach and speedo, and sandblasted the top tree and handlebar clamps.  Normally snadblasting aluminum is a BIG no-no, but it left a nice looking finish!  Here are some pics of them drying in the sun!  I sprayed the trees with clear engine paint (Duplicolor with ceramic additive....no idea they offered it in clear!)






Then I worked on the gauge bracket.  I painted it with the black engine paint, I have been using elsewhere.  I modified the bracket by smacking it flat with a hammer.  This will make the gauges face "straight up" versus at an angle.  This will give it the English cafe look.  I thought I took a pic...hmmm...you can see the pic later on in this post, I guess.



After drying, here is what clear coated bare trees look like



Some of the parts I ordered came in....my Clubman handlebars and headlight brackets.






Here I started putting together my tree and gauges setup.









Although, I don't have any pics, I stayed in the garage until my fingers were frozen going through the bikes wiring, eliminating wiring I won't be using.  It's gonna work!

~Joe

[JRK5892]

Joe you think you are sold on cafes just by building them, wait till you start riding it. that is when you really fall  in love, draggin knees in turns on a bike from the 70's is just awesome!!!

[JRK5892]

oooh ya! get a propane heater man, they are pretty cheap and will really heat that sucker up nice for you to work.. also may want to build a table to work on that sucker. i made mine out of milk crates and 3/4 ply... that way i can take it apart and stack it off to the side

[bwaller]

I just stumbled across your build. I did something similar with a single K&N from a GSXR1100, great big honkin oval filter. It just fits inside the inner fender.



I took the same approach as you when I built a 550. The plan was to improve the overall package and increase power, improve handling and brakes while reducing weight. It ended up at 390lbs which although not a lightweight, is enough of a difference to be instantly noticeable.

Good luck

[traveler]

Thanks for posting!

Yeah Joe...might need to get me a heater!

~Joe

[traveler]

Got some work work done today....

Fuse box.  Got it all cleaned up, sandblasted and painted, again using the Duplicolor Engine paint with ceramic additive:





It may not look like much of a change, but it's actually about half the size it was.  Alot more narrow, and will fit in the bum stop with the micro sized A123 battery I will be using.





a couple of pieces arrived today:





Also got a bunch of work done in the garage...too dark out, and I am too tired to post them right now....I'll post them tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

~Joe