Topic: 1978 cb550 FKR Mutt

[cwchan]

Hi all,

Just thought it was about time to start a thread on my own project bike.  Plans were originally to turn into a cafe but now i'm undecided.  i'm just updating it for now.  I can't seem to find the pics of what it looked like originally...*found one*



 but i do have a pic of the engine leaking oil.

This turned out to be coming from the end cap where the crush washer was REALLY crushed.  replacement made it leak less...

[cwchan]

Then there is the charging issue... pulled all the plugs and found they were FRIED... blown fuses with melted fuse box.... went to a salvage yard and picked up the "electrical panel" for $100



Later i found more fried wires and found that a PO made a dangerous fix.  Its hard to see, but the green ground is actually split in two and a spare wire was twisted around them to bring them together.  It worked but its pretty unsafe.


So i bought another bad wiring harness and spliced the good parts of the 2 bad harnesses to make 1 good harness.


added a Hondaman fusebox

[cwchan]

this is just a pic.... Please let me know if anyone sees anything wrong with anything that i haven't caught

[MasterChief750]

your gas tank is missing

[Blackandsilver]

your plug leads are shortened to within an inch of their lives. get some 3 ohm coils and new leads from z1. they're great. could throw in a dyna s too if you dont like changin points.

[Roach]

your plug leads are shortened to within an inch of their lives. get some 3 ohm coils and new leads from z1. they're great. could throw in a dyna s too if you dont like changin points.

plug wires arnt that short? thats stock length

I wouldn't go with the dyna 3ohm coils I just did that and my bike died every where it went couldn't even make it around the block waste of money.

the dyna s though is a great idea nothing like not having to deal with points!!

[Roach]

actualy correct me if im wrong cwchan might have the dyna s. cuz isn't the red wire running under the frame for the dyna s?

[dRoc]

... went to a salvage yard and picked up the "electrical panel" for $100

Greetings! Zdeno Cycle I'm guessing?

I'm almost finished my 77 CB550K. Looking forward to getting a little bit of riding in before it gets too cold!

[cwchan]

Greetings! Zdeno Cycle I'm guessing?

I'm almost finished my 77 CB550K. Looking forward to getting a little bit of riding in before it gets too cold!

That's right!!  Zdeno's.  Its already a little cold.  i was thinking of laying up the bike for the winter already...
I took a brief look through your thread... wow... i've never seen pistons like that!!  i wonder what the person felt when they were on the bike & that happend.

[cwchan]

actualy correct me if im wrong cwchan might have the dyna s. cuz isn't the red wire running under the frame for the dyna s?

That's right... PO installed Dyna S but i am going back to points and installing a Hondaman Ignition:



(Yes, My camera is old)

[cwchan]

haven't posted in a while but i HAVE been working on the bike.  Installed tapered bearings from All Balls as many people have.  the only thing i really have to add is how i got the bottom bearing on the stem


and hammered down.

Took the forks apart for drilling damper rods and to add emulators



I had the right fork machined down where the caliper hanger goes.  The rotors were drilled and here is the front end is buttoned up

[cwchan]

Hey all,

i took the cyl1nder head off and did some cleaning.  i had scratched the surface and i wanted to know if it had to be resurfaced.  I showed it to a local bike shop machinist and the first thing he said was that the valve seats needed to be cut in a bad way.  i was originally going to lap the valves.  The exhaust valves don't look like they are in great shape.  What do you all think?

[MagneticWest]

Hey cwchan,

Can't really tell the condition of the valve seats or valve faces (valve faces not shown in pics) from those photos, but looks like the intake valve seat might be on the wide side of spec.  A good machinist is your friend with that kind of advice.  I recently had valve seats re-cut on my 550 head, along with all new intake and exhaust valves and guide seals.  OEM seals are best, or so I have heard.  Got the valves at David Silver Spares, btw.

Looking forward to seeing how your fork re-build turns out - I hope to be tackling that on my bike soon!

Later,
Dave

[cwchan]

Finally an update.

I had some cyl1nder head work done.


I later noticed that the cam chain tensioner was damaged.  With the damage to the crankcase and the tensioner i thought i might as well buy a 2nd engine and install that.  I used the 2nd engine crankcase and the cyl1nder head that was resurfaced.  Dropped in a 650 camshaft which fitted perfectly.  I polished the covers and this is what it looks like now.  I read the caswell plating description on how to polish but i would recommend go down to a finer grit sand paper and hit it with the black compound before the brown.  I used plenty of compound and rinsed the piece off with varsol before the next compound.  but hey, i'm no expert at polishing

[cwchan]

some updates here

[cwchan]

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

The front end looks killer.

[Bankerdanny]

Fork looks great, but it needs a fender. I don't know why, but SOHC's rarely look right to me without one.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Fork looks great, but it needs a fender. I don't know why, but SOHC's rarely look right to me without one.

I'm on the fence about front fenders.  I think they look great with a period-correct fork upgrade (GL1000 or similar swap), but with a modern front end you then have to figure out whether to slap on the donor bike's fender (which doesn't look right IMHO) or adapt vintage fender mounts to the modern forks.  I think if you are going to ride on wet pavement, it's certainly preferred to have fenders -- to keep the bike cleaner.

[cwchan]

I'm happy with the conversion:) The reduction in bar vibration is something i've really appreciated. 
Later on i will probably be changing out the rims for some 17 inches to get the geometry to where i want it to be.  I'm projecting that it should have approx 25 deg rake, 100mm of trail with a small reduction in wheelbase but i haven't worked the math out exactly.

This will allow me to fit the donor fender.  It will be better for my inseam but i am worried about the ground clearance with the exhaust.

[cwchan]

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Now THAT's a wheel.  Details?  Is that the cognitomoto hub?

[cwchan]

Now THAT's a wheel.  Details?  Is that the cognitomoto hub?

Its from RAD Manufacturing.  I had initially considered a cognitomoto hub but its was a little on the expensive side and my forks are cbr600rr not GSXR.  RAD made the the wheel with everything you see (rim, stainless spokes, bearings, seals, spacers, hub, trued) for $500US.  They only make the above hub with 36 spokes but since i was getting a rim anyways it seemed like a really good deal...

i have a rear rim and stainless spokes on their way from Buchanans for roughly the same $$ (RAD couldn't make spokes to fit my rear hub)

[KrautKoffin]

Digging that wheel!

[Tews19]

That wheel is sick!