Topic: 1976 CB550 picked up for $500!

[Rocker]

Three years ago I picked up a 74 CB550 for cheap and planned to rebuild it:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=23311.msg239657#msg239657

Well my wife and I found out we were expecting twins soon after so I sold it and all my other projects. Now things have calmed down a bit and I can get back to "tinkering' as my wife says. I've been on Craigslist for months looking for a cheap CB500/550. This one popped up yesterday but sold before I got off work. Or so I though. About 2pm today I get a notification on my Droid that a new CB550 was just posted. I look and it's the same bike from yesterday. I contact the seller and he said the guy never showed. Score for me!

Here are some pics. She's a little wet. Been raining all day..







Tank, side covers, and headlight bucket have been painted a bright red. There is overspray on the part of the wiring harness and rubber tank grommet. Front caliper sticks a little, carbs seem stiff when I twist throttle. That is just what I noticed initially. Seller said he had it running about a month ago but we've all read the "seller famous last words" thread.

I plan to dig a little further this weekend and see how the electrics work and try to start her up.

[Hush]

That will match your 750 perfectly, a matched set.
Does your wife ride?
The 500/550 is small enough for most females to handle. (duck and run Hush they are throwing shoes at you!)

[cameron]

That is a hot ticket, baby. A hot ticket.

[Rocker]

Does your wife ride?

Not so much ride as get chauffeured around by me.

The 500/550 is small enough for most females to handle. (duck and run Hush they are throwing shoes at you!)

So you're saying a 6'3" dude like me will look funny on a 550??

[Frostyboy]

So you're saying a 6'3" dude like me will look funny on a 550??

Not as funny as me @ 5'2" trying to hold one straight up at a stop light. 

[dave500]

you guys get good deals over there,i run an advert in a popular bike magazine almost full time,this guy wants 600 bucks for this and its about a ten hour return trip away

and this guy wants a thousand for this and hes about 12 hours return trip away,i politely told them no thanks with no offers on either

[ZoomyZen]

you guys get good deals over there,i run an advert in a popular bike magazine almost full time,this guy wants 600 bucks for this and its about a ten hour return trip away

and this guy wants a thousand for this and hes about 12 hours return trip away,i politely told them no thanks with no offers on either

Those prices seem a little high, but how high?  I would like your opinion for I just picked up a CB550 on a trade for a guitar amp.  I have to build the amp, but that's what I do so for me it's already a screaming deal.  On another forum (not bike oriented) I was told $800 tops for this:



Not currently running, front brake is locked up and has "an electrical issue".

[ZoomyZen]

I guess a good question would be:  What would you  expect to pay for each of these bikes. 

Just a quick answer will suffice obviously, I don't want to hijack.

[Stev-o]

Rocker - welcome back to "CB World". Nice buy.

You may want to consider a new throttle cable if the carb slides move freely.

[Rocker]

So you're saying a 6'3" dude like me will look funny on a 550??

Not as funny as me @ 5'2" trying to hold one straight up at a stop light. 

I don't know how short people ride 750s with stock seats. I am tall and can barely put both feet flat on the ground. I guess if you do the "proper form" method and only put your left foot down it would work.

you guys get good deals over there,i run an advert in a popular bike magazine almost full time,this guy wants 600 bucks for this and its about a ten hour return trip away

That's crazy. The top one has a clean motor (at least on the outside) but that's about it.

I guess a good question would be:  What would you  expect to pay for each of these bikes. 

Just a quick answer will suffice obviously, I don't want to hijack.

The rust bucket would be lucky to go for $100. I've seen bikes that be given away just to get them out of someone's yard.

Rocker - welcome back to "CB World". Nice buy.

You may want to consider a new throttle cable if the carb slides move freely.

Thanks for the info. 

[Duanob]

you guys get good deals over there,i run an advert in a popular bike magazine almost full time,this guy wants 600 bucks for this and its about a ten hour return trip away

Depends on where 'over there' you mean. We don't get good deals here in the PNW at all. I wish I had free shipping from the mid west, I've seen killer deals there but then you tack on the $800 or so for shipping and it's not that good of a deal anymore. Plus I don't like buying used stuff sight-unseen.

[flybox1]

Depends on where 'over there' you mean. We don't get good deals here in the PNW at all. I wish I had free shipping from the mid west, I've seen killer deals there but then you tack on the $800 or so for shipping and it's not that good of a deal anymore. Plus I don't like buying used stuff sight-unseen.

+1
Duanob and i probably look at the same bikes    A CB750 under $2500 wont last long around here.

Nice score on the bike btw!  have fun tinkering.
how them twins treating you?!?!?
my girls are 7mos yesterday. time flies.

[Rocker]

Nice score on the bike btw!  have fun tinkering.
how them twins treating you?!?!?
my girls are 7mos yesterday. time flies.

My girls are great. They are two and all over the place. Had one of them tell me this recently, "Good daddy. You big boy." My my my what what pick up on.

I've noticed the bulk of SOHCs available seem to come from the midwest too. "Heartland of America" I guess.

[Stev-o]

Nice score on the bike btw!  have fun tinkering.
how them twins treating you?!?!?
my girls are 7mos yesterday. time flies.

My girls are great. They are two and all over the place. Had one of them tell me this recently, "Good daddy. You big boy." My my my what what pick up on.

Enjoy that age, I miss it! [my daughter is 15 going on 21]

[Hondawggie]

You folks on the west coast (US) like OR or WA or NV might consider a 2-day vacation and bike-pick-up simultaneously.  In the population centers in California there are a gazillion bikes.  Theres a bunch of reasons for this.  Great ride-able weather all year, no ice/snow, just rain (rainsuit) at times.  And lots of people live in this state.  Go to LA it is a people-zoo.  TONS of bikes.  I've bought here in San Diego (1 day vacation), LA (1 day vacation away from work) and around here (San Francisco bay area).  From Nevada you can hit Sacramento pretty quick.  Tons of bikes there.

What I mean is if you're on/near the west coast, save on $500-$800 shipping and combine a short holiday from your normal grind and pick up a bike.  It is way relaxing, just takes some flexibility on the part of the seller -- shoot him a deposit if you think its the right bike/seller and hit the road for an enjoyable vacation.

I'm from the midwest originally, and you're right -- there are TONS of z1's, kzs, cb's just tons back there, I was a part of that growing up.  And 2 strokes also (triples, RDs, GT suzukis).  All over back in the midwest.

Nice 550, I wish the 500/4 I got today looked that good.
Great bike when it's running.

[Slapguts]

Nice 550. Just picked one up myself a few days ago. Free, too. Friend was tired of it taking up space in his garage.

Needs a swingarm, paint, wiring, rearsets and assembly. It's all there, though, in boxes, bagged and labeled.

[dave500]

that top one with the clean engine is also missing the starter motor and the left side engine cover along with the kickstart lever and the air box both side covers,the lower one the guy tells me po sank a lot of money into the engine,it dosent run though,sheesh?



thank goodness for internet photos,the description the guy offered on the phone had my hopes up,for example "the tank would look better with a new coat of paint,and not much is missing from it"

[Duanob]

You folks on the west coast (US) like OR or WA or NV might consider a 2-day vacation and bike-pick-up simultaneously.

That's exactly what I did but things were'nt much cheaper in Idaho either. We road tripped to manitoba CA. I towed my trailer to Post Falls looked at the bike not knowing much and bought it for $900. Put the bike on the trailer locked it up and left it on the side of the guys house unitl we came back a week later. Knowing what I know know I never would've paid $900 for it. Too many things need fixing and replacing. I'm into it for a couple thousand already and it's got a long ways to go before it's done.

I almost did the same thing in Oregon but they are pretty proud of their bikes as well. A guy wouldn't budge from $2500 for a fairly clean low miled 550K but had a big dent in the tank! I told him a good tank with matching paint would cost several hundred but he still held out. I think he did end up selling it.

[Gaither]

Rocker

You dun gud!!!

Out of ignorance and being away from bikes 49 years, I paid way too much for the 550. I refuse to add up what I've spent on it to date. It'll never bring what I have in it.However, it's up and going good, I like it  and ain't for sale. So, I suppose it is OK after all's said and done.

When the good deals are done, I'm always down the street asking for directions!

Frosty

Yep, these ol' bikes are "tall and heavy"! I can put both feet on the ground but I do try to keep it verticle. If I let it lean, it's like all 428 lbs are all located in the fuel tank and it wants to lay down! If I was any shorter, I'd have to hunt a good Shadow or a 450 Rebel.

But, don't they handle good rolling!

[Bagpype]

I looked at that very bike mere hours before you got it. I'm looking for a project but the guy Stuart couldn't get it running and he did this jumping of fuses with a screwdriver which made me nervous. I'm glad someone on here got it. Let us know how it goes.

[dave500]

well i scored a bike a bit closer to home,two hours round trip not counting the yakking we did,this old bloke bought some carbs from me last week and hadnt noticed my bike wanted add in the same magazine,he said he had a rolling 500 i could have for one hundred,its better than i thought ,has guards,bars,tank,he threw in a 500 swing arm,its got good front forks,we took the wheels off to fit it in the station wagon,should be in the project section i guess?

had a fiddle with a beer and took a few things apart,even has tapered steering bearings already!
no motor or mounts which im now chasing,the spacer and the triangle forward engine mounts and foot pegs,the guy says he has them somewhere,his shed was organised chaos,he has a shyte load of frames laying in the rain and open transmissions etc,lawn mowers and car engines with heads removed all in the weather,when we took the wheels and bars off he only seemed to have a shifter(monkey wrench/adjustable spanner)and tools all over the place,he was happy with a hundred and so was i.

dreaming with a good tank in place.

[Rocker]

I looked at that very bike mere hours before you got it. I'm looking for a project but the guy Stuart couldn't get it running and he did this jumping of fuses with a screwdriver which made me nervous. I'm glad someone on here got it. Let us know how it goes.

It would not have stayed running even if he's got it started. The throttle cable has slipped out of the guild and was jammed between the pulley and carb body. The throttle would barely turn. Wires were hanging out of the starter button whole. It basically looking like someone try to work on the bike without a clue as to what they were doing.

[Duanob]

Rocker, any updates or pics?

[Rocker]

Yes, made a different build thread here:

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=80525.0

[Trav-i]

Hey Rocker,

In what part of North GA are you?  I'm in Gainesville, and have met member from Braselton, Lawerenceville, and even Tenn.