Topic: Another New Guy From Minnesota

[DCole]

Hello!   My name is Derrik, I'm new to the motorcycling world as of 2 years ago.  I bought a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250r new for my first bike.   But, like all of my cars, my passion is in the older vehicles.  So, I kept the Kawi for a reliable to-and-from commuter since it gets phenomenal fuel economy, and then I picked up a 1978 Honda CB550k on craigslist for cheap.   I rode it for the end of this last riding season, and now I'm tearing it apart over the winter to freshen it up, fix a few things, and 'make it mine.'    I'm currently working on tearing the whole bike down to just the frame so I can get it cleaned up, modified and painted so I've got a good base to go off of.  I've been lurking on this forum since I first started looking at buying an old honda 4-cyl, and I decided I should finally become a member and try to learn as much as I can from those who know more about these than I will probably ever need to!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Welcome to our insanity Derrik 

If you get it together by later this coming summer you should join us for the SOHC4 World Tour. Check it out under Owners Forums.

[MoMo]

Welcome,  what plans do you have for the 550? How about some photos?...Larry

[DCole]

Welcome,  what plans do you have for the 550? How about some photos?...Larry

Working on tearing the bike down at the moment with plans on building something more sports bike oriented.  I hate to say I'm building a cafe racer, because it's not quite that simple.  I'm working on getting the engine out so I can get the head off and out to the machine shop my brother works at so we can work on porting and polishing.  I'm also working on some custom parts like side covers and parts for moving the foot pegs back.  I'm currently looking for a CB500T gas tank or something similar that has indents in it for my knees.   

I'm basically doing a ground up restoration, but instead of putting the bike back together stock, I'm setting it up the way I think it should have been from the factory.   So everything I'm doing I'm trying to make fairly stock looking, so it looks like something that could have rolled off of the production line. 

Anyone happen to have a clean seat pan for sale to replace mine?  I pulled the foam off of it today and found a lot more rust than I originally saw, So it's going to be a pain in the arse if I try to save it.

[DCole]

I'll post pictures soon...My pictures are all too large to post as attachments on here.  I'll get them uploaded to my photobucket tonight or tomorrow.

[MoMo]

Not sure where I saw it but you can hammer indentations in the tank you have, maybe do a search here or on Google. Maybe someone knows where the thread is or how to find it.  Like your idea of keeping it basically stock...Larry