Topic: 77 CB550F Tank flap and Sidecovers

[Ace Blackwell]

Hello all,

I'm trying to get a few opinions.   I'm redoing my bike.  I won't say restoring as I don't have the cash to be all original, with a lot of outside shop type work.  On the other hand I would like to keep the spirit of the original bike.  As a result I'm try to decide if I go back with the black gas tank door or paint it Candy Sword Blue or Candy Presto Red (or their equivalent)  I've seen it both ways.  I like the color approach.  My bike, when I bought it years ago, had just been painted as a 77 K (brown with orange stripe) and not an F which the VIN clearly states it is.   I'm not sure why.   In any case the tank door was a new gloss black door and always looked like a replacement part that hadn't  yet been painted.

I had the same question on the side covers.  Every picture I've ever seen of a 77 550F has colored side covers, however, the Spec page of this site states the side covers were black originally.  Again, I'll like to be close to original and It would be a little different, but I'm not sure how much I like the black covers on a blue or red bike.

Thanks for all opinions or insights.
Ace

[Frostyboy]

Mine is a '76 F Shiny Orange. I personally like the black door on the fuel tank. The sidecovers of course are the same as the tank. I can't recall seeing any pics of black covers either, but if you want to stay original as you say, leave 'em black. I don't think you'll lose points if you choose to colour them though. (Yes, here in Aus there's a 'u' in color.

[Ace Blackwell]

Thanks for the reply Frosty,

I bet the black does look good on the orange.   Long story but in short, I bought my bike in the mid 80s.  The guy had just had the engine painted, along with the tanks/covers.  Thinking back, most of the bike looked new. After about 6 months it was stolen.  by the time I got it back, it was trashed.  Ran great but mirrors was gone, turn signals broken, you get the picture.  Being a young father and single income family at the time, the bike took low priority.   I drove if over the years but it was housed out side and under a tarp for years.  It's building kept now but needs some love no doubt.

In any case, when I decided to get it back in good condition, a few summers ago, I got on this site and started researching the bike.  I realized the when the guy repainted the bike he went with the 77 K colo(u)rs and not the F that the bike is.  As a result I don't know which color the bike is supposed to be lol.  Stripping the side covers gave me blue, red and black under the brown.  So I guess I'll just have to pick a color and go with it.

Thanks again for the reply
Ace