Author Topic: CB500 Project, Leslie. Runs, rides. Fun Fun Fun  (Read 15586 times)

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Offline Frankensteins Bride

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #50 on: April 29, 2013, 11:04:27 AM »
Looks really nice! Great job and you can't beat that price. :)
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Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #51 on: April 29, 2013, 11:36:44 AM »
The paint turned out well. I shudder think what your GF thought of the bathroom floor!
1975 CB550K1 "Blue" Stockish Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=135005.0)
1975 CB550F1 frame/CB650 engine hybrid "The Hot Mess" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150220.0.html)
2008 Triumph Thruxton (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,190956.0.html)
2014 MV Agusta Brutale Dragster 800
2015 Yamaha FZ-09 (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,186861.0.html)

"There are some things nobody needs in this world, and a bright-red, hunch-back, warp-speed 900cc cafe racer is one of them — but I want one anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need one.... Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba." Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature, Cycle World, March 1995.  (http://www.latexnet.org/~csmith/sausage.html and https://magazine.cycleworld.com/article/1995/3/1/song-of-the-sausage-creature)

Sold/Emeritus
1973 CB750K2 "Bionic Mongrel" (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132734.0) - Sold
1977 CB750K7 "Nine Lives" Restomod (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50490.0) - Sold
2005 RVT1000RR RC51-SP2 "El Diablo" - Sold
2016+ Triumph Thruxton 1200 R (http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170198.0.html) - Sold

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #52 on: May 06, 2013, 08:49:12 AM »
She was not pleased! Got around to installing a new seat cover.

Parts on the bike:



Old Seat Cover:



New Seat Cover:



Worked through all of the electrics on the bike, so now everything with a wire function properly. I #$%*ed up my ignition plate, so a new pamco is on the way as I hate points.

Fixed/bled the brakes, changed the shocks, etc etc etc... I can't even keep track of all the things I do to this thing...

Now the only obstacle to getting on with some riding is getting her started again  ::)



Offline Vinhead1957

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #53 on: May 07, 2013, 05:19:24 AM »
Not bad for a rattle can paint job, not bad at all!  I use fine line tape for edges, it provides a crisp edge. Still needs a fine sanding before clearcoat   Bike looks great ! 

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #54 on: May 07, 2013, 12:58:21 PM »
Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, if I had to redo it, I would use spray max from the start (primer, basecoat, clear coat) instead of messing with the rustoleum.

Not that it doesn't look good, but I could just tell when using the spraymax clear it was a far superior product.

Offline racinchase

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #55 on: May 08, 2013, 08:12:41 AM »
Looks great!!
“The right bike, the right day, the right road, I just pretty much feel at one with the universe. When I feel like I don’t fit anywhere or I’m lonely or I’m all screwed up in the head, I get on my bike and go for a ride and it’s like all of the sudden, I’m fixed.” – Indian Larry

1975 CB750 K
2009 R1

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Fresh Paint Edition
« Reply #56 on: May 08, 2013, 10:50:56 PM »
Thanks! Dave is helping me sort out some engine issues atm, but once that is done she'll be going on a maiden voyage! Fingers crossed!!

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #57 on: May 13, 2013, 07:48:17 AM »
Well, looks like my engine troubles are stubborn and persistent. Despite the bike having been running 2 months ago, I am currently getting a 0 psi reading in all cylinders. Looks like the head might have to come off again...

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #58 on: May 13, 2013, 01:03:43 PM »
Check your gauge on another vehicle first. 0 psi on all cylinders is pretty odd.
"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #59 on: May 13, 2013, 05:52:42 PM »
Yeah I had that thought, so I plugged it into the air compressor and registered a reading there. Could be a valve timing issue, but who knows. I've spent hours trying to get it right (and I think I did) so I think there is a problem.

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #60 on: August 07, 2013, 12:52:16 PM »
IT BEEN FOREVER!

So this past weekend, I finally had some time to get back to the bike, my baby, my enemy and my love. Took the engine out of the bike (I am getting quick at this) and tore down the engine. Found out I had some bent valves. Awesome.

I figured, what the hell, I have this #$%* torn up, I may as well do this right. I took the cylinders, and the valve head to a machine shop. They're going to hone them and rehab the head (lapping, etc etc) for a cool $185 total. Not too bad. I ordered up some new rings from eBay (STD sizes are hard to find for these bikes) and a new gasket set.

Maybe, I'll get rolling by September  8) Dave here has been a supreme help.

Some fun pics...

http://imgur.com/a/I1XHt

Offline kghost

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #61 on: August 07, 2013, 12:55:17 PM »
Why did it bend the valves?
Stranger in a strange land

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #62 on: August 07, 2013, 01:10:56 PM »
I am pretty sure it was my fault. When adjusting the valves, as I rotated the engine, I must have been doing something wrong as the valves seemed to hit the pistons. It would be until I backed the valves up that the engine would spin freely again

I couldn't tell you what I was doing wrong though as I thought to have followed the procedure correctly. The pistons were damage free and te machinist said my cylinders looked very good. So I just have no idea other than user error.

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie....Goddamn engines...
« Reply #63 on: August 26, 2013, 10:19:03 PM »
Recently got my parts back from the machine shop. I've been working on cleaning the gasket mating surfaces, and I gotta say. It's a huge pain in the ass!!



Gasket scraper, remover, and a scotch brite pad. This one was easy enough, but the cylinder head in going to be a huge pain. Any suggestions?

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie. Runs, idles. Tackling past mistakes.
« Reply #64 on: September 03, 2013, 11:55:01 AM »
Put it some quality time this weekend. I failed to take after pics, but here's a rundown of the weekend:

With the engine out, and all my parts on hand I tackled the top end reassembly.





Cleaned some stuff up, including the piston grooves as they were a tad dirty.



New gaskets.



Things got a bit frustrating at this point, so I forgot to take more photos. Regardless, i got the new rings/pistons into the jugs, mounted the head, did all the adjustments, etc.

I installed the new pamco unit as well. Added in some oil, gas, etc.  Baby started up like a dream, but died without the throttle. Easy enough, I just adjusted the idle screw, and that solved that issue pretty easily. She sits very comfortably at a nice 1200 idle rpm. I could probably even get that set lower.

I do, unfortunately have a leak under the side cover at the top of the engine due to my being stupid. I have a solution I', going to try this weekend though.

Finally, the end is nearing!!

Offline Mo

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Re: CB500 Project, Leslie. Runs, idles. Tackling past mistakes.
« Reply #65 on: November 13, 2013, 10:32:33 AM »
She's come a long way... Beauty Shots: