Topic: Planning engine build right now.mild to wild what are your opinions?

[Mercuno]

Well I dont cruise above 60 hardly ever but I do like getting to 60 fast.
I ride with a newer 650cc street legal dirt bike every morning and he will just leave me so easily from a stop light.
Its almost embarrassing.
 
I have a 76 550 with a 4-1 header and pods.
brakes are fine
wheels are fine
electrical is fine
carbs just rebuilt and running great.

I will be getting some extra cash over december and want to do it all at once.
I know about the 650 top end with 750 pistons swap. I just feel as if this is such an expensive route with all the new parts and machine work. It will probably be the way I have to go unless someone has a known way to swap in a later model engine. I can make my own mounts.

I am looking to remain as cheap as possible with this but I am not afraid to do extensive mods.
I full well plan the first step to be strengthening the frame as much as possible.

I saw a thread where someone was putting in a cbr 600 engine but cant find it and dont think he finished it???

This is just a dream phase right now so keep it in mind before you bash my head against a wall for being wishy washy lol. 

Ooooooh  I need to lookup how much power a 750 makes and then how much one of those 836 kits makes. I could shoehorn that in my frame . .

[lone*X]

If you don't cruise or do any freeway riding, first just try a new larger rear sprocket and chain.  Go up a few teeth in the rear and you will get much better acceleration, just will not top out as high.   Save the money until you decide on what you really want.  Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a faster bike than put a lot of money in the slower one.

[Tetley]

Get a dirt bike 

[Psychonaut]

Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a faster bike than put a lot of money in the slower one.

So true. Having been deep into the car scene and see people throw thousands into a $4000 cars is painfull knowing they will never recoup what they've spent and it will never perform as well as a newer model.

My opinion. Unless you are a diehard CB guy I would just enjoy it with a few simple mods and except the fact that an old 2 valve engine will never compete with a newer higher revving 4 valve. If you have money to waste and want the fastest 550 then that's another story but you could just as easily buy a used F4i to spank the 650 and have two bikes.  A lot of people get caught up in modding and don't realize that the day will come when they want another toy and now they are too far upside down in their bike, car, ect that they can't part with it.

[WarwickE36]

Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a faster bike than put a lot of money in the slower one.

I have a 74 Cb550, rode it all summer, had a blast. 

Bought a 2004 SV650s a month ago rode it almost every day since I bought it

Hopped back on the CB yesterday and twisted the throttle WOT and wondered where the power was...

The SV is only 73hp but its so much faster than the CB it made the honda feel like it was running on 2 cylinders even though it wasn't.  Still love the honda and had a blast cruising on it.  But when I want the power the SV (insert your sport bike of choice here) is the way to go.  Now onto people bashing me for calling the SV a sport bike 

[Mercuno]

haha. good one.
I thought about another bike altogether but I just absolutely love the cafe look that I have going. I havent really seen anybikes that I could even modify to look the same. I however have not really seen many motorcycles. I have been customizing classic cars and trucks my whole life and the cafe racer scene has just took over. I dunno what took so long. I like buell but dont like the price.
I love my 550!!!!

[WarwickE36]

Triumph has a bike that might suit you the Thruxton 900



Suzuki SV650 Naked isn't as classic looking but itts "cafe" ish



Monster is always an option if you like the italian thing




and many many more

[Mercuno]

Where is the thread with the 600rr engine swap? Cant find it. what else may swap in there with some massaging? Im itching to go pick through the junkyard and see what I can come up with.....

I kinda like the ducati but really want to do something special with this cb. I mean it is my first bike and dont care what it takes. I want to keep it forever. I know it may anger some purists but I am thinking the same thing as a 72 chevelle with an ls3 swapped in. better fuel economy, greener for the tree huggers and freakin sweet for the hotrodders.

Im thinking also of a swingarm that only goes on one side of the tire(dunno what thats called. and of course some new age forks and brakes. I am about to dig in to this thing in december and want to radically transform it .

[Steve_K]

A 70's bike will always have trouble keeping up with a newer bike.  I have a 05 SV1000S and a 86 GIXXER 750 and road tests have them with similar 1/4 mile times.  A current 600 sportbike WILL spank my 05 or 86 bikes.  So I don't care my CBs are not as fast, they have other things going for them.  BUT, it can be a lot of fun building a hotrod.  You can make them faster and handle better.  Building a wild engine usually means that your HP happens at higher RPM.  Will need  more rpms to leave a stop sign and if you are carrying a passenger, a lot of clutch slipping to get going.
A single sided swingarm means a lot of frame modding to work. 
Buy another bike, with all that work it it will be awhile before you will be riding the CB.
Steve