Author Topic: Project - Cafe Geist (Read 2396 times)

Romhog · « **on:** December 03, 2011, 07:46:40 pm »

Just got my hands on a 1976 Honda CB 550F Super Sport. This time around, I have a personal demon to overcome. About 7 years ago my father and I restored a 1974 CB 750 back to factory condition and the following Spring he was riding it over to my house when a... (@#%) turned in to him at 55 Mph, sending my father to the hospital via Care Flight. About 6 months later he made it home, aged a bit... but ok. Of course the bike was totaled and to this day, none of us have touched a bike. To keep the story somewhat short...

I came across this CB550 in a dark corner of a auto mechanics garage and I heard her call out to me. Here she is:

I plan on documenting my project from this post and of course, am open to ideas and discussions. My vision with this project is to strip weight, maybe even the battery and starter. Open up the side cover areas and hide the electronics at all costs. I would like to stay away from modifying the engine and also don't have plans to trim the tank, as of right now...

I will be diving in on the design and build of the seat. (hoping to hide most of the electronics back there.)

Tews19 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2011, 09:33:54 pm »

Subscribed. That bike was in really good shape. What are your plans for all the parts you removed?

Romhog · « **Reply #2 on:** January 16, 2012, 06:17:14 am »

Update!

I'm in the "middle" of so much with the project but one of the biggest unknowns I decided to take on over the weekend was the seat pan. Decided to mix a bit of cafe \ standard seat \ and came up with my Frankenstein stock seat pan chop. The back fin will be paint matched to the tank design color and possibly the area around the side will as well ( up to the shock connector bolt).

Romhog · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2012, 11:06:46 am »

Ok,

I changed my mind, and glad I did so.
Reworking the seat design, going to lay fiberglass over this mold I have been working on. Half way there!

Tews19 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2012, 12:58:02 pm »

Looks good... My freshly painted tank and side covers resemble yours kinda.

keep the updates coming

Romhog · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2012, 05:12:38 am »

Thanks for the kind words. I was checking out your project and mad props on that polishing work. I'm also work on that and it is (for lack of a better term) a "labor of love". I sit there wondering why I'm doing it and realize I must "love it"

Quote from: Tews19 on January 24, 2012, 12:58:02 pm

Looks good... My freshly painted tank and side covers resemble yours kinda.

keep the updates coming

Romhog · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2012, 07:52:52 am »

Now I'll feel like I'm getting somewhere! Final Assembly is now under way! yay

Greggo · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2012, 08:21:30 am »

Your seat turned out very nice!!

dagersh · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2012, 10:10:21 am »

Bravo! This is the really fun part of the build!

Keep us posted!

Gersh

Flying J · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2012, 10:31:58 am »

Good looking bike. The best kind of weight to remove is the un-sprung weight. Lighter rims, spokes, and rotor. Not the cheapest but if you are serious about loosing weight its a good place to start. Otherwise if you want to loose the starter and battery that helps. You have to run a battery on these bikes but you could always run a shorai battery. They are tiny and weight 1.23 lbs. If your not running a starter this would be plenty of battery.
http://www.shoraipower.com/p-147-lfx09a2-bs12.aspx

Romhog · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:03:23 am »

Greggo, thanks for the kind words! that seat pan has definitively put a big dent in my "build schedule" if I really have one

but it was a challenge, (because I have never done fiberglass before)

ffJMoore, I was battling how far I wanted to take this weight loss and decided to keep the convenience of the starter and battery. I'm actually going to hide the battery under the back of the seat pan and more than likely will get a gel type running 12v for sure. I noticed that brand of battery before and see those run 12v but are they classified as gel type? I didn't see them bragging on if they can be mounted sideways. thanks for the advice!

Flying J · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:18:17 am »

They are smaller and lighter then a gel battery and can be mounted any way you want.

nvr2old · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:20:29 am »

That's exactly what mine started out as, same color and all. Mine has the starter and the alternator both removed. Combine that with modified case covers, it took off close to 15 lbs.

lucky · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:23:04 am »

The project looks like it is going well and
you are doing a workmanship like job on it!

Romhog · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:33:02 am »

nvr2old,

wow that is something I have never seen before. nice move on that chain cover guard. I like it! what are those pegs you got on there? just a universal type? they seem to be in a more "standard" position, (which is what I want) but so far I was sticking with stock. nothing is forever though!

Quote from: nvr2old on February 27, 2012, 11:20:29 am

That's exactly what mine started out as, same color and all. Mine has the starter and the alternator both removed. Combine that with modified case covers, it took off close to 15 lbs.

nvr2old · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2012, 11:54:42 am »

The foot pegs on mine have been moved back, and up, a little more than 2 inches. A new mount was drilled and welded into the lower frame section. The foot pegs are hand made, as are the shift lever and linkage.

Romhog · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2012, 06:08:12 am »

I will admit that I have never re-spoke'd a wheel before. mark that off the list! (notice my retro lock washers) I almost took them back off to use the modern ones, but they are growing on me for some reason.

Flying J · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2012, 09:37:04 am »

You don't re-spoke, you lace a wheel.

Romhog · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2012, 01:12:24 pm »

ohhh... tomato toMAto

lace makes it sound like... crochet or needlepoint. Maybe its a north south thing. Like Pop or Soda!

BeSeeingYou · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2012, 12:08:38 am »

Romhog · « **Reply #20 on:** April 03, 2012, 06:37:23 am »

oh my lord!!

apex_seeking · « **Reply #21 on:** April 03, 2012, 07:15:30 am »

I want a bike cozy!!

Romhog · « **Reply #22 on:** April 04, 2012, 11:03:46 am »

prime and paint time!
Still trying to figure out the paint. of course the primer green gave me a new idea... hmm.....

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Author Topic: Project - Cafe Geist (Read 2396 times)