Topic: 75 cb550f Cafe Job

[superchomper2003]

Hi guys introduced myself as a new member and said I would make a build thread for my 75 cb550f that Im turning into a cafe bike. So Here it goes me best attempt. I picked the bike up just a couple weeks ago after finding it on craigslist The tags expired in the 80's and it looks like it has been that long since it has been ridden. It was in pretty ruff shape but had a clean title and motor turned over and I was told by the guy that I got it from that his dad drove it up and parked it where it sat all those years ago. Rear tire was still holding air but front was basically dry rotted so bad it was falling apart on the rim, Gas tank is rusted out and useless, Front brake mater cyl is frozen, wheels are pretty rusted up and has a little surface rust on the frame here and there but nothing major there though.  Here are a few pics of the oll girl when I picked her up.

[Mcwilliams570]

Welcome to the forums. Looks like a nice bike to start on.  Lots of people to help you out when you need it.

Matt

[superchomper2003]

So basically my intentions with bike are to get in on the road within the next 2 months to see what I like and do and go ahead and get everything lined out they way that I will want it so that this coming winter after it is to cold to ride I will do a complete tear down and rebuild powdercoating everything so that come next summer it will be perfect.   So I started Stripping all of the ugly stuff and junk off of her and then got the  carbs pulled off and pulled apart and soaking in carb cleaner because they were pretty terrible inside but no real damage to the carbs them self other than needing a good rebuild. The engine was really grimy so I spent a while cleaning on it and got it looking pretty good. I actually have a 77 cb750f that has thrown a rod that I will be parting on really soon so I robbed the tank from it to put on the 550. The front mounts are narrower on the 750 frame than the where on the 550 so I had to widen it there to fit. I simply used a bench vice backwards by sticking the inside of the tank where the mounts go over the vice and cranking it open a bit. Fits great now although a good bit larger then the stock tank!    I think it looks great on there. I would really like to do some knee dents but Im worried i would screw the tank up. Go the carbs rebuild and put back on the bike. Turned the gas on and....... No Leaks! Look like the floats and all are right first try!   Hooked a jump box up to here and after cleaning the points and getting her firing good she fired right up! Runs like a dream to not have the carbs synced up yet! Will idle all day long  and seems to rev well. No smoke from the engine and all 4 cyl are running good so I  will get the carbs synced up and then I think I will be good on the running side of things.   Here is a pic of the oll girl with the 77 cb750f tank mounted up. Notice how close the fuel valve is to the engine, but it fits! 

[superchomper2003]

Removed both front and rear rims and broke the tire down off of them and  being that the spokes are so rusty kinda makes be worry. I don't know anything about lacing up new spokes and places around here charge so much to do it! Wish I could afford it but thats not in the budget! So I was  thinking of trying to just clean these up and use paint them black and roll with it. I think the rear wheel will be ok as its just surface rust on the spokes but the front being flat let water inside the rim and it sat at the bottom and the wheel is pretty darn rusted up inside and I don't think I could trust it. I think the front wheel from by 77 cb750f will interchange right? If so its about in the same condition as my rear wheel so I think  I could be ok. Well after pulling the fork tubes they have  a little rust on the top where they were under the headlight brackets that may or may not clean up, im not sure yet. And I would deff need to pull them apart and put new seals because they are blown. The bearings in the neck feel a bit ruff also so I will be changing those out before going back together. Now thinking as how I already need new front brake lines and to rebuild the caliper, master cyl, and forks, and my wheels condition makes me wish I could just put a new model front end from another bike with better brakes and stuff like I have seen that some others have dun but I think that may be out of my price range. And if I do that them I would have to try to find a wheel for the rear to match up to the new front. I wonder what the cost diff would be gong with a new front end rout vrs. fixing all of my current stuff? Anyway here is a pic how she sits now. She keeps getting lighter and my junk pile keeps getting bigger. Ohh and any comments, info, or ideas you guys have are welcome and greatly appreciated!

[FunJimmy]

Welcome to the group.
Lots of guys have used 750 tanks on  550's and they look great.
Practice you're hammering technique on the pooched 550 tank before striking a blow on the 750 tank.
Glad the engine fired up so easily.

Cheers
FJ

[BeSeeingYou]

 That is a 76F tank.  The only reason I mention it is if you need a petcock/parts for it the 75/6F and the 77/78F petcocks are different and do not interchange.  Better availability on the 75/6 F  petcock/parts.

[superchomper2003]

Ahh ok. Well thanks for the info! 

[Stev-o]

Welcome. Bike looks so much better already. I've seen front ends go for $150, but shipping will be expensive.

[superchomper2003]

Yeah after looking at what all is required and the cost of things I think I will stick with the factory cb550 stuff and just rebuild it as needed. Though I will probably end up going to the 2 disk brake set up with some drilled rotors when I do my  complete tear down and rebuild this winter.

[superchomper2003]

Well. Looking at ordering a lot more parts that I need to get these dude going and tires is my biggest decision right now. I was thinking of running Avon 90/90-19 front and 100/90-18 rear but Im trying to build this thing on a budget and rafter reading a lot of good reviews about the Shinko 712 tires and seeing that they are about half the cost of the Avon tires I think I may go ahead and order some of them. The only thing is that they don't make the same exact sizes and looks like most people run the closest thing which is 100/90-19 front and 110/90-19 for the rear. I have read on other threads that over sizing causes the tires to wear unevenly and subsequently causes the handling of the bike to diminish. Do you guys think that the Shinko sizes that I listed are close enough not to cause any trouble? Other guys seem to be running them fine. Thanks guys!

[Stev-o]

Yes, those sizes are fine.  I have a 110 rear on my 550 and it looks small compared to the 120 &130 on my 750's. [thinking about putting a larger rim on it].

Another tire to consider is the Dunlop 404, better than the Shinko in my opinion.

https://www.denniskirk.com/dunlop/rear-d404-110-90h-18-blackwall-tire.p542544.prd/542544.sku

[superchomper2003]

Just a lil update as to where its going guys, nothing pic worthy yet but have got the wheels cleaned up and got my shinko tires mounted and balanced. I did it myself making sure not to pinch the tubes and it went pretty easy then when I tried to air it up stupid tube was leaking so I must have punctured it somehow!  After this screw up I decided not to waste any more tubes so I took them to a local shop that happen to have the tube size that I needed and got them to mount and balance em. Cost me 110 bux!  Got the forks pulled completely down and cleaned up was going to go back together with them today but ended up working on installing my All Balls tapered steering bearings. In the instructions it tells you that  you may or may not need the included washers in the kit and to stack your old bearings and see if the height is within 1mm of the tapered bearings and that will let you know if you need it or not. Well my old bearings where falling apart. And I tore the bottom race up getting it out so there was no measuring the old bearings so i put it together without the washer. MISTAKE!!! It pulled the bottom triple up to far and was binding and being that the washer has to be installed before the seal and bottom bearing are pressed onto the shaft I was screwed. I figured I would mess them up getting them off and I did. The seal is ruined and the cage on the bearing is a little bent out of wack.  Now I have to order some more before I can put the front end back together.  I was gonna make some real progress this weekend! Guess thats not gonna happen. I may check one of the bearing places around here monday and see if they have anything that will work for me. But on a positive note I got all of my parts and goodies in except for my cafe seat and it should be here next week.  Ready to start getting this dude together!

[superchomper2003]

Was actually able to fix the seal and straiten the retainer on the bearing without messing anything up. Got most of the bike back together now. Got the forks put back together and got the proper amount of oil in them. Got front and rear wheels and tires mounted up. Got the clubman bars with all the controls hooked up throttle cables and clutch cable on and adjusted. My cafe seat came in!  ready to get that dude mounted up and see how its gonna look. Ran in to a bit of a problem today though. My carb sync gauges came in so I hooked them up and was going to fire it up and get them synced up but its not firing now!!! :? Very annoying!  I cant seem to figure out what the problem is. I hope you guys with more knowledge than me can help me out a bit. In my pursuit to make the bike look more clean and open I am relocating the electronics under the cafe seat. I have moved them all from there original mount and plugged it all back up but am wondering was some of this possible grounded with the way it was mounted before and wont run without being bolted down and grounded? I have the guts from inside the headlight hanging out also so I have the same question about the wiring in there. Everything is hooked up so if this isn't it I don't know what it could be. Please help! Thanks

[superchomper2003]

Ignition switch is the problem. I jumped around it and runs fine!   Got the carbs synced up and started working on mounting up my seat.

[Stev-o]

Auto zone sells a nice switch for about $25. Used one on my K5 cafe