Author Topic: Northern ireland cb550 cafe build bike finished (Read 27442 times)

stuartni · « **on:** September 16, 2012, 09:55:02 am »

My father in law has raced bikes and sidecars all his life and has got himself hooked with the street tracker/cafe look, We are currently building about to finish a 1979 yamaha xs500 he had laying in his yard for over 10 years, the plan for it was do it as cheap as we can but still nice and use it as a spare bike. ( i will post pics of this also) i finally bought this 1978 cb550 four around 3 months ago looked a good clean bike for its age plans are to make into a cafe racer. pics to fallow later today

Here is northern Ireland there is such a small market for bike parts unlike america which has everything i could ever want i want club man handle bars for my bike but as there is no where here sells them im not sure what ones to go far as there a few different pull backs etc finding parts here is very hard second hand or new.

bike is stock bar

dragstar handle bars
motad exhaust

so far the only problem we could fit with the bike is its not charging and it already had new regulator/rectifier but still it was not charging we then tested the system and found that the new r/r was not the correct one for the bike, bought a new one and the bikes was now charging but under load (headlight on) best we could get was 11.6 volts which not good so did more tests ad found the stator to be faulty so after a bit of searching on the internet it seemed i would have to get it rewond at around £100. Then by sure luck a friend of my father in laws said he has a cb 550 four in bits which is the only model with the same alternator and he gave me his for free. Best of all his was in great working order and fixed my chartering issue

when i picked up the bike

love the wheels anyone know what they are think they say cma on the side of them

stuartni · « **Reply #1 on:** September 16, 2012, 09:55:52 am »

wiring diagram

loom all labelled

taped up all the bracket i want to remove

carbs removed

tabs etc removed

engine ready to come out

framw stripped

old oil look good must have been serviced not long ago

engine out

all the parts

Tews19 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2012, 08:19:41 pm »

Nice progress... crazy looking rims. What are they?

IRISHCBRACER · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:50:58 pm »

Good luck with the project! I'm from Newry but live in California building a CB550 cafe.

stuartni · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2012, 02:02:52 am »

tews17 - we arent sure what the wheels are they say cma on the side of them. Tired to google them but cant anything on them.Father inlaws mate said he remembers them in the 70/80s and said they where very expensive back then

stuartni · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2012, 02:13:05 am »

irishcbracer - long ago did you move to america, its terrible here for any classic bike parts and was looking at your build its looking really good so far. Where did you get the exhaust thats exactly what i want but there is no where can make it. i will upload alot more pictures of the build today

LesterPiglet · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2012, 04:15:45 pm »

Hi Stuart, I'm in Bangor. What are you doing with the bits you remove? If you need a hand with anything give me a shout, I have a 77 550.

stuartni · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:03:30 am »

more updates progress has been slow as we are building a better work shop for our selfs

anyone know what these are wheels are??

bits no longer needed

my home made shot blasting cabinet

xs 500 engine being done

after

before

after

before

after

more cb550 parts being done

stuartni · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:16:31 am »

frame getting cleaned up

forks need to good overhall new fork oil fork seals and dust covers

new bits

forgot i good the hubs with this bike and forgot there was a good disc on it which saves me buying another for the twin disc set up

tank and frame shot blasting and into primer tank has knee dents also put in

32962F1FE4.jpg[/IMG]
only sign of rust damage

in primer

Stev-o · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2012, 04:07:33 pm »

Nice progress, subscribed...

LesterPiglet · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2012, 04:51:35 am »

I be interested in those headlamp brackets Stuart.

stuartni · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2012, 02:06:43 am »

Hello yes mate no problem i get the bits later and see what i have pm me your contact number

stuartni · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2012, 05:43:14 am »

finally more up dates

work shop 90% finished flooring fixed walls plastered, 4 coats of paint and the floor painted

front wheel cleaned back to bar alloy and in etch primer

plans have completely changed for the rear end as i want to hide all the electrics and battery and my old plans would not allow for this so standard style hoop has been welded in

all these parts where stripped of rust paint etc and into primer

starter motor you dont even see it but still worth doing rite so same again all dirt/crap removed then primed and painted
before

after

engine has been cleaned up a bit with degreaser and a power hose but still loads more to do to it

my free rearsets given to me from the father in laws old race bike gsxr k7. new mounting brackets are being made for the rearsets so there a bit lower

i want this exhaust so much but so hard to get so if anyone knows of anywhere in northern ireland that could make the main tail piece section i would be happy as i can just use my current stainless down pipes

looks like this when fitted

rear trim pieces have been removed from the old rear section and trimmed down to fit to keep the clean lines

how things are currently looking engine is in just to check the fitment for the rear sets and started to make the pod out of oasis flower pot foam trim it to the shape i like tap it up and wax it then use it as my template to make my fibreglass seat.

still alot more trimming to be done

rear bracket and rear brakes housing now removed to make way new brackets for the rear sets

plan do something similar to this

rear wheel starting to get cleaned up

stuartni · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2012, 04:51:04 am »

more updates on there way

70CB750 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2012, 05:17:47 am »

looking good. You sure are working fast

iron_worker · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2012, 06:04:08 am »

Makes me wish I had a blast cabinet. Coming along nicely man.

IW

stuartni · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2012, 07:01:10 am »

yea cant wait to get it on the road so every free chance i get im out working on it frame swing arm forks and most of the other parts are now in paint not long till the building process begins

greenjeans · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2012, 07:08:07 am »

Wow - you most fast. I don't even remeber seeing rims like those - they are great. Are they aluminum or magnesium ??
They almost look dull/darker than aluminum. Keep going - great looking bike.