Author Topic: Spare time cb550 cafe build  (Read 12581 times)

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Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #25 on: August 15, 2014, 05:43:04 AM »
Tews, the brackets came with my rearsets and I just cut the levers off the shifter and stock brake pedal.  Worked out great.

No real progress.  I did get my turn signals and brake light working last night.  Headlight wasn't working though.  After I get that taken care of ill clean up the wiring and move onto my brakes and gauges.  Hope to be able to ride this thing around the block this weekend sometime

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #26 on: August 16, 2014, 06:31:24 AM »



Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #27 on: August 16, 2014, 09:08:34 AM »
Today is my day of getting some of the small #$%* done that I've been pushing off.

Gauge rings painted and baking


Master cylinder rebuilt


Offline Blackfin5

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #28 on: August 16, 2014, 12:55:35 PM »
Nice work on the gauge faces.  I tried on my 550 and screwed up the cases and chrome rings.

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #29 on: August 16, 2014, 03:41:29 PM »
They def take some patients, something I usually have very little of.  They are extremely easy to mess up

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #30 on: August 17, 2014, 11:49:52 AM »
Was bogging.  Carbs are stock besides 115 mains.  Needs some tuning and I think it should be good to go

http://youtu.be/wyQvXla2gKs

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #31 on: August 18, 2014, 05:21:14 AM »
Well I think I figured out why it was bogging so bad... 

I guess I didn't get the tank as clean as I thought, it was starving for fuel.  Took the tank off and turned on the gas and nothing came out.  All that was just in the petcock



I've got some white vinager soaking in it now.  Going to go back threw the carbs and try it all over again

Offline Tews19

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #32 on: August 19, 2014, 07:16:27 AM »
That's some crusty rust. Did you decide to keep or sell?
1969 Honda CB750... Basket case
1970 Honda CB750 survivor.

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #33 on: August 19, 2014, 06:17:37 PM »
Well I cleaned out the tank and carbs and this things runs freaking awesome!!  It's on eBay right now as a bad running needs finished project but I may end it early bc my reserve is set way low since it wasn't running good.  Bike will still get sold but I may tag and insure it tomorrow and ride it for a week

I'm extremely happy at how this thing runs now

http://youtu.be/7Bj1TOvFfCQ

Offline Tews19

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #34 on: August 19, 2014, 06:34:02 PM »
That's loud! How much did you change the mains and idle jets?
1969 Honda CB750... Basket case
1970 Honda CB750 survivor.

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #35 on: August 19, 2014, 07:18:54 PM »
Lmao yeah it was loud.  I don't have the muffler on in the vid bc it is hitting the arm that's on the spindle for the rear brakes (has the rear brake linkage welded to it).  Carbs have 115 mains and stock besides that.  I need to throw a new set of new plugs on a check how rich/lean it's running

Offline 750mors

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #36 on: August 19, 2014, 08:58:12 PM »
Love the gauge face swap you did! Very nice indeed!

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #37 on: August 20, 2014, 10:31:22 AM »
Thank you sir

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #38 on: August 21, 2014, 03:21:24 AM »
I did this before I painted it, I pressed out the two studs that are in the gauge mount bracket so I could mount the bracket on the bottom side of the upper triple tree.  Helped lower the gauges a 1/2" or so. 



Lol I put 3.4 miles on it.  Got it tagged and registered yesterday


Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #39 on: August 22, 2014, 08:19:46 PM »
Only thing left to do to this thing is make a seat pad.

One question for all the cb550 owners.  Do the front brakes just naturally suck on these or do I just have air in the lines still?  My front brakes suck and are super spongy

Offline Tews19

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #40 on: August 22, 2014, 09:08:25 PM »
They work fine. Spongy most likely need to be bleed or maybe new.brake line.
1969 Honda CB750... Basket case
1970 Honda CB750 survivor.

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #41 on: August 24, 2014, 04:36:39 AM »
I've put about 60 miles or so on it.  I love riding this damn thing.  My ass does hurt fr riding w/o a seat pad.  I started on it last night, I'll finish it up today.


Offline arncruz

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #42 on: August 24, 2014, 09:03:56 AM »
Robby,
Are you still going to flip it?  Or are you thinking of keeping it?
My Stable
1969 CB750 #6xx
1969 CB750 #20xx
1969 CB750 #27xx
1969 CB750 #43xx survivor
1969 CB750 #12xxx
1970 CB750 K0 survivor
2014 MVP Agusta 675 F3

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #43 on: August 24, 2014, 09:44:19 AM »
It's going on eBay Thursday. 

Since I got it running good, I wanted the chance to ride it some and I want to make sure it's reliable. 

Hate to see it go, it gets a lot of attention

I'll build another.  I've learned a crap load from this build and I think my next bike will be even better
« Last Edit: August 24, 2014, 09:48:26 AM by RobbyD »

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #44 on: August 24, 2014, 06:36:53 PM »
Washed and waxed it today.  Got caught in some Rain yesterday


Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #45 on: August 24, 2014, 07:03:56 PM »
Seems like such a shame to put her on the auction block so soon after her re-introduction. 
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 Tews19

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #46 on: August 24, 2014, 07:15:54 PM »
Agree with CB. Curious what your reserve was when you listed because you mentioned it was super low. If you don't mind sharing.
1969 Honda CB750... Basket case
1970 Honda CB750 survivor.

Offline Ravie

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #47 on: August 24, 2014, 07:27:58 PM »
Shame to see that hard work go..

Sent from my HTC One V using Tapatalk

1975 CB750K5 Rebuild in progress.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=139072.0

Offline arncruz

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #48 on: August 24, 2014, 08:31:02 PM »
For a "Spare time  Build" you finished pretty quickly.  Are you gong to try frame modifications on your next build.  Just wondering. 
My Stable
1969 CB750 #6xx
1969 CB750 #20xx
1969 CB750 #27xx
1969 CB750 #43xx survivor
1969 CB750 #12xxx
1970 CB750 K0 survivor
2014 MVP Agusta 675 F3

Offline RobbyD

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Re: Spare time cb550 cafe build
« Reply #49 on: August 25, 2014, 03:14:47 AM »
Lol yeah the spare time started going out the window this month when I realized riding season is almost over and i need to get it done

Why I say/think my reserve was super low was because I had it set for less then I had in it and for the amount of work I have in it, was expecting more. 

Tell me if I'm crazy or not but I'd really like to get a minimum of 4k out of it how it sits.  Does that seem to high/low?