Topic: Is there anyway to fix my starter button on 76 cb550?

[rocs]

Hi, I am restoring a 76 cb550. When I got it, the starter button was missing. The seitch itself is in great condition. The on/off toggle is perfect with great color. Is there anyway to replace just the starter button? If not, could I buy a used right had switch and just use the internals? I really want to use these housing since the condition is great and they match the left side.

[mrbreeze]

If you have the patience to move the parts over to your old housing....have at it. I think you can just buy the button somewhere now but I'm not sure where. Back in 2000 I couldn't get one so I just swapped out the whole control but you say you don't want to do that. I finally sprung for new left and right controls for a Yamaha 650 but thats a bit of cash and rewiring to match.

[Don R]

I ordered one from Honda, it's made in china and the kill button is purple. I just used the new switch in the old housing so it looks original. My new to me 400F has a momentary contact button in it's place and a toggle switch on the headlight.  It is nice to be able to turn the headlight off.
 I thought of using a 75 right side control to get the headlight switch, there would be wiring involved but I enjoy that. Z1 or partsn more had the 75 one I think.
 

[rocs]

Yeah, I don't want the headlight toggle switch. It didn't orihinally come on the 1976's and up.

Otherwise I would prefer the headlight toggle. I may just swap out the internals. Looks like it's my only option. If anyone has one they want to part with let me know

[heyitsrama]

man this is where i wish i had a 3d printer, and a CNC machine. 

[Don R]

Problem is, the old ones are all junk. The plastic that holds all the components together disintegrates. If my new one lasts 20 years, I'll put on toggles then.

[Bailgang]

I had the same problem when I first got my 75 cb550. I ended up nabbing a left hand control, dissected it to remove it's horn button and switch mechanism and transplanted it into the right hand control to be used as the starter button and it worked perfectly. In my case the horn button and its switch mechanism were identical to the starter button. Used but intact left hand controls are a lot easier to find and cheaper than used right hand controls however as mrbreeze pointed out it does take some patience.

[Don R]

 I've done that on older bikes too, but the 76 and up have a switch that cuts off the headlight when you start it.

 If anyone knows where to buy just the internal start switch for a 76-up please post it.

[Duanob]

Problem is, the old ones are all junk. The plastic that holds all the components together disintegrates. If my new one lasts 20 years, I'll put on toggles then.

Lasting 40 years isn't exactly junk. I don't think the new ones from China will last that long. Actually it's not the black button that falls apart but the white plastic wire holder inside the button that gets brittle and disintegrates. Impossible to fix that. If you're lucky and that is intact, there was a link going around I think for the 750 website that used to sell the button, it's the same as the 550. Maybe someone else can dig it up.

[Don R]

I don't mean they were junk new, I said the old ones are junk now. Go ahead, and find a good used one, waste the time to put it in and see if it lasts another year. When I said the chinese one might last 20 that's half as long as the original ones. I'd think that was great.

[CoachDoc]

The starter button on my '74 550 literally disintegrated last year, but the rest of the switch looked to be in good shape. I simply bought a cheap used switch from a similar vintage Honda (a 350 twin if I recall) and transplanted the starter button from that switch to mine. Works fine now.