Hello from Berkeley!
I've been riding for a couple years now, and own a 2003 Yamaha FJR1300 and a 1999 Honda SuperHawk. The SuperHawk is for sale, as the FJR is my main cruising bike, although I don't yet feel a big rush to sell it ;-) I'm a graduate student at Cal, in the second year of a Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering. I have a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois, although I also worked for many years as a computer programmer (mostly C/C++, Oracle PL/SQL, etc.) prior to going back to school to reinvent my career. My research at Cal focuses on the growth, characterization, and computational modeling of metal-oxide semiconductor nanowires for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical applications. In other words, I try to make solar cells that are more efficient and less expensive. That's my "day" job. I have far too many hobbies and interests to list here; suffice it to say I've had my hands in countless activities over the years (all 36 of them).
Recently I decided I wanted to try my hand at restoring a vintage Japanese bike, and decided on a 70s CB. I started with no real preference one way or the other on year or model; the style is what appeals to me. I had been scouring CraigsList and EBay for a bike in decent condition but in need of some TLC. No luck for many weeks until this past week when I found a blue 1975 550F in really nice shape. The front tire looked original (35 years!), and thus completely not road worthy, so I believed the owner when he said there's only 3600 (!) original miles. The clutch was not adjusted properly when I first went to test drive it, so my initial kick into first gear promptly stalled it out. Not a good sign, and the owner was understandably embarassed at having to quickly repair it just so I could drive it around the parking lot... which was quite the scary proposition with the condition of that front tire.
During the test drive, I kept the speeds to less than 15 mph and tried my best not to overexert anything. The brakes were stiff as hell, but I managed to test the first three gears. Seemed okay. There was a noticeable clicking sound, which was determined to be a loose chain sliding against the center stand. The chain itself was rusty colored, but not seized up. Everything electrical worked and was in good shape. There was some surface rust on the undersides of the fenders, and also some rust both in and around the gas tank inlet and stem. A few minor spots here and there on various cosmetic items. The tank (other than the rust inside) was in pretty good shape, no serious dents or scratches, only a few small spots of paint missing here and there. From those missing spots, I could tell that the bike was at one point painted that Flake Sunrise Orange color. If that is indeed the original color, that's what I'll restore it to. Hell, even if it's not the original color, I may do that anyways just because I like it better than the blue. Matches the turn signals better!
After poring over the bike for the better part of an hour, I decided to jump right in and join the CB restoration community. The former owner and I settled on a price, and then sorted out how to get it home... definitely not riding anywhere with those tires, brakes, and loose chain. I've now been doing research into the best way to go about restoring it. I'm not a puritan; I'd rather the bike handle and function as best it can. I think I've decided to do a complete frame-off... powder coat the frame, disassemble/clean/paint the engine, strip/repair/paint the tank and side panels, plate whatever components need it, polish the crap outta anything that doesn't, rewire whatever has deteriorated, etc. Taking apart the engine is perhaps the most treacherous road for me, as I presently know next to nothing about doing so. I will definitely need some help from someone who knows what to look for and how best to go about it. I've read a number of restoration threads on here, and have a decent idea as to the level of effort, but I'm sure there will be countless things I won't catch properly.
In the end, this effort is not to try and sell it for more than I put into it... I'm doing this because I love riding, I love working on bikes, and I really want to get better at all things mechanical on them. I love this style of bike, and am already anticipating this immense satisfaction when everything is complete and she's in her fully-restored glory as I cruise around Northern CA. Of course, I have no delusions that the journey will be completely free of pain, frustration, and heartache along the way. Yet I hope... nay, I know all of it will be worth it in the end.
Time to get started!!
