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Author Topic: My '77 CB550K  (Read 3181 times)

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Offline Bankerdanny

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My '77 CB550K
« on: May 07, 2011, 08:51:28 PM »
So, I have been overdue to establish a thread for this project.

I bought this bike 3/5. I had been looking for a 75-77 wire wheel GL1000. I was getting ready to head up to Michigan to look at one when I spied an ad on Craig's List. '77 Honda CB550, $700 or best offer.

I drove out to see it and here is what I found.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2011, 08:53:15 PM by Bankerdanny »
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2011, 09:00:26 PM »
7,050 miles on the odometer. Original paint, 4x4 exhaust, and what I am pretty sure was the original tires.

According to the seller, it was his grandfather's bike. He bought it in 1980 with 7,000 miles on the clock (for $925 as I discovered today in some papers I found under the seat) . He rode it a bit, then had hip surgery, parked it and never rode it again. A few years ago the seller asked his grandfather what he was going to do with it, he went into another room, came back with the title and said here, it's yours. The seller kept it, never did anything, and after getting engaged to a woman that doesn't like MC's, decided to sell it. So his spinelessness was my gain.

Hell, the exhaust was worth $500. So I gave the man $700 and the next weekend with the help of a friend with a motorcycle trailer, I went and picked it up.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2011, 09:24:59 PM by Bankerdanny »
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2011, 09:15:06 PM »
So, since I live garage free in a condo just north of the Chicago border, we take it back to the home of my sister and her boyfriend, George, who is also my assistant in picking up the bike, where he has an extra large 40x40 garage, and as a diesel mechanic, a substantial collection of tools, so I won't have to schlep my own back and forth.

So here are some more shots of the bike as I remove the seat, tank, and carbs.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2011, 09:16:40 PM »
Check out the condition of the tool kit. Complete and like I just bought a brand new one from the dealer. Alas, no owners manual though.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2011, 09:30:24 PM »
My sister lives 50 miles from me, so I only get to work on it on weekends, and even then usually only one of the two days.

So, the weekend after I picked it up, I start on the carbs. Needless to say, after 30 years of sitting, the carbs are all shellacked up.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2011, 09:36:02 PM »
About a month after I picked up the bike, here we have a clean carb. I neglected to take a picture of the nasty inside of the tank, but here is what you see post cleaning.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2011, 09:45:06 PM »
Finally, I get a 70+ degree day in Chicago. Time to clean and shine.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2011, 09:50:10 PM »
Damn, it's April 23rd the relay is fast approaching. Time to get this bad boy back together. And so, viola. Of course it really doesn't look any different, just cleaner.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2011, 09:53:20 PM by Bankerdanny »
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2011, 10:05:58 PM »
Unfortunately, assembled does not equal running. I checked and gapped the points and installed new plugs the same day I cleaned it. It pops but just doesn't want to fire. I also note that I appear to have a sticking float as the #2 carb overflow. Finally after cranking and cranking, it is alive. After 30 years of sitting, around the block it goes.

Alas, half way around the block it begins to slow and giving it gas doesn't help. I stop for a moment, but I discover that the problem isn't fuel/engine related. The front brake, which doesn't actually work at this point (the master cylinder res had the remnants of evaporated brake fluid in it) was dragging its pads and the brake was locking up. Happily since I was only on a short test ride, I was able to limp back. Still, it's less than a month until the relay, i really need to get this worked out.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2011, 10:10:18 PM »
Another week goes by. I am trying to solve the leaking float bowl issue. So, off come the carbs again, and upon careful examination, clued in by a search of the forum, a discover a crack in the overflow tube. I don't discover this until Sunday evening, all I can do is bring the float bowl home with me, pick up some JB Weld, fix it and see what happens when I re-install it next weekend.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2011, 10:18:38 PM »
And so we reach this weekend. Actually, we reach yesterday (Friday) as I took the afternoon off, jumped on a train from downtown to my sisters to get a jump start.

Reinstalled the float bowl, then the carbs. Put it all back together, turned on the gas, no leak. So far so good. However, no start either. Hmmm, well, it's late, time to head out. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200

Offline Bankerdanny

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  • Really Old Timer ...
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Re: My '77 CB550K
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2011, 10:49:57 PM »
And finally, we reach today.

To make this long story short, still no start. Well, these bikes are simple, do you have gas? Do you have spark?

So, do I have gas? open the drain screw for carb 1, no gas. Carb's 2-4, gas.

Pull float bowl 1, no gas. remove float and valve, turn on fuel tap, a dribble of gas, then nothing. I ponder for a bit, then just for the hell of it, I turned the tap to reserve, lo and behold gas. Guess I had used the couple gallons I had put in the tank. Mystery solved, I'm an idiot.

So, I reinstall the float and as I pick up the bowl, I notice the main jet laying in the bottom. Hmm, perhaps that has something to do with my starting issues.

Button it all up, turn on the gas, let the float bowls fill. Turn the key, hit the button, vroom, fires up.

There's more. But I'm tired, so I will wrap it up tomrrow.
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"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they're true" - Abraham Lincoln

Current: '76 CB750F. Previous:  '75 CB550F, 2007 Yamaha Vino 125 Scooter, '75 Harley FXE Superglide, '77 GL1000, '77 CB550k, '68 Suzuki K10 80, '68 Yamaha YR2, '69 BMW R69S, '71 Honda SL175, '02 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, '89 Yamaha FJ1200
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