Topic: '74 CB550 (now not so)Mild Cafe Project "Decaf?"

[12Oclk]

Been lurking on here since my roommate bought this bike and a '77 CB750 at the same time. I wish I would have started a build thread then and taken more pics but I didn't so here's the abbreviated version of the build

The day it showed up




The bike looked good from the end of the driveway and in these pics but, it needed quite a bit of work once we started working on it.

-Tail light was all melted on the inside and the wiring was corroded, so Dime City supplied us with a new one looks much better than that old gigantic one.
-Carbs were pulled apart to be rebuilt (Bike ran but only on 2 of the 4 and it was a different 2 everytime you started it.)
-Clubmans installed (Really like these even though the look really cheap the less agressive drop makes the bike really comfortable while feeling alot more sporty)
-Fender chopped (just the initial cut to see if we wanted to go shorter)
-New tank latch to eliminate the need to always carry a flathead in back pocket
-Reproduction side covers (that screw on) cause one dissappeared on a test ride and the other was pretty bad.





Found a deal on ebay for a set of carbs that were 10^34597593475 times cleaner than we would ever get the originals to be (the bodies are sparkle coated and the bowls and top caps are polished to a mirror finish)



Bike runs like a dream now and those pipes make it the best sounding motorcycle i have EVER heard,
bike was rode like this for a couple months but we just couldn't leave it be for too long.



Finished up the rear fender chop and got rid of that "awesome" 70's brown on the tank. Paint inspired by a friend's R69 BMW.
Headers and pipes to match the tank along with some of the engine hardware.

Missed riding the bike so much, we put it back together, we'll finish the engine paint eventually

So . . . what do you guys think??? I' sure It'll never be finished, but not quite sure what's next for it yet.

[CafeDawg]

Yup a little Decaf but still looks like a runner.   I'm running into a similar problem with my 750, go with the low look of the clubmans or comfort for my hour commute with drag bars (?)  IDK.   For yours Maybe a racier seat, headlight visor, and chop front fender.  Always a work in progress.

[65Ch3v3LL3]

Is that a 600rr or 1000rr front end and what year? I just picked up an 08 600rr front end for mine. I can't wait to get home and start fitting it all up. Was the stem length correct on yours or did you have to mod it to work?

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Are those the 100 dollar Partsnmore shocks? How do you like em? I hear they're pretty stiff.

Also, is the black finish a high gloss black or more satin?

[Owned]

The shocks look like what I put on a 350F.  I'm close to 200# and can hardly budge them.  Might as well be a rigid.