Bought a cb550 for a cafe build...what have I got myself into?!
 

I may have gotten myself in over my head! Time will tell. Went for a little drive today and came back with 2 (!) 1977 Honda cb550's. One bike is 100% complete, appears to be totally original, has 38K miles, and runs pretty strong. The other bike lacks the front forks and wheel. Everything else is there although the engine is out of the frame. Bike says it has 16K miles and the engine looks really celan and leak free from the outside. Has at least some compression as I can hear it when I crank the kick start. Both gas tanks are crappy on the inside and one leaks gas. Planning on replacing the tank eventually so not a problem.

So what did I get all this wonderful stuff for? The incredible sum of $260. I feel like I got the deal of a lifetime. I have twice the parts I need to build the bike and my choice of two engines to use or interchange parts if I choose to rebuild it. If I have bit off more than I can chew, I'm only out $260. Some more parts removal planed for tomorrow and some powerwashing. I'm psyched. Gotta stay motivated! Pics to come.

Sounds like the perfect way to start. Congrats!

These CB threads are just hurtful. I wish you guys would stop, not.

Brian. You know the rules (pic's please).

You got a freaking deal.....those bikes are starting to sell for big bucks if done properly (I've seen them go for 3-5k if not more)

If you have the space and inclination, you could wind up with an awesome bike for peanuts.

I saw a killer Kawasaki the other day. Man I wanted it. A beautiful 650 twin. A freind of mine destroyed a nice cow like that a few years ago by leaving it in a leaking shed until it was one ugly mess. Make that Honda a Doll.

Got the battery, air cleaner and box, carbs, lights, wiring harness, and cables off today. Powerwashed the grime off and its starting to look good. Took some pics I will upload later. Gonna shoot for getting the engine out tomorrow and breaking into it. I couldnt get the trans sprocket cover off because 3 of the 4 phillips screws are seized and I dont want to strip them. I did break the chain so I can still got the engine out with the chain coiled up on top of it. Tips for those seized bolts besides some penetrating oil and maybe some heat? Im gonna have a bunch of questions I know so I registered with the sohc forums. Wish me luck

Looking forward to some photos. Sounds like you got a good deal!

re: seized bolts with Phillips heads
everybody that works on old Japanese bikes runs into the same problem, and everyone (i think) has one of these impact drivers:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/catalog/shopcart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_CAT291_pg8.htm
Clean out any dirt embedded in the fasteners' heads slots, select the appropriate tip from the set, and give it a good smack with a hammer.

Tip- sometimes setting the tool to 'tighten' and giving it a whack or two helps break the fastener loose.

good luck,
max

Saw a 1983 almost pristine Yamaha SX400 Heritage Special: $450 asking. I thin is gonna be screaming deals on all kinds of stuff that burns gasoline, or was meant to when new. Really, I think things will sell for pennies that used to sell for dollars. At it's lowest point, the market price for a LOT of stuff will be one decimal point to the left of what it was a year ago. Bottom out two years from now, maybe less, I bet.

ten years ago people were dumping these bikes on the curb like old couches.

then some guy figured out how to convert them into cool cafe racers. wish i'd grabbed a couple back then.

very nice find. i am totally jealous.

Brian,

nice score! Now we need pics. As max mentioned for your seized bolts--impact driver. Got mine at Harbor Freight for 7 bucks--great tool. Check out SOHC.net for more info than you can stand on the CBs.

Good luck and I'll be looking forward to the updates...

Here's a link that has certainly inspired me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug_goodenough/sets/72157594349938594/

http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/u...onda_cb550.jpg

Sarc,
Funny you should mention that. I went through every one of those pics. He also has a thread on SOHC4.net which details his build.

Here are some pics of the teardown and the extra parts piled up. In a pretty sorry state at the moment but just what I was looking for.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242660026.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242660088.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242660131.jpg

Got a lot of stuff ordered and lots of polished aluminum parts done. This is the most complete part so far. Trying to decide whether to powder coat my frame gloss as I orignally planned or semi-gloss to match the wheels. Love the semi-gloss for the wheels but not sure about the frame. Thoughts?



http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1245035427.jpg

gloss. any dirt and oil comes off of easier. ask me how i know.

Nice, nice deal. I sold my very decent CB400F for $2,800, it was just a bit too small and would love to pick up a CB550F at some point.

Its been a while and I have made some progress. I rebuilt the wheels with new SS spokes, powdercoated rims, and polished hubs. There is a lot of work in these wheels. The frame has been modified and I am currently prepping it for paint...POR-15 probably. The battery and all of the electronics are relocated under the tail. The tank and seat are mocked up and I played with paint schemes using duct tape. The fork tubes are polished, as are all the controls. I also completely rebuilt the carburetors and cross drilled the rotor. Its all coming together...:)


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250176684.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250176717.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250176745.jpg

Awesome!!! What size of Avons did you use? I just bought a set for my 450 project. IIRC, I went with a 120/80/18 in the rear and a 100/?/ 19 for the front.

I went with 3.25/19 and 4.00/18 Roadriders. I didnt want them too fat and I think they are just right.

Where did you get the tank/seat set-up? Is it aluminum or glas?

Looking very cool.

Did you fab the seat yourself?

The tank and seat are from benjiescaferacer.com. Tanks is fglass, seat is metal. A fglass seat would need to be double walled and would not have enough room for the battery and electronics.

that is looking VERY nice.

PAINT !


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250287615.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250287648.jpg

I should be documenting this on the sohc forum but I dont think anyone there cares. Everyone has or is building a bike just as cool (well...almost). :)

Looks nice.....What kind of paint?

POR-15. Keeps me from having to completely strip the frame and every spot of surface rust. Goes on great, self-levels well, and very durable. Only con is that it is not UV-resistant. I dont think the bike will be in the sun too often but I can top coat it if it is. Cheap too!

I'm looking forward to seeing how your bike turns out. Where abouts in Vermont are you?

I grew up in Shelburne Vermont, and bought my first (and only) motorcycle there in 1979, its a 1973 CB 750. My buddies and I would cruise the entire state. We would head down 89 to Waterbury and then head down thru Waitsfeild/Warren into Killington, over to Rutland and back up route 7. It's god's country for riding. I put something like 45,000 miles on that bike and then stored it. She's been tucked away for more than 25 years now. I've been hankerin for another bike, but I'm thinking now that I might just pull this one out, follow your path, and make her look sweet again. I like the "new" look of the cafe' racers. I checked out benjiescaferacers site and they have some cool ideas.

Anyway, just thought i'd say howdy, and add the gratuitous picture. The pic was taken in 1980 but the bike looks exactly the same, the dirt is probably that old. I've started it religiously once every year and it still fires right up. I may have ridden it a few times really late at night, can't remember, it hasn't ben registered in a long time, and you know if a bike isn't registered you can't ride it. Uh Yep.




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250312402.jpg


Next time I'm out in my shed with a camera I'll push her out for an updated photo.

Keep up the good work.

Hey sailchief! Im in Rutland actually. Sounds like you are familiar with the area. Drop me a PM next time your around and if the bike is running, we can take them for a spin. A took a few more pics of some more work thats done so check in later.

One 550 I built a couple years ago
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250391118.jpg

Saw one hell of an old beat up CB on a trailed heading through town today. Friend in the car recognized the guy and said he had just bought the bike to mess with. I said "lemme guess- Cafe Racer?" Yup, sure enough.

I've even been tempted lately to get an older bike project going. Seems a bit easier to bring to fruition doing a large scale modification project on a bike than an entire car (especially with no garage space!).

Helped a friend do molds and layups of carbon fiber tank and airbox for a bike project where he took a Honda Hawk GT and adapted new style triples with completely different steering in the front, a moto gp monocoque style tail, custom headers, electrical system, the works. Turned it into as much of a track bike as possible.


Bike came out amazing. His total expenditures were small for the performance of the final product, but he did spend a lot of time on it considering he machined all the custom steering eccentrics and brackets and things himself in spare time on borrowed machines.

He wouldn't mind me showing off a pic:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250420825.jpg
Not cafe but definitely custom, hand built work. That carbon fiber tank is one off and boy did he put time into that.

Now we are geting somewhere. First pic shows new shocks installed.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250861830.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1250861864.jpg