garagedoreen's Honda CB550 build

garagedoreen

Been Around the Block
Ohhh yeah, Ive wanted to build one of these for a while but had too many other projects going on. I still have too many projects but hey... what the hell. Ive build a few cars in my time but now I want to try something else. I tried a boat. but they are right. There is 2 happy days in a boat owners life. The day you buy it and the day you sell it. So anyways.... here is my cafe bike build.

I found the bike about 100 miles away from my house. (I live in Los Angeles) When I found it I asked they guy whats wrong with it. He said, " I dont have papers, I dont know whats wrong with it, and the motor is seized." I said..... " Perfect!" I picked it up for $400 complete. Here are some pictures of it when I took it home.
cafe1.jpg

cafe2.jpg

cafe4.jpg


I picked up a prefab'ed fiber glass seat and started to mount it. They said to just straight mount it on the frame. I tried that and the seat didnt line up with the tank. and was not stable. I didnt like how it was soo low and not flowing with the tank line. also it was hitting the side cover. look at the picture
cafe6.jpg


So then I decided to fab up a seat bracket. I was scared it might be heavy but after building it, I think it still under a pound. The new seat bracket is very strong. A 500 pound man can now sit on it. It will be mounted using riv'nuts.
cafe7.jpg


Now the seat, tank and the side cover lines up.
cafe8.jpg


I also started the tank knee releifs. Some other people was poking at me for doing knee releifs but fuckk it.. I like the way it looks. (with my clubmens... hahaha)
cafe9.jpg


fits like a glove
cafe10.jpg


here is the bike mocked up and ready to be taking apart for a frame up rebuild. I just need to get the hardware together so there is no suprises after powdercoating. Its starting to come together.
cafe11.jpg



June 3rd, 2008 Tuesday... UPDATE!!

Alright. I got up this morning and Id thought Id do a little work on my bike. Last week I took the bike down to a rolling chassis. No today Id thought to get it down the frame so I get get the parts chromed and powdercoated. So this is what I did this morning.


got the frame down to bare frame. now it was time to do some cutting and grinding
cafe12.jpg


I bagged and tagged all parts and sorted it out to whats going to get chromed and powdercoated and polished. all hardware was sorted out to get replaced with stainless steal allens
cafe13.jpg


motor is getting ready for a rebuild. I guess Ill start doing it after I drop all the other parts for chrome/polish/powdercoat So when they get back. everything will be ready to be put back together.
cafe14.jpg


the Horse shoe center kickstand was removed. Im glad i did it becuase that thing is heavy and there was a lot of rust under it. take a look.
cafe15.jpg


also chaingaurd tabs was grounded off. I just have to press out the shock bushings and a little sanding and its ready for chrome
cafe16.jpg


I cut off the back pegs and tubes and grounded them down smooth. (girl friend wont ride with my anyways) and cut off and grounded the stock seat brackets and tabs.
cafe17.jpg


So that all for today.... Time to go to work (swing shift) and pay for the bills. but Id rather be home working on this thing!! ;D
 
Represto said:
Looks great! I really like the knee reliefs.

ditto, they flow very well with the seat (which looks good too by the way). what are your plans for color(s)?
 
904cafe said:
ditto, they flow very well with the seat (which looks good too by the way). what are your plans for color(s)?

thanks..
yeah dont know what im going to do with color. still brainstorming...
 
milwaukeephil said:
You're not worried about putting time and money into cosmetics on a bike with a seized engine?

no..... engine is going to be polished and rebuilt anyways. and if its too bad. ill find one at the swapmeet
 
garagedoreen said:
no..... engine is going to be polished and rebuilt anyways. and if its too bad. ill find one at the swapmeet

By the way, looking back at my comment I can see how it could be construed as negative and I apologize if it came off that way. In actuality, I admire the fact that it doesn't bother you ;-)
 
June 16th Update!!
Got the frame back from the media blaster. I dropped it off the powdercoat. I hope to get it back this week.
sandblastframe.jpg
 
alright. time for me to update my build. here it goes......
Picked up my chrome and powdercoat frame back.... here are the pictures...
I was planing on making a cafe beater to take to work and back. but now i guess I got into deep...

cafeframedone1.jpg
 
yeah, you did... isn't that the whole point though? =)

I dig the frame color...different....is there metal flake in there? what color side covers/tank/wheels are you thinking? also I dig the chrome swingarm. the bike should really pop when you get it all together. have fun with the project. I just finished up a 550 myself, and they are fun bikes to work on and ride. enjoy.

-Ron
 
rlarkin70 said:
yeah, you did... isn't that the whole point though? =)

I dig the frame color...different....is there metal flake in there? what color side covers/tank/wheels are you thinking? also I dig the chrome swingarm. the bike should really pop when you get it all together. have fun with the project. I just finished up a 550 myself, and they are fun bikes to work on and ride. enjoy.

-Ron

thanks. I plan on doing a charcoal black. but yeah cant wait for it to start looking like a bike again.
 
That bike is going to glow with all of that chrome and paint. Can't wait to see it complete. Keep up the good work

jay
 
Wow - you must love your chromer! Did you get a sweet deal on the plating?
 
I see about 600 to 1000 dollars worth of chrome there... I hope you got a good deal.... It's going to be really sweet.
 
alright.... winter time... time to get going on my bike so it will be ready for this spring... i took a break for a while on the bike doing some house projects for the ol lady... now im done with that so im back in the garage.... So I guess I got everything so i guess ill just start one piece at a time.

I just got my hubs, triple clamps, front caliper, fork bottoms back from the polisher. Now its one piece at a time.

polish.jpg


I ran into my first problem. i got some one piece head set bearings and those dont fit. I guess Ill order the honda factory ones and throw these out. The problem was that the cup and bearing is too tall.

headset1.jpg


headset2.jpg


Doesnt fit right...... :mad:
headset3.jpg


crap.... wasted some money on these things. I should of went with the honda factory balls to begin with.... :'(
 
that looks great man! our bikes will look alot alike ha haha what color is the frame? looks alot likethe bronze i shot mine! very sharp... love all the bling!
 
JRK5892 said:
that looks great man! our bikes will look alot alike ha haha what color is the frame? looks alot likethe bronze i shot mine! very sharp... love all the bling!

I think the guys said it was a "sierra gold" powdercoat or something like that.

Thanks!!
 
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