This was my first cafe racer build, bought in early 1979. It's a '75 Honda CB550 that I bought from a fellow sailor stationed at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, the DAY BEFORE he was scheduled to be be transferred to the East coast. It was a bit weathered from the salt air, but ran well and had a title.
(off topic, but that's my Pontiac Sunbird that I converted to a "mini Trans Am")
The bike came with a Kerker header, King & Queen seat (pretty unique, as it made a great bum-stop seat), and a really nice set of pull-back custom heavy chrome handlebars. Apart from that, it was stock.
I had a friend in welding shop in the AIMD hangar make me a nice rear grab rail from stainless tubing (I think I still have that). I also upgraded the front brake master cylinder to a chrome Hurst/Airheart unit. I rode it like that 'till I got my discharge in October '79.
It went through several transformations...
First time around, I repainted the header & sidecovers, swapped out for a better gas tank, and polished the engine covers
Next time, I tore the bike apart, painted the frame,installed a Pops Yoshimura 590 kit, Kerker muffler for the header, better rear shocks, Thomaselli clip-on handlebars, and had my friend Joey paint the tank, sidecovers, and my helmet in matching Silver Imron.
This was the peak of the 590's life. Too bad I didn't have a better camera (disposable Kodak 110)...
Final specs also included Accell plug wires, new exhaust system, Andrews coils, Martek electronic ignition, S&W valve springs, Barnett clutch plates, Emgo quarter fairing and bullet mirrors, carbs from a 750, bobbed rear fender, K&N air cleaner in original airbox, tail section with grab rail & tail light from a Kawasaki 350 triple (slipped right over the pillion section of the seat as though it were designed for it), oil cooler that I fabricated from a '71 Mercury Monterrey steering cooler and made a rectangular scoop for (out of a One Way sign), Barnett clutch plates and springs, braided stainless front brake hose, reworked forks with springs & spacers, and had Joey re-paint everything in Imron Antique Gray Metallic.
This bike could take my 1980 KZ1000 off the line and stay ahead of it ALMOST to the quarter mile, then the big KZ would slowly walk away; but, it couldn't run away in the twisty bits!
I still FREQUENTLY kick myself in the butt for having traded this bike in...
(off topic, but that's my Pontiac Sunbird that I converted to a "mini Trans Am")
The bike came with a Kerker header, King & Queen seat (pretty unique, as it made a great bum-stop seat), and a really nice set of pull-back custom heavy chrome handlebars. Apart from that, it was stock.
I had a friend in welding shop in the AIMD hangar make me a nice rear grab rail from stainless tubing (I think I still have that). I also upgraded the front brake master cylinder to a chrome Hurst/Airheart unit. I rode it like that 'till I got my discharge in October '79.
It went through several transformations...
First time around, I repainted the header & sidecovers, swapped out for a better gas tank, and polished the engine covers
Next time, I tore the bike apart, painted the frame,installed a Pops Yoshimura 590 kit, Kerker muffler for the header, better rear shocks, Thomaselli clip-on handlebars, and had my friend Joey paint the tank, sidecovers, and my helmet in matching Silver Imron.
This was the peak of the 590's life. Too bad I didn't have a better camera (disposable Kodak 110)...
Final specs also included Accell plug wires, new exhaust system, Andrews coils, Martek electronic ignition, S&W valve springs, Barnett clutch plates, Emgo quarter fairing and bullet mirrors, carbs from a 750, bobbed rear fender, K&N air cleaner in original airbox, tail section with grab rail & tail light from a Kawasaki 350 triple (slipped right over the pillion section of the seat as though it were designed for it), oil cooler that I fabricated from a '71 Mercury Monterrey steering cooler and made a rectangular scoop for (out of a One Way sign), Barnett clutch plates and springs, braided stainless front brake hose, reworked forks with springs & spacers, and had Joey re-paint everything in Imron Antique Gray Metallic.
This bike could take my 1980 KZ1000 off the line and stay ahead of it ALMOST to the quarter mile, then the big KZ would slowly walk away; but, it couldn't run away in the twisty bits!
I still FREQUENTLY kick myself in the butt for having traded this bike in...