work9to5
See you in the wind.
Ok guys gonna start my build thread here I guess. Picked up a 1978 CB550k about a month ago. Engine had almost no oil in it and the previous owner couldn't get it to keep a battery charge. Everything seemed to be in decent shape except for those issues. Filled the oil and found where it was shorting out about a week after i got it home. started it up right away with no problems. engine runs fine no knocking or any other warning signs. carbs have to be syncd but im gonna tear the thing apart any ways so i put that on hold. I should say that this is my first "build", have owned 3 bikes before and have maintained them myself for the most part tho. i picked up a cb450 earlier in the year but decided to sell it because the engine repairs where beyond my skill level and i want to ride this summer (summer's short here). The idea with this one is to pick up something cheap and turn it into something more functional/fun to ride and change the look around a bit. Ride it for the summer and next winter take down the engine. i'm going for a "brat" look, low to the ground, 2 up if need be, simple lines. I ordered a whole bunch of parts last week and started tearing the bike apart a couple of days ago.
removed the seat. old one was taped up and needed to go.
cut the back "hump" off the frame with a grinder to acomidate a flat seat.
removed back fender and plastic fender guard.
removed all signal lights and brake lights.
front fork spings where saging so found decent used springs on ebay. *note to anyone removing front forks- watch out! for that triple tree nut when you un screw it! i learned the hard way! hit me right in the chin!
removed stock headlight attachments.
removed levers.
tried to remove handle bars, having troble with screws on the brake side, gonna try again tomorrow.
removed mirrors.
removed air box (that was annoying!).
started to clean the thing up. brillo pads are awesome for this so far.
started the seat build. had a decent thick piece of cabnetry board laying around in my work shop, shaped it into a nice seat and pluged it back onto the bike in the stock lock plug and hinge. am going to want to reinforce it with metal plate on the bottom i think to keep it cleaner and strudy. i think i'm going to reinstall the rear fender by bolting it to the bottom of the seat (after i cut it) but have to think on that for a minute.
tomorrow im gonna start adding things back on again. have started some adds already couldnt wait. bought a ton of stuff from dcc for this, listed below.
blk culbmans
art deco signals
gaitors
triuph style bar end mirrors
round tail light
k+n's
header wrap
take a look at the pictures, ask questions, give me some advice.
Oh am looking for advice on my exhast/intake situation im getting myself into in the near future. my mufflers are shot, all but one has holes along the bottom. I'm planning on putting on k and n air filters and cutting the exhasts so that there's no mufflers? only running headers as the exhasts for now until i can afford 4 into 1 pipes. (yes i know it will be loud as hell/yes it will prolly cause a rejetting nightmare) what am i gonna have to do to make this possible? change jet size? secondary jet? let me know if anybodies done this to a 550 before. thanks guys hope you enjoy my build.
removed the seat. old one was taped up and needed to go.
cut the back "hump" off the frame with a grinder to acomidate a flat seat.
removed back fender and plastic fender guard.
removed all signal lights and brake lights.
front fork spings where saging so found decent used springs on ebay. *note to anyone removing front forks- watch out! for that triple tree nut when you un screw it! i learned the hard way! hit me right in the chin!
removed stock headlight attachments.
removed levers.
tried to remove handle bars, having troble with screws on the brake side, gonna try again tomorrow.
removed mirrors.
removed air box (that was annoying!).
started to clean the thing up. brillo pads are awesome for this so far.
started the seat build. had a decent thick piece of cabnetry board laying around in my work shop, shaped it into a nice seat and pluged it back onto the bike in the stock lock plug and hinge. am going to want to reinforce it with metal plate on the bottom i think to keep it cleaner and strudy. i think i'm going to reinstall the rear fender by bolting it to the bottom of the seat (after i cut it) but have to think on that for a minute.
tomorrow im gonna start adding things back on again. have started some adds already couldnt wait. bought a ton of stuff from dcc for this, listed below.
blk culbmans
art deco signals
gaitors
triuph style bar end mirrors
round tail light
k+n's
header wrap
take a look at the pictures, ask questions, give me some advice.
Oh am looking for advice on my exhast/intake situation im getting myself into in the near future. my mufflers are shot, all but one has holes along the bottom. I'm planning on putting on k and n air filters and cutting the exhasts so that there's no mufflers? only running headers as the exhasts for now until i can afford 4 into 1 pipes. (yes i know it will be loud as hell/yes it will prolly cause a rejetting nightmare) what am i gonna have to do to make this possible? change jet size? secondary jet? let me know if anybodies done this to a 550 before. thanks guys hope you enjoy my build.