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I'm finishing up this little Cafe and unveiling it at the Iron and Air tent this weekend at Barber. I was hoping to receive the front fairing this week from Airtech but it doesn't look like it will make it in. Hope you guy's like it.
Mike McFadden
M&M Customs.
74 CB550F
CR carbs
Redesigned Sub Frame I like to call it the reverse featherbed
Paint and everything else was done by myself.
Needs an inner rear fender of some sort. It doesn't need all those cross brace tubes but that's mainly styling.
Carbs need to be on proper rubber stubs to bring the carbs forwards and more upright.
White looks stunning until the first time it runs and it's all downhill from there - I tried it a couple of times before - but it does look striking while it's fresh.
Pipes need work to tuck in better at the front of the mufflers. It appears that the lowest part is also the widest and that's a recipe for "negative clearance".
I suspect that the rear light is not DOT compliant and around my home town would get a ticket for obscuring the light.
Good luck. It's a looker all right and with a few minor tweaks will be even better.
Well pretty much everything you just posted is all opinion. I understand what your trying to say but without seeing it in person your wrong. The white will hold up if you look close the areas of black are chip resistant coating. Not cheapo Rino we are talking industrial. The header pipes are atleast 5 to 6 inches higher than stock. I will gladly show you a knee dragging on it and as low as any stock550 will go. Hehehe. The cross bracing if your a professional builder and rider you would know that a frame that has more rigidty the better your bike will handle in most cases. Not always I know but in a bike that is so light it helps. This isn't new to me. I hate inner fenders so no go for me. The tail lamp is from the actual stock 550 light. The lense is also a Dot. The cross braces are not tubes they are solid milled stainless.
Sorry for the run on. I'm typing on a phone. No offense taken everyone has an opinion. Hope to see you at Barber
Yes I think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to bracing frames, so please accept well intentioned comments as such. Stiffness is important up to a point and there is rarely an application where solid is better than tube. It's just heavier for a given strength ;-) More is only good up to a point at which it moves the flex to another point and makes the frame less stable
As for inner fenders, I can see no good style reason to not have one and they are necessary to stop water and dist going straight down those intakes. We run rear inner fenders (not stock of course) on all our race bikes and even on a clean track, it's amazing how much dirt ends up on top of the motor and would have been ingested if we had no protection. Ride safe. Use protection (from dirt).
DOT lamps no longer are DOT spec if they are obscured. That one has about 20% visible, so I'm just saying that a buyer might run into issues with Mr Plod. What you choose to do or not do is entirely up to you.
Clearly no offense was intended, so none should be taken. Unfortunately I'll be in Oregon this w/e and will miss Barber. Hope you have a fun and successful time there.
I don't always have the same perspective as others and I try to explain that alternative point of view politely and respectfully. I told him it looked nice and I pointed out specific details where I thought that might work better if tackled slightly differently.
Where does it say we can only say appreciative things. I don't recall seeing a note that says that constructive disagreements on points of design or execution are not allowed.
I asked a top of the line builder for comments and his perspective on one of my bikes and he didn't see it through the same rose tinted glasses that I did. He wasn't rude or nasty, he just didn't like some of the things I did or the way I did them and expressed his professional opinion. Was my ego bruised? No. Well. OK. A little bit, but that gave me another eye through which to see my bike and that was useful.
Mike, the builder of this bike isn't bent out of shape. He's a pro and while he and I may not agree on the best way to tackle certain details, that 's OK. It doesn't mean we're at war. It's all good.
Why are you still running a push pull cabble set up on those carbs and why would you paint over the adjuster for the clutch on the motor. Why would you run an after market tank with knee cut out and the use a seat that block your knees. why is the no suport on the carbs, why are the carbs running up hill (no support and rad hose runners mabie) and my favorit no fender and stacks, really?. My guess is its all for show, that fine, whatever skoots your boot. But to post picture and ask for thoughts and then tell everybody there wrong if they do anything less than blow ya is lame. teazer was offering advice that was gained throught years of building race bikes. it looks like you do nice work not my style but nice. if you dont want peoples advice and real thoughts on something dont ask for them
Wow Brad! I didn't realize I was asking for advice or praise. To answer some of your dickhead comments I'll start with the clutch adjuster. Yeah paint was on it about two weeks ago. Have you ever heard of detailing? A little steelwool and it was gone. Ok on the carbs yes they are going downhill slightly I will agree but if you where to talk to the guys at Sudco they will tell you on this model you will have to "make it work" so I added some longer hoses. Wtf does it matter what type of hose it is? A radiator hose will hold a hell of a lot more pressure than what is being asked here?
I run these carbs on my 500 with the same setup and it runs like a beast. The comment about the show only bike is funny. I rarely do shows I'd rather ride than polish. By the way kiddo I've been doing this stuff since 77 so I feel like I know what I'm doing.
Just so you know Teazer and me are fine I can see by his number of post he's one of the guys who either helps out or post in every topic to look like the bigman if the forum. I don't have any beef with that or him. I'm sure he doesn't need you speaking for him and coming to the rescue. So in the end I'm out in the shop after a 19hr. Day so far finishing up to head to the Vintage days four states away hope to see ya on the road. I will be riding this bitch like all my bikes. Look for it in print one flof these days for a better look.
LATERS
Mike
Rad Ive never been called kiddo by someone of your skillset. You missed a few of my dickheaded comments, have fun with your trip i hope were wrong about the fender three and a half states is along way to push a bike.
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