"Traveler's" 1977 CB550K Cafe build

[Traveler]

keep the heat out and let the fins on it breathe.

If I hit a pothole that big, bottoming out will be the least of my worries, as I am eating asphalt!

~Joe

 

[Traveler]

Well, my tank emblems finally arrived from Thailand. I thought they were repro's...but they are original badges, that have been restored.....not only that, it was wrapped in this:

And was in a sealed plastic bag.....could they be original NOS stuff?

Here are the badges

Here are the badges...mounted up.....I will get some bolt heads, and glue them into the holes. I used 3M double sided tape to attach them to the tank.

~Joe

 

[Big R]

Joe, I forgot who it was that talked about mounting something permanantly to a tank, but I think there was some talk of using 2 minute epoxy or something.

Don't want you to lose those pretty badges!

 

[Traveler]

thx

 

[thompsonmx100]

Looking good. If I could suggest have someone weld up that battery box it will look a lot cleaner. The tank badges look sweet. Keep it up.

 

[Makr]

If everything is clean, 3M two-sided tape is amazing stuff. I am not sure I would trust an off brand.

All of the badges on my BMW are stickied on. I cant get them off with out destroying them.

 

[Traveler]

Thanks! I appreciate the kind words.

Here are the badges, now that I have the screw heads glued in.

~Joe

 

[thompsonmx100]

looks good. keep it up

 

[Kanticoy]

I really like the build Joe. It's really coming together man.

I am skeptical about the electronics being mounted that low myself. I say this because I also thought that my rear suspension on Gretta was stiff enough for something similar until I rode her, and then I got some rubbage on the big bumps. Even bouncing on it in the garage is nothing compared to road bumps. It may be fine. but then again, why take a chance?

Even so man, looking great! Keep it up!

 

[djelliott]

If everything is clean, 3M two-sided tape is amazing stuff. I am not sure I would trust an off brand.

All of the badges on my BMW are stickied on. I cant get them off with out destroying them.

I wish I read this yesterday. I tried using 3M Trim and Badge adhesive to mount my knee pads last night and didn't realize it contains methyl ethyl ketone. It ate right through my paint job. So I spent the evening sanding and repainting.

 

[tWistedWheelz]

Just to be clear, did you use 3M double sided tape, or 3M emblem tape? Double sided tape is only 1/2" or 1" wide and about 3/16" thick with white peal-offs on both sides. Emblem tape comes in small sheets that can be cut to the shape of the emblem, is 1/16" thick and has red peal-offs on both sides. The emblem tape is far superior in sticking ability, the duration of "stickyness" in rain and heat is also superior. I am sure this is what you used, I just want to make sure the people who read this know, so if they decide to use it, they know what they need to use!

 

[Traveler]

3M double sided tape....not the white stuff, the red stuff....it's their heavy duty stuff

~Joe

 

[tWistedWheelz]

right on, emblem tape!

 

[rockcitycafe]

I can't wait to see this thing on the road

 

[Traveler]

Thanks, guys

 

[Traveler]

Went shopping.....bought new sprockets and a nickel chain (530 size). The rear sprocket is a stock 37 tooth, but the front sprocket is a 15 tooth instead of the stock 17 tooth. Should help the little 550 get rolling a tad bit quicker.

~Joe

 

[Traveler]

Got some more work done on the bike today.

Started by lubing my new throttle and clutch cables I bought from Motion Pro. I used a kit, which came with the alumninum tool....worked about as well as can be expected.

After that I went ahead and drilled out the center of the nut that holds the top tree and stem together. This was for my vent tube on the gas tank

I then used a 4 foot section of #6 wire and finished up wiring in my battery and starter wiring

Next, I jacked up the bike again, and pulled the sprocket cover. What a mess! Took forever to get it cleaned up, as I have the dreaded shifter seal leak!

After I got it cleaned up....I also cleaned up the frame area around it....this took TIME!

After I got the cover cleaned up, I did a little drilling on it to give it kind of a distinctive look

A piece of black leather from some mechanix glvoes I had that had a hole in the fingers from my engine cleaning was used to make a cover for my electrics. This is to keep it from grounding out on the alloy seat.

The holes in the rear drum are done! I drilled them with a 1/4 inch bit and countersunk the holes with a 1/2 inch bit, then used sandpaper to blend it all in.

Here is another view of my overflow tube and tank emblems

And a side view of the bike. Now it's time to pull the rear wheel later on

comments?

~Joe

 

[jay_kent]

Bike is looking really good. That 3M tape with the red cover is the shiz. We used that for displays. a half inch strip along the top of a 150 lbs mirror did the trick. That was 4 years ago and it's still holding. Your badges will be fine.

Great work cleaning that engine. Mine was just like and that sucked cleaning. I was so fed up I built a sandblast unit just so I wouldn't have to get at those fins. You're a braver man than me.
I"m going to chirp about those electronics hanging down as well. not just for rubbing but that smooth tank with a blocky lump underneath doesn't look to good. IMO. Maybe your rear signals and license plate will hide it more.

Jay

 

[boomshakalaka]

I think you should really consider clipons. With the super low profile CR tank, the whole front end would look much better lower; gauges, headlight, bars. Just my 2cents

 

[diesel450]

+1 On this. That gauge cluster sticks out like a sore thumb and those electronics sort of stick out like a, um, er, a hemeroid. : Sorry. You've done such great work to this point and you are a few details away from a BOTM competitor.