Found a $300 CB550

I got a tube sander attachment that goes on my angle grinder. Hopefully it works decent enough to save some time and work.

I've lost about 40 lbs since I started this build and when I ordered all of the suspension stuff, I ordered with springs for a 250 lb rider. I realized that this thing will be terrible to ride now and had to bite the bullet and buy new springs which i did. Can't make an improperly sprung bike handle. No way to set sag when the weight is that far off.
 
Today is my 68th birthday. I took the day off and spent it working on the Honda build. I bought a tubing sander attachment that adapts to my angle grinder and I spent a couple of hours smoothing out rough grinds where I had taken off tabs, rear peg brackets and other stuff that will no longer be needed. I have a tiny bit of finish clean up work but today I started the test assembly. It's a bit weird figuring out how to put a machine together that I didn't take apart. I did get a good amount done. Putting it together is slow but still way faster the grunt work of sanding, refurbishing and polishing. I've been buying out parts for close to 2 years so it's good to see that they work and look good. It doesn't seem like much when you look at it but this is what pictured below. Upgraded steering head bearings, double discs from single, machined calipers to take modern fittings for stainless braided lines, forks with new springs (correct rate) cartridge emulators and machined damping rods and vintage headlight with LED lighting. After looking at it, I decided I'm going to swap the fork tubes so the calipers are in the rear. It's a pretty common mod for these bikes and easy to do at this point.My motor, wheels, forks and swingarm are all assembled and finished so it's just a matter of fitting them up. My GF made me fresh steamers, scungilli salad and stuffed Rhode Island quahogs. Not a bad birthday for an old man.
 

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Happy Birthday! Sounds like your 68th was better than mine! Last January my 68th was spent in a hospital bed. Keep on wrenchin' buddy, it's looking great.
 
It's finally a roller. Started mocking it up last weekend. Most of my planning and buying out parts was 2 summers ago. Assembling it goes way faster than sanding, buffing and polishing. Last weekend I began trying to fit up the Cognito rearsets only to find they don't fit the 77. I called them and asked if they would work on a CB550F and they told me I needed to cut the tube and get a pivot from a CB550K. I don't know if they misunderstood me or what but I have a brand new aluminum finish pair of rear sets that I can't use. 77 changed from previous years. If anybody needs a set, I'm selling for $300 which is about $120 less than new. PM me.

So not the end of the world. I the forks installed and the dual front disc setup, swingarm and the wheels. I had bought a tracker style seat / fender set up from a European company. It looks good but I decided to go with a Tuffside seat/ fender so that is for sale also. $150. It's well made but I like the Tuffside setup better.

I set the tank and the seat on it to get an idea of how it all looks and I'm very happy. I spent a lot of time building a set of forks that look stock but have Racetech springs and cartridge emulators and a neat set of preload adjustable caps. I ordered shocks from Hagon built to the length and spring rate I want. I wanted to see if the lines work with the suspension and they do. I'm pretty happy with they way it's looking.

I had bought a set of rising suns aluminum wheels from 4in1 and built wheels. I bought a set of Shinko tires. The front looks great but the rear looks under sized. Especially next to my MT10 which has a huge rear tire. The size is 120 /90 18. I think I can go up to about 140 without any chain clearance issues. I'd appreciate if anyone could confirm that. The rim is the same width as the stock wheel and I'm not sure if it is wide enough to go up toe a 140 width.

I bought a tube sander adapter off of Amazon that goes on my angle grinder for $39. I just wanted to mention that it works very well and cleans up the places where I ground off tabs and brackets nicely. Good cheap tool to have.

Having bought this bike as a basket case, I don't have the advantage of taking it apart to help with putting it back together. Somewhere along the line, I picked up a digital scan of the CB550F parts list. The quality of the pictures is not good but it's still proved invaluable in putting this thing together. The shop manual is pretty mediocre. Fortunately it's a 70's motorcycle. Not rocket science.
These are the pictures I took today.
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Rear tire looks good to me. I don’t personally like big fat tires on vintage stuff but that’s me. Seat and tank look nice so far. I got the Guzzi as half a pile of parts too, always fun trying to figure out how shit that you didn’t take apart goes back together.


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON
 
I think the tire/wheel combo looks good and appropriate for the year. it will ride better with the smaller tire.
 
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FWIW, I like the look of it, too. You've got a really nice ride in the works.
 
The tire does look good from the side view and I'm aware of the effect it can have on handling but from the rear it looks like a mini bike tire and looks pretty ridiculous. I was hoping to go about an inch wider.
 
ride it before you decide on the rear tire. I may look skinny but fatter isn't always better on these old bikes. Looks great to me.
 
OK, I'm a huge critic of cafe builds that ignore performance in order to achieve a "look". This is essentially a cafe type build that I'm changing to a tacker seat and forgoing the clip on bars for old man comfort. My first goal was to ring out some additional performance and then work on making it look good. So, I'm taking the advice and not going to a larger rear tire. I do appreciate the input and encouragement.
 
Since I've discovered that the Cognito rear sets are not going to work, I'm going to use the original foot pegs and controls. I'd like to figure out something to modify the foot peg bracket and put on a better looking peg. The welder I'm working with is really a great fabricator also so if we come up with a plan, we should be able to execute. Has anyone come up with anything or seen a cool peg mod that doesn't require moving the entire set up, I'd like to see it. Thanks
 
On the CL360 I had I ended up using the mounts, pegs, and linkages from a R1 and secured them to the frame by having threaded bungs welded in the appropriate spots. The shifter side worked well, I just had to make the rod a different length. On the brake side I was able to get and use a R1 rear MC because I was using Ninja wheels and swing arm and had a disc brake back there.
 
Since I've discovered that the Cognito rear sets are not going to work, I'm going to use the original foot pegs and controls. I'd like to figure out something to modify the foot peg bracket and put on a better looking peg. The welder I'm working with is really a great fabricator also so if we come up with a plan, we should be able to execute. Has anyone come up with anything or seen a cool peg mod that doesn't require moving the entire set up, I'd like to see it. Thanks
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I put Tarrozi pegs on a KZ750 stock bracket by turning a bung and welding it onto the stock bracket i did the same for the brake pedal and shifter. turned out nice.
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chesterburnet said:
OK, I'm a huge critic of cafe builds that ignore performance in order to achieve a "look". This is essentially a cafe type build that I'm changing to a tacker seat and forgoing the clip on bars for old man comfort. My first goal was to ring out some additional performance and then work on making it look good. So, I'm taking the advice and not going to a larger rear tire. I do appreciate the input and encouragement.
Click to expand...
I commend you for your fortitude in switching from Café to Tracker because of comfort/age. I spent 10 years putting together my CL360(378) and soon after it was finished sold it for those very reasons. somewhere along the way I knew I should have switched over to a more comfortable ride but didn't do it.
 
thank you. if you want to see the whole build i have documented it HERE The tires are actually narrower than yours. 4.00x18 & 3.25x19

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