'78 Honda CB550

F

free85

New Member
Hello everyone. I'm new to bikes in general (Brand new) and the forums as well. I was looking for a honda CB to fix up and cafe and I bought a 1978 CB550(K?) Saturday. The plan for now is to blueprint the engine (bike is in almost running condition but needs work and a few replacements). Once the engine is good to go my goal is so style the bike and ride it for a while/get a feel for how it runs then start making performance upgrades.

image.jpeg
 
I'm sure you could get some serious cash for that windjammer fairing. I've never seen one on a 550. I've got two '77 CB550F motorcycles. They're a great bike. Lots of power but still small enough to be nimble. That's a great find!
 
Great find. I picked up my 78 cb550 a few months ago. If you decide to get rid of anything on the bike, let me know. Those saddlebags and stock airbox are calling my name.
Cheers!
 
Nice bike, this is the cb I want more than any other. Is that for sale in the window what was on the bike?
 
I'm definitely looking at liquidating the bags/windjammer etc. They're in good shape as far as I can tell and just need a little cleaning and squaring away. There's even a CB radio installed in the windjammer with the handset et. al.

We entered negotiation at $1500 and I walked away with the bike at $750.
 
The bike won't completely kick over. The batter is, for sure, dead. I'll need to get a new battery and a charger to see if I can get it to start up. When I was buying the bike the guy who sold it to me had it hooked up to a charger and the bike would kick over, run for about 3 seconds, then die out.

I defer to the knowledge of those who know what they hell they're doing at this point: buy a battery, charger, carb cleaner, and try to get the bike running? The air filter that was in the airbox looked as if it's never been changed, ever. There are cracks in the rubber leading to the box. I suppose my other option is to pull the engine and start going through it to see what shape it's in. I'm told this is the "common newbie mistake" though.

I promise I'll listen... Really.
 
Never ever EVER take a bike apart that isn't running.
Even more so If you are relatively new to the game.

The "style" comments that get thrown around the web make me throw up in my mouth a bit.
The look comes from the function.


Just some advice.

Service the living crap out of the bike.
Use the factory manual to do so.
Now is not the time to be cheap. If you don't have the $500-1000 to get the bike legal on the road then write the CL add now n cut losses. A $1500 bike that just passed a state inspection will be much cheaper then what you have.
-full carb rebuild
-clean tank
-rebuild petcock
-rebuild brakes
-new tires
-new wheel bearings
-new steering stem bearings
-new carb manifolds
-new chain and sprockets.
ect ect

Once running and riding put the thing on the road and enjoy it.
At this time you can work the rest of the bugs out like charging system and such.
Once it had covered a few mikes you can start to see areas that you can improve on. Some still believe that a cafe is built to improve the bike, not just to play dress up. So how can you make improvements if you don't have a stock base line?

Looks like you have sk shocks, nice. Check them out. If they are bad replace with hagons. nOT short shocks or RYF crap.
Maybe some bronze bushings in the swingarm.
Maybe some other small mods that don't keep the bike off the road for more then a day or so.

Notice no pods, open triangles, small batteries, clubmans, or other newbie mistakes.

Search out "the gentleman's express"

Don't get in over your head.

There are a bunch of simple upgrades that will add to the performance.
No need to tear it down and not do much with it.
 
You did get a title right?
Also join the sohc4 forum.

Often it helps if you list a location in your bio to see if anyone local can lend a hand.
 
I just bought my 76 CB550 and that advice is huge to me! I am a rookie! I would've done some dumb rookie things. Not meaning to hijack the thread but glad I got some advice.

Nice find. Looks like the value is there with the fairing and other items. Congrats on your purchase!
 
I wont take the bike apart. Thank you, both now and in advance for 1) saving me heartbreak and 2) future advice.

We'll start by servicing the crap outa this bike. I wouldn't say I'm relatively new to this... Brand new is FAR more accurate. I do have $500 - $1000 to put the bike on the road. I don't know if that's just a waste of money though. I suppose part of that depends on what I can liquidate the bags and windjammer for. Most of the 550s in the area I see that run are $1500 or so. If I got the bike for $750, liquidate the bags etc for $250 and put $1000 in the bike it's no more expensive than buying a running one. As always input is appreciated here.

If I keep the bike I will put it on the road and enjoy it. That is, essentially, what is driving me to bikes in the first place. As such I am happy to see the phrase "Maybe some other mods that don't keep the bike off of the road for more than a day."

I do have a title. This may be the one thing I've done correctly.

I registered for SOHC4 last night.

I'm, more likely than not, already in over my head. Hopefully it's not so much so that I can't swim out and dry off.
 
This isn't a cheap hobby and you can't count every dollar.
Focus on seat time, not "building it to reflect my inner self"

Money spent getting to and keeping on the road is always better spend then "custom" parts.
Are there so many old bikes running around you need to set yourself apart?

Thing is that an old bike will give plenty of chances to wrench rather then looking for work.
Also by learning to just keep it running you will develop the all important ear needed to properly tune it.

Also invest in tools.
Good tools, not crap.

Get a compression tester, if you have an air compressor get a leak down tester.
You will need an impact driver
Nice multimeter.
 
Again, thank you for the input!
I am hoping very much to focus on seat time. So my total goal is now to get this bike on the road.
And you're completely right, the bike will stand out plenty on its own. That said I really don't care much about that at the moment... I want to have fun riding and learning.

We've got some decent tools, a good impact driver, and a decent multimeter. As for a compression tester I do not have but will acquire.

I'm going to get a battery and a charger, and then figure out where to start. Page 24 of the Honda 550 manual talks about servicing the engine when it's mounted on the frame... that sounds like a good place to start to get it from "almost kicks over" to "idles now".
 
Manual will walk you though a tune up step by step.

Might be a good time to install new points and condenser(not a dyna S)
Also buy a timing light or I use a basic test light for static timing.
Inspect the advancer while in there.
 
Just an update from tooling around in the garage today:

I put in a set of spark plugs today after removing the old ones and finding that the gap was wrong and they were covered in black crud. I also bought a charger just to see if the battery might hold a charge. After installing the spark plugs and letting the battery charge (which it seems it did), the bike started. It will idle but dies down as I lower the choke. There are cracks in the rubber leading to the airbox from the carbs. All of that said I fully intend to start into the service as suggested.

As always thank you guys for your continued help.
 
Download the CB550 Honda Service Manual here:

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=20071
 
Thanks for the manual post, Tim. We've got that printed, along with the carb manual, a parts list. We've been reading the crap out of all of this. We're going to start to step through maintenance next week when I have money for carb kits, gasket/seal kit, etc.
 
Order right from honda(few places on line to do so)
Kits are $12ish each.
See if they have the rubber manifolds that connect the carbs to head.

Cables all good?
 
Anyone have a URL for ordering from Honda online? I'll fire up The Google Machine if not.

Cables seem to be all good but I'm not sure just yet. If they even look like they need replacing I'll do so.
 
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