CB550 Cafe Interceptor - Gentleman's Roadster

Re: CB550F Interceptor

Thanks to DTT member Kemp, I found these rare 59mm Yoshimura racing pistons.
Getting new rings with the three piece oil rings was a challenge, but finally came together.
Stock pistons weighed 160 grams without rings each and the Yoshimura pistons without rings weigh 152 grams. 5% lighter than stock!

1083YoshPistons.jpg


1084YoshPistons.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Here, you can see that compared to stock pistons the Yoshimura pistons have a raised center for increased compression and deep valve reliefs for high lift cams.

1085PistonComp.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Stage II port work, Kibble valve springs and a three angle valve grind.
Should be a good setup with the Web Cam 58a camshaft installed.

1081Ported550Head.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

With things buttoned up, it’s time for paint.
I just hung the engine from the garage rafters with tie downs and gave it a couple of coats of Duplicolor Aluminum.
Once dry to the touch, I heated the paint with an industrial heat gun.

1086EnginePainting.jpg


Installing the engine was a lot faster than I feared thanks the suggestion of laying the engine on its side and then positioning the frame over it. It was so easy installing the engine this way and not the slightest mark on a freshly painted frame.

1087EngineInstallation.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Spent the last couple of weeks reassembling the chassis and working on a NEW shortie, carbon fiber rear fender.
LED signals are now mounted, and the LED tail light will soon be installed as soon as the fender is finished, but the big news is the paint scheme.

1090Reassembled.jpg


Finished!

 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Accenting the Interceptor paint theme is this excellent (NOS) chrome Kerker header and megaphone.
It sounds fantastic and finishes off the build perfectly.

1091RightProfile.jpg


1092LeftProfile.jpg


1093LeftProfile.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Beautiful welds, I wouldn't touch them at all. You do some very nice work! Pleasure to watch this build.
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Are you using content from a build thread you posted all of this on elsewhere? I am positive this work is all already done as your avatar has contained the finished bike in it since your first post on the site. It just seems like you worded all of this at the time the work was taking place and now you are just copying it and pasting it in here. I have no problem with that as I am glad you are sharing your talent with us, you do some excellent work, I was just curious due to the wording and speed at which the updates come.
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

HerrDeacon

Thanks for you support. I can’t take credit for the welds or the application of paint, other than the colours and the paint scheme itself. Those I have to source out.

tWistedWheelz

You are Correct!
I started the build a couple of winters ago and the original build forum (with all its trials and tribulations) ran on a site dedicated to Honda single over head cam (www.sohc4.net) bikes. The full build can be found here: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=27159.0

This is where the bike is today, but the evolutionary process continues, so from this point forward, you will see current developments. Stay tuned.
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

With most modern fork conversions the speedo gets lost in the process because it’s near impossible to get the mechanical speedo drive to fit the new larger axle. Some have found that bicycle computers with their magnetic wheel sensors work well and the display units are very inconspicuous on the bike. My original plan was to mark the tachometer at the two most commonly (50 KPH & 90 KPH) posted speeds and leave it at that, until the penalties for speeding here in B.C. where elevated to crazy levels.

That, plus the fact that I like to find secondary roads when ever possible got me thinking about a GPS. Now some of you might think it’s just wrong to mix modern electronic gizmos with analog gauges on a vintage bike, but consider it era-fusion not confusion.

The tach is an early ‘80s VF750 electronic unit and the GPS is a Garmin Nuvi550. The Garmin Nuvi550 is a waterproof GPS ment for the scooter market and has excellent mapping and a nice moto specific dash. The tach housing and all the mounting hardware are aluminum items that will soon be anodized black and silver.

1095Gauge.jpg


1096Gauge.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

I just love getting back from the anodizer.
Time to put the front end back together.

AnodizedStuff.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Here are a couple of pics of the gauge mount and the tach housing.
There are little rubber grommets to isolate the tach and GPS from excessive vibration.

1097GaugeMount.jpg


1098TachBucket.jpg


1100TachBucket.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

Spalding said:
Wow, I wish this thread just wouldn't end
Click to expand...

Spalding

Don't worry, it might look complete, but I assure you there is more to come.
Stay tuned.

FJ
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

With a little break in the weather I took the bike out for a couple photos to see how the black triples fit in.

1106Interceptor.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

I think this is as refined as I’m gonna get. The build has come along really well. Better than I had ever expected for my first vintage bike build, and all along I was going for a well refined, well behaved gentlemen’s café racer with a slant toward a works bike, but café racers aren’t supposed to be well behaved, or well mannered, or civil.

They are supposed to be raw, bada$$, striped down race bikes with attitude.

1105Interceptor.jpg
 
Re: CB550F Interceptor

I've never been that successful with getting the stock carbs to work well so lets see how these do.


CRCarbs-a.jpg
 
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