Honda CB550 cafe racer

[valvolux]

well here you go, this is a thread to describe the events regarding the rebuild of my 1978 CB550K into a cafe racer. Hope you like the pics and comments regarding the progress. Please feel free to comment or to just to tell me i'm mad.

Goal

To turn this :



Into this:



I appreciate that the second picture is that of a $38,000 US Norton Twin. But styling wise and quality of finish (relatively speaking), that's where i'm heading....

History:

Originally I was sold on a Deus Manx, see pic below, but when I saw the $20,000 price tag I had to think again.



Surely I could emulate something for half the price, if not for a bit more?
Initially I tried to find a SR400 or 500, alas they are few and far between. Most are imported from Japan.
Luckily for me I never found one, so I turned to other manufacturers to find an equivalent:
Alternatives that I considered:

kwaka w650
kwaka Z1
honda CB

In the end I got a beautiful 2 owner 78 cb550 in excellent condition for $3000. I fairly big outlay of money i guess, but in perspective I got it for a excellent price. Most 70's era honda's CB350, 400 & 750 all were at least this price, some ranging up to $12,000. If I imported a SR500, it would cost at least that, so I think I did alright.

The downside is that the bike is in such good nick, it would really suit a restoration. I guess purists out there will not be happy that I will be stripping and replacing so many original parts. I've seen some negativity regarding turning cb550's info cafe's on other forums. Its not a big deal in Japan for SR400's so I don't see why it any different for a CB. All the old parts will be sold on ebay for a budget prices, so if your into CB's pick up a bargain!

Things to be done (in no particular order!)

Bike to be completely stripped
Existing tank to be replaced with ally tank
Existing seat replaced with custom solo seat
Battery and electrics to be relocated to new tail section
Engine stripped and rebuilt (not sure what that entails yet) and blast cleaned.
Existing tail section cut, new section welded in, frame to be powdercoated
Handlebar, headlights and instruments removed, new drag bar or ace bar added.
Mirrors scrapped, new bar end mirror
New grips
New tacho mounted inside new headlight.
New electronic speedo/odometer/warning lights with custom hidden flip cover
New front and rear indicators
New Tarozzi rearset pegs and gear levers
Existing front forks and triple clamp retained, but polished.
Engine bits removed and polished (eg crankcase and gearbox covers, sprocket cover etc)
Wheels to be respoked and polished.
Existing airbox removed, new 26mm race carby installed.with 4 stainless steel airpods
Existing 4 into 1 exhaust scrapped, replaced with custom 4 into 2 pea shooter style chambered exhaust
Scrap centrestand, replace sidestand with something more substantial.
Current ignition timing with points replaced in favour of a electronic ignition.
New front and rear sprockets with shorter gearing and new gold x-ring chain.
Existing chain guard scrapped
Existing front rotor to be pattern drilled, new aftermarket 6 pot calliper big brake kit added.
New master cylinder and levers
Steel braided brake line.
Other cables dressed up
Existing rear shocks scrapped and replaced with fully adjustable suspension (gas shocks?)
New race camshaft and valve springs (perhaps)
Rewire bike.
New sticker for the logo to be produced, placed on tank both sides

As to date, the tank and seat are still being fabricated, the exhaust is finished and being shipped. Here is a picture of them on the builder's beautiful pinas cb550:



As a first draft, i've come up with a name for the bike, faux 550.
Its french for imitation, and is a kind of a self deprecating name, which i like. But in reality that's what my bike is, a fake of a much more expensive bike like the Norton above.
1st draft of the logo:




I'll put up some pics when the bike is stripped to show you what a big mess ive made.

Cheers!

[BigTim]

Sounds like a great project.
Look forward to seeing how it turns out

[El Skitzo]

Yeah I'm looking forward to seeing this thread grow

[Tin Tin]

great stuff.. will be keeping an eye on this one.

[smokeymatt]

These are great bike, have had this pic hangin around for ages, worth a look

[browncow]

Subscribed!

Can't wait to see the progress!

[rcradical]

^^^ +1

[potato]

thats going to look hell sexh finnished

[perdition]

looking forward to seeing it progress

[valvolux]

cheers for all the kind comments.
I'm bored here at work, so i thought I'd put some pic's of some of the stuff going on the bike that I've ordered so far:

new headlight with intergrated tacho:



and brackets:



drag bar (I actually haven't ordered this, Im going to wait for the seat and the rearsets are fitted before I go ahead. If it proves not to be too much of a stretch (i doubt though) I will get an adjustable ace bar instead:





I've given up on getting clip on bars (which was my first choice) as I cant find a new triple clamp with a plain top bridge. Comprimise

exhaust (4-2 pea shooters)



tank and seat (exactly the same profile, except mine is polsihed aluminium) :



indicators:



bar end mirror:



Tarozzi Rearsets (in silver)



electronic speedo and warning lights (bar mounted, with a flip cover to hide!)



new spokes:



26mm CR Keihin race carbs



electronic ignition:



There is more, but i better do some work!

[the[K]id]

Wow, CB550 getting some love! Can I ask where the head lamp brackets and indicators are coming from? They look the ducks nuts for an old school bike!

With the clip ons, have you thought about getting the top triple milled to remove the old mounts? I know often they have a hollow underneath, but nothing some metal epoxy, half an hour with a cutter and a lick of paint wouldn't have looking pretty smooth.

[browncow]

Oooohhhh....

Purdy.
Love the headlight/tacho.
Looks the bizniss...

[CT90]

Honda CB 550's are works of art, check it out:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-DsSaG8kUE]YouTube - Hubert Dobler's BULL at Jack the Pelican NYC[/ame]

And a bit more:

Hubert Dobler

[valvolux]

Wow, CB550 getting some love! Can I ask where the head lamp brackets and indicators are coming from? They look the ducks nuts for an old school bike!

With the clip ons, have you thought about getting the top triple milled to remove the old mounts? I know often they have a hollow underneath, but nothing some metal epoxy, half an hour with a cutter and a lick of paint wouldn't have looking pretty smooth.

yeah, no worries, headlight stuff from vanem. which is: vanem sr400 sr500 online store

re: the top triple....cheers for the suggestion. I crapped on enough about in the cafe racer thread, in the end have decided to just shut up and not worry about it. I could do this, just grind the bar mounts smooth:



but....i would only get one chance at it and if I stuffed it up i would be out having to find another one from a wrecker. Not a great thought. Anyway the superb norton above has bar mounts, so i've seen the light.

[the[K]id]

yeah, no worries, headlight stuff from vanem. which is: vanem sr400 sr500 online store

My credit card is gonna hate you! Haha, I utterly in love with the indicators now. Luckily the headlamp brackets are only for 35mm forks and I have 46, looks like I'll have to make something myself.

re: the top triple....cheers for the suggestion. I crapped on enough about in the cafe racer thread, in the end have decided to just shut up and not worry about it. I could do this, just grind the bar mounts smooth:



but....i would only get one chance at it and if I stuffed it up i would be out having to find another one from a wrecker. Not a great thought. Anyway the superb norton above has bar mounts, so i've seen the light.

If you want them milled flat at any point PM me, may be able to get it done. I also have a set of flat drag bars your welcome to borrow to try out the feel, I've decided to modify some gixxer clip ons for my project

[valvolux]

Honda CB 550's are works of art, check it out:

And a bit more:

Hubert Dobler

perhaps i should lighten up, but.... I find that clip quite offensive.
seeing that bike thrash around and smash into concrete pillars just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I just dont understand art

When my cb550 is finished, if i see that hubert dude, my art project will be doing a burnout on his head.

[perdition]

ditto, just struck me as plain ole dum

[Paulo]

My hats off to you for your project, lots of very nice parts, I was going to order the Peashooters from BRC but then the whole market crash and the Kiwi paso is worth bugger all, so I'll probably get something made here. I've got ace bars at the moment but amd thinking of putting the clipons from my GB on instead and leaving the Triple tree the same as yours. I like that speedo, didnt think I would but I thinkl it will be cool and different. I posted a pic of my bike on the cafe racer thread , complete with Fake paintjob and photoshop upholstery, Just need more time away from work..... You must be like a kid before xmas waiting for your pressies!

[valvolux]

My hats off to you for your project, lots of very nice parts, I was going to order the Peashooters from BRC but then the whole market crash and the Kiwi paso is worth bugger all, so I'll probably get something made here. I've got ace bars at the moment but amd thinking of putting the clipons from my GB on instead and leaving the Triple tree the same as yours. I like that speedo, didnt think I would but I thinkl it will be cool and different. I posted a pic of my bike on the cafe racer thread , complete with Fake paintjob and photoshop upholstery, Just need more time away from work..... You must be like a kid before xmas waiting for your pressies!

cheers for kudos, time will tell how it turns out.
Well it wont be a xmas gift, if its done by world superbikes late feb 09 phillip island, i'll be stoked.
paul, ya bike's rad. I like green and the black rims would look a treat. It will look a bit likes BCR's green ghost, but im sure you know that already. Yeah feeling ya pain re: the dollar drop. The cost of the parts from BCR have suddenly gone up 30%.
Anyway, have fun with your rebuild!

[valvolux]

i haven't posted for a while cos nothing much is happening.
Its taking a while to get the bike stripped down.
I was hoping to get the new tail section early so we could cut the CB frame and reweld so it could be sent off to be powdercoated:



Alas, the tail section is apparently needed by the tank builder for the final fit, so its all being shipped together.

Things that have happened:

The headlight from vanem has arrived and ive matched it with a 2 1/4" tacho from ol bike barn in the states.



The cutout in the headlight is 60mm. I thought small gauges were all nominal 60mm but they are not.
The gauge is a perfect fit, which was lucky cos originally I was going to order the 2 1/2".
People have complained on other forums about old bike barn.com, but they sent it out from the states very promptly. I had it in no time.

Ordered the rear sets, gear rod, gear change cotter and ball joint from disco volante in the UK.
They look better than the tarozzi rear sets i was going to get originally:



Disco Volante moto is without a doubt the coolest on-line parts dealer for honda cafe's. I could have one of everything. I'd have to second mortgage my house cos everything is so expensive.
Check it out: Disco Volante Moto - (Powered by CubeCart)

Ordered a norton flat drag bar and some double thickness grips .


and some doherty type racing levers:



Still considering:

The front brake upgrade:

Originally, I thought i could get a big brake upgrade kit from vanem:



But after investigating it a bit further, its obvious its not going to work at all.

This is the kit on a SR500:



The CB has different forks so the calliper adaptor will not fit. The disc spacer is not going to work either as the disc PCD is different

So back to the drawing board

Id probably better off drilling the disc, rebuilding the calliper, fit some sintered or semi metal pads and use a mesh line.

Still thinking!