what different/modern front ends can used

[hunterso]

The bike that Steve posted is truly awful. 

These however are in a different league
First bike is the cognitomoto 550 with gsxr front end.
The next is (I think) funjimmys bike off sohc US with an R6 front end
Both very nicely executed

[mickwinf]

Everyone to their own, we are entitled to do what we wish to our own bikes its just to me the pleasure in owning an old bike is the fact that it is old and looks old, so I don't see the point of making it look like a modern bike as it will never handle as well as a new one due to the compromise of using an old frame. Anyway a proper bike should have two shocks!! I do like to look at custom bikes and admire the skill and workmanship involved, so if that's your bag then go for it.

[hunterso]

I do agree with you oddjob that the work that's gone into that bike is quite something.

However it's not about the engineering or the style of the bike it's about the execution and how balanced the bike looks.

The bike above has no sense of balance -the back end looking completely disconnected from the rest of the bike and I think the less said about the seat angle the better.

The engineering skills to fit all of those bits together, well yes, i doff my cap to that.
But for me it's in the design where that particular bike falls down. For me is just a collection of parts thrown together with no apparent thought as to how well it all sits together.

It's not about preferring one particular style of bike over another - I personally like bobbers, scramblers, racers, well all bikes really, but they have got to look right.

For example. I have seen a lot of cafe racers and essentially they are all the same. Tank, racing seat, rear sets etc.
But, while some of them just don't look quite right, some of them look horribly wrong and leave me wondering what on earth the builder was thinking - it's all about balance for me.

There is a relationship between the tank and seat that has got to be right for me.Yes, you could build a lovely cafe racer with all the right bits but if you put a seat unit on that sits higher than the tank or overhangs the rear end too much then the balance of the bike is ruined and the whole package suffers because of it.

Of course this is all just my opinion. If we all liked the same thing blah blah blah :0)

[stuartni]

Everyone to their own, we are entitled to do what we wish to our own bikes its just to me the pleasure in owning an old bike is the fact that it is old and looks old, so I don't see the point of making it look like a modern bike as it will never handle as well as a new one due to the compromise of using an old frame. Anyway a proper bike should have two shocks!! I do like to look at custom bikes and admire the skill and workmanship involved, so if that's your bag then go for it.

I do agree with you oddjob that the work that's gone into that bike is quite something.

However it's not about the engineering or the style of the bike it's about the execution and how balanced the bike looks.

The bike above has no sense of balance -the back end looking completely disconnected from the rest of the bike and I think the less said about the seat angle the better.

The engineering skills to fit all of those bits together, well yes, i doff my cap to that.
But for me it's in the design where that particular bike falls down. For me is just a collection of parts thrown together with no apparent thought as to how well it all sits together.

It's not about preferring one particular style of bike over another - I personally like bobbers, scramblers, racers, well all bikes really, but they have got to look right.

For example. I have seen a lot of cafe racers and essentially they are all the same. Tank, racing seat, rear sets etc.
But, while some of them just don't look quite right, some of them look horribly wrong and leave me wondering what on earth the builder was thinking - it's all about balance for me.

There is a relationship between the tank and seat that has got to be right for me.Yes, you could build a lovely cafe racer with all the right bits but if you put a seat unit on that sits higher than the tank or overhangs the rear end too much then the balance of the bike is ruined and the whole package suffers because of it.

Of course this is all just my opinion. If we all liked the same thing blah blah blah :0)

I agree there a lot of builds where the tank and seat either dont line up and or not in porportion with each other. of course everyone has there own taste in what they think looks nice and correct.

Here pictures of my first bike build, some of may have already seen some not but for me it was important to make sure the seat pod would tie in with my tank and still hide my electrics and battery




Here is the bike in question 1977 cb550 k3 with a 650 engine in it, as said it was parked up in 1988. For what eve reason the rear section(mudguard area) was quite bad in rust and removed the rear piece the internal rust round the shock mounting point was quite bad. Not going to lie part of me wanted to challenge myself and do the mono shock conversion so seeing the level of rust around the shock mount set in stone for me.

Still not sure what tank I'm going to use

[mickwinf]

I do like that one, 2 shocks are better than 1 !!!

[hunterso]

Stuart that's lovely.

Do you have build posted anywhere?

[stuartni]

Stuart that's lovely.

Do you have build posted anywhere?

yes here it is

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=112818.0

[matthewmosse]

Been some interesting comments on this, I nearly posted to agree with bitsa after that rather rakish bike was put up, not my cup of tea, then noniron added a rather nice cafe photo, I deleted my post without sending it, as on reflection I decided that actually, yes I can sort of see why bother, it can be done very nicely. For me the stock 500/4 is a lovely machine, but by the time of say my 550k3, the tank cap and other details and slightly greater bulk of the machine - not sure how different it is but it definitely seems bigger, I think taller, does rarther make me less reluctant to get in there and alter things somewhat. I still like stock bikes but can also see that building a special could be real fun and interesting to look at. I would even go as far as to say I may one day once a few projects have gone, build myself a from scratch chop with the small mountain of leftover / spare parts in my loft. 

[florence]

the bike Steve posted makes me smile.  I wonder why the builder didn't go the whole way and put a decent engine in it at the same time...

[matthewmosse]

I know, kinda my thoughts, all that updated running gear, still the same outdated chasis and engine. I have in my ntvthe benefits of the modern running gear, but also an extra 20 odd horsepower and a chasis to match, and all for £380 with tax and test. But some of the other cafe bikes are far more sympathetic to the old bike ethos. For me I think the modern tyres / wheels on top of new suspention and forks are where for me it starts to just loose the appeal, add a very modern looking tank and seat, and it has become a outdated engine and frame in a new bike. Visually the modern alloys are what really clashes first and foremost, there was a orange wheeled gixer 550/4 hybrid a few years ago someplace that similarly to me looked wrong.

[hairygit]

That's why I said it's like putting a C90 engine in a fireblade!>

Sent from my GT-S5839i using Tapatalk 2

[florence]

I will say though, it's all a matter of personal taste.  If someone wants to build a 500/550 with the benefit of modern suspension, good luck to them.  If we all liked the same things it would be a boring world.  As you know, I detest polish and my bike is far from standard.

One of the things that lets this bike down is the front brake.  A more modern front end would certainly sort this out.  I remember the front brake on my CX500 being phenomenal as it had two twin piston calipers.  If there were a way of fitting that set up I would be interested, as long as the wire wheel could be retained.

[stuartni]

I will say though, it's all a matter of personal taste.  If someone wants to build a 500/550 with the benefit of modern suspension, good luck to them.  If we all liked the same things it would be a boring world.  As you know, I detest polish and my bike is far from standard.

One of the things that lets this bike down is the front brake.  A more modern front end would certainly sort this out.  I remember the front brake on my CX500 being phenomenal as it had two twin piston calipers.  If there were a way of fitting that set up I would be interested, as long as the wire wheel could be retained.

Couldn't agree more everyone has there own taste which doesnt always mean good taste but thats in the eye of the beholder.

If my stanchions where is good nick i would happily rebuild them and do a twin disc setup again but there in a bad way and like you said the standard brakes are terrible and funny enough there is a cx500 front end i can use for free only thing putting me off it was there 33mm stanchions worried incase they would be a little thin on the 550???

[matthewmosse]

Easy way to upgrade the front brake and retain the front wheel. 650 sohc forks, if a comstar off a 650 fits a 550, then the same should apply in reverse. I wouldn't be at all surprided if cx500 or 650 forks could be made to fit the cb550. Is the 550 that much heavier if any than a cx? If anything I would think the 550 were lighter as cx is shaft drive, isn't it? After that the next concerns would be a set of spacers for the wheels and how far between centres the yokes are. I think they use the same headstock bearings but check that, I just think the cx500 appeared on the list of applications for the bearings I just fitted. It might be a way to retain that spoked front wheel. A beefy fork brace at top of mudguard level might help with the skinnier forks. I have mixed feelings about fitting differnt front ends, I can see pros and cons, but unless the bits are free/ virtually given away, then probably it is just easier to source decent used forks that fit streight off. Cb550 forks are not very often pitted past oil tightness in my experience, in fact I only have 1 set that need re chroming, and a few good spares. Not like my wifes 250 honda which wore its stanchions down to copper in 30k - I searched in vain for good used and ended up buying a bike with bent forks and straightening them, only they wore through the chrome too, so I eventually picked up a set of nos 70's honda forks the same diameter and build a hybrid set. The 90's era showa forks seem to be chromed with ultra soft /thin chrome, my 500 has done 100,000 miles + with no attention to seals or chrome.