Honda-SOHC

richie your number is correct for the earlier models, no letter, and actually are considered a better design than the PD type

Hi Bryanj,

I actually have a complete CB650 engine which I bought second hand just for the camshaft and tacho drive, I then found another CB650 camshaft so all I need now is some way of matching the tachometer to the bike, I think that the best option for that is a speedo and tacho (spurious) from David silver that are for the 650, the clocks have a black background but I can live with that,

I have today bought the big bore kit so have most of what I need in place to make it a bit of a gentleman's express 550, I will probably gas flow the head myself with help and advice from a good friend who builds big air cooled four cylinder engines for various racers and has had 180 hp out of his engines so he certainly knows what he is doing !

My worst bike has to be the third or fourth Triumph tiger cub that I had the misfortune to own ! As with most of the early Cubs it was incredibly unreliable, one thing after another until eventually it knocked the big end out (not uncommon) which necessitated a replacement with an Alpha con rod conversion,  all this on a under stressed trials bike that broke the heart of an aspiring Sammy Miller on more than one wasted weekend 

Re the T140V being a worst bike nominee ! I loved my T140 Bonnie, I had sold a Suzuki GT750J and bought the Bonnie,  in real life not much slower than the kettle and loads better handling and brakes, I never tested it but I reckon that I could have got round Cadwell quicker on the Bonnie, it also never leaked oil and never broke down, I had a good one ?

PS the picture of my NS400R is in the posh garage of the bloke that I bought it off ! My garage is the cramped one with the 550 in

Hi

Well I am just rebuilding it ready for sale, I have just completed the 200 conversion, I have made and fitted the extended gear lever shaft bush, new alloy gear lever and a brand new alloy tank from holt works that I am painting yellow with new black Majesty Yamaha decals, you cant see in this picture but I have also fitted Suzuki RL250 forks as the standard TY175 forks are not very good,  it's been a labour of engineering love and I have more invested in it than I will be able to sell it for, I'll do you another picture when the tank is fitted,

Regards Jeff

Got the carbs back on the bike with the shorter needles fitted, it runs better than ever but that is only with it running in neutral, I will feel better when I can take it for a spin and test it under some load,

It appears that the new longer needles are the wrong ones for my 550K3 carbs.

Thanks for that,

I agree with the fact that the PD carbs are shite but CR carbs are a tad pricey ! I am making the best of what is on it, do people put the earlier carbs on as a replacement ?

I have no idea what the previous owner has or hasn't done with the bike or any of the other owners so cannot be sure on whether the needles have ever been replaced, I guess no one has compared the PD needles with any others I.E. the ones from the previous type of carbs ?

If no real answer to the needle length relative to the type of carbs fitted I will measure carefully and use my judgement, it is looking like the short ones are correct for the PD carbs.

PS I am in Tingley West Yorkshire