Doms CB550F1 project

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

only solution is to cut the tab off and weld it back correctly, not looking forward to that!

In the absence of welding is there any way you could alter the existing slot so that the panel tag will fit ?
e.g. Open the slot or file it so you could attach a sort of extra cover plate with a small bolt or pop rivet to hold it in place?
Might be too much of a bodge, are there alternative ways of holding the covers in place with a stud latch on the frame?

[DomP]

I am thinking this Ted, not sure what the plan is yet. I've got a cheap mig welder but it's splattery and inaccurate (my excuse anyway) my brother has a stick welder which he says is more accurate, might try that on some scrap first.

[K2-K6]

I am thinking this Ted, not sure what the plan is yet. I've got a cheap mig welder but it's splattery and inaccurate (my excuse anyway) my brother has a stick welder which he says is more accurate, might try that on some scrap first.

Definitely worthwhile to practice on something first.

Hot tip ..... keep any welding rods (anything "fluxed" really) in an airing cupboard. The flux is hygroscopic and so absorbs moisture, spatters like buggery when used.

Be generous with thickness of new tab as the weld will be more even between thick frame wall tube and bracket from them being more equal. Welding very thin plate to thick will just make it harder as it melts the thin first.

Try and drag the stick tip to get arc rather than stab it, it'll usually spark up easier without getting stuck. Always gets stuck = raise amps. Always blowing away material = drop amps.

The "stick" on non mig should be definitley a little less diameter than thickest material as general guide.

[DomP]

Thanks for the welding tips K2, might come to that but I can just about force the side cover on if a distort it so I may just do as Ted said and file the tab hole out by 4-5mm rather than set my bike on fire.

I took it out for a little test ride this afternoon, not perfect yet, it's bogging down/hesitating at lower revs.  That was at 1½ turns out on all carbs so I returned home and tried at 1¾ turns out, may have been some improvement but I had to call it quits for the day when a neighbour calld around.  It crossed my mind to check the timing while running with a strobe, it was slightly retarded so i adjusted to the F mark, its advancing as it should when revved, its only running on a bench sync so I'll get my Morgantune on it tomorrow.  Keep the revs below 5k for the first 1k miles?

[Oddjob]

500 miles is ok Dom, then start to increase every 100 miles. So 6K at 600 etc.

Try and use the choke when it starts to bog down, if it gets better it's too weak, if worse it's too rich. Just a small amount, not full choke. I suspect the mixture.

[DomP]

Thanks Ken, its definitely getting there, I've just rechecked the
 camchain out of paranoia and redone the Dyna S timing statically with a test light I threw together, it was a bit out so that may be a big part of it.  I'll do a test with a strobe next

[DomP]

Finally got my seat done, I tried to do it with my mum who was excellent with any type of sewing, she really struggled with getting her head around it due to the chemotherapy she was having at the time so I left it on the to do pile.  Sadly she passed away in March so it has taken me until now to have the enthusiasm to sort it out, I found a local upholsterer who has done an excellent job in her memory I think.

[Bryanj]

Well done Dom, its not easy to do things like that.

[Sesman]

Nicely done Dom. The whole package is looking really nice and neat. Just one question: should the exhaust bracket be on the inside of the foot rest hanger? I’ve been puzzling over this on mine.

[DomP]

I did wonder this but as the hanger is threaded this was the neatest way to bolt it on utilising the thread.  No matter how I tried ive ended up with no.2 exhaust manifold very close to the oil filter housing..like very close.

[DomP]

Well done Dom, its not easy to do things like that.

Thanks Bryan!

[Laverda Dave]

Lovely job Dom. I know how difficult is can be to make a one-off seat as I was a coach trimmer back in the day and regularly trimmed motorcycle seats in my lunch break for people at Acton Train Works (I did a few customized Hillman Avengers and Hunters as well. Back then people wanted their seats and door cards trimmed in 'draylon' and deep buttoned!).

[DomP]

I'm really happy with how it's all turned out except the paint job i did, the 2k lacquer is still not fully hard after all these weeks

[DomP]

Ive just taken it out for another run after playing with the static timing again, its still running really rich at 2 turns out i think.  Symptoms are spluttery pulling off and hesitance, not wanting to go much past 4k and sounding lumpy

[Bryanj]

What sort of air cleaner cover do you have and what size jets?