Author Topic: Honda cb550 cafe racer build northern Ireland bike finished (Read 31953 times)

stuartni · « **on:** January 29, 2013, 10:26:24 AM »

My father in law has raced bikes and sidecars all his life and has got himself hooked with the street tracker/cafe look, We are currently building about to finish a 1979 yamaha xs500 he had laying in his yard for over 10 years, the plan for it was do it as cheap as we can but still nice and use it as a spare bike. ( i will post pics of this also) i finally bought this 1978 cb550 four looked a good clean bike for its age plans are to make into a cafe racer. pics to fallow later today

Here is northern Ireland there is such a small market for bike parts unlike america which has everything i could ever want i want club man handle bars for my bike but as there is no where here sells them im not sure what ones to go far as there a few different pull backs etc finding parts here is very hard second hand or new.

bike is stock bar

dragstar handle bars
motad exhaust

so far the only problem we could fit with the bike is its not charging and it already had new regulator/rectifier but still it was not charging we then tested the system and found that the new r/r was not the correct one for the bike, bought a new one and the bikes was now charging but under load (headlight on) best we could get was 11.6 volts which not good so did more tests ad found the stator to be faulty so after a bit of searching on the internet it seemed i would have to get it rewond at around Â£100. Then by sure luck a friend of my father in laws said he has a cb 550 four in bits which is the only model with the same alternator and he gave me his for free. Best of all his was in great working order and fixed my chartering issue

when i picked up the bike

love the wheels anyone know what they are think they say cma on the side of them

wiring diagram

loom all labelled

taped up all the bracket i want to remove

carbs removed

tabs etc removed

engine ready to come out

framw stripped

old oil look good must have been serviced not long ago

engine out

all the parts

more updates progress has been slow as we are building a better work shop for our selfs

anyone know what these are wheels are??

bits no longer needed

my home made shot blasting cabinet

xs 500 engine being done

after

before

after

before

after

more cb550 parts being done

stuartni · « **Reply #1 on:** January 29, 2013, 10:30:03 AM »

frame getting cleaned up

forks need to good overhall new fork oil fork seals and dust covers

new bits

forgot i good the hubs with this bike and forgot there was a good disc on it which saves me buying another for the twin disc set up

tank and frame shot blasting and into primer tank has knee dents also put in

32962F1FE4.jpg[/IMG]
only sign of rust damage

in primer

finally more up dates

i want this exhaust so much but so hard to get so if anyone knows of anywhere in northern ireland that could make the main tail piece section i would be happy as i can just use my current stainless down pipes

looks like this when fitted

rear trim pieces have been removed from the old rear section and trimmed down to fit to keep the clean lines

how things are currently looking engine is in just to check the fitment for the rear sets and started to make the pod out of oasis flower pot foam trim it to the shape i like tap it up and wax it then use it as my template to make my fibreglass seat.

still alot more trimming to be done

rear bracket and rear brakes housing now removed to make way new brackets for the rear sets

plan do something similar to this

rear wheel starting to get cleaned up

seat pod template made

the fibreglass mod

design for the drilled discs

shortened a little

hagan rear shock with new top bushes

seat pod starting to get smoothed and custom taillight fitted

sorting the wiring and new gel battery

new spray gun ready to go

frame ready to be painted

wheels swing arm and focus painted

new all balls taper bearings

frame swing arm forks etc are also just back from getting lacquered

more parts getting ready for primer

new battery strap

brackets will be dressed up once i happy with all the fitment

the frame swing arm forks etc where away get lacquered as i wanted it down in a spray booth due to our winter being so wet and cold

main enigne block cleaned and painted with rocker cover side covers going black

using this for now but would like a new one

still to be cleaned and painted

honda kick stand spring from usa cause i wanted black could only get silver here

engine now in finally also the engine will be back out after next summer to get a complete rebuild with alot of uprated parts even tho is it running fine, so for now a good clean and some paint will be good enough
also tapped cover are getting polished not paint like in the pictures

also have new front and rear wheel bearings new cables one new tappet cover as one was damaged new front and rear sprockets
new speedo and tyres should turn up today

stuartni · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2013, 10:46:54 AM »

another spare tank

sorting the braided lines

more wiring changes

stuartni · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2013, 10:53:00 AM »

new parts from david silver

stuartni · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2013, 12:08:48 PM »

just a few pictures of the father in laws bmw r80 getting cafed as well we are only changing the image as its already had alot of engine and driver train work

from this

to this in around 30 min

going to look pretty mean when finished

stuartni · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2013, 02:57:47 PM »

Heres a video of the bike before work started bike had just been started before i took the video on a very cold morning
http://youtu.be/J_-ClMHI14Q

Norniron · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2013, 03:05:13 PM »

Class tail light on the 550

stuartni · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2013, 03:25:42 PM »

thanks made it out of an led trailer light lense as couldn't find a tailight i liked

UK Pete · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2013, 06:54:46 PM »

Thats looking good stuartni, you are making fast progress, keep up the good work
pete

stuartni · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2013, 11:20:45 AM »

thanks pete coming together really well cant wait to take it out over the summer

K2-K6 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2013, 08:56:51 PM »

What an effort....I don't know over what timescale it is, but what a huge amount of work....it's taken a time just ro scroll through all of the pictures...thanks for posting them.

Looks like you're having fun with it and even more to come when it's out and about for the summer.

I like that exhaust you posted as well and think they look particularly good being under the centre of the bike for the collector and nicely turned up toward the end, they go well with both standard look and modified.

stuartni · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2013, 12:11:36 PM »

its been on and off since april jst at nights and wknds and when funds are available. The exhaust can be got from carpy but cost a small fortune to get it so hopefully getting one custom made using you my motad stainless downpipes

Bryanj · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2013, 04:08:48 PM »

I didn't think Motad used Stainless but willing to be proved wrong

stuartni · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:36:02 AM »

you could be rite this link says the downpipes are stainless steal but now im not so sure

http://www.gingerparts.com/motad-complete-4-into-1-exhaust-system-cb550-f1-f3-sohc-four

stuartni · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:56:40 AM »

Here is photos of the first bike we ever done it was done on a small budget between me and the father in law the bike was free as he had left it in his yard for over ten years. yamaha xs500

sorry for the photos being mixed up this is all i could find while in work