Honda CB 550

Hello all,

I'm new here and wanted to share my latest project. I started this two years ago with a $150 bike I found in a salvage yard. After tacking the hardtail together, it sat untouched until last week. I'm making a lot of progress, and plan to fab up something to hold a battery and the electronics this weekend. Will also finish up the bodywork.

Let me know your thoughts. I have a lot of big plans that I am still working in my head.

Looks good. I would add a down tube at the rear wishbone. It would keep the bike from flexing.

A great place to hide all the electrical stuff is to build a seat pan under the seat area and mount everything to the under side.

X2 on the downtube. Looks good though!

HOT40ROD said:

Looks good. I would add a down tube at the rear wishbone. It would keep the bike from flexing.

A great place to hide all the electrical stuff is to build a seat pan under the seat area and mount everything to the under side.

Click to expand...

Thanks guys!

I used .120" thick tubing and reinforced the top of the original frame so that I would not need a traditional downtube. The upper rear engine mount connects to the top of the frame acting as a downtube, though I realize the mount is not visible in the picture. With the reinforcing, absence of torque in the 550, and me weighing only 160 lbs, I'm not really worried about flex.

Found some great local places to snag free parts today, this build will be a lot cheaper than I thought.

I thought about fabbing something up under the seat for electronics, but I'm bouncing between two designs. I'll pull the trigger on something tomorrow.

Finished rear fender and slapped on some evercoat and filler primer today, looks pretty good so far.

love the 550 man keep us updated

I finished up the rear fender, and all body work. Wanted to give the tank and fender an old look so I got everything perfect, then put in a few gouges here and there, scraped it up with some 80 grit, and threw a final coat of red primer on. Got just the look I was looking for!

Compression check earlier this week showed problems in cylinders 2 and 3 so I tore the engine down. The rings in 1, 2, and 3 were stuck in the pistons, I'm going to order rings for all 4 pistons tonight. I have all of the rings removed but 1, and I'm about to give up. I've tried everything I know. The other rings came loose after boiling and freezing and soaking in various lubricants. I went a step further and tried chem dip on the final, but it wont come free.

I threw on a machete I had laying around for a suicide shifter, but I'm not sure I like it. I thought I might grab som 3/8 round tubing, throw a few bends in it, and put an old brass door knob on for a handle.

Dont worry... I'm not keeping the exhaust blue, just needed something to keep it from rusting under the exhaust wrap. Planning to wrap it in black this week. I wanted a black slash cut tip instead of chrom. No one in town stocks black, so chrome will have to do.

Was going to clean up the engine on the outside and spray it black, but it looks too cool the way it is.

I have all of the rings removed but 1, and I'm about to give up. I've tried everything I know. The other rings came loose after boiling and freezing and soaking in various lubricants. I went a step further and tried chem dip on the final, but it wont come free.

Get a plastic bucket.....go get some PBBLASTER from your automotive parts store....let it soak.

Fell off for a while, but I'm back at it again. Almost done with this project. Hope to have it done in just a few weeks.

looks good

i'm liking it man!!