Honda CB550 - it lives!

(Ebay item 120164675068)

Collected it yesterday, and the geezer selling it had stored it
properly, all greased up and the carbs drained. The front brake had
seized up, but they all do that sir.

Memo to others - when pushing pistons back into a caliper, it's miles
easier if you open the bleed nipple, especially if you're going to bleed
the brakes as well.

Anyway, I slung some fresh fuel into the tank, checked the oil, stuck a
fully charged battery into place, pressed the button and....

snitchicnitchisnitchisnitchi.... vrooooommm.

(Rather a loud vroom as there isn't actually a silencer on it, so it was
running on the headers). But the engine sounded perfect.

The paint and chrome, by and large, are superb. I'll have to set to with
a can of degreaser and a hosepipe. It's also got nearly new tyres on it,
and a good chain and sprockets.

Next step is to get a silencer from Dave Silver. Happy bunny so far.

 

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, The Older Gentleman typed:

Looks nice. I always liked the later 550s. All the charm of the 400/Four
with a few extra cubes for added interest. Well done that man.

 

They have usefully more oomph than the 400, and handle way better than
the 750. The problem is that the 400 has (a) fabulous looks (b) better
handling and (c) small dimensions. The 550 is noticeably bigger all
round.

Makes it better for two-up riding, but the 400F and the four-piper 750s
are The Ones To Have. The CB550 is available far cheaper, as a result.

 

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, The Older Gentleman typed:

And a Result it is. Who cares which are The Ones To Have? If you like it,
good for you.

 

<frown>

 

I always had a perverse desire for a VT250.

 

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, Austin Shackles typed:

My above comment ("If you like it, good for you.") does not apply to a
VT250.

 

Sucking his keyboard for inspiration, Hog typed:

<raises eyebrow>

 

hehe. I got over it. Mind, I did nearly buy it's big brother, a CBX550.
Ended up with an old GS550 instead, which was quite a good bike in it's way.

 

But, 'tis a pervsersion that could be indulged in relatively cheaply:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/455691021.html

 

The latter, yes. I forgot that bit. Who cares, anyway? I'm gonna Nige it
on Ebay when I've got it sorted.

 

Fair enough.

I was told recently, by someone who used to work at the top level in
World Superbike, that the top spec racing wet tyres are so full of
volatile compounds that they only have a shelf life of two weeks!
Imagine...[/QUOTE]

I have this image now of the tyres actually fizzing in contact with water
like big black Alka-Seltzers as you ride around in the rain.

 

It gives racers a whole new source of excuses for falling off[1].

"Bloody tyres are 24 hours past their sell-by date...."

"Chemical instability - the dioxins leaked out and I skidded."

"So full of volatiles that they increased the unsprung weight from
what I'm used to."

"The storesman thought direction of rotation meant putting them at the
back of the shelf, and they went off."

"Bloody tyres react faster than a human being can."


[1] As if they needed any more.

 

Friends of mine who run a BSB team told me that the rear tyre on the race
bike will flat spot and go "out of round" if the bike isn't put on the
paddock stand as soon as it stops (if the tyre is hot, natch).


--
Pete M - OMF#9
"Save your breath for cooling your porridge!
W&P Range Rover V8 Turbo
Scorpio Ultima 24v
Tatra 805

 

Thus spake Pete M () unto the assembled multitudes:

But doesn't that mean the tyre will flat spot while the bike is waiting on
the starting grid, with the weight of a rider and full fuel load - assuming
the tyres have been preheated?

 

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate

I wondered that, the explanation I was given was far too technical for me to
understand. Something to do with the tyre heaters not getting the tyres up
to full temp and the tyre pressure and temp being constant on the grid as
opposed to cooling down and losing pressure.

How or why, I dunno.

--
Pete M - OMF#9
"Save your breath for cooling your porridge!
W&P Range Rover V8 Turbo
Scorpio Ultima 24v
Tatra 805

 

"Because."