# 1975 Honda CB550 cafe bike build!
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505
**Category:** Builds
**Created:** [January 17, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505 "2009-01-17T16:51:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/41 "2009-01-22T15:02:19Z")
this is so much fun you have no idea…lol. I wire-wheeled ALL the paint off the gas tank today, and welded up 3 or 4 pinholes near the seam…then POR-15’d the spots that were rusty. didnt have a helper around today to set the 149lb motor into the frame to test fit exhaust…its going to be CLOSE
I snapped a few pics, but the USB cord for the camera met the cats and shorts out…lol gonna have to borrow a card reader
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### Author:  [@TurdBlown\_Teg](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TurdBlown_Teg)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/42 "2009-01-23T07:18:42Z")
looks good nick!!! Let’s get together some time.
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2009, 11:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/43 "2009-01-23T11:35:36Z")
wire-wheeled all the paint off the tank…welded up the pinholes near the seam, and POR-15’d the spots that were a bit rusty.
and a mock-up side profile
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/44 "2009-02-11T06:30:26Z")
some great progress yesterday finally…
tossed the new motor in and test fitted the exhaust I bought for it.
It DID NOT FIT lol, it didn’t clear the gsxr rearsets at all. So, I cut about 18" out of the pipes and made some shorty pipes that end after the frame.
I also finished up mounting of the rear fender, and made a trim piece for the edge of the seat cowl where it meets the fender to clean it up, and it looks great IMO. chopped about 10" off the front fender as well…no pics of that cause that was the end of the day.
on to some misc. pics throughout the day.
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/45 "2009-02-11T06:44:06Z")
Starting to look nice.
I really want to build one of those for some reason…
I just need to find a donor bike. ☹ (donor = free to me)
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### Author:  [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/46 "2009-02-11T06:50:21Z")
:tup::tup::tup:
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### Author:  [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 8:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/47 "2009-02-11T08:04:25Z")
is that rear disc setup off a 750?
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 12:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/48 "2009-02-11T12:12:13Z")
> [@turbociv](#):
>
> is that rear disc setup off a 750?
yup, got the entire swingarm, rim/tire/caliper, brace, everything from the swingarm bolt back for $20 at M&M lol, there just happened to be a cb750f there so I snagged it. Someone else had already nabbed the front end or I wouldda got that for another $20 and had a dual disc front end with 1" longer forks.
well, today I did the reverse of yesterday…back down to a rolling frame. I have to grind and touch up some welds on the frame and then its ready for sandblasting. all that is left to do is smooth out the tank, paint everything, and put the bike back together. LOL
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/49 "2009-02-11T12:16:52Z")
looks good
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### Author:  [@pirite](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/pirite)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/50 "2009-02-11T16:53:39Z")
i got the squeegee in one of the pics!
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### Author:  [@SLPCamaroV6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SLPCamaroV6)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/51 "2009-02-15T11:49:24Z")
god our shops such a mess. hey luke i mean shop bitch get down there and start cleaning, and maybe ill give you a ride in the jetta when its done.
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### Author:  [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/52 "2009-04-11T09:05:56Z")
bump, this thing up and running yet?
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### Author:  [@SLPCamaroV6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SLPCamaroV6)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 10:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/53 "2009-04-11T10:41:36Z")
its not running yet but i can tell you its pretty damn close to being done.
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/54 "2009-04-11T11:54:36Z")
I finally got everything painted, and got my lights on and wired in, the bike is %90 complete, but I havent been able to take pictures. I have to install the starter, Stator, stator cover, chain, and fire it up…but I lost a collar bushing for the rear axle and cannot ride without it…so I havent been working super hard to finish.
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2009, 9:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/55 "2009-04-20T09:35:18Z")
so, update: not many pics, no more camera. I got her running like a top the other day, but may have some trans issues with the motor I bought. LOL, I pulled a motor that everything worked great on with two dead cylinders and got a motor with awesome compression but no accessories, and it seems there is no first gear and the clutches might be shot. bike is painted and assembled for the most part, needs a bushing, tires, and inspection to ride.
I’ll get better pics when its ride-able and i can get my camera-man out lol
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 10:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/56 "2009-06-07T10:15:08Z")
small update. Bike is near complete. just short a set of handgrips and my inspection is tuesday morning. Been riding it a few times a week at night lol, and its fun as heck to ride. Cant wait for it to be fully legit so i can ride more often.
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### Author:  [@Shrives](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shrives)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 10:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/57 "2009-06-07T10:39:17Z")
Looks good man, I’m liking the color choice too.
I just picked up an old kawi to do a similar project
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 10:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/58 "2009-06-07T10:52:50Z")
> [@Shrives](#):
>
> Looks good man, I’m liking the color choice too.
>
> I just picked up an old kawi to do a similar project
Thanks!, I’m really happy with the color as well. I mixed it from a bunch of leftover Spies brand GM colors we had laying around and threw some house of kolor blue pearl in it. It pops really crazy in the sun.
is it a kawi triple? those are badass screamers lol. I wanna pickup another bike to do another build, but I’ll wait a season. I’ve been researching what to do to the now spare/old motor that was dead in two cylinders to hop it up a bit. Seams I can use some cb650 and cb750 internals to acheave a 691cc engine, use 750 carbs, and some headwork and be around 80whp. For a vintage bike I think that would be pretty damn impressive lol.
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### Author:  [@Shrives](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shrives)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2009, 11:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/59 "2009-06-07T11:13:18Z")
> [@focusinprogress](#):
>
> is it a kawi triple? those are badass screamers lol. I wanna pickup another bike to do another build, but I’ll wait a season. I’ve been researching what to do to the now spare/old motor that was dead in two cylinders to hop it up a bit. Seams I can use some cb650 and cb750 internals to acheave a 691cc engine, use 750 carbs, and some headwork and be around 80whp. For a vintage bike I think that would be pretty damn impressive lol.
Nope, it’s an '81 csr 650 that I scored for pennies. It’s in pretty good shape too, and all together. My plans are to do make it a street tracker with a touch of cafe possibly. I also plan on putting new sportbike parts on it as well, such as swingarm/rear end and front end assemblies from a newer ninja, etc.
I know a lot of the old cb parts can be interchangeable, and also a dime a dozen, so that would be solid. If you could put out 80rwhp on that bike, I’d be very impressed, that would scream like you wouldn’t believe!
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### Author:  [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1975-honda-cb550-cafe-bike-build/61505/60 "2009-08-13T15:49:09Z")
Well, finally have most of the small issues all ironed out, no more camera so I have no good pics but i’ve been riding at least twice a week on it. :tup:
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