Honda CB550 1978 riderestore

Name: Honda CB550 1978 riderestore
Brand: Honda CB550 1978 riderestore
SKU: freeadsz-198112
Price: 1100 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (56 reviews)

1,100 GBP

I bought this on eBay in 2012 as a restoration project. Over the following 14 months it had a complete rebuild. Almost Everything that had fallen off or rusted away has been replaced. Parts of this are a CB550F and parts are CB550K therefore I call this a CB550H (hybrid). When I registered it in 2013 it was identified by DVLA on their system as being registered in 1978 and has a number plate to reflect this. I am selling this as a working machine and an ongoing project. It is fully road legal and rides very well. The clutch is a little heavy and following surgery on my left hand is perhaps a good reason for selling. Other reasons are that it was a restoration project which has pretty much reached its conclusion and I have recently purchased a CB750 and dont really need three bikes, (I have a 125 as well)
When I got this bike it was in a sorry state and the following is the journey I took for restoration.
Frame was solid with surface rust. Cleaned up, de-rusted and painted.Swinging arm had been repaired in past with welded plates. Replaced.Headlamp brackets very corroded and unserviceable. Purchased correct chrome brackets.Front wheel rusty, reused hub and replaced rim and spokes.Rear wheel had chip in drum lining. Replaced drum, and re-spoked existing rim.Wiring loom appeared to be US specification. Completely rewired as per wiring for UK CB400F. Redesigned workshop wiring diagram.Headlight reflector silver peeling off, replaced unit.Rectifier broken, replaced.New ignition switch and steering lock.Slight deformity in calliper pivot resulting in brake squeal. Replaced complete brake assembly.Brake master cylinder unreliable and leaking, renewed complete assembly.Attachment to secure Tacho cable to drive at camshaft was missing. Obtained replacement.Piston rings worn close to limit and one cylinder had seized rings. Cylinder walls showed NO sign of wear. Cleaned pistons. Renewed all piston rings. Carburettors, replaced and overhauled.New horn.All valves reasonable. Lightly ground in to clean seats.Wrong fuel tank. Replaced.Complete exhaust system renewed.New throttle cables.New clutch cable.One new indicator to match other three.

Additional feature which I added is a rear light indicator which is visible through the oil light which glows dim when the rear light it on and glows brighter when the brake light is on.Also a red LED panel is fitted above the rear light to give additional brake light.A must for old folk like me is the addition of heated handlebar grips.
Issues - There was no seat lock mechanism. I fabricated a sort of key which whilst a little cumbersome does work. Also the filler cap cover on the tank had no key lock so again I fabricated something that also works quite well but is not secure.
The front forks are slightly pitted in places which I think lets some of the oil out despite having new seals. When I got this bike the rocker cover had one broken bolt hole. I managed to source a replacement on eBay and fitted this. There is some tappet noise which I believe to be the nearside rear rocker shaft which has some play in it though this does not seem to affect the operation or timing.There is a small drip of oil which collects on the sump plug which may be due to a hairline crack at the bolt hole, but I have not confirmed this and the leak is negligible anyway.
Whilst rebuilding, the only thing I didn't touch was the crankshaft and big ends. They seemed fine as did the gearbox itself. These models are historically known for not going into neutral whilst stationery with the engine running. This is certainly a nuisance for town riding.I have started this at a price which I feel reflects the work put into its restoration.
PLEASE BE AWARE this machine is 37 years old and is a working motorcycle. There are various blemishes and imperfections which you would expect for something of this age. It rides quite well if you are not expecting to use it on a race track. If you are after something to boost your ego and impress people then you'd best look elsewhere. But if you want something to tinker with and ride for enjoyment then feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
MOT is good until July 2016 and currently road tax is £57 a year.
PAYPAL ONLY ACCEPTEDPAYMENT - The winning bidder to pay £100 at conclusion of auction.BALANCE - to be paid upon delivery / collection via PAYPAL ONLY
Collection from registered address in ERITH KENT Delivery can be arranged within approx 40 miles of.

Location: London - London

Added on 24 days ago and expires on 28 September, Ad id: 198112

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