Alright, so I finally got around to tackling this 1975 Honda CB550F that’s been sitting in the corner of my garage. It wasn’t exactly a barn find, but close enough. Picked it up for a decent price, mostly because it looked like it hadn’t seen the light of day in a good decade. You know the type – dusty, a bit sad, but with that classic shape that just pulls you in.
Getting Started: The Teardown
First things first, I had to see what I was really dealing with. So, the teardown began. Man, some of those bolts were really on there. A bit of penetrating oil, some patience, and a few choice words later, things started coming apart. The tank had some old, gummy fuel in it – smelled just awful. That was an immediate job for later. Fenders were a bit dinged up, seat foam was pretty much disintegrated under the ripped cover. Standard stuff for a bike this age, really.
I took a ton of pictures as I went. Learned that lesson the hard way on a previous project. Bagged and tagged every nut, bolt, and widget. You think you’ll remember where everything goes, but trust me, you won’t. Especially when it takes weeks, or even months, to get back to a certain part.
Engine and Carbs: The Heart of the Matter
The engine, thankfully, turned over by hand, so it wasn’t seized. That was a big relief. Still, I knew those carbs would be a nightmare. Four of ’em. And old Keihins can be finicky. Pulled them off, and yep, just as I suspected. Tiny little jets clogged solid with old fuel varnish. So, I got to work, stripping them down completely. Soaked everything, scrubbed with tiny brushes, blew out all the passages with compressed air. It’s tedious work, but you can’t skimp on it if you want the bike to run right.
While the carbs were soaking, I checked the compression. Not too bad, actually. Decided against a full top-end rebuild for now. Just wanted to get it running first. Changed the oil, of course. Looked like molasses coming out.
Frame, Wheels, and a Whole Lot of Cleaning
With the engine mostly sorted for the initial phase, I turned my attention to the frame. No major rust-through, which was good. Just a lot of surface rust and grime. Wire brushed the hell out of it, then gave it a good coat of chassis paint. Nothing fancy, just good, durable black.
Wheels were next. Spokes were dull, rims were pitted. Lots of polishing. Hours and hours of polishing. My hands were raw. But they started to shine up eventually. New tires were a must, obviously. The old ones were cracked and hard as rocks. Safety first, right?
Then there was just general cleaning. Every bracket, every little piece. Degreaser, wire wool, scotch-brite pads. It’s amazing how much gunk can accumulate over forty-odd years.
Electrical Gremlins and Putting it Back Together
Ah, the wiring. Old bike wiring is always an adventure. The loom looked mostly intact, but I found a few frayed wires and some dodgy-looking previous repairs. Cleaned all the contacts, replaced a few suspect connectors. Put in a new battery, obviously. Checked for spark – got a nice healthy blue spark at all four plugs. Good sign!
Reassembly is the fun part, when it starts looking like a motorcycle again. Carefully bolting things back on. New chain, new sprockets. Rebuilt the front brake caliper because it was dragging. The master cylinder needed a kit too. Brakes are kinda important, you know?
Got the cleaned-up tank back on, fresh fuel lines, new petcock. Hooked up the carbs. Double-checked everything. Triple-checked everything.
The Moment of Truth
Then it was time. Fuel on, choke on, hit the starter. It cranked… and cranked. A little sputter. More cranking. And then, VROOOM! She fired up! Coughed a bit, smoked a bit from burning off old oil and stuff, but she was running. Man, there’s no better sound than an old engine coming back to life after years of silence.
Still needs a lot of fine-tuning, syncing the carbs properly, and a few cosmetic bits here and there. But it runs, it rides (around the block, at least), and it’s a solid foundation. These CB550Fs, they’re just cool bikes. Not the fastest, not the rarest, but they’ve got character. And bringing one back from the brink? Pretty satisfying, I gotta say. Another one saved.
