1974 Honda CB

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1974 Honda CB550 I hate to do this, but I am selling off my collection because I am going back to school and need the money… I purchased this bike last year from the original owner’s son. At the time, I didn’t know a whole lot about Honda CB’s, but I have always loved their looks and design. When this one came up for sale locally I jumped on it. I could tell right away that this bike had been well cared for. The body was in great original shape. The gas tank had some fading, but no big deal, I could deal with that. The engine ran, but not great. To be honest, I loved the bike, but it was definitely an impulse buy. And yes, I think I probably paid too much for it. But we’ve all been there before!... Once I got the bike home, I fell it love with it even more, and decided it was here to stay. Even though the bike had been in such good shape, there were things that needed to be done. Obviously the gas tank needed to be repainted and the engine needed looking at. After a long search I finally found the perfect painter. ACS Precision Finish specializes in custom paint and hot rods. Painting the tank was a long process even for him. First, he tracked down a flake and color, that matches the original metallic paint. Second, I found a reproduction decal used for the striping (It’s the same as the original). Third he painted the black part, a beautiful deep black that you can see your reflection in. And last, he sprayed 3+ coats of clear coat. It looks absolutely fantastic as you can see by the pictures… When someone repaints an original part, I am always skeptical that it will not look as good as it originally did. I like to keep everything as original looking as possible. I was worried that by repainting the tank that it would never look as good. Maybe looking over done, or done poorly all together. NOT the case with this paint job. I am really blown away by how good it looks. He also painted both of the side covers to make sure they matched the tank. They do, and they look great as well. I forgot to mention, before the new paint job, I had a local radiator company professionally clean the tank and plastic coat the insides. You’ll never have to worry about a rusty gas tank agian. Once the body was being worked on, it was time to address the engine. I took it to a local shop who deals with old Honda CB’s, Motorcycle Doctors in Salt Lake City, UT. After checking it out and giving it a thorough review, he told me the engine was basically toast. It would need major work! So he said we should probably just start from scratch and overhaul the engine. After three months and $3700.00, the engine was completely overhauled (I have receipts to prove it). It runs great! I have about 300 miles on the new engine, and I am still driving it carefully. I am supposed to take it easy up to 1000 miles. So far all is good! I am sure there will be thousands of miles to come… Other than the engine, gas tank, and side covers here are a few other things worth mentioning. · I replaced the headset race, and bearings · Replaced fork seals and oil. · Re-chromed front fender and handlebars. · New chain. · New front brakes pads. · Replaced various smaller parts. (grips, gas cap, starter button, among others) · The speedo on the bike right now is not the original one. The original ones were faded and warped. I was meaning to have them redone if possible. But in the meantime was using this pair that I bought on ebay last spring. They look and work great, but I will include the originals in case you decide to have them redone. · There are two serious rust spots on the right side muffler near the rear brake lever. There are pictures in the photo gallery on the link below. · The tires were put on by the previous owner. They are only a few years old, and look like they have a lot of life left in them. · The original speedo read 39,678 on the odometer when I took it off the bike. I am assuming that is the actual miles. · The Alternator cover and the Points cover do have dents. Please review the pictures · I have the original shop manual that comes with the bike. With all said and done, this is a great bike. The bike has a perfect mixture of new and old. The original patina has stood the test of time and looks great, as well as the new paint to spruce it all up. I have a clean title in hand, and registration is current. The vin number is: CB550E 1031699 (engine), CB550 1026974 (frame). I wish I could keep it, but the last minute decision to go back to school takes priority right now. I am into this bike over $7000.00. My loss is your gain. But I’ll be happy if it goes to a good home. Please check out the link to view many more detailed pictures of the bike. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100898279084339235663/albums/5923983228804131937 I put this on a 10 day auction so you can do your research. Please ask any or all questions BEFORE the end of the auction. The bike is sold “as is” with no warranties. I am not a mechanic but can do my best to try to answer questions. I will help with shipping any way I can. I have had really good luck with Uship, but that is up to you. Please note, $500.00 down payment due within 48 hours of auctions end. Remainder of the payment due within 7 days of auctions end.. DO NOT bid unless you intend to pay!!! By bidding on this motorcycle you are entering into a contract. I will not release the bike until money has been verified and cleared. I can store the bike for 2-3 weeks after the auction ends, but after that it needs to be gone because I’ll be gone to school. Happy Bidding! Check out my other Ebay auction. A beautifully restored 1961 Lambretta scooter. Auction #: 221285753374 On Sep-28-13 at 16:28:47 PDT, seller added the following information: The original speedo actually has 41,929 on it, not 39,678. When I purchased the bike, the original owner gave me an additional set of speedos. They aren't in good condition, but I accidentally read those miles instead of the original ones (They are all in the same box). I will include those speedos with the sale if you want them. Sorry for the confusion.