As I've alluded to on another thread I'm putting my Honda CB550 up for sale. Why? Its time for another project to keep me busy in retirement. Lol. The bike was first registered in March 1979, so has been a 'UK' bike all its life and therefore isn't a recent import from the States as many of these are now. The bike is 90% original. The OE Sankel exhausts are extremely hard to source these days so I've fitted a stainless steel Delkevic system and the brown seat is off a F1 model although I have a black seat I'll give to the new owner if they wish. The bike runs and rides very well, everything works as it should and it starts on the button. I have two keys which fit the ignition, seat and filler cap locks. A proper Honda toolkit lives under the seat and I even have the original owners Handbook. Recorded mileage is 18,500. I can't guarantee that but the old MOTs I have seem to back it up. The paintwork and chrome is very good. I could go on, but if you have a genuine interest the best thing to do is drop me a pm with any questions you might have. Price ; £4995
I forgot to say its now in the Historic vehicle class (or will be when the DVLA finally send me the appropriate V5 ) therefore the road tax is free and it is MOT exempt. All you would need to do is insure it and with a classic bike policy on limited mileage terms it cost me just £45 this year.
I don't know mate. The market is getting flooded with 70's Japanese bikes. I've done quite a few over the last few years. A Yamaha RD200, a Suzuki GT380, a Kawasaki KH750, a Yamaha FZR1000 and a Honda VF1000R, ok, the last two are 80's bikes not 70's. I don't do it to make money, I do it to keep myself out of the wife's way in winter time. I've ploughed that much money into that 550 I will be making a loss at £5k. (This is the point where you get your violin out. ). Lots of dealers are importing (basically shite) old stuff and asking silly money for them. They just roll the rusty relics out of a container, photograph them and put them on fleabay. They even get the buyer to do all the registration paperwork, they can't even be arsed to do that themselves! Everything has its day, we aspire to the stuff (cars, bikes, whatever) we yearned for in our youth. That's why the 70's bikes are so popular right now. The teenagers back then are in their 50's and 60's now and can afford such toys. Look at the prices being asked for a mint 16er moped like an FS1E. I think the bottom will fall out of the 1970's bike market soon and the 80's and 90s stuff will take over as the target audience gets older too. Sorry for the long winded response. I'd love to do a special a la Alan Millyard but I frankly don't have his skill level. I'm just a parts monkey who is pretty good at assembling bits and bobs, but when it comes to making new parts I don't have the know how or fabrication equipment to hand. If the 550 doesn't sell I'll be happy to keep it, just like my 900 Thruxton, but if it does then to (finally) answer your question I'd like an old Ducati or a Guzzi. Finding parts for one of those might be rather challenging!!
Thanks for all your nice comments. The weather has been great here this morning so I went for a ride around the parish on the old girl. I was thinking whilst riding, that it was easy to see back in the 70's why they were so popular, not just the 550, but all the Honda SOHC fours of that time. They go well, didn't leak oil and have decent ergonomics. My Thruxton does the same but why did it take so long for the British bike industry to wake up to that?
I know what you mean about flooding money into a project John. You do something to improve the bike and then it will show something else up that’s letting the bike down, so I end up saying that’s it just go through the complete bike. Little things like using the wrong type of bolts or screws can spoil the look of a refurb bike. If I’ve got the original bolts in poor condition,I would dress them off them get then replated. Agree about dealers importing some shite, add that to the cost of a refurb and it easily amounts to ££££’s unless you’ve been hoarding parts for a few years when they were available and cheaper. There’s some chancers at Stafford Classic Show when it comes to buying a project bike as well as eBay.
800 miles since full nut and bolt resto in Italy. Never been oiled up until I bought it three years ago.
