[ClevelandBaller]

I’ll be in the market pretty soon for a bike, and I’d really like to get an old Honda, something like a 70s CB550 or similar, for a couple reasons. First, I have a little experience with maintenance of my car, but I’d like to get more competent at engine maintenance so I figure old Honda’s have lots of parts and information available. Second, I absolutely love the cafe racer style and would like to turn it into a bit of a project, starting first with the mechanics and second with the looks.
My issue is I have a fairly small budget of around $4000 max. So here are my questions:
Is this budget at all realistic for what I want to do?
Is a bike like this likely to give me expensive maintenance issues? Again I don’t mind the work as much as the cost.
Which older Honda at around the 550 range will give me the best reliability, buying price, and parts availability?

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Wow thanks for all the responses. I'll be moving to the Virginia Beach area in November, which is when I'll be looking for one. I understand that the twins are probably easier to work on, but I can't see myself being enthusiastic about owning and caring for one long term since it's a little low on power, and I think I'd be a bit big for it.
As far as my budget, is $4000 still realistic if I want to get a CB550, strip it down, repaint the frame and tank, tune the carbs, and make the usual café racer modifications (handlebars, shocks, seat, headlight, exhaust, etc.)? I'm willing to take on a bit of a challenge since it seems like there's lots of information and a great community surrounding these bikes.

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Great to hear, I’m really excited to go searching for one.
Yeah I’ve heard of old cars having all sorts of problems just from a single faulty tail light wire. Again I’m not an expert in electronics either but have done some, is it difficult to redo the wiring if necessary?
Also given that there are so many instructional videos and such an active online community, would an engine rebuild be difficult for expensive for someone (myself) who hasn’t done it before? I think what I would like to do is find one for a lowish price and fix it up into the best possible stock condition, then start thinking about modifying it into a cafe racer.

 

[ClevelandBaller]

What exactly is it that makes a rebuild difficult if there are step by step videos available for that exact engine?

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Alright so if a full rebuild is out of the question for a newbie, does anyone have some buying advice? Such as what condition to go for to get a reliable bike for a reasonable price, what questions to ask the seller, etc.
Also what major difficulties are involved in carb work?

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Alright thanks a lot. How about the safety of these bikes? Obviously over the course of almost 50 years there have been huge safety improvements, so just how dangerous is a 70s bike in comparison to a new one, and what should I watch out for?

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Alright well you’ve all been way more informative than I could’ve asked for. I’m really excited to get started looking for one in Virginia and I’ll definitely post some pictures on here when i find it. If I think of any more general questions I’ll add them onto this thread, until then thanks everyone

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Interesting find... can anyone tell me what the best things are to look for in a bike in questionable condition? What kind of things can I check to make sure the engine or transmission doesn't have any major expensive mechanical issues? I think the ideal situation would be to find one that maybe just doesn't run well because of some dirty carbs or something, a good condition engine pretending to be a bad one so I can get a lower price.

 

[ClevelandBaller]

You seem a little confused about what you want. Do you want a beater to learn on, or a nice bike with a $4000 budget? I am thinking you could have both. Motorcycle Repair Course This repair course is a good read and reference on the old bikes.

Up to $4000 is what I’m willing to spend on a to buy a bike, get it running well and reliably, and modify the style. I would rather do that than just buy a premade cafe racer because I love the process of transforming it from a forgotten about bike with potential to like-new.

 

[ClevelandBaller]

Awesome, thanks again for all the info. And yeah like i said, I do plan on enjoying the bike in its stock form for a little while at least, since I do honestly like the look of the stock CB550. Mechanics first, then style.