1983 Honda CBX550

[quacker_boy]

By a complete fluke I stumbled across a bloke a few doors away who was pushing this rather forlorn looking machine into a shed. It's going on eBay at the end of the week but he's said I can have it for £150.

It's not in the best condition in the world but the idea is to give it some sweet lovin' whilst I save up to do a test. We jumped it off his van and it sounds absolutely lovely so before I fall completley in love can anyone tell me about things to look out for? Any answers along the lines of "It's a Honda, it won't have any problems" will be getting a virtual slap even though I'm sure it's bomb proof.

I'm waiting for my old man to come back on Sunday to have a chat with him to see if he'll let me buy it, if not, tough shit I'm probably going to get anyway I'm particularly curious about the brakes, if anyone can shed some light on that, that'd be brill.

For those curious, this is what it looks like
https://www.motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/CBX550.JPG

Only the one I'm eyeing up is slightly scruffier condition and doesn't have the nose cone fitted and looks miles better as a result I think. Big karma cookies to all who are helpful

Chris
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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

[MaybeGuy]

nice gixer.

looks awesome for £150 though
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Kickstart]

[Fastkwak]

They were cool back in the day and went pretty well i had a mate who despatched one with no major probs until fifty odd thousand miles then cam chain and tensioner fitted (not cheap ) but it was still going well at ninety thousand miles when he got rid of it. He loved it but it was never quite up there with the Gpz 550's looks or status but he kept up well enough when we were blitzing fat heavy GS 550's at the time. The inboard brakes are a bit penickity and if i remember rightly from when i owned a despatch hack VT 500 with the same brakes there is a marker thing for break pad wear but its crap and lies until one day the brakes feel soft then the bike feels a bit gutless and then when you stop at traffic lights you cant move again until they have cooled down ha ha . the cure for this is simply drop the front wheel off every couple of months check the pads and clear out all the build up of dust and the brakes stay cool longer and you know when you need pads .Oh and the secret to my mates CBX longevity was to change the oil every 2000 miles and oil and filter every second change and it worked for him
cheers
Dave
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Kiss my ASS im gone. current ZX12R previous ZZR1100,Gpz1100 uni,GT750,VT500,CX500
GT550,various Superdream 250&400,RD350LC,RD400DX,Ts250ER,DT175MX
CB125T superdream

[moog]

Not bad bikes at all. My mate had one and turned it into this hardtail show winner...

https://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d199/sim0nc0/19-07-08_1249.jpg

...for a total cost, including the bike, mot and tax, of £117!
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"A process which led from the amoeba to man appeared to the philosophers to be obviously a progress...though whether the amoeba would agree with this opinion is not known."

"I've made an odd discovery. Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the opposite."

[quacker_boy]

General consensus is for £150 chance it and just look after it to the best of my ability or run it into the ground then?

Keith could you elaborate a bit on the head/valve problems. Valves burning out? Cracking heads? Or not quite so extreme?

Cam chain and tensioner wouldn't be too hard. I didn't even look at the mileage, I was too excited about the idea of getting a bike for such little money and presumably very cheap insurance.

Thanks for the answers so far guys

EDIT: Matt, I know, I'm going to have to build up to the GSXR a bit I think but i'll get there and when I do, I'll own you
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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

[Kickstart]

[Kal]

Engine has a reputation for being fragile - for a Honda.

CBX550 is the '80s version of the CBR600, the sportsbike of the time - for a ton-fifty? Oh I would, I really, really would.
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[quacker_boy]

I'll have to have a chat with my dad when he comes back a bit later this afternoon, he should be easy to push. I'll post up and let you all know the results and probably start a show and tell thread
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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

[Fastkwak]

Well ? did ya get it did ya get it dont keep us in suspence mate
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Kiss my ASS im gone. current ZX12R previous ZZR1100,Gpz1100 uni,GT750,VT500,CX500
GT550,various Superdream 250&400,RD350LC,RD400DX,Ts250ER,DT175MX
CB125T superdream

[thenaes]

Hey I stumbled upon this looking up info on what should be me doing an overhaul of my 1983 Honda CBX 550F. Im grateful for the info Ive collected so far.

Must redo the tensioner (it rattles to all hell) and while at it the Camchain aswell?

So what else would be standard in my over haul?
EVERYTHING is OEM and original from 1983 except the chain which rusted off along with 1 of the mufflers. Exhaust will be done after the bike moves again. So naturally I should be doing plugs/wires and engine/transmission seals (they do show leakage). Also as blue smoke come out the piston rings aswell?

Thanks from Canada

Sean